North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

The Wilmington area is a fabulous place to head down for a beach vacation.  It's only about 3 hours from Durham and the beaches are wonderful.  In addition to the beach there's also the city itself with all of the shopping and restaurants of a good-sized city.  While it's nice to spend time at the beach, occasionally everyone needs something else to do on vacation.  If you're in the Wilmington area you can head just south of the city to one of the NC Aquariums at Fort Fisher.


What it is: The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher has all of the essentials of a first-rate aquarium: floor to ceiling fish tanks filled with fish of all colors and sizes, scuba divers in the tanks to watch as they actually talk to the observers outside the tank, shark jaw skeletons, and even pools where you can feel the sea creatures yourself.  There is also an area with alligators and some bigger animals and also guides that walk around with various educational exhibits to show everyone.

What we liked: We love how kids can see all types of sea creatures at the aquarium.  We love how they can touch and feel the creatures at the aquarium as well as see them.  We especially love how there's not just one NC Aquarium like this.  There are actually three NC Aquariums all located at locations along NC's beautiful coast: Manteo, Pine Knoll Shores at Atlantic Beach, and Fort Fisher.  One of our other favorite things about the aquariums is that you can get in free to any of the NC aquarium with your membership to the NC Zoo. (A family membership can be purchased for only $49 when you use the discount code ML11.)

What we would change: The day we went it was pretty crowded around the larger tanks and the area where you can touch the sea creatures.  So, if you go, you might want to pick a day of the week that would be less crowded or if you can, a less-crowded season.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://www.ncaquariums.com/

Address:

*Fort Fisher (the location we visited)
900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach, NC, 28449

*Pine Knoll Shores
1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512

*Roanoke
 374 Airport Road, Manteo, NC, 27954

Hours: Daily 9am-5pm year round

Cost:
Adults: Ages 13-61: $8
Seniors: Ages 62+: $7
Children: Ages 3-12: $6
No charge for children 2 and under, registered N.C. school groups and N.C. Aquarium Society Members

Photos:

 (sculpture out in front of the aquarium)

 (the real fishies)

 (alligator)

(beautiful jellyfish)