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Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach Review

A person holds a horseshoe crab upside down, showing the crab's underside. More crabs swim in the sandy pool below.

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Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach is a family-friendly experience that includes some fun interactive opportunities! I’ve been to quite a few aquariums in my life now and thought for this post, I could offer some insight into how this aquarium stacks up to others in the country (& world) and if it’s worth the time/money.

And for this experience in Myrtle Beach, it was, once again, a mixed basket of adults, teenagers, and my little nephew (who was about 1 year and 4 months at the time). So, it truly was an experience for everyone!

Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach Prices & Location

Location:
1110 Celebrity Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Ticket Prices:
Adults $ 26.99
Child 6-11 $ 16.99
Child 2-5 $ 6.99
Under 2 – free

Discounts are available on their website; click here to purchase & see the latest deals.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach Photos & Exhibits

A small shark swims in clear, aqua blue water inside the shark tunnel at Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach.

Shark Tunnel

The shark tunnel was the family favorite by far! Like the aquarium in Sydney, there’s a moving walkway to take you slowly through the shark tanks while they swim overhead. Take a look below at my little nephew’s face as we went through the shark tunnel. He was amazed, to say the least!

A baby admires the shark tunnel at Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach with a look of wonder on his face.
A small shark swims overhead in clear blue water through the shark tunnel at Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach.
When you’re in the shark tunnel, you’re looking at sharks swim right over your head!

Seriously, for that experience alone, going to this aquarium was worth it. My little nephew’s expressions were priceless! And you can check out a few more photos below.

Interactive Exhibits: Horseshoe Crabs!

The next fan favorite was the interactive exhibits. I do believe these rotate, but at the time we were there, Horseshoe Crabs were front and center for touching and information sessions. Did you know Horseshoe Crab blood is bright blue? And that it is very important to the medical world?

Teenagers, adults, and babies all enjoyed touching a Horseshoe Crab!

A young boy hovers over the Horseshoe crab exhibit at the Ripley's Aquarium on Myrtle Beach, playing in the water.
A person reaches into the Horseshoe crab exhibit pool to gently touch one of the crabs living in the exhibit.
A person holds a horseshoe crab upside down, pointing out the crabs legs and pincers under it's shell body.

Interactive Exhibits: Jellyfish!

This is one of the only aquariums I’ve ever been to, where you can touch a jellyfish! I honestly didn’t touch one, just because the line was long and I was starting to get claustrophobic (more on that in a second), but the kids and adults both loved this too!

A group of jellyfish swim in clear water in an interactive exhibit at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, SC.
You can actually touch jellyfish at this aquarium!

Exclusive Experiences at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Now, we didn’t actually try any of these experiences, but I thought it was worth mentioning, as they sound pretty neat!

Wondering what experiences are available at the Ripley’s closest to you? Click here to browse their locations!

Honest Thoughts on Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach – Is it Worth It?

In Comparison: I’ve been to the Shedd Aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium, the Dallas Aquarium, and the Sydney Sea Life Aquarium. In comparison, the Myrtle Beach aquarium is nowhere near as large as the Shedd Aquarium or Georgia Aquarium. (I believe out of all of these aquariums, the Myrtle Beach one might be the smallest.) If you’re looking to make a trip somewhere solely for the purpose of seeing an aquarium, I’d head to Atlanta or Chicago first.

But, if you have a rainy afternoon in Myrtle Beach or just some kiddos who want to touch some fish and get a close look at sharks, then the aquarium in Myrtle Beach will be worth your time.

Crowds: The day we went, the weather wasn’t overly nice or overly bad, and we weren’t there during peak season. (We went at the beginning of April.) But oh my goodness gracious! This place was packed! I do get claustrophobia from time to time and had to actually step out of exhibits because I was starting to get too panicky with the number of people in them. I can’t imagine what this place is like during peak season! (But you could also argue that ALL aquariums are going to feel congested.)

A picture of the crowds at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach. Groups of adults and children gather around the horseshoe crab exhibit, and walk around to other experiences.
Ripley’s Aquarium was really crowded, especially around the horseshoe crab exhibit!

Bottom line: If you have kids who are interested in sharks and touching jellyfish, this will be a great way to spend a half day! (You only need a few hours here, really.) However, if you’ve been to other aquariums, there isn’t really anything that sets this particular aquarium apart…so, I wouldn’t say you need to go out of your way to see it while you’re in Myrtle Beach.

An exotic Red lionfish swims in the clear waters of an aquarium.

Has anyone else ever been to Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach? And I’m curious, what’s your favorite aquarium you’ve ever been to? Let me know in the comments!

*Don’t miss my post on things to do in North Myrtle Beach!

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20 Comments

  1. The shark tunnel would be my favorite too, for sure! Your nephew is a cutie, that’s awesome you got pics of his expressions. Great post!

  2. The shark tunnel is incredible looking Lindsey. Awe-inspiring. I have not been there but would be on board for all it has to offer. Especially horseshoe crabs. I recall seeing millions – or close to that many – on the beaches of Cape May, NJ as a kid. #1 place on earth for spotting these prehistoric guys, during breeding season.

    1. I have heard Cape May is the place to go to see them! I’ll have to make a trip back to NJ one day. That would be so cool to see. 🙂

  3. It looks like so much fun. Thanks for sharing the tips for when I visit!
    XO, Masha | http://thehighinfluence.com/

  4. OMG! I’m from Monterey Bay, so I basically grew up going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and it never gets old! I love the ocean and al its critters! Such a great place to take kids too

    1. Oooh! I’ve always wanted to go to Monterey Bay Aquarium! That’s so awesome you grew up close to it!

  5. The sharks I could do without, but it looks like an amazing place and so educational!

    Raindrops of Sapphire

    1. Haha, they can be pretty scary looking. And it was really educational – I learned some new things while we were there!

  6. I love your nephew’s expression…that would probably be me the entire time. And sometimes I think the smaller venues are even better. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets overwhelmed at some of those places!!
    What a fun field trip!!
    XOXO
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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