Atlanta Zoo & Georgia Aquarium Package

Zoo Atlanta History Visit Zoo Atlanta About the Georgia Aquarium Georgia Aquarium Exhibits Visit the Georgia Aquarium

Zoo Atlanta is a 40-acre zoo and wildlife park located in Atlanta's Grant Park. The Zoo features over 1,000 animals representing 250 species from around the world, including western lowland gorillas, African elephants, kangaroos, black rhinos, monkeys, giraffes, and a Komodo dragon. Among the Zoo's most renowned residents are its three world-famous panda bears, Lun Lun, Yang Yang and Mei Lan, which are on loan from China’s Chengdu Zoo until 2009.

Zoo Atlanta History. Zoo Atlanta traces its history back to 1889, when a traveling circus came to town and never left. When cash flow problems forced the show’s owner into bankruptcy, the animals – including a jaguar, a hyena, a black bear, a raccoon, an elk, a gazelle, a Mexican hog, lionesses, pumas, camels, and snakes – were abandoned in their cages by the roadside. Word soon spread and the animals began to draw crowds of curious onlookers. Two weeks later, businessman George Valentine Gress purchased the collection at public auction and donated it to the city of Atlanta. The city relocated the animals to Grant Park and the Atlanta Zoo was born.

The Zoo got a facelift in the 1950s, when biologists and zoo directors replaced traditional barred animal cages with naturalistic enclosures. But, in 1984, deteriorating conditions at the Zoo labeled it as one of the top 10 worst in the nation. In response to this, Zoo Atlanta updated and revitalized the entire facility in 1989 and opened several new exhibits including a lifelike re-creation of the African savanna, and new naturalistic habitats for animals like black rhinos, drills and Sumatran tigers. After more than 100 years, Zoo Atlanta has evolved from a roadside curiosity to a modern-day facility that strives to entertain and educate the public about animal preservation.   [Top]

About the Georgia Aquarium. Known as the world’s largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium opened its doors in 2005. The impressive blue metal and glass exterior of the Aquarium was designed to resemble a giant ark breaking through a wave, with the ship’s “hull” emerging from two large buildings that feature curved, flowing roofs representing ocean swells. The Aquarium houses more than 100,000 animals and 500 different fresh water and marine species in its spectacular, eight million gallon tanks. The Aquarium’s most famous residents are its four Beluga whales and four whale sharks from Taiwan – Ralph, Norton, Alice and Trixie (named after characters from the TV series the Honeymooners).  [Top]

Georgia Aquarium Exhibits. Aquatic fish and animals are displayed in five different galleries at the aquarium – the Georgia Explorer, Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest, and River Scout. The Georgia Explorer exhibit is geared towards children and includes touch tanks with rays and sharks, and exhibits featuring sea turtles and the wildlife of Georgia’s Gray’s Reef marine sanctuary. The River Scout exhibit features an exciting overhead river where visitors can watch North American freshwater fish from the bottom up. Cold Water Quest features animals from the polar regions of the world and contains the bulk of the aquarium's mammal collection, including beluga whales, California sea lions and African black-footed penguins. The Ocean Voyager exhibit boasts almost 100,000 fish and showcases the aquarium's whale sharks and other animals in a spectacular 100-foot underwater tunnel. The Tropical Diver exhibit highlights the curious and bizarre, including a variety of animals displayed in a living reef complete with live coral.  [Top]

Visit the Georgia Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is open Sun.-Thurs. 10am-5pm, Fri. & Sat. 10am-6pm. The aquarium offers extended holiday hours and special events throughout the year. Ticket prices range from $18.00-24.00, children under three are free. Advanced time slot reservations are recommended. Call (404) 581-4000 for tickets or visit www.georgiaaquarium.org for more information.

Stay at the Sleep Inn when you visit Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium. You’ll enjoy comfortable accommodations and a convenient location, just minutes away from the area’s best attractions. Our hotel offers a wide range of services and features, like an indoor swimming pool, complimentary Internet access, free continental breakfast and special package deals that will make your stay with us relaxing and carefree.  [Top]