Georgia Aquarium hits 3 million visitors

11Alive.com | Aquarium Marks 3 Million Visitors

The Georgia Aquarium had its 3 millionth visitor Wednesday morning, and I happened to be on hand.

Three million and counting
Originally uploaded by Frank Steele.

It was my 2nd trip to the aquarium, after an attempt back in January that was cut short because the crowds were just too thick.

On Wednesday, crowds were much more manageable, and I overheard one of the aquarium workers suggesting that the next week will be pretty quiet, with tourist traffic back up for Labor Day, and then school field trips picking up after the holiday.

Silhouettes 1
Originally uploaded by Frank Steele.

I have an annual pass that was a Christmas gift, but I'm not sure the experience is worth the $23.75 one-time admission. You can pretty much see everything in a little over 2 hours, and I don't think there's anywhere I would sit and just watch the fish. At the Zoo Atlanta, I could sit and watch the gorillas for hours. Maybe that's just me -- I saw license plates there from New York, Missouri, and New Jersey in addition to the expected Alabama, Florida, and Georgia plates.

The two big draws are the beluga whales and the whale sharks, which are the world's biggest fish. You pass through a glass-topped tunnel below the enormous tank that houses 4 whale sharks and thousands of other fish, then come around to a 60-foot wide tank window that's the 2nd largest viewing window in the world.

Whale Shark
Originally uploaded by Frank Steele.

Here's a Flickr photoset of the visit.