Reasons to Go to the Fort Fisher Aquarium in North Carolina

If you're traveling up and down the North Carolina coastline searching for something to do that doesn't involve the beach or water parks then head down to the Fort Fisher Aquarium. The Fort Fisher Aquarium is located just a few miles from Wilmington and is a little over an hour north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's an educational experience highlighting the area's marine life and can be entertaining for people of all ages.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher takes visitors on a tour down the Cape Fear River, highlighting marine life from freshwater streams, swamps, tidelands, and even the ocean. The Aquarium is one of the area's most popular attractions and opened back up in 2002 after a recent two year renovation which added a new building. The expansion converted a nice but modest facility that was built in 1976 into a major Southeastern attraction. The capacity of the aquarium's tanks is now six times what they were originally. The number of animal species has grown from 75 to 250 alone. The Forth Fisher Aquarium is actually one of three state aquariums, all of which focus on the local environment in each location.

Your drive to the aquarium goes through the beautiful ocean side scenery of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and the beautiful dunes of Fort Fisher. When you arrive at the aquarium you will be pleasantly greeted into the dramatic entrance of the enormous glass-roofed atrium that houses freshwater habitats.

The gallery's main spectacular exhibits include reptiles, fishes, and mollusks from local and foreign waters. The new gallery of exhibits at the aquarium focuses on exotic species and life not normally found in the state's local waters. This new gallery is a major mark from the old aquarium tradition of showcasing only life forms found in North Carolina's freshwater and ocean habitats.

Upon entering the aquarium visitors will immediately shuffle in to the aquarium that houses all of the reptile exhibits. This includes the crocodile exhibit, where visitors can get within inches of the croc, all protected by the glass wall, of course. This provides for great photo opportunities with a crocodile lingering within inches in the background. There are cute turtle displays where you can see them swimming about the pond-like exhibit.

In other displays, visitors will discover sea snakes from the Pacific held in a tank that is visible from all sides around in the 1000 gallon cylinder. Other exhibits include fluorescent cuttlefish from the Red Sea that flash against the background of their tank. It's visually stunning. One neat exhibit I saw were the beautiful Indo-Pacific lionfish that swim in their rocky surroundings. Though they have a rough appearance, there is something graceful about the way the move. You'll also find more than a dozen colorful reef fishes of the Pacific coral atolls including the percula clown, fire dartfish, and other fish.

One thing that impressed me was the technologies that the Fort Fisher included to help visitors learn more about the gallery's interesting species. Each display features a panel with information and photographs to shed light on the animal. There are many employees floating around the aquarium that will readily answer any questions you may have. There is even a section of the aquarium that allows visitors to touch approved fishes. This is an exciting experience for young children that love to touch things. Be sure to visit the gift shop on the way out. There you will find t-shirts, books, stuffed animals, and hats all bearing your favorite marine life species.

Overall, the Fort Fisher Aquarium is a pleasant experience and I certainly recommend it for any person. The hours are nine o'clock to five o'clock daily and they are closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. I find the best time to go is during Fall because the tourist traffic has slowed down and it's much easier to find a parking spot and browse the galleries at your own pace. The experience takes about one to two hours to fully tour the aquarium, depending on your pace and number of family members and friends. The admission is eight dollars for adults, seven dollars for seniors, and six dollars for children between the ages of six to seventeen. For more information, call 910-458-8257. Hope you have a great time and enjoy your stay in North Carolina!