Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is an incomparable and most loved travel destination of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which is voted as the number one aquarium of America. With the help of some amazing exhibits, the aquarium exhibits most uncommon and entrancing marine animal species to its visitants. The aquarium also provides a unique setting to arrange wedding receptions, birthday parties, and other memorable life events in a melodramatic style.
Exploring the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
The Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies brings the most aesthetic scenes and astounding beauties of the oceanic life, assuring the visitors of a splendid visiting experience. With the elegance of water and revolutionary collection of water species, the aquarium makes the city of Gatlinburg a prominent location to explore the oceanic fauna.
Tropical Rainforest Exhibit
One of the most staggering exhibits of the aquarium is the Tropical Rainforest Exhibit, which provides an elating platform for the spectacular water animals to flourish. With over 2,000 fish species, the exhibit demonstrates profuse and luxuriant reality of the Rainforest. The piranhas cutting through the water at this exhibit form great visuals for the fish lovers. The carnivorous species of the piranha fish are identified for their fierceness, whereas the herbivorous ones are marveled at their ability to grow quickly. Besides, the viewers get to see one of the most lethal species of the Rainforest, that is, the poison dart frog. The anableps are known for their fantastic visual ability and stand out as the only species in the world that are weaponed with bifocals. Other species such as green iguanas, zebra cichlids, mudskippers, arapaima, armored catfish, etc., offer impressive views to the visitors.
Ocean Realm Exhibit
Displaying the most diverse vertebrate species of the world, that is, the fish, the Ocean Realm Exhibit makes an unfeigned attempt to present some of the common and uncommon fish species surviving on the earth’s surface. The visitors exploring this exhibit can get familiar to various fish categories coming in assorted colors, magnitude, shape, and size that they can possibly imagine. Mastering the quality of camouflaging, the weedy scorpionfishes displayed at the exhibit render fabulous views to the public, when they blend themselves in with the surrounding colors. On the other hand, the flounders, spotted garden eels, and other stupefying species can be explored at this exhibit.
Shark Lagoon Exhibit
Serving the ‘travel under the sea’ fascination, the Shark Lagoon Exhibit allows the spectators to meet some of the dumbfounding shark species, while they make their way through the aquarium’s exciting underwater tunnel. Ferocious shark species including sandtiger shark, nurse shark, tarpon, green moray eel, giant stingray, grunts, green sea turtle and others can be best viewed with the help of the glidepath, ranging 340 feet facilitated at the exhibit. This exhibit makes the visitors to marvel at the clarity of water and the best visuals of the hardly seen shark species. The tarpon fish growing up to ten feet are most viewed at this astonishing presentation.
Gallery of the Seas Exhibit
Deadly, beauteous, extraordinary, and grotesque are synonyms to the unseal presentation of the aquarium, the Gallery of the Seas Exhibit. Known for their elegance and color, the sea nettles, ordinarily identified as jellyfishes or simply jellies, moving about with a jet like force are great scenes to experience at the exhibit. Generally moving rapidly across the water, the octopuses are the favorite sea animal categories of the presentation. Usually shy by nature, these species leave behind an unusual substance, which is similar to black ink, for defending their escape from the predators. Typically found near the ocean floor and deep waters, the cuttlefishes are other unbelievable species of the exhibit. These striking animal varieties are in close relation with octopus and squid species. The visitors like to enjoy the dramatic views of the cuttlefishes, as they move about the water with their peculiar tentacles and arms.
Penguin Playhouse Exhibit
The Penguin Playhouse is a majestic exhibit, which gives a favorable opportunity for the visitors to get close with the lovely and most pampered animal varieties of the aquarium, the African penguins. These black-footed penguin species are counted among the unique animal types of the aquarium. Rendering a 360 degree view of the penguins crawling through the underwater tunnel is a great fascination of this preferred exhibit. Moreover, the tunnels pop up into the naturally designed habitats of the penguins giving nose-to-nose views of these adorable species. The penguins swimming in the water with their tiny feathers and small wings are attractive visuals of this exhibit.
Stingray Bay Exhibit
Featuring more than hundred ray species, the Stingray Bay Exhibit is known for its vivid water quality and incredible assortment of these remarkable species. In the wild setting, the rays like to hide in the sand, separating themselves from the predatory species and underwater divers. These species, generally mild and tender by nature, form stunning displays when they sail through the water like gallant birds flying in the sky. The cownose ray, which are commonly found in schools of thousands at one time, are noteworthy creatures found near the Atlantic Ocean. Along with cownose ray, other species like southern ray, spotted eagle ray, etc., can be viewed at this ravishing exhibit.
Coral Reef Exhibit
Displaying the most significant and prominent fish species of the world, the Coral Reef Exhibit is designated as the colorful exhibit of the aquarium. Fishes of every rainbow color namely yellow, orange, blue, etc., can be clearly spotted at the outstanding fish exhibition. Some of the exotic and brilliant fish varieties usually found Indo-Pacific waters incorporating tangs, foxface rabbitfish, angels, Clown Trigger fishes, clownfishes, damsels, etc., are displayed at this awe-inspiring exhibition. Determined as disguising fish species, the butterflyfishes are gracefully displayed at the exhibit. These species possess mistaken eye-spots on the lower ends of their bodies that are used to confuse the predators.
Fun at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Children can have a great time at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies learning about the interesting aspects of marine and oceanic life. The aquarium stresses on educating the common people about the fish species and their surrounding environment. Various educational programs along with special lectures are effectively used to let the young visitors get familiar with various behavior, survival, and other facets of the oceanic animals. Horseshoe crabs and puffer fishes are attractive species that lure the children and teenage visitors to learn about them at Discovery Center of this captivating aquarium.
Hotels Near Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Accommodation is no issue while visiting the famed Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. The aquarium surrounds itself with some salient hotels and resorts that offer special amenities and professional hospitable services to their guests.
River Terrace Resort and Convention Center
The River Terrace Resort and Convention Center is a good location to find homelike comfort after having a busy day at the aquarium. Perfect for a romantic getaway, the resort makes available one of its own kind of visiting experiences to the visitors. Its Gatlin-Burger Grill dining extension brings forth some phenomenal dining options for the guests in a casual environment. They can savor a warm seasonal country breakfast near the enchanting fireplace of this resort extension. Besides, they can receive some astonishing visuals of the Little Pigeon Forge River from the River View King Room of the resort. This climate control specialized accommodation facility is perfect for couples.
The Edgewater Hotel at the Aquarium Hotel & Resort Center
Situated bang at the center of Gatlinburg city, the Edgewater Hotel at the Aquarium Hotel & Resort Center is a magnificent hotel with eight luxuriant stories. Settled near the banks of the Little Pigeon River, the resort center is a prime hotel construction which is owned by the renowned Stokely Family. The accommodation facilities are quite remarkable rendering a homely atmosphere for the guests. The dining services, on the other hand, give a unique experience to the visitors, making their stay an unforgettable one.
Visiting the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is a marvelous experience to acquire, exploring the enthralling and bewitching species of the aquarium world.
