New Jersey’s Adventure Aquarium

I’m always up for a good aquarium or zoo, so when my husband suggested we pay Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey a visit, I happily complied. Just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, the aquarium is easy to find and ample, cheap parking is available. Literally located right on the river, many visitors were stopping to take photos at the building’s entrance, which was a well-shaded open space.

Once inside, things become a little chaotic, as visitors are crowded into a small area with the cries of tiny children reverberating off the walls. Summer Sunday mornings are apparently primetime for families of large sizes, so if you’re not fond of noisiness and uncovered sneezes, you may want to choose a weekday when most children are in school.

Adventure Aquarium isn’t particularly large and exhibits are broken down into easily navigable sections. Along with your average tropical fish, frogs and turtles, you’ll also find a penguin exhibit, hippos and some stingrays. The sharks are the main crowd draw, though, with guests packed into an amphitheater that faces a floor-to-ceiling glass observation wall to watch the sharks and other sea creatures float by. The shark tunnel was a bit small, so the observation wall is definitely where you’ll see the most activity. Divers entertain guests from inside this particular tank three times weekly.

It takes about an hour and a half to view all of the aquarium’s exhibits, moving around the crowds and stopping for a photo every now and again. Overall, Adventure Aquarium was a fun, one-time visit, but not an attraction that I could see myself returning to, due to its small size and crowds.

Adventure Aquarium

1 Riverside Dr.

Camden N.J. 08103

856 365 3300