The Calm...
I took this picture from one of the balconies of Adventure Aquarium located in Camden, New Jersey. This cloudy scene is overlooking the Delaware River and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The short walk from parking to the aquarium was something like this picture. The last glimpse of calm, last breath of quiet, for there is a storm of wonder once you are past the doors of Adventure Aquarium. Â
Fun Themes!
Adventure Aquarium occasionally hosts fun themes for a season. During our visit, it was pirate themed. Much of the staff was dressed in costume and speaking in “pirate.” It was so fun, speaking for myself more so than my boys on that one. My boys were in complete shock… I mean c’mon they met real life pirates!Â
Remember what I said earlier? This is a popular spot! Our visit was crowded and loud with the squeals of happy children. If you notice my son’s hearing protection, those are Snug hearing protection and they are the perfect size for small heads and more comfortable than some of their competitors. We have tried several options and he will choose these over others. Â
Food and Parking
Adventure Aquarium had a surprising amount of food offerings and actually seemed to be on the tastier side of what one might expect for day trip locale. We had packed some snacks due to food allergies but my boys did enjoy some french fries while my husband and I tried to match our boy’s energy with a caffeine boost from the coffee bar. There is even a beer garden! Truly something for everyone.
I was impressed with the parking situation, as well. The aquarium has several open lots that are no more than 5 minutes walking distance. There was a fee but considering we drove through Philadelphia “city center” to get here I expected it to be both more difficult and expensive. Apologies, I didn’t snap a picture of the parking.
Camps and Homeschool
Without this trip, I would never have known that hippos are capable of so much personality. They were the crowd pleaser for my family. They came up to the glass and interacted with the crowd and seemed quite delighted to have everyone’s attention on them.
Adventure Aquarium does offer some interesting summer camp programs. I will say that I was surprised by the limited homeschool program since New Jersey is a homeschool friendly state. That being said, it may make for a quiet visit, if attended on a school day. I know we certainly appreciate those quiet days, ourselves.
Other traveler reviews may be found on Tripadvisor here: https://rusticwisdom.com/AANJ.
