North Carolina Aquarium Roanoke Island 4.6 (reviews)

North Carolina has some pretty incredible creatures just local to it's shores, so what better way to enjoy these than with an aquarium dedicated to these amazing creatures!?

The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island has THE largest ocean tank in the state (holding a whopping 285,000 gallons!) It is filled with incredible ocean life, including the largest shark collection in the state! Scary!

Sweet sea turtles and colorful, friendly fish also call this tank their home. Imagine as you spend time looking at these creatures gliding through the waters. What must it be like to live there? It's also a great time to chat to kids about the affects humans have on our oceans. Do you think they enjoy living in our oceans?

The aquarium is a great place for kids to learn more about the animals and the waters, which is why the aquarium ensure daily educational programs. These programs are performed by scuba divers who actually get IN with the animals and explain all about their habits and habitats. 

There are a number of galleries that kids can explore and enjoy, the most incredible experience being the Operation: Sea Turtle Rescue, where kids of all ages actually get to diagnose and treat a  replica of an injured sea turtle before releasing it back into the sea! A true once in a lifetime experience that will open their eyes to a whole new encounter.

Other exhibits include Wetlands on the Edge, where they can experience the feel of the states very important wetlands. They will encounter otters, alligators, fish and turtles, as well as plants.

Kids - every wanted to TOUCH a stingray!? At the Close Encounters exhibit, you can get your hands as wet as you like and dive right in (pun intended!) and see what sharks, stingrays and sea stars feel like. Don't worry about the sharks - they're only small! 

An incredible underwater experience for the whole family.