Both USA Today and the Travel Channel ranked this aquarium as one of the 10 best in the United States and for good reason: not only does it shine a spotlight on more than 20,000 aquatic animals and plants, it does so in innovative ways. Its new-in-2023 exhibit MORPH’D, part of an ongoing $40 million expansion to the facility, concentrates on the weirdos of the ocean, those creatures that are able to camouflage themselves, or have adapted to their environments in odd ways, like walking sharks, four eyed fish, and electric eels. Not only do visitors get to view these critters, interactive displays allow them to quickly learn where they come from, what they eat, and how they adapt, the last via well executed videos. On the touch tank front, it not only has the usual one for stingrays (yawn) but it has the only one in the Northeast that allows visitors to pet those otherworldly invertebrates known as moon jellys (head to Moon Bay). It also jumps briefly from land to sea with Journey to Madagascar displaying lemurs, tomato frogs, and, gag, hissing cockroaches. The Coral Reef is the aquarium’s largest habitat with over 500,000 gallons of water in which tiger sharks, sea turtles and giant stingrays swim.

The aquarium also hosts a number of extra-charge, but pretty remarkable experiences, like an underwater walking tour—no swimming necessary—at the bottom of their 15-foot Heart of the Sea habitat for $95 per person during which visitors come face to face with all sorts of friendly sea creatures. A 45-minute interactive penguin encounter allows guests to get up close and personal with the cute creatures for $75 per person. Most affordable is the 90-minute Eco Tour cruises on the Bay Spirit II, a 72-foot catamaran ($17 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $15 kids 3 to 11) where zoologists help guests spot birds and fish. Expect to spend 3 to 4 hours here.