Safe Family Fun: The Georgia Aquarium

As a Georgia resident, it’s pretty easy to take for granted that we have some of the world’s best attractions right in your back yard. One of our absolute favorite places we have is the the Georgia Aquarium, home to thousands of species & one of the largest aquariums in the world. In 2017, we had a chance to visit with my in-laws during a weekend visit. Laila, then 2 years old, and I, newly pregnant with Liana, had an absolute blast. Since we left, I have been trying to figure out a time when we could get back there as a family. So when the Georgia Aquarium invited us to visit, I was super excited.

However, I had to remember we were in a pandemic.

How are we going to do this?! The one time I get a chance to give my girls a fun experience and everything is in disarray! With a little planning and the incredible parameters the Georgia Aquarium has put into place to ensure everyone’s safety, we had the chance to enjoy the visit of a lifetime!

If you’re like me and you are taking all the precautions to keeping your family safe with a side of balance, here’s an outline of the safety paremeters in place in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic:

-Parking – Parking the cars even came with some distance measures in place! Many of the places I’ve been to doesn’t have this extra step. The Georgia Aquarium made sure each car had space between each for customers.

-A New Entrance – Instead of the usual entrance inside, they have utilized the outdoor parking garage next to the Oceans Ballroom as the entry & exit points, as well as security check points.

-Timed ticketing with limited capacity – Genius! To ensure there aren’t 20 million people in the building at once, staggering the ticket schedules adheres to the CDC Guidelines of the number of people that can be in one place, it gives the staff time to usher people in & out, as well as take advantage of times with cleaning & sanitation protocols, particularly in high-touch areas.

-Contactless temperature scans – Any person exhibiting a fever (temperature of 100.4°F or higher) will be asked to visit another day.

-Security checkpoint screenings – Prohibited items include guns, knives, weapons of any kind, chewing gum, and outside food and drinks.

-Every person on the premises, 3 & above, must wear a mask. If you don’t have one, they will provide you with one. I bought these masks for the girls, which are adjustable and so comfortable for them.

-Reminders of distance – Floor & wall signs keeps you in check and from following too closely. 6 feet, please!

-High contact areas of the Aquarium, such as railings, elevator buttons, etc., are covered in a copper-infused film that reduces the transmission of viruses.

-Several of the shows have been suspended until further notice.

-Hand sanitizing stations EVERYWHERE – Each attraction had a place to clean your hands. Just in case, I had my Thieves hand sanitizer as backup, as well.

Once we were checked in (which was super efficient), we decided to explore!

We had a blast seeing everything, from sea otters who eat 16lbs of seafood a day, to dolphins, sharks, & amazing jellyfish!

This was the 1st outing we’ve had in well over 4 months and it was definitely an experience to remember! The girls were super sad to leave, but we truly enjoyed getting a chance to get a little break from being inside.

We are super thankful that we have the Georgia Aquarium in our backyard in Atlanta that has gone above and beyond to make sure we could all enjoy the attraction safely with our families. If you are in the Atlanta area, feeling well, have been super safe and want a quick outing with your family, check out the Georgia Aquarium!