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South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, SC

Photo: JonathanLamb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

South Carolina Aquarium

100 Aquarium Wharf · Charleston, SC

Why you should go…

The South Carolina Aquarium sits on Charleston Harbor and follows the state's water from the Mountain Forest gallery, with its river otters and bald eagle, through the Saltmarsh Aviary to the coast. The centerpiece is the two-story Great Ocean Tank, 385,000 gallons and 42 feet deep, where sharks swim with a loggerhead turtle named Caretta. At The Shallows you can touch cownose rays, and Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery lets you watch sick and injured turtles being treated.

  • #aquarium
  • #sea turtles
  • #touch tank
  • #charleston harbor

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to South Carolina Aquarium, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Museums
    History Buff

    International African American Museum

    Under $25

    Explore African American history on Gadsden's Wharf, where a large share of enslaved Africans arrived in North America.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Shopping
    Iconic

    Charleston City Market

    Free

    Browse four blocks of open-air sheds and the Great Hall for sweetgrass baskets, local crafts and souvenirs.

    0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

    $25–$50

    Board the WWII aircraft carrier USS Yorktown and the destroyer USS Laffey on Charleston Harbor.

    1.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

    Free

    Walk or bike Wonders' Way across a cable-stayed bridge with two 575-foot diamond towers and wide views of Charleston Harbor.

    1.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Rainbow Row

    Free

    See 13 pastel-painted historic row houses lining East Bay Street between Tradd and Elliott Streets.

    1.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Battery

    Free

    Stroll the harbor seawall promenade past antebellum mansions to the oaks and cannons of White Point Garden.

    1.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing