Lovely aquarium. $25 for ages 12+, $20 for ages 3-11. Lots of parking in front lot, but there is a $5 fee (pay at muni-meter). At this time, reservations are required. We were lucky enough to show up at around 12 pm on a Wednesday and get a 1 pm reservation…as we didn’t know and didn’t book in advance. Masks are NOT required throughout the aquarium. The beginning portion of the aquarium did get very crowded as it is a narrow pathway through a few exhibits, including the glass aquarium tunnel…when you consider tons of kids and parents taking a gazillion photos, this stretch of the aquarium can get chaotic at times…even with the timed reservations. After that area though…there is more than enough space to explore at your leisure. Lots of interesting and well-thought-out exhibits…be sure to look and read everything. There is so much to learn. The entire aquarium is well-kept and maintained. All staff were very nice and helpful. I highly recommend the aquarium to those of all ages.

I found this to be a fun and educational aquarium well worth my time. I am a NC resident and decided to take a day trip to explore the Virginia Aquarium. The staff here was warm, friendly, and eager to share information to enhance my experience. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the boardwalk and learning about oyster beds and reefs and the efforts to restore and protect them. There are quite a few large tanks here, each with different offerings, and more than one touch tank. I did not take the whale watching boat tour but I will come back to participate in the experience. I spent more than two hours here and still did not take in all that the aquarium had to offer. I also really appreciated that the gift shop had a large selection of eco-friendly options and things made by local artists. This was a trip well worth my time, and I look forward to returning with friends.

Great aquarium. We spent 4 hours there today. 🥱 Definitely worth it. Lots of touch pools. Sting Ray's, Jellyfish and Hermit Crabs. There's play areas for toddlers. Several gift shops. The outdoor adventure coarse is cool. We did not take advantage. But several were having fun out there. The second building had the Jellyfish and octopuses 🐙 sadly no octopuses were out today. We did eat at the café. It was actually worth it. Pleased with all of the food. Overall it was a great experience. 👍🏼

This place is great!! We always go to aquariums in as many states as possible and this is definitely in top 5. It is older so they are doing renovations but the exhibits are very good. They've worked hard at making it all encompassing. I wish I could buy the soundtrack!! It's so relaxing!! The gift shop has a large variety and is decently priced. Everyone is so friendly, insider tip....if you see someone with a messenger bag ask what's in it!! They're so knowledgeable and ready to share what they know!!

Fun, easy to navigate around. However, all staff need to tell patrons coming in that tickets can be purchased inside rather than waiting outside and purchasing online. One staff wouldn’t even help us and was on his phone. Come to find out, we could have gone inside to get the tickets and paid cash for since we did t want to pay with a card. Some staff just don’t want to do their jobs these days. All the other staff we encountered were very friendly and helpful.

Went the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was busy, but no wait and we didn't have to pay to park. Staff was friendly and everyone greeted you with a smile. The exhibits were great and there were plenty of areas to stop and take a break. My 3yr old grandson really enjoyed, especially with the sting rays and the turtles.

This place was amazing!! My and my family had such a good time and parking was really reasonable! You can go at your own pace and "pet" sting rays. This is one of the best aquariums I've ever been too and the staff are very knowledgeable. Not only does it have great sea life but also land creatures. It was an amazing day!

This place is a must see of you are in the area. It was very clean. All of the employees were so polite and very knowledgeable. The sea turtles and sting rays were adorable. The seals in the tank out front were so much fun to watch. I could have stayed all day watching them play. Some of the fish were so crazy looking. The tanks ate so clean and clear. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

It was a good time. A lot of things are empty either due to covid or them getting ready to remodel. My husband and I took our son for his first visit and we all still enjoyed it. Wish the city would invest more money in the aquarium so they could expand and add more things.

Very nice facility. Fun for the children with lots of hands-on exhibits. I liked having the opportunity to touch a sea jelly. It was very clean, and there were many employees around to provide more information than was included on the signs. The cafe was a bit hard to find in the main building.

My favorite part of our visit to the Virginia Aquarium was the dolphin tour! If you can, splurge and do it! We went out on the first trip of the day and we saw so many dolphins! It was a fun excursion. The aquarium itself was nice. It's a small aquarium compared to some I have been to, but had a decent assortment of animals to see. We were there for about an hour and half.

We had fun overall. The adventure park trail is beautiful. Not worth the 59 we paid for 2 adults 1 child. Cafe closed for renovation, no other food options. Very small, few attractions and the adventure park not included. They are making renovations to a large back building so once cafe and back building are done I'd say it's worth it but unless they reduce the price for the very reduced usage/viewing options during renovation I'd skip it.

I would rate our visit a 10 star rating! The entire experience was amazing. From easy parking, building graphics, seals greeting us, friendly informative interactions with the staff, building layouts, exhibit signage, clean spacious tanks, engaging marine species, virtual reality experiences, gift shop memories, even the restroom signs were memorable. This is a must see experience. That is my review for only the main building as I will save the review the newly opened south building and the walkway between them for another day. (Hint… it is also wonderful and don’t miss the Jellies)

This place is a captivating destination with a diverse range of marine life exhibits. From playful otters to majestic sea turtles, the aquarium offers an immersive experience for visitors of all ages. The knowledgeable staff enhances the educational aspect, making it an excellent place for families and marine enthusiasts. The interactive displays and well-maintained facilities contribute to an enjoyable and informative visit.

This aquarium has plenty to look at with a helpful floor guide that leads you to all the exhibits. The displays were gorgeous and we had a few of the employees/volunteers offer additional information that was interesting to learn about. The staff was incredibly friendly. I loved the sea turtles and the various frogs

If you have small children who want to see fish and sharks then it's cool. But if you're looking for a big exciting aquarium, this isn't the place. The staff was very kind and there were some cool fish, but it's not very big.

Wonderful experience for all ages. Easy to navigate and handicap friendly. There are many places to sit and just watch the fish, turtles, sharks, stingrays, and various other animals. The staff is super friendly and will answer any questions you have about the animals. The Cafe is affordable and great for lunch.

My kids had a wonderful time. All staff was very knowledgeable

If you’re interested in taking your family to the Virginia Aquarium, please view there website, prior to visiting the Aquarium. This Aquarium offer a Boat Tour next door and a variety of exhibits, just to name a few, a huge Shark tank, the outdoor Seal tank and the Stingray exhibit tank, this exhibit allows you to place your hand on the water and touch the stingray, but, don't worry the stinger was removed. The staff will offer you a chance to take a picture with your guests in front of a awesome backdrop for a small fee. There’s a gift shop on site that offers a wide variety of items to choose from. Parking available at this location but you have to pay the parking meter to park in the parking lot. The staff was great throughout the aquarium, they were helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. This aquarium was organized and clean.

We all have good experiences when we visit as a family. One thing I will recommend is purchasing a seasonal pass to save money because the tickets can be a bit pricey. My favorite activity is an up close interaction with stingrays. As of November 13th, the initial exhibit is still closed..

This is an amazing place to visit for kids and adults! The exhibits are amazing, interactive, and full of interesting information. One can easily lose track of time sitting near the big tanks and simply watching the fish, sharks, rays, and turtles swim by. It can be a little on the pricey side, especially if you’ve got a big family, but it’s well worth the visit!

My large family visited here with 4 children. We all had a great time. We cant wait to go back. The older boys loved getting to try and pet the sting ray. The little one loved the jelly fish exhibit. It didnt take us very long to go through it but it was fun for everyone. The staff was very polite and helpful. We saw the gift shop but didnt stop. We were on a time crunch to catch the boat for the dolphin tour.

Such a beautiful place our 7 month old had an amazing time. Highly recommend this experience. Loved that it wasn't crowded but did seem to be really busy when we were leaving so I recommend earlier times. Parking was also smooth too by being early (1130).

Lord of exhibits and talks to see! They have finished refurbishing and renovating most of the exhibits. The harbor seals out front start you with a fun time and it keeps up throughout. I’m a fully grown adult kid when wandering through the underwater tunnels! Admission is reasonable for what you get here and everyone left happy!

My family and I had a great experience at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center! We happened to be staying in Virginia Beach during our road trip and found the aquarium when looking for things to do in the area. We all love animals so naturally we wanted to go see the exotic sea animals at the aquarium! We purchased our tickets online through my husband since he is an active duty member and could get a discount ($2 off adult and youth rates). So just a heads up if you are a military family, they do offer discounted rates! The aquarium is pretty big! The entrance is also located right by the gift shop in case you'd rather do your shopping beforehand. I noticed when going to aquariums or similar places, gift shops are more busy at the end of the day when people are leaving. They have all the typical items for sale (toys, stuffed animals, aquarium merchandise, apparel etc.) There's a bunch of animals to see at the aquarium! Starting with the seals that are in the front, one animal you don't have to pay to see! They're so adorable and really know how to put on a show. Inside they have a big selection of different fish, amphibians, sea turtles, sharks, sting rays (you can pet them!) etc. Prepare for a decent amount of walking since the place is huge! They also have an outdoor area that you can walk around and enjoy the river that runs alongside the aquarium. It was very relaxing to spend a moment enjoying the beautiful views. Overall I highly recommend taking your family here! Kids and adults will have a great time seeing all of the gorgeous animals they have.

Reserving tickets online are convenient on their website. Parking is widely available. I have been visiting the aquarium with my dad for over a decade. We always learn something new about our seas. My toddlers enjoyed the touch pools near the end of the main building. Featuring a wide variety of aquatic animals and activities, it is an excellent educational experience for the entire family. We left inspired to be better stewards of our waterways and to protect our ocean friends.

Been here many times but this was the first time that the second building was open. It contained mostly jellies and octopus, although we saw no octopus bc the sign said water was being regulated for new guest. Bummer. But the jellies were so beautiful. I enjoyed showing my seven year old the beauty of the ocean!

Great place to take the kids. Displays are well marked and the volunteers and employees knowledgeable. We went the second week after reopening during the pandemic and they seemed to be doing all they good to make it safe and enjoyable. There were a few people not adhering to the mask rule (though they had one with them) and I was disappointed the employees (not volunteers) didn't say anything to them. -1 star. Otherwise a great experience and certainly a place to visit because, let's be honest, we're all ready to get away from our houses for a while.

We are new to the area and looking for family friendly low contact things to do. I got my family a membership and it was such a great decision! The staff here is incredible! I've never been to an aquarium that has staff readily available and prepared to answer my kids many questions.

I’ve never had a bad experience at the Aquarium. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable. It’s a great place to visit.

Our experience was slightly disappointing. We originally went here for the dolphin tour which we found out after we arrived that all tours were canceled. We did get a refund but was so disappointed. We ended up just enjoying the aquarium which is a beautiful aquarium. Their tanks are amazing! Took my 9&6 year old and we loved it. Tons of different fish to look at love the tunnel. I was very impressed by the size of tanks. Overall was a good experience

Absolutely amazing! It was my first time going and it definitely did not disappoint. My son and I definitely enjoyed ourselves; I have never felt so relaxed and serene in my life than when I was in the 180 aquarium. So beautiful! The volunteers were very helpful and knowledgeable also. I loved it!

Amazing!! So much to see!! This place is great to go to we win the day it was 102 degrees outside!! I love to be able to see all these water babies up close!! You're able to pet stingrays and horseshoe crabs. I completely enjoyed myself! Take your time take as long as you want to look at all of these creatures. They also have a boat that does dolphin excursion tours, just in case you want more when your done inside!!

This place is good. If you are in the vicinity you can drop by. Right now it's approximately a trip of 2-2.5 hours. Considering covid and other things it was very good. Other half is closed for renovations. So it would be good idea to visit when you can do everything, again only if you are coming from far for this. Just the main exhibit is also good. I enjoyed it. But again if you are coming from MD or DC just for the Aquarium you should go to the Baltimore one. Members get discounted guest tickets. So if you do plan on visiting more than once then atleast get an individual membership. Rest adult tickets will cost $18 only. No senior discount when getting member discount. Children below 3 get free entry but you must get a ticket for them as well.

Awesome place. Educational, easy to park, a lot of different exhibits to go see. Would love to come back.

This is a great place for family fun. Well facilitated and fun courses.... I have visited Virginia Beach many times, but this is the first time. Pretty impressive. It's not a small aquarium, neither a big one. Good to take young kid here and I believe they will have great fun before they get tired or losing focus. It also features 3D under water tunnel display and you can touch the manta from the pool.... A++++

We had a great experience at the aquarium today! We had four adults and an infant. The day started off rough when my husband and I both purchased tickets without realizing the other had, but guest services refunded us with no trouble whatsoever. The aquarium itself is very clean with so many interactive and interesting tanks and exhibits. The restrooms were clean and the family restroom was spacious and clean as well.

The aquarium was so much fun, and everyone really knew their stuff when it came to education! I was amazed and learned a lot. Then the boat tours were so cool! We really got to see dolphins and even in pairs or more! The boat was very clean, the ride was smooth and the crew members were extremely friendly. This was a lot of fun and definitely worth going to! Thank you!

Absolutely awesome. I only give it a four star because the seal and the sting ray exhibits where not available due to updates in the environments which was understandable as well as the nature path. It took us about 3 hours to get through and has so much education to offer. The education went much more beyond the standard wildlife education you normally get at these places. They were interactive and immersive set up that taught about the wild life, our effect on it, and how things have changed over thousands of years. It was very captivating for the whole family. The wildlife was well taken care of and everything was clean and beautiful. Will definitely go back next year when the whole new wing is open!

I love the aquarium!! They run so many fun events. I have a membership with a guest and it's so worth it. You go twice with a guest and it's already paid for. I love Sharks After Dark and the other special events they come up with. 10/10 recommend.

My daughter and I travel almost two hours to visit every year for her birthday. There are so many types of life to see, and lots of exhibits. We enjoy the outside walk, as well. We will definitely be returning! I do recommend visiting during the week in the off-season, while school is in. It is a lot less busy!

I really enjoyed going to the aquarium for my first time. It was a night for VA BEACH employees and family. Everyone seemed to be really enjoying the evening. There was also cake and drink such as water and punch of some kind. The pictures and video say more than I can. Please enjoy and go for yourself soon.

Staff have done a wonderful job in keeping guests safe during the pandemic. Entrance is timed, just reserve your timed tickets online. Touch pools are closed for touching, but are open for viewing, with educators stationed to answer questions and provide interesting facts. It took us a little above an hour to complete the one way path through the exhibits, if you have impatient little kids it might be less.

Very enjoyable visit. Only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars was because I wished that it was a little longer for the price. I sometimes don't enjoy aquariums because of the crowds, but the way that they do reservations by time now really helps. Nice way to spend a couple of hours at VA Beach.

AWESOME TIME Can't wait until COVID-19 is done

I love that social distance measures are put in place, there was hand sanitizer at all entrance. Although there were some displays that were close. The over all experience was nice. I loved it.

They keep this place immaculate. They were constantly disinfecting everything the whole time we were there! I was very comfortable having the kids here.

Enjoyed all the exhibits and learning opportunities. We were here at low tide so got to see all the crabs. Highly recommend.

This place is so awesome and all the staff are so friendly and nice. We enjoy it everytime we go always something new to see. They are doing a great job taking precautions to keep you safe with all that's going on.

Guides were nice every one was socially distant gift shops were very affordable sea creatures were amazing to watch.

I absolutely loved this place!!! There were so many cute animals there and the outdoor areas we're really nice too. 10/10 would come back if I have the chance!

Visited as a kid and came back 13 years later and spent the night in the aquarium. Hands down the best aquarium in Virginia.

Great we love it ..kids had a wonderful time

It was a pretty cool experience!

Great place, lots to see. We had a good time and would definitely come back 🙂👍♥️

Visited the aquarium this week and enjoyed our time. It is smaller than expected and we got thru it in about an hour. After we finished, we spent time on the Nature Trail which was really nice! Without all the demonstrations and events taking up time, it seems like you can get through a lot faster than normal.

Un excelente lugar muy limpio personal muy capacitando y mantiene muy buena la restricción del covi 19 familiar y educativo

😍😍

Most people without mask. Id skip this for jow

Great place to visit!!!

I love Virginia Beach Aquarium because I certainly love how they have a big sign saying please wear a mask and they also have different times so the place won't be crowded and they have patches on the floor saying please stay a shark apart and last the customer service is excellent

Too expensive, especially with all the hands on exhibits closed. You would think with this in mind that they would adjust the price accordingly, they still getting full price, but 40% of the place is roped off..

They're doing a really great job keeping it open and safe, and fun.

Convid 19 clean. Nice exibits although somewhat restricted.

Best aquarium I have ever been to.

We always enjoy the Virginia Aquarium. The staff is polite, knowledgeable, and helpful. Love the animals and exhibits. It's well worth the drive and for us it's almost 2 hours one way.

Everybody was so nice and friendly

Lots of fun amid Covid-19

Super fun and covid accommodating . My 2 year old loved this too

Not very good at all I expected more for my money.

Nos encanto , tienen una gran variedad y mis hijos quedaron encantados . El mantenimiento al acuario es muy bueno y tomaron medidas contra el corona -19 tienen desinfectante en cada área de exhibición con un personal asegurando que mantengan el distanciamiento , con anuncios de 6ft de distancias

Good for kids

Pretty boring, way overpriced for what's available now..

Grandkids enjoyed and they have a really nice setup in the current COVID situation.

To expensive not really that great. Taught the lie of evolution and not the truth of God's creation

Nice time. Lots to see.

(Translated by Google) I love because your children learn something new about animals every day it is a healthy place (Original) Me encanta por que tus hijos aprende cada dia algo nueno sobre los animales es un lugar sano

Beautiful aquarium with different types of sea animals. Kids enjoyed it the only thing is it could've been longer and have other marine life but overall very nice. I did not do the dolphin boat tour but is also an option for a separate cost

🥰🥰🥰🥰

We bought a membership here because our 16 month old loves it so much. They have some wonderful exhibits and it provides a wonderful experience. However, I wish staff was more diligent on making sure (adults mostly) were wearing their masks indoors and wearing them properly. I saw a few people not wearing them and staff never said anything about it to them.

Family friendly. Lots of fun stuff.

This was my first time going there Is a big Virgina Aquarium & Marine Sience Center It has so much Fishes to look at you can look Around at the Virgina Aquarium and you bring your kids there too It has so many more to look at and It has a Marine Sience Center where you can look at and Explore at Is a big place you can bring your Kids to Marine Sience Center too.

The ocean life and all the animals were beautiful.

Good aquarium. They have some very informative displays. It is laid out well. Definitely not at the level of the Baltimore aquarium, but decent.

WAs great 😁

Educational, great atmosphere, great staff, what else could you want?

A great place to take the family!!!

Great time. Social distancing was done well enough. Education was great and the staff were extremely knowledgeable. Kids had a blast and enjoyed all the exhibits. With COVID a lot of demos werent available due to them not wanting all the hands on it. Id suggest having instructors there so demonstrate instead. Overall a great time and would love to come back next year to see how it grows.

Only due to covid you can't experience how you would like to. Especially the touching exhibit. Staff was awesome and very knowledgeable.

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Well sorted and kid friendly. Perfect for a family day out when is cold out.

My son had a ball...I took him and the family Sunday Jan 10 because he turns 3 Jan 12 and he was free... He is really into sharks (Big Baby Sharks lol!) And he pulled me till we got to the sharks although pausing momentarily to look at other fish and reported but his ultimate thing was Sharks which he kept screaming, now I'm 6ft3in 275 lbs, my son is 3 ft 2 inches and 39 pounds but super strong for his size and age, he was literally pulling me all the way to the sharks exhibit.... If this place can excite my handsome son like this I LOVE IT no question.. My daughter's had a great time as well 14&15 my wife and I enjoyed the experience and purchased our memories package at the end.. AWESOME EXPERIENCE (and this was my 5th time here) didn't like the fact we couldn't touch the stingrays but it's a pandemic I Understand! Thank you Virginia Aquarium

Place was covid friendly. You must purchase tickets for a date and time so plan ahead. Very clean bathrooms. Hand sanitizer everywhere. They have high touch interaction warning signs so you can be aware. Bit small but great experience.

Fun stop to make while visiting Virgina beach. Enjoyed the seals and sea turtle the most. The staff was friendly and informative as well!

We had a great time. The staff are super sweet and eager to help and talk about the exhibits. The aquarium also has measures in place to protect against COVID.

This place is really awesome. A variety of species to look at. The talking crow was interesting. The ambience and give is awesome. Aquatic feeling. The dolphin show was a hit. Staff is really helpful and informative, you can ask them as many questions as you like and you get full co-operation.Highly recommended.

Always fun! We were members until we moved out of the area. The second building is under construction so it's not operational right now (otters and owls arw off limits). Not being able to take advantage of several of the fun things due to Covid sucks but I'm happy to support conservation efforts.

Great place to get away. Social distance observed.

Very nice place to bring the kids.

They're doing their best during this pandemic. Nothing interactive like buttons or touch tanks are open. All visual now.

Social distancing orders are in place. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Decent aquarium but sort of small feeling compared to others I have been to. Its obviously even smaller feeling during this COVID stuff. Staff is friendly. Some cool larger animals but nothing like WOW. The dolphin tour away from the aquarium was really awesome though.

Really nice.

The kids wanted to go so bad, so I paid the (2 adults, 2 kids) $85 with my military discount, but going in, they didn't have all of the attractions open, so we weren't able to experience everything. We drove from Richmond VA and we were a little disappointed.

A great place that informs about more than just animals in our area. It includes marshes and more. The Covid restrictions have limited all you can explore, but it's still a great place to explore and learn.

Its rona times. They dont allow walk ins but they have optd for the equally disappointing delayed walked through. While the exhibits are great. The delayed walk through tends to lead to groups clumping together which is why they are trying to avoid. You either stroll through too quickly and end up stuck behind a group of 10 while they spend 20 plus minutes looking at the wrap around tank.... or too slow and other people gathering around too closely. Still fun.

Great time!

There are lots of areas that need attention. Some of these items have been there for 20 plus years. I understand some exhibits are closed because of covid-19 by executive order from the governor. That doesn't allow others to lack repair. The bang for your buck is not good.

Can no longer pet the stingrays due to covid but still a good time

Not worth the price.

Nice facility, not terribly expensive but not nearly as grand as the National Aquarium. Lots of cool little sea creatures to see; sharks, turtles, seals, lionfish, jellyfish, seahorses and more galore! Actually informative with nearly packaged information that is easily digestible. I'm not a parent, but I could see kids loving this place. Did I mention they have Kokomo dragons? That alone brought the review up by one star. If you have an afternoon to kill in the Virginia Beach area, you will have a pleasant time here.

Really cool place!

Small but fun

Very nice, and informative. Friendly employee's

The staff at the Aquarium are absolutely wonderful. Very nice and they make learning for the kids so much fun!

It was nice experience, but for example, we bought tickets for 3.45, and I expect to wait until that time, but nobody controll time of your entry and because of that its lots of people inside

This aquarium has plenty of parking the exhibitions are big and full of life. Family oriented.

Very nice Aquarium

By far my favorite place to visit in San Francisco. Yes, im a nerd. The place is marvelous. From the living roof architecture to the rain forest, the work they've put into this place is nothing short of extraordinary. Pro tip:Planetarium - go early for the tickets to the latter so that they dont run out. Although it is free, it has limited seating. Plan out your day so that you hit the food court after the planetarium so that you can walk around the forest and not fall asleep in the comfy seats (yes, this can happen )

Excellent family friendly place!

Great place but very expensive I think they should give discounts to locals

This is a great place to take the family. This aquarium is clean and has a decent amount of exhibits, although there are museums in the US, that are better as far as (more marine life) and bigger aquariums, this is the perfect place to visit if you are in Virginia beach. Tickets are reasonably priced as well.

I have been wanting to go since we moved to Virginia. It was amazing!

Love the harbor seals and aquarium!

Loved this place, very nice aquarium

Everyone always has a great time. Great mental and physical exercise for children (and adults) of all ages.

(Translated by Google) Not just for kids! A beautiful, inviting, innovative aquarium that provides an experience for the whole family. Suitable for all detectors, accessible, tidy and even meticulous in COVID 19 .. It is important to know that these days you need to book a place in advance .. Highly recommended to visit all year round (Original) לא רק לילדים ! אקוריום יפיפה , מזמין , חדשני ומעניק חוויה לכל המשפחה . מתאים לכל הגלאים , מונגש, מסודר ואף מוקפד ב COVID 19.. חשוב לדעת שבימים אלה צריך להזמין מקום מראש .. מומלץ בחום לבקר בכל ימות השנה

It was very magical. We walked it in under an hour. The decor for each habitat was fantastic & amazing. Staff provided excellent customer service & full of knowledge for their specific area.

Very nice place to take the kids

All my family loves that place

Very cool aquarium! It is showing it is starting to show its age but still in the top three coastal aquariums we have visited.

They are doing a great job with COVID mitigations. Employees walking around sanitizing, sanitation stations are throughout. They have a staggered grouping of people, our time slot was sold out and i didnt feel crowded or uncomfirtable. There is a big enough buffer that you can hang back and kind of be on your own in the exhibits. Animals look happy and well cared for. The poor stingrays seem to miss being pet they wave and splash at you, an try to get up to. We had a great time overall and will surely visit again!

Beautiful place..it is better to buy your tickets online.

The VA Aquarium is fun, educational, and well maintained. The have a wide variety of exhibits, and do a great job of representing the local marine life and habitats. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. They were also on top of keeping the aquarium clean; I saw the sanitize several exhibit areas after guests moved through. I walked through the whole aquarium in a little more than an hour, and I suppose I could have stretched it to two of I really tried. Just something to keep in mind as I assumed it would have taken twice that to see everything. Overall though I enjoyed my time here and will be back in the future.

This was a great pit stop to take the kids and family. Sanitization was done very often. They also have signs of high touch areas to give you heads up. The staff was super sweet, welcoming & friendly. The restrooms were super squeaky clean. Fun attraction to bring your family out and enjoy the fishes, animals & wildlife.

Awesome place to be. The Aquarium have a promo going for militaries and they families, so we took the opportunity and took the kids. The kids learned alot specially my 10 year old. She had so many questions and got answered. I love the animals they are all beautiful. Thank you Virginia Aquarium and Marine science for the opportunity.

Numerous exhibits are unavailable due to covid restrictions. Visited with my assigned time slot, and there were still a lot of people and crowding. The team members working on the floor were less than enthusiastic about talking about the sea life in their area (with the exception of the lady working with the sting rays - she was knowledgeable and genuinely seemed interested to be there). The aquarium itself is not very large, and we were in and out to the gift shop in 30 minutes. The exhibits were clean and the fish, reptiles, and amphibians generally looked healthy. Overall, it was an okay experience, but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again.

I had a great time with the family if you have young kids or teenagers this a good place to keep them excited about learning good activity for the day.

The VA aquarium is great. Amongst many other things to do in the area during the summer, I would recommend checking this out. Great for kids, fairy large, the only downside is due to COVID, you have to follow the allotted path you can’t really go back or skip around. I’m not sure if this was the way it was in the past. Overall good experience, lots of animals & exibits and the price is pretty good for a few hours of entertainment for you and your kids.

The staff is so friendly AND knowledgeable about the animals. The displays are fun and entertaining...we had a wonderful time. I loved it so much I bought a yearly pass so I can go whenever I want with a friend for only $100..a bargain in today's world.

I have to say that the aquarium will be much better after all the Covid restrictions end. All the activities for kids are basically closed. There exhibits are phenomenal but all hands on exhibits where closed.

Nice aquarium with different types of spices. Great place to visit with family. Kids would love it.

It was a lot of fun also lots of information about marine creatures .

Amazing 🤩🤩🤩🤩 one of the best experiences in my life! And very friendly staff.

Nice job requiring masks and keeping distance. Wish we could have seen otters too. Weather too inclement for the nature trails today. Guess we're good for a return trip!

Due to covid they are at 20% capacity and if you don't have an online scheduled appt time you can't get in at all. They should have a few spare slots for walk ups.

Seeing the Sea Turtles is amazing!

Pandimic precautions 👍. Such a fun educational place to visit.

It was nice a little expensive for how small it is

Great displays the guides are freindly and knowelegeable

It was not big aquarium but it was okay.

We took our granddaughter and we all had a great time.

Good place to take the kids just to get them out of the house....refreshing

Loved the entire place.

Wonderful experience!

Great memories. Felt like they tried hard to keep areas empty and safer during COVID-19.

It was a very nice atmosphere. The fish are absolutely beautiful

This place is great for a little family day. Clean environment, friendly staff and a nice place for kids to look around and explore. I do think that the prices of children should be lower, but other than that it’s a nice place.

Wonderful place loved it

It's too expensive for that what they offer... it was a bit of a disappointed.... it would be nice if they had more stuff to look at

The animals look like they are well taken care of and the staff is wonderful at engaging with people. I love talking my family here. The aquarium is great at following local health guidelines to ensure the safety of all of its guests.

Honestly the aquarium itself is awesome.. educational, easy to see, friendly volunteers and workers- but on our visit during the covid restrictions the only people not social distancing were the workers! I had to ask a volunteer who was giving a tour to give us some space. Unfortunately this led us to rushing through because it happened more than once.

Love this place! There's lots to see and they have adapted well during COVID-19. I will really be looking forward to when everything opens up because they are adding a new addition to their facilities.

I love how you have to have an appointment to visit the aquarium during COVID. It's not crowded, you can go at your own pace without being run over by others. Very relaxing and educational place to visit.

Amazing as always! During Covid-19 they have a one-way pathway and have touch pools closed off but it does not hinder the experience. The volunteers were very knowledgeable and kind!

the wait is a pain but otherwise a great place

What a fun, learning adventure place to go to. Great for families or even date night. Really enjoyed the staff that used the opportunity to educate visitors, it really added to our visit. Enjoyed the areas you could sit and take it all in. Highly recommend.

It was an amazing place to go with the kids we had a blast! I only wish more of it had been open, some parts were under renovation and for the price of the tickets I feel like there should have been more.

Always a beautiful clean and fun way to spend an afternoon, be sure to make your appointment ahead of time

Always a lovely place to go to and good covid measures in place as well.

Its ok. Ill go back after Covid and see how much better it is.

Great time!

The perfect place for a family timeout.

They are taking many precautions to keep guests and family of all ages safe and still have an enjoyable experience.

Beautiful place. I have membership and we go here almost every week. People working here are very helpful . Go and see, positive vibes !

Good for kids..

I loved this place as a kid, and I cannot wait to move back to Virginia Beach to visit it again. So much fun!

A LOT of fun :) can't wait for the rest of the exhibits to open back up when everything is safe to do so!

Loved the walk thru tank! Staff was very friendly! Disappointed that half of aquarium was not available due to renovation but they still charged full price.

All of the coastal aquariums in NC are better. We were disappointed. With that said, it's is a decent aquarium.

Nice exhibits

Well worth the fee and trip to visit! From the seals that met us outside to everything inside including the gift shops. Take your time to enjoy everything! Will visit again

Amazing aquarium lots to see. Highly recommended

Nice, clean sanitation stations located through out facility. Family and I had a great time.

Highly recommend.

love it, we bought the membership, so worth it.

There was alot of exhibits no longer there since I visited 2 yrs. ago. Their nature trail no longer available. So the entrance fee of $23 is alittle obsessive.

Love it

Great place for families!

I'm a single mom and this year and last year are hard already..the price to attend for a family of five is a bill payment! Geez cut us a break!

Nice place but when we went the tickets were already sold out, I recommend buying them only online. We were lucky to see that outside they have these seals to look at and at least it's free.

It's not the biggest or the best but it's what VA has to offer

Nice place! Excellent choice for something to see in VB!

Great experience clean and friendly not overcrowded

Knowledgeable staff

Nice, neat aquarium. Friendly staff and volunteers. Nice little boardwalk area showcasing the startup of an oyster reef.

Not worth $50 for a 45 minute visit. My husband and I were really excited for our visit but left very disappointed. A lot of the exhibits didn't have information about the fish and more than a few were closed all together. We stopped at each exhibit and couldn't believe we walked through the whole aquarium in 45 mins. Many of the animals looked sad and had wounds on the faces from running into the glass and walls. We won't be returning.

Its an amazing experience!

Loved it! Could have stayed for hours watching the fish.

Very nice experience, a great way to spend couple hours. The staff was very nice and helpful!

We just did the whale watching tour, but we had and amazing time!

Despite of the pandemic, it was still a nice experience.

It was a great experience. Went with friends and had a blast.

One of the most insightful and enjoyable aquariums I have ever visited. So much marine life and very informative. If you’re ever in VB be sure to check them out.

Was fun going with my granddaughter and seeing everything that was there the staff are very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

Breath taking. When under the water. Loved it

☺

Great experience with the family but I hope to pet the stingrays soon!

Good experience. Worth the price paid!

Nice to see some different animals but very small for price..... that's why I gave it 3 🌟

What a great morning spent at the aquarium! I highly recommend for small children. My daughter absolutely loved looking at all the creatures. Well laid out and extremely clean and sanitized.

Large variety of marine and other animals. Decently pricey but still worth it. Probably not worth a second trip. If you're in the area it's worth checking out.

Had a better time than I thought. Even with COVID-19 bs kids loved it and the variety was great

We had a great time! It was very interesting and informative. I definitely recommend going early because it gets packed quickly on rainy summer days. The sights were amazing! I especially liked where you could walk under the aquarium. Petting the sting rays was a lot of fun too! I wish it would have lasted a little longer though.

So I am giving it 5 stars because of what it use to be. 16 years ago you could spend the better part of a day there and see tons of stuff, learn about the oceans and the animals. I am sure COVID has damaged the staffing and ability of many places to function. This place needs help, support, staffing and encouragement. I wouldn’t say “don’t go there” but know for a family of 4 you are paying over $100.00 for about 1.5 hours of walking and seeing some fish, a few sharks, and if you lean over the path outside crabs at low tide. Support local, go back to work and let’s all pray this place gets better. It was clean and I did enjoy it but it needs to be better for the money.

Great aquarium! Plenty of interactive displays. Many animals that seem to have well put together habitats. It was raining so we didn't take the nature walk.

Great place! All exhibits were well thought out and put together... The seals outside the aquarium were the best A little on the small side for me (I'm used to the aquarium in Boston) but still a good time

We had a great experience. I highly recommend to also purchase the dolphins boat tour when you buy the aquarium tickets!

This aquarium was okay. I understand there are changes we are still coping with since be pandemic first hit. Social distances was practiced and hand sanitizer was placed in high contact areas. They had a big variety of aqua life, they were active and very visible. Good reptile collection.

Husband and I both enjoyed. Lots of exhibits. Fair price. Spaces out with hand sanitizer available. Staff friendly. They also take some pictures which are about $10 each.

One of the best places to visit in VB! I haven't been in many years but bought a membership today! Hoping to return for Halloween. Truly a "don't miss" if you enjoy nature or science! A family favorite!

Great experience! You must buy your tickets online and if you park in the parking lot next to the aquarium, you need to pay an additional $5 dollars using the parking kiosks. We were not expecting that...sadly, this is not in benefit of the aquarium, it is for the city. The food court is great with good prices. The animals are in great condition and many are rescued animals. Their staff are very knowledgeable and amazing. Beautiful nature trails, we recommend it.

Always a beautiful place to come to. We took my daughter with us this time now that she is 6 months old and we uave discovered she loves fish!!

Great place for the whole family. Plan on spending a few hours checking all of the great exhibits.

Very pretty place. There were two beautiful seals outside.

This is a very clean well laid out aquarium with lots of interactive areas for kids and adult kids alike. ☺️ They have a few unique exhibits that you won't find at any run of the mill aquarium like the komodo dragons.

The aquarium itself was great, but it surprised me how rude some people were that visited the aquarium. I thought with reserved tickets, it would help, but maybe people just no longer have manners. The staff at the aquarium were extremely friendly and helpful. Everything was clean and in great shape. The nature trails were perfect for some fresh air! We are glad we decided to go!

Took my girls to there very 1st aquarium!! They did not really care for this one as it's a very small one and definitely not worth that price at all!!! Girls did love the sharks though but that's it..

The seals and the sea turtle was my families favorite. We were disappointed that a few of the attractions were closed down for renovations/upgrades, but we can’t wait to see what they’ll be like when they are reopened. We reserved tickets online for 10, and it wasn’t crowded at all, bus as we were leaving it started to get busy. I don’t remember having to pay for parking when we went a few years back, but parking is $5, and you can pay either through a QR code or parking meter. Thanks for a fun filled day!

Super fun place to go and relax, I don't know if Saturdays are normally free parking but that was a bonus. Lots of things to see and some exhibits you can touch and interact with. I spent the entire time running from one exhibit to the other like a little kid! No outside food allowed, but you can bring drinks with lids. They have three areas with bathrooms for small breaks.

A great experience to learn about Virginia's Marine life and more. A fairly small place, however at a steady pace you can stroll through in about an hour and a half. If taking your time I would expect to easily double that amount of time spent. Worth the admission cost. Pay to park is 4.50 adult ticket is 24.95

This was a nice place to visit. There were even interactive things to do and listen to and see. Some of the interactive things didn't, but the ones that did were fun. There was a submarine simulation area and the tank that's all around you was amazing to see. There are a lot of different areas that you can miss so you have to explore. It's not an all day activity. A few hours at best.

With the weather being less than ideal this turned out to be an excellent option for our family! We were able to lock in tickets online with ease and entering the aquarium was a breeze. The exhibits were well spaced and I enjoyed seeing all of the science and experiment stops along the way to engage patrons, especially the kiddos!

This is a great place for family fun. If you are in town and you have some time, it’s definitely worth the visit. They have a nice variety of marine life including, but not limited to sharks, eels, turtles, sea horses, sting rays, yellow fin tuna, Komodo dragons, and many more. They have several interactive and fun educational features, including the ability to pet the stingrays in one aquarium. It’s a great place for kids! Many features are put there to make them have a good time. The journey inside ends with the gift shop that has many interesting items. Will be back here again in the future.

What an awesome experience this aquarium is! We took our twin 6 year olds here for part of their Birthday and they very much enjoyed it. Staff at the various areas were extremely informative and it was very educational. Would definitely recommend this aquarium if you've never been. It took us approximately 60-90 minutes to do the entire experience but you could spend hours in there! So cool!

This aquarium was very informative with lots of exhibits ranging from marine life to geology. Staff was friendly and accommodating, including the Manta Ray mascot. Went when an elementary school was holding a field trip, so it was a bit chaotic, but generally had a great time.

So much to see and very well organized. The staff were very educated about their animals and it is very nice to even have them around to ask questions. Not all aquariums have adequate knowledgeable staff but this one does. Animals look very healthy and well taken care of. Also saw one of the BIGGEST pufferfish in an aquarium ever! We have been to many...so that says a lot!

It was fun. Had good exhibits. It is not the biggest aquarium but has great features. Doesn't take long to go through but has plenty to see.

I recently went to the National Aquarium in Baltimore and I would honestly say this aquarium was better. It was literally $15 less per person and had WAY more places to sit and enjoy looking at the animals. I think the variety of animals and fish was also better here. Would highly recommend for families. Lots of activities and things to see here for small kids.

This is a very nice aquarium, friendly staff & helpful. As we walked through, the layout was really appealing & soothing. The exhibits we're well kept & staff stationed throughout to answer questions or offer interesting facts of the exhibits. The gift shop is really nice & stocked for all ages. It was a very nice family activity to spend a few hours exploring. Would highly recommend doing the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science attraction. You do have to pay for parking. It was $5 & you may pay by an app on your phone or go to the kiosk to pay.