A Local's Honest Take on Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies review – is it worth it?

I think of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies as one of the crown jewel attractions in Gatlinburg. But when you’re planning out your precious vacation dollars, budget and time, a question commonly comes up: Is Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies worth it? I think “worth” is different for different people, but I also believe this guide may help you determine if an aquarium visit is right for you and your family. With that in mind, this is my honest Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies review.

 

Ripley's tickets and tip on discounts

At the time of this writing, an single adult ticket (12 and up) is $39.99. Children (6-11) cost $24.99 and children (2-5) cost $14.99. Didn’t see the price of admission for toddlers? That’s because children under age two are free! Now, shelling out (turtle jokes) $40 on an aquarium ticket might seem a little steep. But, for comparison’s sake, I looked at two nearby competitors: The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Chattanooga currently costs $39.95 for adults and $29.95 for children. The Georgia Aquarium, which a seasonal pricing structure, starts at $39.99 on weekends for everyone except for children under two.

For example, let’s say you have a family of four with two kids between the ages of 3-10. A day at the Georgia Aquarium would cost roughly $192 (pre-tax) and a day at Ripley’s would cost about $150. If your children are younger than five, it makes Ripley’s even more affordable than its competitors.

Plus, if you get combo tickets with Ripley’s, you can save up to $26 per person when you visit two other Ripley’s attractions, or $33 per person if you visit three other Ripley’s attractions. In my opinion, this makes Ripley’s the best deal of the three.

Is it cheaper to buy Ripley’s Aquarium tickets online?

There are advantages to buying your tickets online before you go. The first of which is that you can skip the line upon arrival, saving valuable vacation time. And if you are interested in seeing any other Ripley’s attractions, or playing some mini-golf in the area, you can save even more by bundling your tickets with some of the other attractions. The more you buy, the more you save per attraction. And it’s worth noting that Gatlinburg has more Ripley’s attractions than anywhere else in the world. The other attractions may not be quite as popular as the aquarium, but the mini-golf alone makes the deal worth it, in my opinion. The additional attractions in the Smokies area include:

• Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium
• Ripley’s Moving Theater
• Ripley’s Mirror Maze
• Ripley’s Haunted Adventure
• Ripley’s Super Fun Zone (Laser Tag)
• Ripley’s Super Fun Zone (Indoor Mini Golf)
• Ripley’s Mountain Coaster (One ride)
• Ripley’s Super Fun Park (One hour unlimited rides)
• Old Mac Mini Golf (18 holes)
• Davy Crockett Mini Golf (18 holes)

When you buy a ticket online, your ticket is valid for one year from the date of purchase. At this time, reservations are not required for general admission.

How long does it take to go through Ripley’s?

In my experience, people spend an average of about 2-3 hours at the site. However, I can easily spend about half my day exploring the aquarium. Honestly, if you stop to read everything, do everything, touch everything, you could easily spend several hours here. And to me, the longer I stay at an attraction, the further my vacation dollar goes. Aquariums are a place to slow down and appreciate the wonders of aquatic life. Could you speed walk through it and see it in less than two hours? Probably. But you might just be missing that one giant fish in that one tank.

Is Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg worth it?

In my opinion, the aquarium is very well done. And my vacation math, especially for a family of four, also checks out. Certainly, I have not personally been to every aquarium in North America. But I’ve visited some of the big ones, including the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. I even had a brief stint as a volunteer at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. And not to throw shade on those guys, because they are all great in their own right.

Still, Ripley’s remains one of my favorites. Even though it’s still a large aquarium, it doesn’t get quite as crowded as the aquarium in Georgia. Plus, Ripley’s does a great job offering hands-on experiences, such as touching the gentle stingrays at Stingray Bay. If there’s wiggle room in your budget, you can book a penguin encounter where you get to pet one of the adorable and playful penguins. The glass-bottom boat that travels over the Shark Lagoon is a family favorite as well.

Parking, tickets and what to know before you go

There’s a large paid parking lot nearby for convenience. And while you can purchase tickets on-site, I generally recommend buying in advance. The Gatlinburg aquarium is wheelchair-accessible. The attraction welcomes standard strollers, but not wagons, wagon strollers, push cars or ride-ons. For more information about special events such as pirate sleepovers, camps and penguin art, visit the aquarium events page. 

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is located in downtown Gatlinburg at 88 River Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. What do you think of Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg? Is it worth it? Let me know in the comments!