A line of adults and children of all ages stretches out across a busy lobby lit by bright spheres suspended from a high ceiling. Neon waves run along the walls. They talk energetically among themselves, shifting and looking around the large room as the line moves forward towards a dark tunnel decorated with corals, fish and other sea life.

Every face turns upwards as they enter the tunnel. Each person steps onto a moving sidewalk and into an underwater world of manta rays, schools of fish and sea turtles.

The top half of the tunnel forms the transparent walls of a massive tank full of color and movement. Blue light bathes the rapt expressions of children and adults alike as they move along the sidewalk. A shadow passes over the faces, and many gasp as an enormous whale shark drifts across the top of the tunnel.

This is Ocean Voyager, one of seven exhibits at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The aquarium is the largest of its kind in the western hemisphere. Located in Midtown, this is the perfect site for a weekend trip for any student wishing to visit the aquarium or other nearby points of interest, such as Centennial Park or the World of Coke museum.

The aquarium’s exhibits feature several distinctive animals, including beluga whales, penguins, dolphins, whale sharks and manta rays, among others. It is the only place outside of Asia to house whale sharks and one of four facilities in the world to display a manta ray.

For the more adventurous visitors, the aquarium offers several programs that allow people to swim with the sea life. Not all of these programs require previous dive experience, so these opportunities are open to anyone with a little extra money and exploratory spirit.

One such program is Journey with Gentle Giants, during which visitors swim with the aquarium’s renowned whale sharks. For open water certified divers, the aquarium provides equipment and the opportunity to dive deeper in the tanks and interact with the whale sharks and other sea life.

There are other ways to interact with the aquarium’s inhabitants besides the swim and dive experiences. Visitors can stand among the penguins by crawling through a tunnel under the ice of the exhibit and poking their heads up in a dome placed in the middle of the exhibit. Penguins waddle by at eye level mere feet away, creating a much more personal experience.

In other areas, visitors can touch and feel coral or seas anemones under the supervision of aquarium staff. In the center lobby, dancers perform shows with aquatic themes, such as an adaptation of “2,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Face painters, caricature artists and the aquarium’s gift shop offer plenty of opportunities for each visitor to find a memento of the undersea experience.

The aquarium is open daily during the week from 10 a.m. ––  8 p.m. and 9 a.m. –– 8 p.m. on the weekends. General admission tickets are currently a little under $30, with discounts offered for groups and evening admission. More information about the aquarium can be found at https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/