South Carolina Aquarium
Aquarium · Charleston ·
Waterfront aquarium featuring 5,000+ animals & sea turtle care center
Waterfront aquarium featuring 5,000+ animals & sea turtle care center
"The family-friendly South Carolina Aquarium, home to more than 5,000 animals, keeps us busy by day with American kestrels, barracudas, Goliath groupers, and rehabbing turtles at the Sea Turtle Care Center, then turns magical at night during Aquarium Aglow, when larger-than-life light installations shine and photo ops with Santa abound; holiday extras include an interactive dive show with elves, Santa meet-and-greets, and even hand-feeding a “ray-ndeer” (a cownose ray)." - Trudy Haywood Saunders Trudy Haywood Saunders Trudy Haywood Saunders is a writer and editor based in North Carolina. Her work has been featured in Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Our State, Okra, and more. A lifelong Southerner, Trudy draws her writing inspiration from personal experiences and love for the region, focusing on culture, food, and travel in the South and beyond. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"On a casual afternoon with Charleston native Tia Clark I spent two and a half hours on the dock baiting lines, throwing a cast net, and hauling blue crabs from the marsh while learning how the species fits into the ecosystem and why sustainable practices matter; Clark—who began crabbing to improve her health and reconnect with her Gullah Geechee roots—shares that connection with guests throughout the tour. The $125 ticket includes all equipment, bait, and a crate for any legal-size catch, and Tia and her team will clean the crabs so you can cook them at your rental or they’ll direct you to a local restaurant that will prepare your haul that day." - Lauren Mowery
"A family-friendly waterfront aquarium in Charleston featuring marine life exhibits and accessible educational programming tailored to kids and adults interested in coastal ecosystems and sea creatures." - Sarah Bruning Sarah Bruning Sarah Bruning is the special projects and surveys editor at Travel + Leisure, where she has been on staff since 2018. She assigns stories across the magazine, primarily for the Experiences section and feature well. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A family-oriented aquarium home to more than 5,000 animals—including American kestrels, barracudas, Goliath groupers and rehabilitating sea turtles—with seasonal programming such as an interactive dive show with elves, Santa meet-and-greets, a 'ray-ndeer' (cownose ray) feeding experience, and an Aquarium Aglow nighttime light-installation event with ample photo opportunities." - Trudy Haywood Saunders Trudy Haywood Saunders Trudy Haywood Saunders is a writer and editor based in North Carolina. Her work has been featured in Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Our State, Okra, and more. A lifelong Southerner, Trudy draws her writing inspiration from personal experiences and love for the region, focusing on culture, food, and travel in the South and beyond. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A waterfront aquarium featuring over 5,000 animals and a Sea Turtle Care Center." - Elizabeth Rhodes Elizabeth Rhodes Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure, covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina,