The South Carolina Aquarium is an excellent aquarium...if you're an aquarium sort of person. If you're inclined to run through exhibits and therefore need acres and acres of area to keep you entertained for an hour or two, this is not a good deal for you. If you more enjoy closely observing marine life, then you can make an entire day of the SC Aquarium. It is divided into areas based on the geography of South Carolina, starting first in the mountains (the star of this exhibit is the river otters, who are adorable - check ahead and try to be there for their feeding time, then to watch them play with the burst of energy aftewards), then the Piedmont, then marshes, then coast. The botanical life within the aquarium is also very interesting - I took a "plant tour" (no extra cost) lead by one of the plant curators and it was a very cool look at what it takes to maintain the plant life in the aquarium. A friend with me watched a cooking demonstration and was able to sample some delights cooked up by a local chef. The ocean life, at the end, is perhaps the most "traditional" thing people think of when they consider aquariums, and it does not disappoint. There are sea turtles, sharks, a very very large ocean tank, jellyfish (2 varieties), sea horses, and much more. The only disadvantage is that the aquarium is pretty far away from most restaurants, etc., but they do allow stamp-out re-entry.
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