Took a side trip to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia. It is simply amazing...and so is the story of how it was built.

According to Wikipedia:

The Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It is the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, housing more than a hundred thousand animals and representing several thousand species, all of which reside in 10 million US gallons (38,000 m3) of marine and salt water. It was the largest aquarium in the world from its opening in 2005 until 2012, when it was surpassed by Marine Life Park in Singapore.

Businessman Bernard Marcus credits his 60th birthday dinner, held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, with inspiring him to build a great aquarium for Atlanta; his subsequent $250 million donation provided the bulk of the money needed to build and stock the new facility.

The Aquarium's notable specimens include whale sharks, beluga whales, California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, and manta rays.

 

This Bernard fellow started Home Depot. When the aquarium opened it was debt free as he was able to get funding from donations to get it opened.

We took a 'Behind the Seas Tour' (it was an extra 15 bucks...worth every penny). One of the highlights was getting to watch them feed the giant Whale Sharks.

 

There are a ton of fish and tons of exhibits...but I could have spent hours watching these Japanese Jellyfish. I have watched this video a million times...

 

 

It was a three hour drive from where we were in South Carolina, but honestly - it was the best.

 

It was amazing...as was the BBQ place we found close by. Twin Smokers BBQ. I had collard greens, ribs, a corn bread souffle that was life changing.  I was obsessed with the Sweet and Tangy sauce.

WJBQ.com
WJBQ.com
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