Scuba Diving at an aquarium is one of the most unique diving experiences you can have as a Scuba diver. Firstly, you have controlled water temperatures, limitless visibility, and hundreds of marine specimens to view, all in a single location. Aquariums also allow divers to feed the fish and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium’s filtration systems and food preparation areas. What makes aquarium diving even more interesting is the interactions you can have with the non-diving visitors through the viewing glass, which is rather amusing. Most aquarium fish are used to having divers in their tanks to feed and clean, so you can observe the marine life up close. Here is a list we have compiled of some of the aquariums across America that allow divers to have this unique experience.
Underwater Adventures Aquarium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Underwater Adventures Aquarium, housed inside the Mall Of America in Minneapolis, provides a program for $195, which includes aquarium admission, a behind-the-scenes tour, a dive into Fisherman’s Hollow and Shark Cove, snacks, and refreshments and a souvenir T-shirt to take home. The Aquarium offers two dives: the first in a freshwater tank with local fish such as carp, walleye, sturgeon, and Bass, and the second in a marine tank with various kinds of sharks and rays. The Underwater Adventures program does not include rental of Scuba Diving equipment, which you need to bring your own or rent locally before you dive.
Great Lakes Aquarium, Duluth, Minnesota
The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, Minnesota, on the banks of Lake Superior, only recently opened its doors to scuba divers with the “Dive-N-Feed Experience,” which allows up to three divers to explore the 90,000-gallon freshwater tank set up to emulate the waters of Lake Superior’s Isle Royale. The three-hour experience includes an orientation and the chance to hand-feed the fish in the 25-foot deep tank, a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium, a souvenir, and refreshments.
The species of marine life you get to see on this unique dive are Steelhead rainbow trout, Kamloops rainbow trout, brown trout, coaster brook trout, lake trout, siscowet, Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, American eels, lake sturgeon, walleye, longnose and white suckers. The Dive-N-Feed experience costs $79 for divers who use their own scuba gear and $99 for those who rent the Aquarium scuba diving gear. Divers are required to show proof of scuba certification by carrying their C-card.
National Aquarium in Baltimore
The National Aquarium, Baltimore’s Guest Diver Program, allows scuba divers to experience the best diving in Maryland by diving in the Aquarium’s most popular exhibits, the Atlantic Coral Reef and Wings in the Water exhibits. The program consists of two 30-minute dives in each exhibit and a pre-dive session explaining the basics of diving in an unfamiliar environment. The Pre-dive also touches upon divers’ role in reef conservation and is an educative session. The maximum depth that you will get to dive to in these tanks is 13 feet (4m), and you can see some remarkable reef life up close, such as rays, sharks, and over 50 species of fish. The fee for the Guest Diver program is rather steep at $295 for two 30-minute dives, and divers are required to carry their C-cards with them at the time of registration.
Downtown Aquarium, Denver, Colorado
Are you looking to scuba dive in downtown Denver? The Denver Aquarium provides divers with three programs: “Dive With the Fish,” “Dive With the Sharks,” and “Swim With the Fish”. The Dive and Swim with the Fish programs take place in the Aquarium “Under the Sea” tank, while the “Dive with the Sharks” takes place in the “Depths of the Pacific” exhibit. All divers receive a short presentation on the exhibit, fish biology, fish identification, and scuba safety, plus listen to a short dive plan briefing. Overall, the duration of the dive is around 40 minutes and will set you back $75 per person for “Swim With the Fish” and $175 for “Dive With the Fish” and “Dive With the Sharks.” Price includes aquarium admission, T-shirt, fish ID booklet, snacks, and a dive guide. Reusable underwater cameras are also available for sale.
The Living Seas at Epcot Disneyworld, Orlando, Florida
Certified scuba divers visiting Orlando will find the Living Seas at Disneyworld’s Epcot Center, one of the best aquarium exhibits to dive in. Home to a marine tank that measures over 200 feet in diameter and 25 feet in depth. This tank contains many Caribbean in a reef environment, including sharks, rays, and turtles. The folk at the Living Seas claim that you will probably never see as many species of fish in one go if you go diving in the Caribbean. The Center’s Divequest tour allows certified divers to take a unique three-hour program with a forty-minute dive in this marine tank. This Caribbean dive experience costs $140 and includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities at The Living Seas.
