Festive fish, spirited sea turtles, jolly jellies… wherever you look, the Aquarium is bringing holiday celebrations to life! Gather friends and family to join us for joyful fun with Santa Sundays, daily dive shows with elves, a chance to feed our RAYndeer and so much more!
Dive Into Holiday Fun
Join us for daily dive shows featuring festive elves in the Great Ocean Tank, and dive deeper into the magic with special animal programs throughout the day. Keep an eye out during your visit, as you may see our animals with some new holiday decor in their environment, snacking on frozen fish pops or accompanying an educator for up-close animal encounters on the floor. Plus, you can complete our “12 Rays of Fishmas” scavenger hunt to receive a prize!
Santa Sundays
Mix and a-mingle with Kris Kringle! Santa’s taking three trips to Charleston in preparation for Christmas, and you can meet him at the Aquarium. During Santa Sundays, guests can meet Santa and have their photo taken with him! And we don’t know if there’ll be snow, but you can have a cup of cheer. Thanks to Charleston Coffee Roasters, you can sip on delicious hot coffee during the festivities! General admission tickets or member reservations are required to participate in Santa Sundays.
Santa visits will take place on the following dates:
12/3, 12/10, 12/17
Feed the RAYndeer
Reindeer may traditionally eat carrots, but our RAYndeer prefer fish! Come face to face with lively cownose rays in The Shallows, and if you’re in the spirit of giving, you can purchase a feeding voucher to give the rays a fishy treat yourself! Vouchers can be purchased at Admissions or the Information Desk; 10:15 a.m.–4 p.m. while supplies last.
Letters to Santa
As you wander through our galleries full of merriment, be on the lookout for a special red mailbox labeled “North Pole.” Simply drop in your letter to Santa, and we’ll make sure it reaches its destination!
Aquarium Aglow
On select nights this holiday season, the Aquarium will open its doors at dusk for a dazzling light spectacular. From the icy starlight of the mountains to the neon lights of the coast, let wildlife lead the way to celebration this holiday season! Make memories to last a lifetime as you wave to Scuba Claus in the Great Ocean Tank, indulge in festive refreshments (including adult beverages) and capture frame-worthy moments at multiple photo ops. Buy your tickets early to guarantee the best price!
Gifts That Give Back
Give gifts that give back this holiday season! Our gift guide includes options for everyone on your list, and when you shop, you’ll be giving the Aquarium a gift, too. A portion of proceeds from every gift goes directly toward fulfilling our mission, including caring for sick and injured sea turtles, providing education programming for students and continuing our critical conservation work both within our walls and beyond.