Special Events and Camps

Discover scheduled events and activities that include General Admission to the aquarium.

Breakfast with a Mermaid

Have you ever wanted to meet a mermaid?

Join us before the aquarium opens, when our mermaids fuel up for a day of flippin’ fun! Ripley’s mermaids invite you to start your day with a delicious hot breakfast and a private mermaid dive show. Snap a shell-fie with a mermaid and even learn their secret mermaid language! Before you leave, make sure to pick up your mermaid gift, souvenir photo, and take the opportunity to explore the aquarium before it opens to the public!

Sips and Sharks

Come camp with curious creatures!

Do sharks sleep? Discover the answer yourself by spending the night at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Enjoy a night of appetizers, drinks, and a behind-the-scenes tour before settling down to sleep while these fascinating predators keep a watchful eye on you!

Pints and Penguins

Join the colony for a night of fun!

What kind of shenanigans do penguins get into after hours? Find out for yourself at the Pints and Penguins sleepover! Start your night off with appetizers and drinks, followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium. Sleep alongside the aquarium’s African penguin colony in the Penguin Playhouse and wake up to a hot breakfast and penguin encounter!

Sleep with the Sharks

Do sharks sleep?

Find out what goes on in Shark Lagoon after hours when you spend the night at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. After a fun-filled night including a late-night snack, scavenger hunt, and fun activity, drift off to sleep while sharks keep a watchful eye on you!

Pancakes and Penguins

Feeling peckish?

Start your day with Ripley's penguin colony and enjoy the Aquarium before it opens to the public, eat a delicious hot breakfast, even come face-to-beak with African penguins! A portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), internationally recognized for their conservation and rehabilitation efforts. 

PJ Party With the Penguins

Spend your night enjoying a slumber party with African penguins!

What kind of shenanigans do penguins get into after hours? Find out for yourself at the PJ Party with the Penguins sleepover! After a fun-filled night of late-night snacks, scavenger hunts, and fun activities, waddle your way into slumber while Ripley’s penguins colony keeps you company! In the morning you’ll get a chance to meet a penguin one-on-one!

Mermaid and Pirate Camp

Dive into adventure!

Join Ripley’s Aquarium under the sea at our Mermaid and Pirate  Camp, where an underwater world of mystical mermaids, pirates, and marine life becomes your playground! Experienced counselors will guide campers through a range of activities designed to spark imaginations and deepen appreciation for the natural world. From storytelling to hands-on exploration, campers will even have the opportunity to get into character with a mermaid or pirate makeover! 

Expedition Camp

Expedition Camp

We invite your little one to go on an exciting half-day adventure with our Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies education staff! In our Expedition camps, campers will be engaged with story time, a scavenger hunt, crafts, and so much more!

Jr. Aquarist Camp

Jr. Aquarist Camp

Campers will spend a day learning what it takes to become a Ripley’s Jr. Aquarist! This camp is designed to inspire and educate campers about marine science and conservation.

Vet Camp

Vet Camp

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an aquatic vet? Well, now you don’t have to! Join Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies for an immersive learning experience.

STEAM Camp

STEAM Camp

Get ready to dive into a week-long camp packed with summer fun at Ripley’s Aquarium! At our STEAM Camp, campers will embark on an exciting journey through the realms of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, all while exploring the wonders of the aquarium and what’s in our ocean.

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