Audubon Aquarium

The Audubon Aquarium sits right on the Mississippi River at the edge of the French Quarter, making it one of the most accessible family attractions in New Orleans. With over 16,000 reviews and a 4.4-star rating, it consistently ranks as a top family destination in the city — and for good reason.

The anchor experience is the Gulf of Mexico exhibit, where a walk-through tunnel puts you inside a massive tank surrounded by sharks, rays, and schools of fish. For young kids, this is a genuine jaw-drop moment that you can't manufacture any other way. The tank feels intimate compared to larger facilities, which actually works in your favor — there's no scrambling to see over heads or fighting through crowds at the glass.

The touch tank is strategically located and well-staffed, with horseshoe crabs, stingrays, and other specimens that kids can actually handle under staff supervision. This is the exhibit that gets the biggest reactions from elementary-age kids, who spend far longer here than parents expect. Touch tank access runs at specific times posted at the entrance — check the schedule first thing.

Sea otters have their own dedicated exhibit that draws consistent crowds. Watch the otters groom themselves, play with enrichment toys, and interact with each other. It's the kind of exhibit where kids will stand for 15 minutes and not notice time passing.

Practical notes for parents: the aquarium is entirely indoors and air-conditioned, making it genuinely great for New Orleans' rainy or oppressively humid days. Strollers navigate well throughout. Nursing rooms and changing tables are available. The café handles hungry kids adequately. Online ticket purchase is strongly recommended to skip the box office line, especially on busy days.

If you're considering both the Aquarium and the Insectarium (housed in the same building), the combo ticket offers real savings and makes for a complete half-day experience.