There are many cool species of water birds on the Grand Strand, but none are cooler than penguins! And while you’ll see Grey Herons, Egrets, Pelicans and Sandpipers when you visit our amazing coastline, you’ll have to stop by Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach to see these incredible, flightless aquatic birds. At 5,500-square-feet, Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse is the largest expansion ever at the aquarium, located at Broadway at the Beach. Read on to learn more.
Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse
Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse will house African penguins, which prefer a much warmer climate than Antarctic penguins. These penguins have a streamlined body suitable for swimming, and sport black and white feathers with stripes and spots that serve as identification – similar to our fingerprints!
Their world-class habitat at the aquarium will feature floor-to-ceiling viewing glass with an immersive, 360-degree crawl tunnel for guests to “waddle” through. The addition also includes a brand-new Oceans of the World gallery with eight tanks housing species of fish from all over the world.
The highlight of this exciting new exhibit will surely be the Penguin Nursery, which will house and care for baby penguins in order to help conserve this endangered species. Numbers of African penguins have declined by 60% in the past two decades, and the new colony at Ripley’s Aquarium will hopefully grow in numbers while helping people to learn about these vulnerable creatures.
In addition to an amazing habitat and adorable Penguin Nursery at Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse, there will also be two brand new classrooms for educational programs, including Penguin Encounters and the VIP Penguin Painting Experience.
Penguin Encounters
At Penguin Encounters, guests can interact with and pet the penguins while learning all about them with an Aquarium staff expert. You’ll even get a photo USB of your encounter! The cost for this program is $52.99 plus aquarium admission. Children ages 4-7 must be accompanied by a paid adult.
VIP Penguin Painting Experience
The VIP Penguin Painting Experience includes everything in the Penguin Encounter and more! Guests will create and take home an 8×10 piece of original footprint art, with the help of a penguin pal. The cost for this experience is $90.99 plus aquarium admission.
Believe it or not, Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse is set to open early this year and you can pre-purchase tickets now on the Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach website. For an incredible place to stay on your 2020 Grand Strand vacation, contact Vacation Rentals of North Myrtle Beach, and check out our specials!
The sea, the sun, and the Grand Strand! Vacation Rentals of North Myrtle Beach, LLC, is a premier, full-service, licensed property management company in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Whether you are booking a reservation for your vacation or entrusting us with the management of your property, our professionally trained staff will ensure that all the details of renting the property are handled in a pleasant, stress-free manner. Call us today at 888-488-8588!
Myrtle Beach Barefoot Resort, a division of Vacation Rentals of North Myrtle Beach, is just a hop skip and jump away from the beach and beautiful Barefoot Landing, and was built with golf in mind with four of the most amazing golf courses in the area. When planning your vacation getaway, Myrtle Beach Barefoot Resort will help you make the most of your visit to the Grand Strand. Call us today at 800-548-9904!