Ryan DeSear, general manager of Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies; Craig and Jennifer Best with son Conner and daughter Kaleigh; and Commissioner Susan Whitaker, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
photo by Ripley's Attractions
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies honored its 15 millionth visitor on Tuesday. Craig and Jennifer Best of Lascassas, Tenn., along with son Conner and daughter Kaleigh were honored with gifts, a luncheon and a special show by the new Ripley’s Live Mermaids The aquarium staff and VIP’s including Commissioner Susan Whitaker, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, helped celebrate this milestone event.
The gifts include a three-day/two-night Gatlinburg Getaway, 15-Year Ultimate Passes for unlimited visits to all eight Ripley Tennessee Attractions, Splash with the Stingrays, Penguin Encounter and a gift bag from the Cargo Hold.
“This is a great celebration. We opened our doors in December of 2000 and hit the 15 millionth mark in only 12 years. It is truly a testament to our success and to our popularity. We keep adding new exhibits each year to make our aquarium the most unique in the U.S. In 2010, we added the new $5 million Penguin Playhouse exhibit and this year the new Perfect Predator Sharks exhibit and our new Live Mermaids,” said Ryan DeSear, general manager of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
The Ripley’s Live Mermaids perform family-friendly and interactive shows daily. The myths, legends and folklore of mermaids vary throughout the world. Through history, there have been many stories of sea travelers seeing mermaids. Mermaids have been known to save the lives of sailors after shipwrecks and protect all that live in the ocean. The mermaids perform daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, the second most visited attraction in Tennessee, was voted the No. 1 Aquarium in America by TripAdvisor and Forbes Traveler named it one of America’s Best Aquariums. More than 100,000 exotic sea creatures live in its 1.4 million gallons of water. The aquarium is known for its amazing shark exhibit that features 11-foot sharks and one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world.
For information call 888 240-1358 or see us on the web at www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com.
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