Where to Celebrate Shark Week in NYC, on Long Island and Nearby
Shark Week 2024 is circling the waters, and you and your family can celebrate in more ways than just sitting in front of the TV. If you have aquatic-loving kids and you’re looking for ways to celebrate beyond a Discovery Channel watch party, we’ve got you covered.
Check out our round up of ways to celebrate Shark Week this year, including aquariums, educational events and more!
Psst… Here are the 20 Best Summer Rainy Day Activities in NYC!
Long Island Aquarium
431 East Main St, Riverhead, NY
This aquarium centers on sharks– literally. The Lost City of Atlantis Shark Habitat forms the centerpiece of the Long Island Aquarium and houses sand tiger sharks and nurse sharks as well as a wide variety of other tropical fish. Visitors will be able to learn about these sharks that are native to the East Coast of the United States and the dangers that are affecting their numbers.
Kids ages 12 and up can take their shark experience to the next level with a Shark Dive. Step into a case and swim alongside circling sharks, getting up close and personal with these famous ocean predators.
New York Aquarium
602 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY
The Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit brings creatures of the ocean to you. The exhibit’s walk through tunnel and canyon’s edge views immerse visitors into the world of the ocean, all while staying dry and safe. You can see species like sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks, zebra sharks and blacktip reef sharks.
You can also see sharks from the comfort of home! Watch the live cam from the canyon’s edge at the exhibit from 10 am to 4 pm daily.
The Beast
Pier 83, W 42nd St @ West Side Hwy, New York, NY
New York City’s only speedboat thrill ride is offering shark-themed giveaways all Shark Week long this year. A trip on The Beast will take your family zipping through the Hudson River at 45 miles per hour. Hold on to your hats and strap in for a ride on the only shark on the Hudson.
Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center
150 Bay Pkwy, Wantagh, NY
Kids can come to Jones Beach to learn about marine life during their weekly Tiny Tots program, and Shark Week is no exception. Drop in to learn all about the marine predators in an educational and kid-friendly setting.
Long Beach Clean Up
1 Lafayette Blvd, Long Beach, NY
One of the best ways to celebrate Shark Week is to help keep the beach clean. All are welcome to lend a hand to Long Beach Cleanup. Give back to the environment and help keep the ocean safe for sharks and other marine life. Don’t forget your reusable bags and gloves!
Stew Leonards East Meadow
1897 Front St, East Meadow, NY
Celebrate Shark Week with a shark themed cupcake extravaganza at Stew Leonards East Meadow. All participants will get to decorate a cupcake, enjoy a pizza lunch and do various small crafts.
The Whaling Museum & Education Center
301 Main St, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
At the Whaling Museum & Education Center, you can learn all about the famous apex predators. Touch a real shark jaw and a shark tooth, identify different shark teeth, excavate a real shark tooth fossil and create a necklace or keychain featuring your fossil treasure.
Essex County Turtle Back Zoo
560 Northfield Ave, West Orange, NJ
Get up close and personal with sharks at the Turtle Back Zoo. At their touch tank, you can interact with sharks and stingrays hands-on and watch them swim by.
Adventure Aquarium
1 Riverside Dr, Camden, NJ
Did you know that the Shark Tunnel at Adventure Aquarium is the longest in New Jersey? Walk through the 40-foot tunnel and get an immersive experience, where you’ll be surrounded by dozens of sharks and over 200 other aquatic animals.
