329 High Street
Watertown, NY 13601
Jefferson County
Phone: (315) 782-9616
Fax: unknownWebsite: no website on fileEmail: no email on fileHours: unknown
by Sarah E. on My husband and I love the Georgia Aquarium and have been members since the year it first opened. A lot of people gripe about the cost of admission, but if you buy an annual pass, it more than pays for itself in 3 visits. Therefore, this is what we have done every year. I have seen every exhibit a jillion times by now, and here are some of the highlights for me. There are SEVERAL rooms where I could literally sit for hours and just zone out with the chill aquarium muzak while watching huge numbers of beautiful fish. For example, in the Tropical Diver exhibit, there is a huge room with a beautiful reeflike habitat and little benches to chill on. Other prime candidates are the room with belugas (Coldwater Quest) and my favorite, the giant room with the whale sharks in the Ocean Voyager exhibit. People complain about the crowds, which is kind of understandable because it makes me grumpy too when I can't get to the exhibits because rude people are in my way. However, the aquarium offers early opening times during Spring Break and summer. If you get there at 8 am, there is literally no one there and you have the run of the place. Another highlight for me is the Jazz Journeys nights they have in the summer. This is another opportunity to see the aquarium when it's not as packed, and you can do it with a drink in your hand and some live music as a backdrop. My husband and I have been to Jazz Journeys quite a few times since it's free for members to get in. But if you're concerned about being packed in like a sardine, you might want to try this option. Just note that some of the creatures do go into chill/sleep mode after a while, so you might want to get there before the last hour. Other things I really love at the aquarium are the otters (both kinds), the leafy and weedy seadragons (which occupy a tiny tank in the Coldwater Quest exhibit) and, um... well, pretty much everything. And the hall where you can walk down and be surrounded by fish the entire way (I think that's in Ocean Voyager) is stunning. I agree with all the others who say that the food in the cafeteria-style restaurant could be better. It's unhealthy, fried, school-cafeteria-like fare. So what? I'm just wondering what people were expecting instead. My husband and I don't generally eat there, but that's okay with us. In our almost 4 years of being members of this aquarium, my husband and I have not gotten bored with it. I am not an "aquarium snob" like some of the others who have reviewed it, but I have seen both the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago (which was impressive) and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga (which was our closest option before and a lot of fun). I love this aquarium, and they are constantly improving it. Definitely worth a visit. If you think it's worth more than one, get an annual pass. You won't regret it.
by Cyndi Ebberts on I've been to Bruno's thrett times now and it's a pretty decent night spot with lots of space to hang out. The dancing was pretty non-existent on the Saturday night I went, although the DJ was spinning some good tunes, including Justin Timberlake's, "Dick in a Box". Can I say "dick" on Rateclub?? or will it get bleeped out or something? My favorite night at Brunos is Tuesday night when Realistic Orchestra plays. They're a 20 person, rotating member, funk/jazz band that plays in the back room of Bruno's. Lots of saxophones, lots of trumpets, and a few trombones. There's always a guest somebody stopping by to help them with a tribute. And they're really into the tributes from what I can tell. They've done a Miles Davis tribute, a James Brown tribute, a Stevie Wonder tribute, and this past Tuesday a Prince tribute. I mean, how can you go wrong with any of those artists?? The downside is that the room is small, and the patrons are many, so it gets pretty hot and crowded in there...and it's hard to see the band sometimes. Drinks are strong, bartenders are competent without any attitude. 3 1/2 stars.
