Hill City AquaZoo

Experiencia fantástica: Animals are wonderful to see and my kids absolutely adore it here!

Experiencia fantástica: Very interactive and the animals are very healthy with clean enclosures.

Experiencia fantástica: We loved having interactions with the animals and our kids also loved it! Knowledgeable staff!

Experiencia fantástica: If you love nature! Aquazoo is the vibe! You should check out there new members!

Experiencia fantástica: Love the place and the staff

Experiencia fantástica: This place was great. Staff friendly and nice. Will definitely goback

Experiencia fantástica: Best animals ever and best staff ever Perfect, you come for the whole family

Experiencia fantástica: Great place to take the kids! They did an excellent job with their field trip!

Experiencia fantástica: We have a membership and my 2 year old loves it (and so do I). Everyone is always so nice too. Such a fun thing to do with kiddos!

Experiencia fantástica: This place was amazing. I expected aomething like a 20 minute walk through but spent over 2 hours here. The interactions are awesome and the employees are knowledgeable and kind. Would definitely recommend!

Experiencia positiva: This is a surprisingly good little zoo in a mall. Has the name might suggest, there are quite a few water exhibits, but there are also several land-based exhibits, and you can interact with several them.

Experiencia fantástica: Such Great people, Had such a great time highly recommend!!

Experiencia fantástica: Great People, Very friendly made you feel very welcomed had such a blast!

Experiencia fantástica: I took my grandchildren ages 3 and 12 and we all had a great time. The staff was knowledgeable and super attentive. My favorite part was feeding the rays!

Experiencia negativa: Overpriced. Poor experience compared to when it used to Seaquest. Save your money and go to the NC Zoo for the same price and a way better experience outdoors.

Experiencia fantástica: Went with my teen kids and we all Loved it. The staff is super knowledgeable and friendly and the animals look very healthy, well taken care of. It’s super fun and interactive! Will be going back!

Experiencia fantástica: Had a great time! Staff was friendly and helpfull. Bigger than I was expecting abd tge animals were super cute!

Experiencia fantástica: AquaZoo is one of my favorite places to visit with my niece and nephews. They absolutely love it as do I! It is a very clean facility and the animals look well taken care of. A must visit in Lynchburg.

Experiencia fantástica: It was our first time going here and it was so so fun and while every employee was so good, Sarah really stood out!! She was so kind, helpful, and knowledgeable about everything there! Love you girlyyyy!! We will definitely be going back :)

Experiencia negativa: Overpriced, not many animals. We have been coming to lynchburg for the past few years (about a 1.5-2 hr drive) its always been one of our favorite trips with the kids until this year. So very disappointed. We spent over $100 on nothing

Experiencia negativa: Well....just like everything else today...new ownership has taken this place from being a blast down to one star. This used to be a super fun place to go and see so many animals. The animal handlers in the back were still super friendly but the number of animals seems to have decreased significantly. Even the three kiddos said that they were no longer interested in riding two hours to go visit again. Very dissapointing this visit and have zero plans to return.

Experiencia fantástica: Great place to take your kids with a great stuff! Good amount to see and a personal 15 minutes with a sloth is definitely worth it.

Experiencia fantástica: Very sweet people that were super helpful and adorable animals that are very clearly taken care of!! Absolutely recommend!

Experiencia fantástica: We always have a great time when we visit! The staff is friendly and happy to answer any questions about the animals. You don’t need tokens to enjoy your visit, but if you choose to buy some to feed the animals, we highly recommend it. Our favorites were the lizard, koi fish, stingrays, and birds!

Experiencia fantástica: My family had an amazing time at Aquazoo and we did the Animal Mania Tour. It was definitely the way to go! Cam was our guide and gave detailed information on all the animals we interacted with and he is definitely an expert. Our family had the best day at Aquazoo!

Experiencia negativa: This is extremely unethical to have pay to play exhibits. Beyond passing zoonotic diseases to animals in touch tanks it’s been shown in numerous peer reviewed studies that these interactions stress animals out, and feeding animals an unregulated amount of feed a day is not a nutritionally balanced diet. If you want to go to a decent zoo go to one with ACCREDITATION! Then at least they are adhering to welfare guidelines for their animals.

Experiencia fantástica: This place was a decent size for being inside of a mall the habitats seemed clean. A little smelly when you got down towards the fish area though. My kid had fun and that's all that counted. Not just fish there were several other animals as well.

Experiencia fantástica: Really neat place, worth the visit!

Experiencia positiva: Fun for the family but like any zoo it's also depressing for the animals stuck there

Experiencia negativa: Had a horrible experience there this past weekend. Not originally from the area visiting spending the day at the mall saw the store so decided to check it out. Noticed the animals and fish not thinking there was a charge no one said anything and didn't pay much attention to the sign so I proceed to walk through and look at the fish got through half of it and there was a worker standing there he ask if I paid to walk through I told him I didn't know I was supposed to he got very aggressive and told me I was stealing after I said I would pay. He walked me out like I was a criminal. He was hateful no customer service skills at all. I paid for the ticket but never got to finish the tour. Emailed the owner told her what happened. Still waiting to hear from her if I ever do that is.

Experiencia fantástica: This place was fantastic! And the people working there were amazing!! I will have to give a shout out to Megan and Cam though- they were truly a book of extra knowledge!!! These two were above and beyond anything I could have ask for and way more than I would have expected. All employees were very friendly and helpful. The interactions with all the animals were above my expectations and these animals seem so loved and well taken care!!! Not like a zoo at all!!!!! Every exhibit was very clean and well maintained. They had stations to clean your hands. Food supplies for when you used tokens to feed animals was well supplied. Also your ticket is good for all day, so if you want you can leave and come back or just go around several times, its an all day pass. I will go again and highly recommend this place to everyone!

Experiencia negativa: If I could leave no stars I would. Use to take my 8 year old grandson there all the time when it was SeaQuest and loved it. Always clean and animals looked good. Not now, prices are outrageous fish don't look good, inside and outside of aquariums were dirty. Stingray's did not have good color. Snakes had loose shin. Animals just didn't look happy and healthy as before. Save your money and go to the pet store. Pet Wear House right down the road is a good place. Sorry won't be returning, very sad for my 3 year old grandson, for he will miss out.

Experiencia negativa: I felt bad for the animals here. I had no idea what to expect but once I got in it was a no for me.

Experiencia fantástica: So cute! My almost 3 year old keeps asking to go back days later. It’s really neat how you can feed so many animals. My son loved the giant pacu fish. The employees are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Enclosures are incredibly clean.

Experiencia fantástica: It was great place to go! That poor hurt tiger shark though i hope they take care of it! I made sure to tell them and the koi was so funny lol

Experiencia fantástica: Loved it! The staff was very nice and helpful. They answered all of my questions. The animals seemed very happy and well cared for. The sloth interaction is 100% worth the money!

Experiencia positiva: My 4-year-old had a blast! It was a little expensive though. Around $71 for 2 adults and 1 child and then we had to go around and buy another 10 tokens. Would still recommend though if you have the money to spend. No options for discounts with SNAP or WIC as far as I know, like other children’s places sometimes have.

Experiencia fantástica: Spent yesterday at Aquazoo. Our guide was Shelby. We spent our afternoon meeting and feeding the awesome animals here. Our guide gave us factual information and stories about every animal we saw. My friends and I chose the $399 group guided tour. Everything was fanatic. Can’t wait to go back.

Experiencia fantástica: Absolutely great little zoo/aquarium. Nice staff. Clean. Perfect for kids probably 8 and younger.

Experiencia negativa: Went on a field trip with my granddaughters first grade class from Elon Elementary School, one of the worst experiences ever. I don't know what our guides name was but she should never be allowed around 6 and 7 year olds. I have never had anyone be so rude not only to the excited children but also to the parents. The children were not allowed to touch but 2 things, when asked could they touch Norman the turtle they were quickly told no but 1 minute later they let him out so the people behind us could touch him. When the guide was over we heard our guide say to another worker I had more to show them but I am not. We exited to the gift shop where we were told that even the children with chaperones could not shop that we had to exit the place. I have taken my grandkids there when it was Sea Quest and they enjoyed it, but after today I will NEVER go back or recommend this place to anyone! I think our guide not only owes our children an apology but the teachers and parents as well.

Experiencia negativa: What a sad place, keeping animals in a mall is inhumane.

Experiencia fantástica: The Hill City Aqua Zoo is the best zooquarium around! Such a sweet hidden gem in River Ridge. Friends are always shocked by just how much there is to see and do!

Experiencia negativa: I am furious. I purchased season passes to this place, and then five days later they changed their name. NOTHING else changed, and when I called they told me that my Seaquest membership and tokens would be accepted when I visited. However, after my kids and I drove 4 hours, they informed me that they wouldn't accept my passes now that they had changed their name. I tried to explain my situation and they told me it was "my problem". I tried to reach out to corporate about the unfairness of this; how I did NOT receive what I paid for when I bought my passes, as I had to pay full price to enter. Corporate could not care less. This was my last visit to this place or anywhere like it; they do not care about anything but your money. Do not waste your time or money; there are so many better, less expensive places.

Experiencia fantástica: The AquaZoo is a fun stop. It can be a quick stop or several hours of fun. The staff is always helpful and friendly

Experiencia fantástica: Great place for everyone.

Experiencia fantástica: Amazing fun place all types of animals!

Experiencia fantástica: Super Cool place, Great interactive idea, and Very knowledgeable/kind workers!

Experiencia fantástica: I have never done a zoo in a mall before but this was amazing! Great price, very friendly staff, and plenty of animals to see and enjoy. Fun for the whole family.

Experiencia fantástica: We had a great time! Found slightly discounted tickets online which saved a few dollars. We had a little one and we bought a few tokens for feeding the fish. I was very surprised at how interactive and clean the exhibits were! Very open space and so much bigger than I initially thought would it being in the mall.

Experiencia positiva: The experience was good overall. I think some of the animals in some of the exhibits could use more natural stimulation vs human stimulation. Some creatures really need to be exposed to other options than artificial lights and habitat.

Experiencia fantástica: Well priced and has a surprisingly decent amount of animals to see. Very fun for toddlers, we got the year pass and go regularly.

Experiencia fantástica: Staff was very friendly and the exhibits were cool! What animals are out and about rice will depend on when you go.

Experiencia fantástica: Great experience. Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Lots of animals to see and lots of encounters you can participate in. Great time for adults and children

Experiencia fantástica: This was an amazing experience for my 6 year old that we would recommend to anyone. We are big animal advocates and read other reviews about their poor treatment and found that to be false. These animals were born in captivity and could not live in the wild- their habitats were clean and they were healthy. We had a great guide, Jonathan, who made the entire experience a memorable one. We did pay up for the Sloth interaction which was a once in a lifetime for our kiddo. We met/fed every animal while learning about them thanks to Jonathan. We can’t wait to go back again! Thanks for a great day!

Experiencia fantástica: Descent variety of animals for the size and the staff was very polite and informative. Will definitely be back . My kids loved it

Experiencia negativa: To start it is very expensive. Our day started with employees being brash about not being open yet, however the door was open, so it was confusing. Made it in and had to sign a waiver before anyone would talk to us. After waiver signed its $20/adult. But they "highly recommend" tokens for the best experience. This was our first time there and we were not sure what that meant. We quickly understood as we walked around what that entailed. Essentially if you want to see up close or pet the animals, or get a quarter size amount of food you need these tokens. To walk around the small space for $20 and then have to pay extra for tokens, and even more for an "experience", it reminded me of 3rd world countries that you go and they exploit the animals for a few bucks. I am not against zoos that study conservation, but this is not that. There is no conservation coming from a 6 foot lizard in a 4 foot box. Or a large capybara on pine shavings and concrete. The entire environment was dim and uneventful. For those saying how amazing it was, I don't know what you are comparing it to. Lynchburg should be ashamed to have such a business in their city. I know Seaquest "sold" to HillCity, but it doesn't seem different than all the accusations Seaquest faced on all the animal and zoo sites about mistreatment and lack of care and appropriate environments for animals. Just be mindful of what your money is supporting. Employees were hit and miss. Some very friendly others not so much. If they truly cared about education and conservation they would hire a better fitting employee to be animal ambassadors than uninterested, need a job, uncaring college student that is there for a paycheck only. You could tell the employees that really cared for the animals.

Experiencia positiva: The place is big for having been in the mall, it was clean and the animal area too; In addition to the ticket, if you want to feed them or be with some animals, you have to buy tokens, which makes it more expensive. Some animals were not available and others were sleeping. I was very disappointed that my grandson couldn't interact with the animals more, even after we returned from lunch and found them still sleeping or not interacting at all.

Experiencia positiva: Had a great experience! The obky downside was we were told that we could have an encounter with a sloth, but when it came time for the encounter, there was no holding the sloth. Only feeding, petting it's tush and asking questions. Not worth $100 fee. Other than that it was a fun experience.

Experiencia fantástica: We held my child's birthday party at AquaZoo. Due to inclement weather, we had to find a place that could host the party at the last minute. Not only were we able to host our party, but the staff were so professional and attentive to our needs! The children had a wonderful time and we were very satisfied with the experience. Thank you AquaZoo!

Experiencia fantástica: Amazing experience at AquaZoo! The enclosures were clean, spacious, and well-designed, allowing for great viewing of the animals. The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about conservation, sharing fascinating facts during my visit. I particularly loved the interactive exhibits and the opportunity to see the baby otters. A must visit for anyone interested in wildlife!

Experiencia fantástica: An amazing place to take the family, the workers really care about the animals and are knowledgeable about them.

Experiencia negativa: How HORRIBLE to exploit animals for profit. Making money off their misery. Shame on you Hill City AquaZoo....aka seaquest in disguise.

Experiencia fantástica: Loved this aquarium/zoo, the employees were extremely nice and accommodating. It is much bigger than I had expected and you can get great views of all the animals.

Experiencia fantástica: Had a really great experience at aquaZoo with the family! The facility was really clean and the animals are well taken care of. Loved getting to interact with all the different animals from the capybaras to the wallabys and practically every animal in that place. Highly recommend! The staff is really nice too

Experiencia positiva: Great place to take the kids. They have animals of the land and sea. Great experience for kids of all ages. The place was very clean, plenty of hand sanitizer stations and sinks to wash hands strategically placed throughout. Staff were knowledgeable and friendly. Location entrance is inside the mall. Nice day trip for a family.

Experiencia fantástica: Absolutely incredible! Not only is it so animal focused, but it’s clean and beautiful! Enclosures are so much bigger and animals are really cared for. On top of everything, the staff is so personable and kind. My daughter loves it. Highly recommend AquaZoo!

Experiencia negativa: Today 11/9/2024 Not a good experience. $78.00 for 2 adults, 1child and tokens. The tokens were to interact with the animals. We waited 10min at the first exhibit (iguanas)for someone to help. The next 3 exhibits, no one came. All the signs said (be back at 2pm). It was after 2pm. They were understaffed. When we got to the polar side, the exhibit hadn't been set up yet (no animals at all!!!) So we paid full price, have all these tokens and can't interact with the animals. And another couple who we did not know, gave us their remaining tokens because they couldn't use them. We ended up using all our tokens feeding the coral fish, shark and stingrays. Yall shouldn't charge full price until everything is completed. So disappointed!!!

Experiencia fantástica: This offers a very unique experience and I'm glad to see River Ridge continue with the concept. We love to go with our grandchildren, who have learned so much from their visits. The animals always look well adjusted and cared for. Lynchburg is lucky to have such a fun and educational excursion so close to home.