Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Events Return To 10 US Cities This Year (Our Experience)

4 weeks ago Justin 1 Comment

Get a splash of Animal Crossing fun in real life with the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour now returning to 10 different American cities in 2026!

We first covered these events when they debuted within Japan back in 2021, but they’ve since expanded around the world and are making a big comeback for 2026 celebrating the Version 3.0 update.

At every aquarium during the Animal Crossing event period, you can expect to find:

• Standees of Isabelle, Tom Nook, Blathers, Pascal, and now Kapp’n for the first time.
• Animal Crossing themed signage from Blathers about exhibit creatures.
• Large Animal Crossing: New Horizons background photo opportunity.
• Official Animal Crossing merchandise sold in the gift shop.
• My Nintendo kiosk to earn free Platinum points.

Additionally, select days will be scheduled (usually on weekends and holidays) where the aquarium hosts some extra special activities that aren’t available every day, including:

• Meet and greet opportunities with Isabelle, Tom Nook, or K.K. Slider.
• Stamp rally cards to fill out with stamps around the aquarium, inspired by the in-game International Museum Day event.
• Themed Animal Crossing: New Horizons character patches to collect.

Check with individual aquariums for more details and dates for these limited activities. All Animal Crossing events are included in the aquarium’s regular admission fees with no extra charges — just show up within the event dates.

Here’s the complete list of locations and dates for the 2026 Animal Crossing: New Horizons aquarium tours:

• SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium in Orlando from Feb. 13 – Apr. 30
• Birch Aquarium in La Jolla from Feb. 16 – Mar. 26
• SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium in Grapevine from Feb. 21 – May 25
• SEA LIFE New Jersey Aquarium in East Rutherford from Apr. 2 – Jun. 21
• SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium in Auburn Hills from May 7 – Jul. 23
• SEA LIFE at Mall of America in Bloomington from Jun. 11 – Aug. 23
• SEA LIFE San Antonio Aquarium in San Antonio from Jul. 30 – Oct. 10
• SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium in Tempe from Sep. 3 – Nov. 15
• SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord in Concord from Sep. 24 – Dec. 6
• SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium in Kansas City from Oct. 22 – Jan. 3

Our Experience at Seattle’s Animal Crossing Event

I had the chance to visit the very first edition of these Animal Crossing: New Horizons events to take place outside Japan back in February 2024 hosted by the Seattle Aquarium — check out our photos from the experience below to give you an idea of what to expect at these 2026 events:

As promised by Nintendo, there were a number of standees placed throughout the aquarium for taking photos next to, including for Isabelle, Tom Nook, Blathers, and even Pascal. Some creatures inside exhibits had a dialogue card with fun facts and information from Blathers presented in his voice.

A nice touch that impressed me, that may or may not have been specific to the Seattle Aquarium, was that the staff snuck a few Animal Crossing amiibo figures into the actual landscape of a couple outdoor exhibits! Even though it’s simple, I really liked these over the standees — it feels more like a fun detail to spot than just something to take a photo next to.

Are Animal Crossing Aquarium Events Worth Visiting?

If you’re an Animal Crossing fan and happen to live in or near a city that the Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour visits, we definitely think you should take a look — aquariums are already worth visiting without Animal Crossing!

However, if visiting one of these Animal Crossing events will require you to make hours of travel for the sole purpose of seeing the event, we’d probably have to recommend against that unless you’re a huge Animal Crossing fan. One exception might be if you’re considering a visit for your children, but it’s probably not worth going too far out of your way for adults.

That recommendation simply comes down to the fact there’s not really a ton of substance to these events as cute as they look on the outside. If you’re able to visit during select days when a meet and greet with Isabelle or another character is available though, that might change the equation a little.

But on a regular operating day when the character greetings and other extras aren’t running, these aquarium events unfortunately don’t boil down to much more than a few cardboard and screen photo opportunities. There are typically a couple other minor Animal Crossing decorations to look at, and sometimes music from the series playing, but it’s important to set expectations accordingly to avoid disappointment.

You’ll probably have a great time if you’re ultimately visiting because it’s just a fun excuse to check out your local aquarium with some cute Animal Crossing flair on the side — not solely because of Animal Crossing.

If you’ve visited one of the Animal Crossing: New Horizons aquarium tour events yourself, be sure to leave your impressions in the comments below! We’re open to disagreement with our impressions.

For more on the Version 3.0 Update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, check out our other new articles and guides below:

• It’s Not Just You: What’s Up With Animal Crossing’s Aggressive Rumble In Version 3.0?
• This Controversial Animal Crossing: New Horizons Version 3.0 Feature Is Dividing Fans
• 9 Secret Surprises In Animal Crossing: New Horizons Version 3.0 Nintendo Didn’t Announce
• Resort Hotel Guide: How To Get Tickets & New Souvenir Items (List)
• Zelda Amiibo Villagers & Items: How To Invite Mineru or Tulin
• Splatoon Amiibo Villagers & Items: How To Invite Viché or Cece

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Event News