About
Tucked inside Lynchburg's River Ridge Mall, Hill City AquaZoo isn't a conventional fish store — it's an interactive indoor aquarium and zoo where marine and terrestrial life share one climate-controlled roof. Guests walk past saltwater tanks of sharks and rays, then meet freshwater favorites like koi and axolotls, with one visitor recalling an axolotl sighting that was their grandson's first. As an aquarium attraction it leans hands-on: a token system lets families feed and pet animals at staffed encounter stations, from capybaras and wallabies to a 17-year-old sloth named Flash and even Savannah cats.
Recent visitors keep coming back to the staff and the animals' obvious care. " Several appreciated the posted feeding schedule that gives each species breathing room through the day — and the fact that you can leave and return on the same ticket. Guests with veterinary and biology backgrounds have remarked that the creatures look healthy and unstressed, fed species-appropriate diets.
The most common note is cost: admission runs around $20, and the per-person tokens for feedings and pen visits add up quickly, so families tend to plan ahead. Annual memberships are available in Lynchburg, VA and earn repeat recommendations from locals who visit weekly with toddlers who never tire of feeding the koi, petting the capybaras, or stepping into the walk-in bird cage of macaws. For families across central Virginia searching for an aquarium near me that's more experience than errand, AquaZoo offers an unexpectedly engaging, all-weather stop — a small footprint packed with up-close animal encounters, knowledgeable staff, and a genuine conservation-minded streak.
Plan on roughly 60 to 90 minutes for the full walk-through.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Hill City AquaZoo in Lynchburg, VA
Hill City AquaZoo stocks koi, axolotls and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Lynchburg, VA. As an aquarium store serving Lynchburg, VA, it also offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- KoiAxolotls
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Interactive token-based encounters — feed and pet capybaras, wallabies, a 17-year-old sloth named Flash, and even Savannah cats
- Saltwater tanks of sharks and rays alongside freshwater koi and axolotls under one mall roof
- Posted feeding schedule gives each species breathing room, and one ticket lets you leave and return through the day
- Staff like Sam and Becky earn repeat praise for knowledgeable, kid-friendly animal encounters
- Annual memberships available in Lynchburg, VA make it a popular weekly outing for central Virginia families
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Beautiful place”
— Jam Cribson5.0a week ago“My grandchildren (12&23) & I had a fabulous time at Aqua zoo - friendly, knowledgeable staff; habitats were super clean; animals happy & approachable & well trained. Feeding stations specific to different species. So fun to be so close to these amazing animals”
— Ramona Player5.02 weeks ago“We had a wonderful visit to AquaZoo! The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. The animals seemed to be very well cared for. Check their schedule to time your trip around animals (I love that they give the animals some breathing room throughout the day) that you would like to interact with or you are more then welcome to leave and come back throughout the day you purchase tickets.”
— Shelby Lynette Rogers5.03 weeks ago“Incredible place. You can feed and pet a sloth, wallaby, and many other animals. We will definitely be back!”
— Jack Hagewood5.03 weeks ago“Its worth the price of admission. I was surprised by the amount and variety of animals contained inside. They have petting tanks for various aquatic animals as well. You can interact with many animals, however this costs extra. My only complaint is that this price of interactions is per person and can greatly exceede the price of admission.”
— kyle haskins5.0a month ago“Hi everyone, today I had a great day at Aqua zoo with my family. I really enjoyed feeding the koi fish and the wallaby.”
— John Garcia-Landry (JC)5.0a month ago“The place is very well maintained, and the animals are well cared for. All of the staff were very friendly. The feeding experiences are easy to participate in since they have set times for interacting with the animals. It’s a great place. we would definitely come back again. My son absolutely loved it.”
— Mariana Aponte5.0a month ago“We had such a nice experience visiting this place. My grandson loved all the exhibits. He fed and played with the capybaras and saw an axolotl for the first time. Great exhibits!!”
— Eda Martinez5.02 months ago“So we stopped in for a quick viewing on a Wednesday afternoon and I was immediately felt a bit of disappointment. It’s just an opinion but the dim lighting and begging behavior seemed to be a very tragic scene. Wouldn’t not recommend to anyone as someone who cares for animals. Will just make you feel sad and angry. Just my opinion though, would have definitely liked to see more enrichment for some of the animals.”
— Captain Zach1.02 months ago“The AquaZoo is a great place to take young kids but also go out for date night! My husband and I enjoyed our visits thoroughly and were enamored by the numerous creatures they house. Entry tickets are a decent price for what you get to experience, but any additional fun (i.e. feeding animals, going into the animal pens, petting some animals) is a bit pricey. Which price is the only reason for my 4 star rating. But overall, AquaZoo is a great experience! Any day of the week is a good time to go. My husband and I went on Valentine's Day with pre-ordered tickets and had little to no wait! We took my parents a few weeks later on a random Saturday and had bought tickets onsite. Again we had little to no wait. I would highly recommend it to any young family or couple looking to have some fun!”
— Allison Penn4.02 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (434) 237-5888 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Hill City AquaZoo.