Attractions & Aquariums

Ripley's Aquarium Military & Veteran Discount

30% off single-attraction admission for active and retired military and first responders — plus up to four guests — redeemed in person at the box office with a valid ID.

Yes — Ripley’s US aquariums (Myrtle Beach and Gatlinburg’s “Aquarium of the Smokies”) offer a 30% military and first-responder discount on single-attraction admission. It covers the qualifying active-duty or retired service member (and first responders) plus up to four additional guests, and you redeem it in person at the box office with a valid ID. There’s no code to enter and no online version — it’s an at-the-window rate.

The catches worth knowing: the 30% can’t be combined with online promo codes, combo-pass discounts, or memberships, so you pick one path. For a single aquarium ticket the 30% is the clear winner; if you’re doing the aquarium plus two other Ripley’s attractions, price the public combo pass against 30% on each ticket. Note that Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (Toronto) runs a different program — it honors the CFOne card at Guest Services rather than the US 30% rate.

This is an independent guide; NavyWeek is not affiliated with Ripley’s. Ripley’s sets and can change these terms at any time, and percentages and eligibility can vary by location — confirm the current rate at the box office before you buy.

Written by

T Madden Alford — U.S. Naval Academy '02 · U.S. Navy Reserve Captain (O-6) · Former submarine officer, USS Key West

Reviewed by

Erik Rivera — U.S. Naval Academy '04 · Former U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer

Publish date: July 12, 2026 · Last reviewed: July 12, 2026

How we research & review: Our editorial process

See Ripley’s military discount

Opens ripleys.com · The 30% is redeemed in person at the box office with a valid military or first-responder ID — no online code and no ID.me

Ripley's Aquarium Military Discount — Key Facts

Discount: 30% off single-attraction admission (US aquariums) + up to 4 guests
Verification: In-person valid military / first-responder ID at the box office (no ID.me/GovX/code)
Eligible groups: Active-duty + retired military; first responders (police, fire, EMT). Veterans: confirm at window
Where to redeem: Box office, in person (Myrtle Beach, SC; Gatlinburg/Smokies, TN). Not online
Stacking: Not combinable with any other promotion, code, combo, or membership
Toronto (Canada): Separate program — CFOne card at Guest Services; percentage not published
Region: US (Toronto = separate CFOne program)

Source: Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies — Military and First Responders Discount (official) · Last verified: July 12, 2026

WHO QUALIFIES

Ripley’s US aquariums (Myrtle Beach and Gatlinburg’s Aquarium of the Smokies) give active and retired military and first responders 30% off single-attraction admission — plus up to four additional guests — redeemed in person at the box office with a valid ID.

Active-duty military are eligible for 30% off single-attraction admission at Ripley’s US aquariums.
Retired military are eligible for the same 30% rate.
First responders — police, firefighters, and EMTs/paramedics — qualify for the same 30% through the same program.
Up to four additional guests receive the same 30% when their tickets are bought in the same transaction as the eligible ID-holder.
Separated veterans (not retired) are likely eligible, but Ripley’s evergreen wording emphasizes “active and retired military” — confirm veteran eligibility at the box office.
Canadian Armed Forces / CFOne members are eligible only at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (Toronto) via the CFOne card at Guest Services — a separate program whose percentage is not published.

Ripley's Aquarium discount by community
Audience	Discount
Active & retired military (US aquariums)Single-attraction admission, in person at the box office with a valid military ID. Plus up to four additional guests at the same 30% when bought together.	30% off admission
First responders — police, fire, EMT/paramedicSame program as military; present a valid first-responder ID or department credential at the window.	30% off admission
Up to four additional guestsMust be purchased in the same transaction as the eligible ID-holder; children with an eligible adult do not need their own ID.	30% off admission
Separated veterans (not retired)Ripley’s evergreen wording emphasizes “active and retired”; the accepted-ID list for separated veterans is not fully published. Confirm eligibility with Guest Services.	30% — confirm at window
Canadian Armed Forces / CFOne (Toronto only)Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada honors the CFOne card at Guest Services on arrival; the exact percentage isn’t published online. This is a separate program from the US 30% rate.	CFOne member rate — not published

HOW TO REDEEM

Online at www.ripleys.com

There is no online military discount
The 30% military and first-responder rate is a box-office price only — you cannot apply it on ripleys.com or third-party ticket sites, and there is no code to enter at checkout. Any “Ripley’s military promo code” you see on a coupon site is not the verified benefit.
Use a public online code only when NOT using the military rate
Public online promo codes and combo-pass discounts (e.g. a combo pass covering the aquarium plus other Ripley’s attractions) apply only to the public online price and cannot be layered onto the 30% military rate — you pick one path. If you can’t get to the window or don’t qualify, a public online code may be your best price.

In store

Go to the box office / ticket window
At Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach (SC) or Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies (Gatlinburg, TN), head to the ticket window in person — there is no online step.
Present a valid military or first-responder ID
Show your valid military ID (or first-responder credential such as a badge or department ID) at the time of purchase. Expect a brief eligibility check and possibly a short line at busy times.
The 30% applies to you plus up to four guests
The discount covers your admission and up to four additional guests bought in the same transaction. Children with an eligible adult do not need their own ID. (In Toronto, present a CFOne card at Guest Services instead — a separate program.)

HOW IT WORKS

Coupon aggregators advertise “35% off,” “40–60% off,” and stackable “Ripley’s military promo codes.” There is no online military promo code. The verified military benefit is a flat 30%, in person, with ID, not combinable — no code exists to enter at checkout, and the inflated percentages are scraped or fabricated. Treat any online “military code” as unrelated to the real box-office rate.

On the baseline single adult Myrtle Beach admission (published at $39.99, before tax), the 30% rate works out to about $27.99 — roughly $12 off. Because the 30% is capped at admission and can’t stack, a public combo/online promo code can occasionally rival it for groups visiting multiple attractions; for a straight single-aquarium adult ticket, the 30% military rate is the best single path.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (Toronto) is a genuinely different program: it recognizes the CFOne card (the Canadian Armed Forces community’s benefit card) at Guest Services, and the exact percentage is not published online — ask at the window. Do not assume the US 30% wording applies in Toronto.

Historically, the Myrtle Beach cluster has offered free admission to veterans and active/retired military on July 3–4 (with family 50% off) at participating attractions. That is a past, limited-time promo — the constant is the year-round 30% in-person rate. Confirm the holiday promo before relying on it.

Exclusions & fine print

In-person only — the 30% is not valid online or through third-party ticket resellers.
Not combinable — it is “not valid with any other promotions or discounts,” including online promo codes, combo-pass discounts, and membership pricing.
Applies to single-attraction admission only; the guest cap is four additional guests per eligible ID-holder.
Veteran (non-retired) eligibility and the exact accepted-ID list are not fully published — confirm with Guest Services (Gatlinburg: 865-430-8808).
Toronto (Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada) is a separate CFOne program whose exact percentage is not published online.
The historical July 3–4 free-admission promo (family 50% off) at Myrtle Beach is a past, limited-time offer — confirm it runs before relying on it.

SOURCES

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies — Military and First Responders Discount (official) — Ripley’s Entertainment
Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach — attraction page (official) — Ripley’s Entertainment
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada — CFMWS / CFOne discount listing — CFMWS
Veterans and military receive free admission to Ripley’s attraction (historical July 3–4 promo) — WPDE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does Ripley’s Aquarium offer a military discount?

Yes. Ripley’s US aquariums (Myrtle Beach and Gatlinburg’s Aquarium of the Smokies) give 30% off single-attraction admission to active and retired military and first responders, plus up to four additional guests, with a valid ID at the box office.

How much is the Ripley’s Aquarium military discount?

30% off admission, redeemed in person. On a roughly $39.99 adult ticket that’s about $27.99. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (Toronto) uses a separate CFOne program whose percentage isn’t published.

Do veterans, retirees, and guests qualify?

Active and retired military and first responders qualify, and up to four additional guests get the same 30% when bought together. Separated veterans (not retired) should confirm eligibility at the window — the evergreen wording emphasizes “active and retired.”

How do I verify my status?

Show a valid military or first-responder ID at the box office at the time of purchase. There’s no online verification, account, or code. In Toronto, present a CFOne card at Guest Services instead.

Does Ripley’s use ID.me, GovX, SheerID, or WeSalute?

No. The US military discount is a manual box-office ID check with no third-party verification provider and no online code. (Toronto uses the CFOne card at Guest Services.)

Can I use it online or only in person?

In person only. There is no online military discount at ripleys.com; public promo codes online are a separate, non-combinable path — you pick one or the other.

What is excluded?

It’s not valid online, not valid with any other promotion, code, combo, or membership, and is limited to single-attraction admission plus up to four additional guests.

Does Ripley’s offer a first responder discount?

Yes — the same 30% program covers first responders (police, fire, EMT/paramedic) with a valid ID, in person at the box office.

Does Ripley’s run a Veterans Day or July 4th military offer?

The 30% is year-round. Historically the Myrtle Beach attractions have offered free admission to veterans and military on July 3–4 (family 50% off); confirm it runs this year before relying on it.

MORE MILITARY DISCOUNTS

20% offYETI 10% offLowe’s Up to 30% off (online)Regal Check local clubPlanet Fitness

All military & veteran discounts

Editorial policy

Source priority. We cite Ripley’s own “Military and First Responders Discount” page first and report the terms plainly: a flat 30% off single-attraction admission for the eligible ID-holder plus up to four additional guests, in person at the box office, “not valid with any other promotions or discounts.” Because Ripley’s live pages render as a JavaScript shell to automated fetches, the 30%/four-guest wording is confirmed against search-indexed copy of those same official pages and aggregator cross-reference as of the “Last verified” date above; confirm the current rate at the window. The Toronto CFOne program and the historical July 3–4 free-admission promo are labeled as separate/past offers and are not asserted as the evergreen US rate.
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