The Great White Shark

You've probably heard by now that the much anticipated Shark Week is here. Can you believe Shark Week has been running for over 20 years on the Discovery Channel? While people may have fascinations with alligators, bears, dogs, cats, and many more animals, none get the televised attention that sharks do during this week. We won't touch them with a 10-foot pole, but for one week out of the year, we'll watch with fascination on the Discovery Channel. To celebrate Shark Week, we put together a few of the best ways to experience sharks around the world.

Shark cage diving, Cape Town, South Africa: Did we mention that this isn't just any shark, but the Great White Shark? This as close as you'll ever get to Jaws. Don't worry; you're not just being thrown in with sharks to fend for yourself. As we alluded to, you're lowered down into a cage to assure your safety. Cage or not, it doesn't make this any less heart-pounding. For the adventure junkie, Great White Shark diving off the coast of South Africa should be at the top of your list.

Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia: If diving with sharks is too close for comfort, than consider the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. While you've probably been to your fair share of aquariums, the Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world. Since it is so big, it can hold more species and larger animals than many aquariums around the world. One of the crowd favorites is the Whale Shark, which can grow in length to as long as 40 feet.

Shark Reef Aquarium, Las Vegas, Nevada: Sharks and desert aren't exactly synonymous with one another, but that's what you'll find at the Shark Reef Aquarium inside Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The aquarium features the third largest tank in the world and also includes a shark tunnel. The Shark Reef Aquarium was the first aquarium in North America to hold a Great Hammerhead Shark.

Jaws at Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida: The Jaws special effects ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida is the best of both worlds. You can still be out on the water, but within the confines of a boat and without ever having to come near a real shark. Nonetheless, this will still get your adrenaline pumping. Universal's 32-foot shark looks like and moves similarly to an actual Great White Shark. Long one of Universal's favorite attractions, the Jaws ride frequently undergoes renovations with new features and special effects.

Shark diving the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: No, we're not talking about diving with Great White Sharks here. However, your chances of seeing a shark are high when diving around the Great Barrier Reef since it features over 100 different species of sharks. The shark you're most likely to see is the Reef Shark, which doesn't pose a threat to divers, as long you don't provoke it.