Ever wanted to touch a shark? or have a lorekeet land on your head? If you have or even if you haven’t, load up the kids and head down to the Aquarium of the Pacific. We took the kids and they had an absolute blast.

The aquarium is one of the largest in the United States and has more than 500 species of marine life on display. There are three main galleries that represent distinct areas of the Pacific Ocean. The Southern California/Baja gallery contains 18 exhibits that give us a peek into the coastline that runs between Southern California to the Sea of Cortez. The Northern Pacific gallery features twelve exhibits and gives us a glimpse of sea life in the Bering Sea and Alaskan coast. The third gallery is the Tropical Pacific gallery which showcases marine life in the warm Pacific waters. The Tropical gallery consists of 16 exhibits and is my personal favorite because it holds thousands of brightly colored fish

Another personal favorite is Lorekee Forest. It’s an outdoor adventure where you can get up close and personal with these fun little birds. You can buy some nectar at the entrance to the exhibit and be prepared to have them land on your arms or even your head.

Once you have had your fill of birds head over to Shark Lagoon for an unbelievable experience. The exhibit contains almost every type of shark imaginable and you can even touch a couple . There are also live presentations and displays.

There is only one downside to your visit , well at least there was with ours – our daughter didn’t want to leave at the end of the day!!

Hours :
Open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the year, except December 25 and during the weekend of the Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 13-15, 2007).

Address :
100 Aquarium Way Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 590-3100

Aquarium Admission Aquarium admission includes all the galleries, hands-on labs, and presentations as noted on the daily handout.

Adult: $20.95 Child (3-11): $11.95 Senior (62+): $17.95

A new thing at the aquarium is the Aquarium Admission Plus Harbor Tour. We plan to try this soon. Your tour takes you through the Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbors with Harbor Breeze Cruises for a 45-minute narrated cruise around one of the most active ports in the world. See the downtown shoreline, ocean vistas, ships from around the world, and even sea lions. Tours are offered daily throughout the day. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 562-590-3100, ext. 0 or at the ticket window.

Adult: $28.95 Child (3-11): $14.95 Senior (62+): $23.95
Member Prices: Adult: $10 Child (3-11): $5 Senior (62+): $8

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