Home Destinations USA California Los Angeles Sights Aquarium of the Pacific

Aquarium of the Pacific Review

Read our Los Angeles sights reviews. Or post your own.

Aquarium of the Pacific

Address: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA, 90802 | Map It
Phone: 562/590-3100
www.aquariumofpacific.org

Category: Zoos/Aquariums
Location: Long Beach, San Pedro, and Palos Verdes

Write a review

Fodor's Review:

Sea lions, nurse sharks, and octopuses, oh my!—this aquarium focuses primarily on ocean life from the Pacific Ocean, with a detour into Australian birds. The main exhibits include lively sea lions, a crowded tank of various sharks, and ethereal sea dragons, which the aquarium has successfully bred in captivity. Most impressive is the multimedia attraction, Whales: A Journey With Giants. This panoramic film shows in the aquarium's Great Hall, and when the entire core of the aquarium goes dark, you suddenly feel as if you're swimming with the giants. Ask for showtimes at the information desk. For a nonaquatic experience, head over to Lorikeet Forest, a walk-in aviary full of the friendliest parrots from down under. Buy a cup of nectar and smile as you become a human bird perch. Since these birds spend most of their day feeding, you're guaranteed a noisy—and possibly messy—encounter. (A sink, soap, and towels are strategically placed at the exhibit exit.) If you're a true animal lover, book an up-close-and-personal Animal Encounters Tour ($90) to learn about and assist in care and feeding of the animals; or find out how aquarium functions with the extensive Behind the Scenes Tour ($34.95).

Cost: $23.95
Open: Daily 9-6

Find more sights in Los Angeles »