Aquarium of the Pacific Family Visit Guide

We recently headed down to Long Beach to explore the Aquarium of the Pacific. Have you been, lately? It’s been awhile since our last visit and we noticed changes are happening…for the better. If you’ve never been, now’s a great time because the aquarium is celebrating its 20 year anniversary! Scroll down to read my tips to help make your visit more memorable.

FUN FACT: Aquarium of the Pacific features o 11,000 animals! With so much to see and do – expect to spend at least 3 hours. But before you head towards the Aquarium, check online for discounted offers and if possible, buy your tickets online to avoid the ticket line…it gets LONG. FYI, if you’re planning a weekday visit – school groups visit the Aquarium in the morning and leave by 2pm.

| Aquarium of the Pacific Family Visit Guide |

What to Pack

Since you’ll be spending at least 3 hours at the Aquarium, I highly suggest bringing a stroller. It just makes life easier to avoid carrying around necessities like:

Snacks
Reusable Water Bottles
Camera (no tripod allowed)
Diaper Changing Necessities

A good portion of the Aquarium is outdoors, and there’s splash pads! So you’re gonna wanna pack:

Sunblock
Hats
Towels
Extra Clothes

There’s stroller parking throughout the facility – which is helpful on crowded days. Just remember to take your valuables with you!

Grab a Visitors Guide

Aquarium of the Pacific Visitor’s Guide is filled with facts and images of the sea animals you’ll encounter. It makes a great scavenger hunt while exploring the exhibits, so be sure to grab one for each kid! There’s also embossing stations throughout the Aquarium for them to stamp their book with. Once filled, kids can show their guide at the Information Center (located near the entrance/exit) for a free surprise!

Animal Encounters

The Aquarium has over 50 exhibits representing the diverse habitats of the Pacific Ocean! Its an amazing experience for the whole family to enjoy and did I mention you can touch & feed some of the animals! Here are some of our favorites:

Lorikeet Forest – You can purchase a cup of nectar to feed the Lorikeets! I

Ray Touch Pool – This is my favorite Aquarium experience, the rays literally come to you to say, HI! There’s also two feeding opportunities that shouldn’t be missed.

Shark Lagoon – There’s over 150 sharks in the exhibit and you can touch some of them at the Shark & Ray Touch Pool.

The Aquarium also offers VIP experiences with sea otters, penguins, sharks, and more.

Marine Life Theater

My kids LOVE live shows and they really enjoyed eating ice cream during a Marine Life Theater show. The outdoor amphitheater is located across Shark Lagoon, giving families a nice break to take from all the exploring. Educational shows include story time, sing-alongs, and you can meet an animal!