Aquarium of the Pacific Tours and Activities

Discover the secrets of the deep in this marine marvel, dedicated to life beneath the Pacific Ocean, the planet’s largest body of water.This vast, 3-storey shore-side aquarium in Long Beach is equivalent to the size of three football fields. The extensive exhibition space recreates three main areas of the Pacific Ocean: the temperate waters of Southern California and Baja, the icy Northern Pacific and the Tropical Pacific.Press your nose up against the clear aquarium glass and feast your eyes on more than 11,000 colourful ocean creatures, representing almost 500 species. Visit at feeding time and take the opportunity to dip your hand into the touching pools. Touch jellyfish (the non-stinging variety), sea cucumbers, rays and other creatures. If you’re feeling brave, you can even dip your fingers into the Shark Lagoon to get more closely acquainted with these magnificent creatures.Take a behind-the-scenes tour to find out more about life beneath the waves and venture above Tropical Reef, where you can feed the fish. You’ll also have access into non-public areas of the building to see how the aquarium is maintained and learn about water filtration and animal care. If you are more of a landlubber, Lorikeet Forest has a 300-square-metre aviary, which is home to around 100 lorikeets from five subspecies. To interact with them, buy a tub of nectar at the entrance and watch the birds flock to your hands, or perch on your arms or shoulders to get a taste of their favourite food. Spend some time in the Penguin Habitat, where you can squeeze into the crawl-in spaces provided and observe these wonderful flightless birds both above and below the water. Long Beach is around 40 kilometres south of downtown Los Angeles. Paid parking is available nearby. The aquarium is open every day of the year except for Christmas Day and over one weekend in April when the Grand Prix of Long Beach takes place.