Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is the largest aquarium in Southern California and one of the most visited in the United States. Housing over 12,000 animals representing 500+ species, it focuses on Pacific Ocean habitats. For families, it delivers touch experiences, immersive technology, and animal encounters that keeps kids engaged for a full morning or afternoon.

The Shark Lagoon is the marquee experience. The outdoor touch pool allows visitors to reach in and stroke bamboo sharks and rays as they swim past. The sharks' skin is smooth and rubbery. Docents stand at the pool edge coaching visitors on technique and explaining shark biology. For kids, touching a real shark is a bragging-rights experience that no screen can replicate.

Pacific Visions is the newest wing featuring an immersive theater with a 130-foot curved screen and in-floor projection. Films explore ocean ecosystems and marine conservation with stunning visual quality. The experience is genuinely cinematic and suitable for all ages.

The outdoor lorikeet aviary adds a different type of animal encounter. For $5, visitors receive a cup of nectar and enter an enclosure where lorikeets land on hands, arms, and heads to drink. Other notable areas include the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, the sea otter habitat, and the Tropical Pacific Gallery with a walk-through tunnel.

The aquarium sits on Rainbow Harbor in downtown Long Beach. The waterfront promenade outside is free to walk and offers views of the harbor and Queen Mary. Families often combine the aquarium with a walk along Shoreline Village or a harbor cruise.