- joantri
- First Reviewer
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 4
- Reviews
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14
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Editor Pick
Aquarium of the Pacific
The Aquarium of the Pacific wasn't what I expected in either a good or bad way. Walking in I had larger then life expectations due to all of the media hype that the aquarium receives; overall I wasn't impressed, but there were some areas that blew me away. The aquarium is open every day from 9am to 6pm with longer hours for special occasions. Prices are steep and really not worth the entrance fee ($20.95 adults, $17.95 seniors, and $11.95 children 3-11). I happened to get in for half price on a Sunday when the aquarium was celebrating their 10th birthday for $10. There are packages for whale watching and entrance the the aquarium for $50, which is well worth the price.
Once inside the gift shop is to the immediate left. It's huge and sells a lot of great souvenirs for kids. After that is where all of the exhibits start. The aquarium is the largest to be dedicated to the creatures inhabiting the Pacific Ocean; so it is home to more then 12,500 ocean animals, 500 species, and various exhibits dedicated to So Cal and Baja, the Northern Pacific, Tropical Pacific, and the Gulf of California with the most popular area being Lorikeet Forest and Shark Lagoon. Each exhibit is so packed with information that my head started spinning. Even though the facts can get overwhelming they are never boring and find away to entertain everyone. The most interesting exhibit, the one that attracted every adult, was the fish that can change sex. They are all born female and some change to male immediately while others change after stressful times or during a period where their are no males; everyone had a joke or seven to accompany the exhibit.
The other really great exhibit was the shark eggs. The aquarium took every precaution to remove outer layers of a shark egg so that the fetus inside could be seen by the naked eye, but still survive and grow. It was so strange to see what looked like a Betta fish wiggling around, connected to a yolk, inside an egg and to know that it was shark fetus. Behind the eggs was the expected birth dates of the babies.
Outside of the aquarium was one of the most popular exhibit: Shark Lagoon. There are several sharks that can be touched as well as a viewing window to a large tank full of different sharks. One shark was so scary that everyone was thrilled to see it and yet happy that their was a barrier between us; it had the toothiest smile that I had ever seen. Next to the shark area is a huge tank for Sea Lions. Their is a viewing area to watch them swim, sun bath, and sets for tired parents who are toting tots to sit and take a break while the little ones watch the Sea Lions.
For the most part I ignored the educational everything and did what I love to do best: take photos! This is an amazing place to do so. If you have a decent camera, some time, and a quick trigger finger it's easy to get photos that look like a professional took them from the depths of the ocean. My suggestion to get a great picture is set the camera on manual focus, set the shutter speed to the highest your camera will allow (I set mine to 1600), and make sure to turn off the flash.
I'm not sure if I would go back to the aquarium any time soon, but it was a great way to spend an evening and shouldn't be missed if anyone is on the LA/Long Beach area.
From journal Sea Lions, and Dolphins, and Whales, Oh My
Aquarium of the Pacific Ocean
- June 20, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
wyogirl81 from Casper, Wyoming
This was one of the best Aquariums that I have ever been to! It is great for all ages, and they have so many aquatic animals on display.
From journal Aquarium of the Pacific Ocean
Editor Pick
Long Beach Aquarium
The multi-million dollar, sometimes controversial Long Beach Aquarium first opened its doors in summer 1998. It is a popular place for families and school tours alike, but can be pricey at anywhere from $10 - $14 per person. It is best to go in a large group for a discount. The Aquarium offers nice views of the Long Beach harbor as well as well-displayed tanks of beautiful fish from around the world. There is also a gift shop inside and my favorite, a wave machine, showing how waves are made at sea. I was not as impressed with the Aquarium as others, however. As a scuba diver, I found there to be more emphasis on architecture and light in the Aquarium than the actual fish. Some will argue, but I thought it was incredibly overpriced for the real tank access that you get. However, everyone should see it and experience it at least once.
From journal Livin' it up in Long Beach
Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
- December 30, 2000
- Rated 4 of 5 by
joantri from seal beach, California
The Long Beach aquarium is minutes away from Seal Beach and is a great aquarium (a smaller version of Monterey), but similar set up. You will enjoy the volunteer guide stories and we were told they allow sleep overs for kids.
From journal Minutes from Long Beach-Seal Beach