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Aquarium of the Pacific: Skip-the-Line Entry & 12,000+ Animals

3h ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.42 (501 reviews)
  • Aquarium of the Pacific: Skip-the-Line Entry & 12,000+ Animals
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summary

12,000 Animals & No Ticket Line: Straight Into the Pacific Aquarium

You skip the entry line and go straight into all 100+ galleries of the Aquarium of the Pacific, seeing sea otters, sharks, penguins, and the new Jelly Dreamscape exhibit. The 4D movie is included. Your ticket works for a full year, so you can change your date or time free if plans shift, and kids under 3 enter free. Parking is $8 with validation.

Is this one for you?Right for anyone visiting LA who wants to see the major ocean animals and exhibits without spending time in the ticket line — the skip-the-line entry means you walk straight to the galleries and start exploring immediately.
inclusions

What’s included

  • Your ticket includes general admission to all 100+ exhibits across the Aquarium of the Pacific's three main galleries (Southern California and Baja, Northern Pacific, and Tropical Pacific), the 4D movie experience, and entry to Pacific Visions.
  • Children under 3 are free.
  • Parking is available for $8 with Aquarium validation.
  • Wheelchairs and strollers are accessible throughout, and visitor guides are available in English and Spanish.

Traveler reviews

4.42★★★★★★★★★★
501 verified traveler reviews

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3h
itinerary

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Visit Aquarium of the Pacific exhibits

  • Arrive at Aquarium of the Pacific
  • Go to the gate with ticket
  • Pick up guide book
  • Explore Southern California and Baja exhibits
  • See Northern Pacific frigid waters
  • Visit Tropical Pacific colorful reefs
  • Observe Shark Lagoon predators
  • Hand-feed lorikeet birds
  • Watch Magellanic Penguins play
  • Explore Jelly Dreamscape sea jellies
experience

The Experience

The woman at the gate smiled when I asked if the line was always that long. "Skip it," she said, nodding at my phone. That's the thing about having your ticket already scanned — you walk past the whole crowd and go straight to the guide book station. The Aquarium of the Pacific sits about 25 miles south of Los Angeles in Long Beach, and on any given day there are people waiting to buy tickets. You won't be one of them. Your general admission ticket gets you into all the galleries the moment you arrive, no queue, no second stop.

Once you're in, the place opens up in three directions: the sunny Southern California and Baja section, where the water's warmer and the light hits different; the Northern Pacific galleries, where it's cold and dark and the animals move slower; and the Tropical Pacific reefs, which are exactly as loud and colorful as you'd expect. There are over 100 exhibits spread across the whole thing. You'll see sea otters doing their thing, penguins that actually move fast, sharks in Shark Lagoon where you can stand close enough to feel the size of them, and the new Jelly Dreamscape, which opened recently and is basically a room full of creatures that don't have brains but somehow still know how to drift. The 4D movie in Pacific Visions is included, so you get that sensory overload moment too.

The ticket is valid for a year from the date you buy it, which means you can change your reservation time or date for free if your plans shift — just go back to the Aquarium's website and pick a new slot. Your reservation time is when you can earliest enter, but you can actually scan in anytime after that window opens on your day. Kids under 3 get in free. Parking is $8 with Aquarium validation, and the place is fully wheelchair accessible with strollers welcome, maps in a dozen languages at the information desk, and wheelchairs available if you need one. Public transit gets you there too if you're coming from LA proper.

Hand-feeding the lorikeet birds and other interactive activities cost extra, so factor that in if that's on your list. But the core experience — walking through 12,000 animals across the Pacific's different zones without stopping to buy a ticket first — that's already locked in.

questions

Top questions

How far is the Aquarium of the Pacific from Los Angeles?
About 25 miles south, in Long Beach. Public transportation is available, and parking is $8 with Aquarium validation.
Can I change my reservation date or time?
Yes. Go to the Aquarium's website to make a free new reservation. Your ticket will scan on the new date and time you choose.
How long is the ticket valid for?
One year from the purchase date.
What's included in general admission?
Access to all galleries and exhibits, plus the 4D movie and Pacific Visions. Hand-feeding birds and other interactive activities cost extra.
Are children free?
Children under 3 enter free. All other ages require a ticket.
Is the Aquarium wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs are available at the Information Desk, and strollers are welcome.
What languages are maps available in?
English and Spanish at the desk. Additional translations available in Cambodian, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.
What time should I arrive?
Your reservation time is the earliest you can enter. You can scan in anytime after that window opens on your day.
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