More about: Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles Tickets
If you are visiting the West Coast of the United States with your family, one of the best activities to do in Los Angeles is to visit the Long Beach Aquarium, one of the largest in the country and a nature reserve for marine fauna from the icy waters of the North Pacific Ocean.
Located in Long Beach, 32 kilometres from downtown Los Angeles and in the city's metropolitan area, it is also notable for its exhibitions on the coral reefs of the tropical Pacific, the shark pond in the Shark Lagoon exhibit, and the friendly Magellanic penguins.
Los Angeles Aquarium of the Pacific Tickets
A queue-free visit to all the exhibits at California's largest aquarium
On an interactive journey for the whole family, you will discover tropical coral reefs, sharks in Shark Lagoon, Magellanic penguins, and the underwater kingdoms of Pacific Visions.
You can explore the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles with a skip-the-line ticket and access to all interactive exhibits, including 4D films and tickets to Pacific Visions, an immersive theatre with a 10-metre-high screen and 300 seats to immerse yourself in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Without a doubt, one of the best activities to do in Los Angeles with children
The Long Beach Aquarium also includes the Culmination Gallery in its tour , where you can explore and learn about marine life in temporary exhibitions and at game tables for visitors of all ages.
Recommended if... You are visiting Los Angeles with your family or children and are looking for alternative things to do in the city.
How much do tickets to the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles cost?
General admission for adults over 12 years old is approximately £34, while for children aged 3 to 11 it is approximately £27, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
Children under 3 years old enter free of charge and adults over 62 years old pay approximately £34.
You can also opt for admission to the aquarium with a 45-minute tour of the Port of Long Beach, where you can take a boat trip in Los Angeles These tickets cost approximately €49 for adults, €32 for children and €43 for adults over 62.
If you choose the option that includes admission to the Long Beach Aquarium and a boat trip to see dolphins, whales and sharks, admission for adults costs £62, for children £57 and for adults over 62 £68.
The most comprehensive option and the best value for money is the combined ticket for the Long Beach Aquarium and the Los Angeles Zoo It costs €50 for adults over 12 and €38 for children between 3 and 11. You do not have to visit both attractions on the same day.
Details of interest
- Approximate price of general admission to the aquarium... £38 for adults over 12, £27 for children between 3 and 11, and £34 for adults over 62.
- Approximate price of admission to the aquarium with the Long Beach harbour tour... €49 for adults over 12, €32 for children between 3 and 11, and €43 for adults over 62.
- Approximate price of admission to the aquarium with the whale watching boat trip... €72 for adults over 12, €57 for children between 3 and 11, and €68 for adults over 62.
- Approximate price of admission to the aquarium together with admission to the Los Angeles Zoo... €50 for those over 12 and €38 for children between 3 and 11 years old.
- Aquarium opening hours... Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Location of the aquarium... 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, Los Angeles.
What types of tickets are available for the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles? Are there skip-the-line tickets?
You can choose from different types of tickets, which can be combined with other activities. In addition to the general admission ticket, which only gives you access to the aquarium, you can also choose the aquarium admission ticket together with a 45-minute tour of the Port of Long Beach.
If you want to sail on the open water, you can choose the option that includes admission to the Long Beach Aquarium and a boat trip to see whales, sharks and dolphins. Please note that sightings are not guaranteed on these excursions, although you will have a better chance if you are visiting Los Angeles in the summer.
The best value for money ticket is the one that includes admission to the Long Beach Aquarium and the Los Angeles Zoo, saving you both time and money.
What's more, you don't have to visit both places on the same day, so you can take your time at each one and plan your visit by organising an itinerary that fits in with your travel plans.
Are tickets to the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles included in any city tourist passes?
Tickets to the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific are included in the Go City Los Angeles tourist pass , which allows you to visit more than 40 attractions with the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5- or 7-day All-Inclusive pass or 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5- or 7-attraction Explorer pass within 60 days.
With this tourist card, you can also visit other central attractions in the city, such as Legoland California, or take a tour of Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles
The price of the tourist pass depends on the option you choose, but it has an initial cost of £99.
Keep in mind that to get the most out of your Go City Los Angeles tourist pass, you must be willing to take an intensive tour of the city, or it will also be useful if you are planning a short trip. If that is the case, here is a list of activities to do in Los Angeles during a 3-day stay.
Are there tickets that include a guided tour of the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles? Is it worth it?
There are no tickets that include a guided tour of the Long Beach Aquarium, but you don't need to hire a guide to visit the exhibits as they are all signposted and interactive, so you can explore the facilities on your own.
The games, 4D films and immersive theatre activities have a pre-orientation room so you can get the most out of your visit.
There are also Aquarium staff at the entrances to the exhibits, but you won't need them to get to know the place, as you would with guided tours of downtown Los Angeles or Hollywood tours.
On special occasions, the Long Beach Aquarium organises immersive experiences where visitors can interact with penguins, sea lions, sharks and rays for an additional fee. In these cases, visits to the special areas will be led by the keepers, although guided tours will not be offered.
Are there discounted tickets for the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles?
There are discounted tickets for children between the ages of 3 and 11, who pay approximately £24 for general admission, and for adults over the age of 62, who will pay an initial cost of £30.
If you plan to visit Los Angeles during Christmas, you can also get discounts on admission on Christmas Eve.
These discounts are also available for tickets to the aquarium and the Long Beach harbour tour, for tickets to the aquarium and the whale watching boat trip, and for combined tickets to the aquarium and the Los Angeles Zoo, although with some special conditions.
In the case of the Long Beach Aquarium and Los Angeles Zoo combo, adults over the age of 12 pay a single rate. Discounts are only available for children between the ages of 3 and 11.
Are there special tickets for children?
There are no special tickets for children for activities, as the aquarium is an attraction designed for the whole family, although children between the ages of 3 and 11 receive discounts on all types of tickets available.
Children also receive discounts on tickets for special activities, such as interacting with penguins, sea lions, rays, and sharks, as well as for temporary exhibits that you can visit at the aquarium if you plan to travel to Los Angeles in the winter
Children under 3 years old can enter the aquarium for free, although you should bear in mind that all children under 12 years old must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Why is it worth buying tickets online rather than at the box office?
If you plan to visit Los Angeles during the summer or during the high season and have already decided to visit the aquarium, I recommend that you book your tickets in advance online to avoid delays at the box office and last-minute price increases.
The Long Beach Aquarium also requires visitors to indicate their preferred visiting time on their chosen date when booking , so booking in advance will ensure you get the time slot you want and that best suits your travel plans.
This option may be ideal if you are combining your visit to the aquarium with a tour of celebrity homes in Los Angeles or a helicopter ride over the city
Opening hours of the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles
The aquarium is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with last admission at 5:00 p.m.
During the aquarium's opening hours, you can visit all the exhibits and participate in the immersive experiences without a maximum time limit.
The aquarium's hours do not change during the summer or winter seasons, so if you are planning your trip to the city, the time of your visit to Los Angeles will not affect your itinerary.
Please note that if you are travelling to the city during Christmas, the Long Beach Aquarium will be closed on 25 December.
How much time do you need to visit the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles?
The answer depends on the number of activities you want to do at the aquarium, the type of ticket you purchase (if it includes the tour of the large port of Long Beach, it adds almost an hour), and the time spent on interactive activities. However, with a general admission ticket, you can tour the aquarium in approximately three hours.
The length of your visit also depends on the pace of your tour. The Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles covers an area of more than two hectares, so you will have to walk during the tour and will almost certainly need to stop for a break.
When is the best time to visit the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles?
The aquarium has a microclimate where tropical coral reefs coexist with Magellanic penguins, but if you plan to travel to Los Angeles during the summer, one of the best times to visit the city, you can enjoy a pleasant boat ride with clear skies and pleasant weather.
If you visit Los Angeles during the winter and opt for the aquarium ticket that also includes whale watching, you will have a better chance of encountering sharks or blue whales, as this is the annual migration season.
How to get to the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles?
The Long Beach Aquarium is located 32 kilometres from the city centre, so you will need to take public transport or the Los Angeles hop-on hop-off tourist buses.
If you choose the public bus, you can take lines 28, 33, 44 or 76 and then connect with the Red, Violet and Blue Metro lines to Downtown Long Beach station. The most direct option with the fewest public transport connections is to take bus line 51 and then the Blue Metro line to Downtown Long Beach.
If you choose the tourist buses, you can board at the stops in downtown Los Angeles and get off at the Long Beach Aquarium station.
What you can't miss at the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles
The Long Beach Aquarium is one of the largest in the United States and also one of the most important in California, so you can discover everything from tropical coral reefs that are threatened in the wild to a pond full of sharks and Magellanic penguins.
Don't miss the immersive theatre with its 4D films, 10-metre screens and 300 seats that perfectly recreate the atmosphere of underwater wildlife in an unmissable experience with 360° images and surround sound.
Tips for visiting the Long Beach Aquarium in Los Angeles
If you plan to visit Los Angeles during the summer or high season, I recommend booking in advance to avoid delays and last-minute price increases.
If you are travelling with children, don't miss the immersive theatre and the combo that also includes a visit to the city zoo, as you can complete the experience while saving time and money. If you want to include another nature adventure, you can visit Echo Park in Los Angeles.