Birch Aquarium

Never got a chance to visit when I was a student. Didn’t realize the school owns this fabulous place too, wow. Why didn’t I study oceanography or marine biology? Must be super fun. I had a wonderful day here during the homecoming event! Saw lots of amazing creatures.

We have been visiting Birch Aquarium on and off for several years and it never disappoints. The exhibits are well maintained and provide ample information. The creatures are fascinating and just awe inspiring. The ocean views from their outdoor touch pools are absolutely breathtaking. We also love sitting down and just watching the kelp sway back and forth and the ocean friends go about their day in the aquarium’s large tank. The only downside, when visiting on certain days, the place can get quite busy/packed. We visit maybe 1-2x a year and we would definitely visit again. We paid $84.85 for 2 adult tickets and one child ticket.

Took my two toddlers here over the weekend on a early Sunday morning. When we got there the nice friendly staff told us that half the aquarium was under construction. I do wish they might have discounted the price due to that but overall my kids enjoy the experience, and got to see penguins and some stingrays

This place is always a pleasure to visit. Great for bringing your kids and exploring what the sea has to offer. I love the layout of this space and how it has indoor and outdoor experiences. They did a nice job setting up the penguin viewing area and made it really immersive towards the left wing. I appreciate how close the bathrooms are and how well-thought out the space is.

Absolutely loved this place. It was such a nice educational trip for my children and I. I loved all the fish the aquariums and the little bits of provided information they had everywhere. Only complaint is parking. It took us a very long time to find a spot but once that was done the fun began. I really hope to go back soon. My kids said they would love to go back as well so that’s a win in my book.

We came to the aquarium since we had some time to kill, and I was very satisfied with it! On the outside looking in, it looked small to me and relatively unassuming. However, I've found that this was one of the best ones I've visited! They had touch tanks outside, which was awesome. The outside also faces the ocean and there is a beautiful view. I did not touch any of the animals since I've volunteered at an aquarium before and was very familiar with them, but they looked like they were taken care of. The tanks were amazing and had ample room for all of the creatures in them. I really enjoyed the eels and the sharks, as well as the seahorses. The gift shop was also really cool. One thing I noticed was that some of their stuffed sharks had gills sharpied onto them, which I thought was... interesting! I got a set of 3 pins for ~$30 which is a really good price. The pins are very quality and I am super happy to have a memento of my visit to this aquarium!

Went today with my wife and daughter. Have always loved this place since I was a kid. My wife has never been and this was my daughters first. The research and conservation work they do there is great. They now have blue penguins that they bred there. Kids love the tide pools. This place is completely great to bring your kid to and let them go. The staff are all friendly, nice ,helpful, and genuine. A happy place to be.

It's definitely worth it to support the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. We love coming here to learn about the ocean. There are so many interesting things to see. Part was closed off for construction, but most exhibits were open. My favorite were the penguins. I'm so excited to see what they add.

Never got a chance to visit when I was a student. Didn’t realize the school owns this fabulous place too, wow. Why didn’t I study oceanography or marine biology? Must be super fun. I had a wonderful day here during the homecoming event! Saw lots of amazing creatures.

We have been visiting Birch Aquarium on and off for several years and it never disappoints. The exhibits are well maintained and provide ample information. The creatures are fascinating and just awe inspiring. The ocean views from their outdoor touch pools are absolutely breathtaking. We also love sitting down and just watching the kelp sway back and forth and the ocean friends go about their day in the aquarium’s large tank. The only downside, when visiting on certain days, the place can get quite busy/packed. We visit maybe 1-2x a year and we would definitely visit again. We paid $84.85 for 2 adult tickets and one child ticket.

Took my two toddlers here over the weekend on a early Sunday morning. When we got there the nice friendly staff told us that half the aquarium was under construction. I do wish they might have discounted the price due to that but overall my kids enjoy the experience, and got to see penguins and some stingrays

This place is always a pleasure to visit. Great for bringing your kids and exploring what the sea has to offer. I love the layout of this space and how it has indoor and outdoor experiences. They did a nice job setting up the penguin viewing area and made it really immersive towards the left wing. I appreciate how close the bathrooms are and how well-thought out the space is.

Absolutely loved this place. It was such a nice educational trip for my children and I. I loved all the fish the aquariums and the little bits of provided information they had everywhere. Only complaint is parking. It took us a very long time to find a spot but once that was done the fun began. I really hope to go back soon. My kids said they would love to go back as well so that’s a win in my book.

We came to the aquarium since we had some time to kill, and I was very satisfied with it! On the outside looking in, it looked small to me and relatively unassuming. However, I've found that this was one of the best ones I've visited! They had touch tanks outside, which was awesome. The outside also faces the ocean and there is a beautiful view. I did not touch any of the animals since I've volunteered at an aquarium before and was very familiar with them, but they looked like they were taken care of. The tanks were amazing and had ample room for all of the creatures in them. I really enjoyed the eels and the sharks, as well as the seahorses. The gift shop was also really cool. One thing I noticed was that some of their stuffed sharks had gills sharpied onto them, which I thought was... interesting! I got a set of 3 pins for ~$30 which is a really good price. The pins are very quality and I am super happy to have a memento of my visit to this aquarium!

Went today with my wife and daughter. Have always loved this place since I was a kid. My wife has never been and this was my daughters first. The research and conservation work they do there is great. They now have blue penguins that they bred there. Kids love the tide pools. This place is completely great to bring your kid to and let them go. The staff are all friendly, nice ,helpful, and genuine. A happy place to be.

It's definitely worth it to support the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. We love coming here to learn about the ocean. There are so many interesting things to see. Part was closed off for construction, but most exhibits were open. My favorite were the penguins. I'm so excited to see what they add.

I made a reservation in advance and had a great time! The aquarium is small, and it took me a couple of hours to walk through the entire area. The staff is super friendly and interactive, especially at the touch pool. The views of La Jolla are also gorgeous. I think everyone should visit at least once, as it's a fun experience, and the aquarium contributes beyond just their displays. There's a large free parking lot with some short dirt trails at the back.

We are in the lot to park. But the aquarium is under renovation till next summer. Looks like it is very nice for children now. The parking lot is half full. So we will pass till next trip.

It's a very small aquarium and probably even smaller right now (Nov 2024) because it's under renovation. What it lacks in big fancy exhibits, it makes up for in educational and interactive though. I don't think it's worth the $20+ price BUT it was included in our CityPass so we decided to go. My 4yo daughter's favorite spot was the riveropolis where you get to build your own boat (wine corks, rubber bands and popsicle sticks) and float it down a River. LOTS of toddlers getting very wet sleeves or jackets as they just play with the water. The La Jolla tank had lot of interesting fish including the California halibut which had 2 eyes that are facing up by then it has fins like it should be swimming normally. Apparently it swims like a normal fish at first and then when it develops, it changes and the eyes move and it becomes more of a flat fish. So alien-like! Leopard shark and other stingrays can also be spotted in that tank. The touch pool with sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and sea stars was fun for adults and children alike. I enjoyed it but my daughter was kinda timid around touching them. They also had some little blue penguins with some nice viewing windows that you could see them up close if they come by.

We had such a great experience. Wasn't overwhelming with just enough to keep you busy.

We love coming here with our son! So many things to see and it's not really big and overwhelming. Parking was easy around 10am during the weekday. There's an outdoor area as well that you can look out at the view and have lunch. Kids also love that area to play. We brought our own food which they allow. Note that when looking at the penguins you have to park your strollers outside that door entrance. We will definitely be back!

Visited San Diego this weekend and wanted to check out birch aquarium. I did see reviews saying this place is small and it indeed is. Positives were that we saw weedy sea dragon in a large tank with lots of them and blue penguins which are a rare find. You can spend 30 minutes and see everything. Negative is that for almost $30 I expected a little more variety but I was able to add to my photography feed.

Fun Facts: The Birch Aquarium is home to more than 5,000 fish in over 60 habitats. And you'll see everything from sharks and lobsters to turtles while learning all about ocean science and the marine environment. There are daily feedings and sea life interactions to watch, and if you want to get hands-on, you can head to the touch pool and pet sea stars and crabs. Aquarium Website: https://birchaquariumprograms.com/mainstore?l=2&sid=919836069&vid=0&cid=1270&_ga=2.257360523.1424608719.1686582331-1817545411.1584417816&guid=6E968C93-0960-4F9F-931D-72E6989FE4A2&venueId=0 Location/Parking: Located at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in UCSD. There is a private lot. Free parking for all! Visitation Rates (They encourage Advanced Reservations): Adult $29.95 Child (3-17, 2 and under free) $24.95 Senior (60+) $27.95 Students (ID required) $27.95 UC San Diego Students, Faculty and Staff (ID required) $3 off admission Military (ID required) $3 off admission You can also check out the Go City Pass for San Diego https://gocity.com/en/san-diego/attractions/birch-aquarium-scripps . This attraction is included in the in the pass. Visitation Rights: 1 time Ambiance/Decor: Your typical aquarium feel. It's more than 3 times smaller than Long Beach Aquarium. Most Notables: 1) Little Blue Penguins: Seeing them waddling and swimming around is pretty cool. Wasn't there during feeding time, but at 10am every day you can see them eat. Fun fact about them is that they eat about 20 percent of their body weight a day. Must be nice! Every single penguin has a name and can be identified by their distinct color bands. Get a chance to meet and greet with some penguins and get your education on for $100 (members) and $115 (general public). https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/exhibits/beyster-family-little-blue-penguins 3) Seahorses: Pretty neat seeing them. My favorite type of seahorse to watch is the Weedy Sea Dragon. So Majestic! If you want to have a behind-the-scenes learning experience about Seahorses. You have a chance to do that for $95 for general public and $90 for members. Price also includes admission to the aquarium. https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/behind-scenes-seahorse 4) Jelly Fish: Pretty cool to see. "I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy." -- Dory. Like that Finding Nemo reference that I did there? Huh? Huh? :P 4) Sea Turtle : You can check out their rescued Loggerhead sea turtle that was outfitted with a 3D printed brace to keep her afloat. Located in the Hall of Fishes... where you can also see leopard sharks, bright orange garibaldi, moray eels, and even an endangered Giant Sea Bass in their giant kelp forest! How coool is that! 5) Preuss Tide Pool Plaza: Cool area where you can touch some sea stars, sea urchins, and sea anemones (Amnemonemomne) 6) South Plaza: Check out them leopard sharks, smoothhound sharks, bat rays, halibut, and pacific angel shark! Birch Aquarium For Thought: Just keeeep swiiiiiimmmmmming! :)

Had family in town visiting so I wanted to take them to the aquarium. We had a great time. Sad that they had the turtle and octopus exhibit closed but we still enjoyed our visit.

First time visiting this museum. When I lived in SD for many years for the first time I could not care less about it. Even now this second time of living in SD I would not have paid the $28 ticket. The perks of unemployment is that we can keep the sanity going to museums for free or at a low cost. Since the ticket was $3 for me, I said to myself: let's go and check it out, finally. Parking situation was pretty smooth considering how many visitors were there. It is free with the ticket. I was mostly impressed with the mini penguins, super adorable and read about their names and distinct personalities. There were feeding them and was a total show. I liked the views from the patio so wonderful to see La Jolla beaches from there and the Scripps pier. Beautiful. Also, I enjoyed learning a lot via the art exhibits. My favorite was the video regarding kelp forests and the prints a local scientist and diver does. Just stunning. Same with the 'fish printing' Japanese technique from another artist. That kept me entertained for a long time, plus the giant aquarium was super soothing for meditation.

My family and I recently had a wonderful experience visiting Birch Aquarium. The admission is reasonably priced, with the option to purchase tickets online ahead of time, which made our visit even smoother. The aquarium is well-maintained, clean, and not too overwhelming. Although I would have liked to see a greater variety of species, I appreciated that we could explore the entire place in just an hour or two. We stayed for lunch at their café, which was also reasonably priced and quite delicious. And I must say, the view is absolutely breathtaking! I would highly recommend this aquarium to anyone visiting the area, especially those with small children.

First I want to say the employees are absolutely amazing, caring and patient. They took the time to answer ALL and I mean ALL of my littles questions. They didn't rush them or send them away. Instead they explained everything in a way 4/5 year olds could understand. Second my littles could have spent the whole day building their own boats/rafts and watching it go down the river. They thought it was the best thing ever. Lastly they enjoyed comparing all the different Seahorses, we didn't realize there were so many.

It was my first time bringing my toddler here. The aquarium is easy to locate and there was plenty of parking. You are required to make a reservation prior. They have a strict time slot. Arrive 15 minutes before or after your reservation. They offer military discounts online as well as memberships. They also require you to space apart. We toured the whole place in under an hour and a half or less. Everything is easy to locate within the aquarium, there are signs everywhere. Not all displays were labeled with the name of the sea animals. Seahorses are my favorite so I was so excited that they had quite an exhibit on them, I hadn't seen a sea dragon sea horse in forever! My daughter loved the giant turtle the most along with the outdoor area where you can touch a starfish, sea cucumber, a small shark and other sea life. The line went fast, it was only about a ten minute wait. The overlooking view once outside is beautiful, you can see the coastline.

Unless your kids are under the age of 3, save yourself the $80 admission. I honestly think a pet store would have been more interesting. My girls are 5 and 8 and they were disappointed. We saw seahorses, penguins, and a small shark - and then it was over. I did spend another $70 at the gift shop (on two necklaces and two suckers) just to make it up to them. I get that part of the aquarium is under construction, but I don't know that one or two more exhibits would have made it worth the price of admission and the seriously disappointing lack of marine life - especially given the location and proximity to the ocean. Sit on the beach at La Jolla shores and watch the dolphins play for free. Tulsa, Oklahoma has a much more impressive aquarium and it's 1500 miles inland. Ok, rant over - thanks for listening.

We have been visiting Birch Aquarium on and off for several years and it never disappoints. The exhibits are well maintained and provide ample information. The creatures are fascinating and just awe inspiring. The ocean views from their outdoor touch pools are absolutely breathtaking. We also love sitting down and just watching the kelp sway back in forth and the ocean friends go about their day in the aquarium's large tank. The only downside, when visiting on certain days, the place can get quite busy/packed. We visit maybe 1-2x a year and we would definitely visit again. We paid $84.85 for 2 adult tickets and one child ticket.

***3.5 Stars*** I hate to write this, but as a tourist the Birch Aquarium was a bit disappointing. It was a lot smaller than I expected (that's what she said). Beautiful views of La Jolla, which was probably the highlight for me. Not only was the physical space small, but we went on a weekday where there were 3 school buses pulling up at the same time, so there were a lot kids on school trips. Not a bad thing, but it was just a bit too crowded for my liking. For around ~ $30 a head, I probably would not return. They have some cool displays (vortex of fish, jellyfish, etc) but I don't think it's worthwhile, even if you need a break from walking around La Jolla. I would rather spend more time by the water or at the park.

It was a great day thanks to the amazing people at the BIRCH AQUARIUM!!! As we arrived, I walked up with my two guests, and showed them my Membership Card. WITH THAT, they let the three of us in. Unfortunately, they didn't have any available DISABLED PARKING, so my partner had to park below. It wasn't that difficult for him. We really enjoyed ourselves, especially the NINE YEAR OLD GIRL. We saw Sea Anemones, Large Fish, Sharks, and Penguins. We had brought our family members from SONORA, MEXICO, and they were amazed by the view!!! On the way out, my Sister in Law, and Niece, stopped in the Gift Shop and bought some souvenirs, with my membership discount!!!

We had a nice visit here, taking my parents - one in a wheelchair and most of it was easily accessible. It was clean and they had a wide variety of sea life. Their website recommends buying tickets beforehand, and although not necessary today, it let us skip the short line and go right in.

We love going to aquarium when we travel! And have been to ALOT of aquarium even out of the country. So we know our aquariums. This is a very small aquarium they were parts that were closed and didn't have very impressive fish. What they did have that we liked is for the kids they had an outdoor floating boat exhibit. That kids can hold a little boat and watch it float down stream. They did love that. They also had a nice coral reef section and nice outdoor views. Other than that there it's other things that stood out. Would we go back for the price they charge no. The staff was somewhat engaging, but didn't have a lot of patience for kids.

Highly recommend doing Ocean Nights! Although, try to show up early as there is traffic to get into the parking lot. I loved catching the sunset outside on the balcony part of the aquarium and the DJ was pretty good. It's an amazing experience and I highly recommend it. It took me a couple of times to book the Ocean Nights event as it sells out quick!

The Birhc Aquarium is an amazing place to visit. I really enjoy aquariums so visiting this one was really fun. There is also so much work that the Birch Aquarium does outside of what we see that I really respect it for that Parking can be a bit difficult on a really busy day(weekends) but it is always manageable. It is a bit of a smaller aquarium so it does tend to get crowded a bit quickly. I would recommend going to and attending the Birch at night program. It is a bit costly but I personally think its pretty worth it. There are so many different events and fun things to do there. The food at the event is just okay and the parking can be a little difficult to find but I still enjoyed it.

I loved this aquarium. It's definitely smaller than most but the exhibits were phenomenal and vibrant. It's a nice activity to schedule if you have limited time in your day because I believe it only took me a couple of hours to get through everything. The little blue penguins were my favorite but I missed their feeding! Parking is free and there were many spaces available as I booked a time right when they opened. As I was leaving, it definitely filled up so I would recommend booking an earlier time if you can. I would definitely make another trip back!

We really wanted to enjoy our time here but felt like it was such a rip off for what you see and pay for. It was so underwhelming... I get it, they're under construction. But to pay full price for what was out there was ridiculous. Half the exhibit was under maintenance. & the variety of marine animals that were outside were "on a break" ..we were really bummed out. We spent less than a hour. The only attractions there was penguins, seahorses, a tank of small, large fishes & sharks. For the price we paid it was definitely not worth it. A lot of the reviews said the views were nice but you can just step to any hills of beaches in SD's and it's about the same if not better....

Random but I loved the fries at the cafe they were the best French fries I have ever had ! Regular and truffle fries were amazing !

Lovely aquarium in the La Jolla/Scripps area. Free and adequate parking lot. Standard admission prices are $30 for adults and $25 for children...AAA and other discounts are available. Lots of marine animals and interesting exhibits, although I think the standard admission prices are a bit much given the limited experiences offered...$20/15-ish may be more appropriate. Took about 1.5 - 2 hours to complete the entire aquarium. Great way to kill a few hours.

As a San Diego local I was looking for something to do on a rainy, gloomy day and decided to check out the Birch Aquarium. It overlooks La Jolla beach and is located right outside of UCSD. I am used to bigger aquariums and wanted to see larger sea mammals so I was a just a tad bit disappointed with how small it was. However, If you're looking for the big fish then Seaworld would be a better option. We managed to see everything in an hour time. Although it was small, it was still very enjoyable. If you're looking for a short fun activity to do without breaking the bank this might be it. Parking is free. Tickets to the aquarium are around $20 for adults and cheaper for kids and they also offer discounts (students, military, etc.) The concession stand outside the entrance sells food and beverages for a very low price compared to your average theme park.

This review is for the Oceans At Night 21+ event that the aquarium holds. For context, the aquarium is under construction right now. I am feeling extremely underwhelmed & disappointed in the event last night because I was really looking forward to going. I havent been to Birch Aquarium since I was 10 yrs old & I'm 34 now. I say this because I had no idea what this aquarium looked like before construction (meaning I had no clue the area under construction was literally the entire aquarium), & was excited to see some ocean critters without screaming kids around. So I opted for their monthly party with my friend. For $40 a ticket I just expected more than a couple seahorse windows & the some crafts that were obvioisly meant for children. The coral exhibit they have set up feels like a few tanks in a back storage room that got cleared out due to construction but I guess seeing the glowing coral under blacklight while lofi plays is a vibe. Not one worth $40 though. They were having people color leaf impressions on scrap paper with crayola markers or build cork rafts to send down a moving water model - this honestly was insulting to me because its just like... really?? I did not pay for a premium aquarium experience to color over a leaf with scrap paper & markers. I didn't see that the aquarium was under construction until after I bought my ticket. I knew I should have canceled & requested a refund but I was hopeful they would have some interesting things to do - like I said, I hadn't been to Birch for over 20 yrs. I'm honestly really bummed out at my experience. I was sorely disappointed that there was only a couple seahorse viewing windows & the sea dragon display - however it was so crowded with people trying to look at one of the only actual aquarium exhibits. Due to the lack of anything to really look at, anything involving animals such as the feeding was overly crowded & packed with people wanting to see SOMETHING involving aquatic animals since the rest of the experience was so lacking. Honestly it jut feels if youre going to have your main exhibits locked down for construction, charging full price for these events is kind of a huge rip off with a lot of mediocre promises to make the experience worth $40 - because ontop of entry, you're paying for drinks just to make things seem a little more fun than it actually is. Again, they were having full grown adults do crafts for children & had barely any viewing available considering its *an aquarium* & I bought my tickets thinking I would be going to see aquatic animals. All in all a really disappointing experience & I feel like I set my money on fire. I would be interested in attending when they actually open the main exhibits but until then, full price for admission feels like getting pickpocketed when there is nearly nothing to do/look at.

Cool entrance. Nice little fun place to take children. Outside they allow you to pet starfish and a shark.

Great local aquarium supported by UCSD campus. Look for some deals online! I have to say you can spend 1-2hrs here with your lil ones. Great variety of sea creatures from fishes, starfish, turtles, penguins, shark, stingrays etc. complimentary parking for 3hrs

Saturday, 18MAY2024 around 11:45AM. My son and I arrived for some quality dad and son time. We've both never been here and decided to give it a shot. This place did NOT disappoint. We were amazed at all the animals and had a blast. First off, the parking was not bad, decent size for mid to full sized vehicles. There is a cafe for food and drinks, but if you're the big appetite type, eating before and after or even bringing your own food is recommended. For the adults, there's a nice little selection for alcoholic beverages. I've never seen a sea dragon til today and there's plenty of other sea animals/creatures to sea! Lol DOWNFALLS/CONS: THE ONLY downfall is it's not as big as I expected, we took our time and enjoyed every second of it but I do wish it was bigger. I was so excited to see sharks but the shark encounter is very small and dark so couldn't really see much. Overall rating: 8.5 of 10

Honestly, the fact I got to pet a shark makes this place somewhere I would come again. My other favorite part was watching the Juvenile Big Skates. Its little legs were soo cute! And I got to see a Sea Lily, which I had never heard of before. Lilies are my favorite flower, so this was pretty interesting to me. The outside space where you can touch creatures is interesting and unique and it has a beautiful view of the city. Good place to drop the kids off for a bit while you sit and relax. Other than these few things, the rest of the place was just a standard aquarium with an expensive gift shop. Solid 3.5 stars, but rounding to 4.

I thought this aquarium was really fun and unique, very different from the other ones I've been to. Though it is a bit smaller, I love the fact that they had a few more unique sea animals that you don't see in other aquariums. For example, I didn't know there were such things as "sea dragons"! There were also a bunch of other unique fishes/sea creatures that you normally don't see at any other aquarium. Everything was amazingly labeled and easy to read. From years of eating yellowtail sushi, I was finally able to see what they look like in the water! Most of the fish were all very unique and thanks to the labels, easy to identify. (I didn't include all of the animals because I want you to go explore it yourself!) I really liked the fact that they had a bunch of unique "touching" experiences/exhibits. They had a professional nearby to assist all the curious explorers so we felt very safe. On the inside, they had shrimps that would help eat the dead skin off of our hands (similar to those experiences in other places). You can feel the shrimps slightly nibbling on the dead skin. Outside, there were a few spots. Some you could touch shark eggs and others SHARKS! I think one of my favorite parts of the whole experience was seeing the difference between the bleached and unbleached coral reefs. You can really see how vibrant the colors are in the unbleached reef and how devastating the impact of external factors are to such an amazing living organism. I hope this place can continue to educate everyone about the living organisms in the ocean and the effects that humans have!

Good place for kids. On the small side and can get crowded. Come first thing in the morning, especially during summer, or they run out of parking.

Do not waste your money here very little to see and the kid's area is very rundown. We only stayed for about an hour. Very disappointed, construction or not they obviously do not care about their customers. Go to Sea World you will have a much better time,

On a recent trip to San Diego, we had some time to kill and as an avid fan of zoos and aquariums, I really wanted to check this one out. Overall, it was cute. It had a decent amount of different animals (the penguins were super cute) and the views from the deck were amazing. But the price was a bit steep for the size. I think we were in and out in just about an hour. It would probably be best to go with kids so they could spend the extra time and make it last longer but for two adults, I'm not sure it's super worth it.

Super easy to get in and park. Entry fee is cheap about $10. Lots of interesting small fish and jellyfish. These kinds of places always entertain me. Lots of touch and feel exhibits. We touched a hard and soft starfish. Touched a sea slug, shark and sting ray. Real nice way to spend a few hours. They're really off the beaten path. I'd never heard of Birch Aquarium, part of Scripps. Now that I've been I reccomend to check it out if you're in the area.

My fond for sea animals grew even bigger after visiting the Birch Aquarium! I felt like a kid on a field trip when I came here. Many families and groups of all kinds came to visit on the weekend to learn about the marine life. Not only is the exhibit all indoors and full of fisk tanks, but there was also an outside patio called the Tide Pool Plaza that offers even more scenery and interactive activities. There's some audio learning and small petting areas as well. I enjoyed my first visit to the Birch Aquarium as it was fun for all ages. It was a good activity to kill some time in the area and see some cool sea animals! They recommend booking your tickets prior to your visits as they cannot guarantee walk ins, but I came as a walk in and was able to buy tickets at the booth. Student discounts ($22.95) are eligible if you bring an id and regular priced adult tickets were $24.95.

Aww I love this nonprofit aquarium. Everyone told me this aquarium was small, so I set my expectations accordingly and I'm pleased to say that it wasn't as small as I thought it would be. At least, it feels like there's a lot to see if you really take your time to see all the different species in the tanks and observe their behaviors. We spent a good amount of time admiring each exhibit. I wish they had more jellyfish, but the types they did have were mostly cool. There's an egg yolk jelly that looks more like an egg white jelly but the others are neat lol. My favorite section was the seahorse/sea dragons area. They had more seahorses than I was expecting. Some other favorites were the baby skate, penguins, the sea turtle that was rescued and given a prosthetic shell, and the giant tank with a bunch of different fish in it and seating to take it all in for a while. I had a really great time. We only paid $25 for two people to get in because it was the last day of February Museum Month. But I wouldn't have minded paying full price either. Awesome date spot!

We had a great time here with our grand daughter. This is not Sea World. It is an aquarium in an amazing location with a beautiful view. We enjoyed all of the interior aquariums as well as the live penguin display. Parking was a breeze, we circled around and found a space in the upper lot. Not inexpensive, but this is La Jolla. Well worth the smiles and exploration for our budding toddler. We will be back.

It's a really small aquarium. Also they have half the place closed right now and are STILL charging full price. You also have to reserve in advance so makes it less likely you'd know they were half closed. I think charging $30 adults and $20 for a 3 year old for a HALF open small tiny aquarium is robbery.

This always takes me back to childhood when I visit. If you've never been or are visiting San Diego, this is a fun place to stop!

I dropped by here the other day while visiting since I had heard good things about this location. Parking can be a little challenging to find but you can't miss the giant whale that's out front. Entry fee is $27 for adults, $22 if you're a college student. Upon walking in you can either go right or left to see inside exhibits or head outside where there is a touch pool with a beautiful view overlooking the beach. The inside exhibits have various fish under colorful illuminating light that highlights some cool fish. I particularly enjoyed seeing the jellyfish which were fascinating. They also had the world's smallest penguins but unfortunately I didn't get to see them swim around. There is also a decently sized shark tank outside but it was a little hard to see inside due to the glare from the sun. The aquarium itself is on the smaller side, you can probably see everything in an hour or so. Overall, a nice aquarium with a decent variety of exhibits and a fantastic view. I can see myself returning again in the future.

If you have never been to oceans at night consider going. It's something different to enjoy. They do it once a month. We had a great evening. Cool drinks and the food was decent. Great night.

Great place to bring your kids to keep them busy for a few hours. It really caters to kids, there's plenty of interactive spaces. It's not huge, but they really pack a lot in the small space. I have even been here for a kid party. We have membership and have come often throughout the years. The kids always enjoy it, and our kids are aged 13-4. You can head down the hill and visit the beach afterwards. The snack bar outside has something to drink or munch on, but I recommend packing a snack.

While in La Jolla, San Diego recently, we made a quick trip to the Birch Aquarium. We found it a worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours. This place is very accessible, offers good parking (free for 3 hours), outdoor dining, a gift shop and magnificent views of aquatic life. I think this would also be an excellent place to bring the kids. Among many other things we viewed: * WEEDY SEADRAGONS * CORAL * GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS * LEOPARD SHARKS * LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE * SEAHORSES Great way to spend some time, learn and enjoy yourself.

I was so excited to visit however I was extremely disappointed in the overall experience. Many of the display tanks were dark and lacking what was said to be inside. No maps or directions on viewing or the layout of the facility. Staff not particularly helpful. No information on when feedings were. We happened to overhear someone that such things were even available. Penguin exhibit had only 6 penguins. Shark tank dark. You Must have timed reservation. We went on a weekday morning (9:30) and it was over run with loud unruly kids and moms pushing huge strollers. The outdoor tide pool exhibit girl was very nice and informative. I think this place is a research center with public aquarium as an afterthought! Overpriced entry fee for what is actually there.

We love coming to this aquarium because there is so much to see, they have the pool area where you can touch some of the sea creatures, and they have an amazing view of La Jolla. They have parking spaces along the side of the hill, you walk down to the aquarium and you can purchase your tickets online. We also like that the aquarium is like a large circle, so whichever way you start, you will have a chance to get to everything. The staff is always so nice and very informative. Definitely recommend for a date idea, for the family, or if you are visiting out of town. Also, can we enjoy their baby stingrays (forbidden ravioli)

We have recently visited the Monterey aquarium so I will say, that one is a tough act to follow. That said, this aquarium was the perfect size to visit with toddlers. The whole visit can be comfortably done in about 2 hours with lots of bathroom breaks, snack breaks and play breaks built in. I enjoyed the fact that there was a rest area for the grown ups to sit and enjoy the ocean view while the kids played with blocks. The pricing was a bit steep given the size but still worth a visit with young kiddos. Also, the cafe on site had surprisingly good burgers, especially for museum food.

This place is a bit on the smaller side, but I always love aquariums. My mum and I wanted to visit San Diego to try out a specific restaurant recommended by a friend, but we also needed to find a way to pass the time. I actually had a work meeting on Zoom just outside the aquarium by necessity. I had never worked at an aquarium before, and never imagined it would be like that LOL. It will still be on my bucket list to actually work AT an aquarium. There are helpful squeegees for the tanks as they appear to develop a lot of condensation. I have never experienced that before but maybe it is to do with the climate and the temperatures the aquariums need to be kept at. We went in the summer and so maybe that was also a factor. I loved seeing the different climates/biomes/habitats represented by the different tanks. I always love to see Cnidaria so it was lovely seeing all the different tanks. There is a dedicated shark tank outside the main aquarium building. There is also a touch pool out in the back. Lastly, there is a blue penguins exhibit, but they were sleeping when we were there. I always believe in supporting local institutions of learning, especially aquariums!

Wonderful local aquarium! It's a not for profit organization connected to the Scripps Institute. It's small and has a nice collection of fish and other sea creatures. If you have kids they will love the outside touch tanks and play area, also there is a stunning view of the cliffs in La Jolla. Only negative was the shark exhibit, it needs a little remodel would love to see this place grow. Oh, and it's located atop a hill when you come in the drive you will see a breathtaking view of the ocean.