An Afternoon at Aquarium of the Pacific
Now that summer’s winding down it’s the perfect time to hit up those spots that were overrun with visitors these past few months. I already did that with Disneyland (no lines, woohoo!) and recently I was invited to spend the afternoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific and, just like Disneyland, it was a super fun outing.
Did you know Aquarium of the Pacific is open until 6pm daily? For some reason I thought it closed earlier in the day. Thanks to its later hours I was able to visit in the afternoon after most of the crowds had gone. You’d think that would give me less time to see everything but it was quite the opposite. Without people huddled around the displays I had ample time to visit all my favorite spots.
I was also able to indulge in some new (to me) activities. Did you know that you can feed the aquarium’s bat rays?
Each day at 11:30am and 3:30pm you can head to the Ray Touch Pool and, for $5, purchase some fresh shrimp for the rays. Let me tell you, it’s quite an experience!
These guys love their shrimp and they’ll gladly grab it right from your tongs. I had never fed a ray before and it’s an experience I won’t soon forget. Want to know another experience I won’t soon forget?
MEETING A PENGUIN!!!
I love, love, love penguins. After sea otters they’re my very favorite marine animal. So when I had the opportunity to meet Roxy, the Magellanic penguin, I was in seventh heaven. I couldn’t pet her because she does like to nip but I got just about as close as I could get and, as my grandma used to say, she has personality plus!
When you head to the aquarium you can meet Roxy, too. Everyday from 11am-3pm the aquarium’s animal ambassadors are located outside the entrance to Pacific Visions ready to greet visitors. When you stop by you may meet a penguin, a desert tortoise or Maki the ringtail possum.
And don’t forget to head into Pacific Visions where you’ll find animal exhibits, interactive displays and a fully immersive film. You may also get a manicure – a “marine manicure.” The aquarium’s resident cleaner shrimp love to nibble dead skin and you can put your hand in their tank to give them a treat. I tried it and it’s a pretty unique experience!
Aquarium of the Pacific is such a fun SoCal spot and every time I visit I see (and learn!) something new. It’s such a fun place for people of all ages and I can’t wait to see what I discover next time I visit.