Birch Aquarium Seas N Greetings
The magic of the holidays meets the magic of the underwater world at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego during Birch Aquarium Seas ‘n’ Greetings, a month-long holiday celebration featuring SEAsonal activities for the whole family.
From Dec. 1 to 31, Birch Aquarium is transformed into a winter wonderland. Deck the Hall (of Fishes) and get into the holiday spirit every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Christmas and New Year’s Day). Enjoy fun, festive photo opportunities throughout the aquarium, plus holiday music and an interactive scavenger hunt complete with prizes for the littlest guests and holiday card-worthy ocean views!
Don’t miss the new jelly experience in the Tode Hall of Fishes, or the opportunity to touch juvenile sharks and other intertidal animals on Preuss Tide Pool Plaza.
For guests looking to get a head start on holiday shopping, Birch Aquarium’s Gift Shop offers a unique collection of ocean-themed gifts including toys, apparel, home decor, and accessories along with Birch Aquarium and Scripps Institution of Oceanography branded items.
For the first time this holiday season, Birch Aquarium has an online store where ocean lovers across the country can purchase ocean-themed gifts. The store can be found online here.
All holiday activities are included in admission, which is $24.95 for adults, $19.95 for children ages 3 to 17. Members and Children 2 and under are free. Annual memberships are also available and make great holiday gifts. Reservations are required to visit and face coverings are required for everyone 2 and up indoors and outdoors regardless of vaccination status. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit aquarium.ucsd.edu or call 858-534-FISH.
4.5
Based on 5661 reviews
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Dave Glick
20:09 12 May 22
It was very clean and well-maintained but really there wasn't a ton to see.
Several of the displays are just video but there are around 50 different tanks plus there's an area outside that mimics a tide pool with live creatures in it. See my pictures for a good sampling of the available tanks. The giant kelp, the sea horse and the jellyfish tanks were the most impressive.
Overall if you're in the area it's a 2 hour stop. Personally would have been happier if they had a stingray or manta ray petting area. Just know there are better aquariums in the area.
Several of the displays are just video but there are around 50 different tanks plus there's an area outside that mimics a tide pool with live creatures in it. See my pictures for a good sampling of the available tanks. The giant kelp, the sea horse and the jellyfish tanks were the most impressive.
Overall if you're in the area it's a 2 hour stop. Personally would have been happier if they had a stingray or manta ray petting area. Just know there are better aquariums in the area.
joseline lopez
02:13 21 Feb 22
This is a fun place to spend time with the family. The aquarium has a wide variety of well maintained exhibits. The tide pools on the outside allow you to interact with local sea creatures. The view from the outside is breath taking as you can see the ocean. You have to reserve your tickets, so be sure to purchase them beforehand.
Mandy Ungersma
15:41 03 Feb 22
Had a lovely time here! Spent about 1.5 hours walking around which was fun but maybe not worth $25. I enjoyed seeing the sea animals and different creatures that live right off of our coast. Also wish you didn’t have to keep your mask in while outside. It was a beautiful day and breathing that fresh ocean air would be good for health especially the area right by the tide pools where you can touch some creatures.
M Alva
12:59 19 Jan 22
I haven't been here since I was young back in the 70's. Boy has this place changed! Beautiful entrance with the sculptures and water feature. Upon entering, you're greeted by the view of Pacific ocean. Before going outside, we visited the Hall of Fishes. There was this one fish that looked straight out if a Dr. Seuss book. Our granddaughter loved that she was able to touch the marine life at the tide pools. It was just gorgeous as the sun was starting to set.
Gema Trejo
15:19 02 Dec 21
This was an awesome experience! The aquarium overlooks the ocean and we were able to see tsunami fog roll in. The shark tank was awesome and all the information was easy to digest and interesting. The walk throughout the self guided tour of the aquarium is easy to navigate even while social distancing. On top of all that, animals were amazing! There were animals I had never even heard of and learning about them with such a beautiful view was a can't miss experience.
Aaron Mathrole
16:48 28 Nov 21
Fun place to visit. Very kid friendly. Only takes an hour or so to walk through, but could definitely make it last longer. Prices are a little steep but it's worth it. Beautiful views of the coast in the evening! I much recommend an afternoon visit, finishing with a sunset by the tide pools!
Tess Simpson
06:44 28 Oct 21
Very nice aquarium. Lots of cool creatures and neat exhibits. The staff was knowledgeable and polite. The tide pool area was a highlight, especially with the view of the ocean. I enjoyed learning about their conservation and breeding programs. The membership was a fair price for the family and we'll definitely be back!
H. S.
05:01 27 Sep 21
So this is a lot cheaper than say Long Beach aquarium, but you kind of get what you pay for. I feel like there is really not a ton to see or do. I was disappointed with the shark enclosure, but did like the tide pool touch area and where it was located was very beautiful because you can look out over the ocean. I did like the huge fish tank, sea turtle and sea horses, but the aquarium is pretty small as a whole and it doesn’t take that long to get through everything.
If you are just wanting something economical to do for an hour or so, it is okay.
If you are just wanting something economical to do for an hour or so, it is okay.
Jack Stalnaker
19:29 21 Aug 21
such a fun little aquarium! I highly reccomend coming. They are very conservation focused and the whole experience was very educational. I love learning about the research work different institutions do and Scripps aquarium exceeded my expectations.
Come see some cool aquatic animals and specimen and learn about them. Also, at the time of this review they do still require masks as a heads up.
Come see some cool aquatic animals and specimen and learn about them. Also, at the time of this review they do still require masks as a heads up.
Chris k
05:15 26 Jul 21
Always a good time here
Plenty of cool fish and other exotic sea creatures to stare at and learn about.
Lots of local fish habits, which is always nice for the kids to learn about what's in the waters when they go out.
The tide pools, jellyfish, and giant fish tank were all the kids favorites.
They've taken out there jungle gym, so they were kind of bummed there, hopefully they'll be replacing the space with some of cool activities.
You still need to make reservations, but we'll worth it as this place could easily get overcrowded in the past.
Plenty of cool fish and other exotic sea creatures to stare at and learn about.
Lots of local fish habits, which is always nice for the kids to learn about what's in the waters when they go out.
The tide pools, jellyfish, and giant fish tank were all the kids favorites.
They've taken out there jungle gym, so they were kind of bummed there, hopefully they'll be replacing the space with some of cool activities.
You still need to make reservations, but we'll worth it as this place could easily get overcrowded in the past.
Nicholas Miller
21:29 28 Jun 21
Amazing place for the young and old! The ocean is such a wild place, it's a guarantee you will see or experience something new here! I am particularly fond of the tide pool, where you can get up close with certain critters and touch em! The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, facilities are clean as well. Well worth the price!
Princess Bubbles Mantis Girl “Princess Bubbles”
15:29 07 Jun 21
This aquarium is really cute. We enjoyed our visit. Reading the reviews, a lot of people spoke about how spectacular the seahorse exhibit is, but we were not impressed by this at all. It was tiny and only a few animals inside. Not sure what the hype was over that. Overall it was a fun visit. Lots of reviewers complained about it being too small, but really it was quite impressive for being a smaller aquarium. Staff is friendly. Facility is clean. Nice place to take the kids.
Tracey Greene
23:17 28 May 21
Me and my daughter celebrated our reunion. This is one of the place we chose to go. Thank you so Much for giving us an awesome experience. We really enjoyed all of the sea creatures and we enjoyed our quality time together and sharing it with this place. We got to meet Leslee and She talked with us for a while and gave us some information on the sea horses and that was so awesome. If it's a pleasure to meet her. we also had fun petting all of the sea creatures. A definitely recommend this place as a must visit. If customer service here was good quality done in excellence excellence
Ivan Luu
21:58 22 May 21
I'm from Long Beach and might be biased, so take this with a grain of salt. The aquarium is quite nice for its size. The giant kelp forest is what I enjoyed the most. The shark pool is a bit disappointing as I would expect to see more than just rays and leopard sharks.
It would be nice if there was staff around to manage the flow of traffic and keep some of the parents in line, specifically the ones who let their children roam freely. The corridors are narrow and some of the families there would hold up the path, creating a large crowd and lots of foot traffic.
Had around 3-4 children squeeze past and kinda force my girlfriend and me aside. Their parents didn't do anything about it and just let them do whatever they want.
There was a mother and daughter in front of us, and I felt really sorry for them because they waited a really long time just to see some of the exhibits. This couple and their 3-4 kids stood at the octopus/jellyfish tank for 10-15 minutes because it came out of hiding and started moving. By the time the mother and daughter, had any room to move up to see it, the octopus was hidden.
Not the aquarium's fault, but I think having some staff around to supervise some of the area's would improve the experience for many individuals and small groups.
It would be nice if there was staff around to manage the flow of traffic and keep some of the parents in line, specifically the ones who let their children roam freely. The corridors are narrow and some of the families there would hold up the path, creating a large crowd and lots of foot traffic.
Had around 3-4 children squeeze past and kinda force my girlfriend and me aside. Their parents didn't do anything about it and just let them do whatever they want.
There was a mother and daughter in front of us, and I felt really sorry for them because they waited a really long time just to see some of the exhibits. This couple and their 3-4 kids stood at the octopus/jellyfish tank for 10-15 minutes because it came out of hiding and started moving. By the time the mother and daughter, had any room to move up to see it, the octopus was hidden.
Not the aquarium's fault, but I think having some staff around to supervise some of the area's would improve the experience for many individuals and small groups.
Candace Kallen
20:33 17 May 21
Were there for about 1 1/2 hours. Very strict with masks. Lots of seahorses and fish. No big sharks but still was fun. Great views of the ocean out back. Gives senior discounts and reduced price for kids. Well worth the entry fee.
Jenny Lozano
00:21 17 May 21
I love aquariums! This is definitely not the biggest I've been to but one of my favorites. I love that they layout the aquarium based on location so you see the similarities and transitions of species based on the change in water temperature and environment.
While visiting I overheard one woman racing through the aquarium with her kids talking to someone on her phone "complaining" about the minimal cost of a visit because there's "only like an hour with of things to see". If she would have put down her phone to enjoy and explore she might have realized what a crazy value it is to visit! I spent a good 3-4 hours going through the whole aquarium and enjoying the additional exhibits like the tide pools and the educational displays.
Make sure to spend some extra time enjoying the giant local kelp forest tank that takes up an entire 2 story wall, and my favorite the seahorse and seadragon exhibit!
While visiting I overheard one woman racing through the aquarium with her kids talking to someone on her phone "complaining" about the minimal cost of a visit because there's "only like an hour with of things to see". If she would have put down her phone to enjoy and explore she might have realized what a crazy value it is to visit! I spent a good 3-4 hours going through the whole aquarium and enjoying the additional exhibits like the tide pools and the educational displays.
Make sure to spend some extra time enjoying the giant local kelp forest tank that takes up an entire 2 story wall, and my favorite the seahorse and seadragon exhibit!
Helen Jung
04:10 28 Apr 21
I love visiting aquariums and I don’t know if I just had too high of expectations, but I wasn’t very satisfied with my experience. I decided to go based on the positive reviews but I honestly didn’t think it was worth the $20 for admission. There was not much to see; it was mostly just small fish. It took me less than an hour to see everything. However, it was pretty clean and staff were kind and helpful.
LL_MiA _LL
04:32 21 Apr 21
We loved the view and the huge fish tank inside the Aquarium. It has potential to become bigger and offer way more, as it only has one activity (touching some fish) but overall we had a fun and relaxing time. They do participate in the Museums for All program. Must call to schedule an appointment during Covid times.
Kyle
01:37 06 Apr 21
I recommend you take your time observing all of the sea life. It's easy to just glide through the aquarium but you end up doing yourself a disservice. Alot of these fish have unique personalities and are really interesting if you stop and observe each and every one of them.
M F (Evlhamburglar)
20:48 02 Apr 21
We had a great day at the aquarium. The kids really enjoyed it all, they said their favorite part was seeing the octopus. They claim to not like touching the sea cucumber, but it's definitely something they'll remember. We purchased a membership so we can come back again next time we're in town. We felt very safe since they limit the amount of guests and require reservations. Can't wait to come back!
H. JN
19:06 31 Mar 21
Great place to explore and learn about our oceans & some of the wonders of the world. My husband & I are San Diego locals, he's never been and this Friday is his birthday (30+yrs) gave reference cause it's an awesome place for children no doubt, but I believe if your open to exploring adults will love it all the same. Favorite part is getting to touch & interact with sea life. I would definitely say this place is worth going to at least once in your life.
Had a blast.
Had a blast.
Manuel Sandoval
15:37 29 Mar 21
Nice to be out and about. Aquarium was not crowded at all. We were able to see all exhibits without waiting in lines. Kids loved it.
They also had hand sanitizing stations thought the aquarium. 👍🏼👍🏼
They also had hand sanitizing stations thought the aquarium. 👍🏼👍🏼
Linking India
12:19 18 Mar 21
Very exciting area for every age. a whole lot of thrilling statistics can be located about Ocean and the life in it. apart from famous there are water playground in which kids and adults will have amusing.
Jennifer Moses
05:21 08 Mar 21
We ranged in age from 9 to 61 and we all learned so much about the sea life off the coast of San Diego. We were able to touch rays, sharks, anemones, and more - very fun Sunday explore day. I recommend it for babies on up.
Tiffany Stinson
21:51 01 Mar 21
Short and sweet outdoor exhibits offered during covid, which was awesome! The crew members were absolutely amazing and so so nice and informative throughout the experience and also made the entire experience feel very covid-safe. They (Matt especially!) genuinely expressed an urge to share their knowledge which made it really enjoyable (:
Carlton Hoffman
20:37 01 Feb 21
If you are planning a field trip or an activity this is a great place to visit for children or those who are fascinated by nature. I've been here a couple of times, one was during a field trip for school and the other was with some friends. Admission is a bit expensive though, I think there are certain days where admission is free, but those days it will be very busy and a lot of people may block the exhibits. There are lots of exhibits to explore and it is a great learning opportunity as well.
Kristal Kaye
06:23 06 Jan 21
It was smaller than I had hoped. The aquatic life was scarce but the staff was very friendly and informative. You can tell they love their job.
Nicole Nassar
18:21 13 Nov 20
Great Aquarium! Its cute, clean and the staff is friendly. The gift shop is adorable. It's not a huge aquarium with large fish but it does have some very neat fish in it: sharks, rays, many species of tropical fish, several species of coral, sea dragons, puffer fish, seahorses...the touch tanks are a lot of fun as well! It's very educational and also a lot of fun. We went with a 7 and 4 yr old and they absolutely loved it. Didn't want to leave. The view from outside (touch tanks, etc.) is gorgeous too! I highly recommend! The proceeds from the aquarium fund a lot of research in our oceans and sea life, so your money is also going towards an awesome cause.
Henry Medina
04:14 28 Oct 20
Was way smaller than I expected, the whole experience can be done in about an hour pretty easily. But it was a fun hour and the kids all seemed to really enjoy the exhibits and the touch pool areas. The Halloween decorations were nice but really more of a gimmick than an actual experience. Overall a fun little trip, just don't go in with high expectations and you'll be fine.
Kristina Delaski
15:03 20 Oct 20
Always a great time at the Sunset Market! An eclectic array of food vendors to choose from, tons of artisans and great vibes! Beach markets are the best!
