Aquarium in San Francisco, California

The main San Francisco aquarium, called The Aquarium of the Bay, is an excellent place to learn about the various creatures that inhabit the Bay Area waters. The aquarium features a wide array of local sea life. These animals include a range of sharks and scores of fish species. There are more than 20,000 marine animals on display at the San Francisco Bay aquarium. Among the showstoppers are the octopuses, the jellyfish, and the large sevengill sharks. Fun daily events are on offer at the Aquarium of the Bay, which visitors will want to keep in mind. Shark feedings and a range of hands-on animal encounters are just some of the kinds of things that are featured on the daily events calendar.

On a trip to the main San Francisco aquarium, visitors can essentially explore the underwater realms of the San Francisco Bay without getting wet. Well, they might get a little wet, depending on how interactive they get. In addition to displaying an impressive collection of animals, the exhibits at this San Francisco Bay aquarium also offer insight into the kinds of underwater ecosystems that can be found in the Bay Area. In fact, before visitors actually observe the aquarium's creatures, they get an introduction to the area's distinctive ecosystems. Once that part of the tour ends, visitors can enter one of two clear tunnels that are surrounded by water.

Both of the clear tunnels that can be found at the San Francisco Bay aquarium are long, and are surrounded hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. While walking through the first tunnel at the Aquarium of the Bay, visitors can admire the various fish species, which include sea bass and anchovies. Sea stars and Pacific octopuses also figure among the creatures that visitors can expect to see while walking through the first tunnel. The second tunnel at the main San Francisco aquarium offers a look at some of the creatures that live in deeper waters. These creatures include giant skates and sevengill sharks.

While the Aquarium of the Bay doesn't offer as many hands-on exhibits as the Exploratorium does, visitors can use their sense of touch to learn about some of the creatures that are on display. The final stop at the aquarium is an exhibit called Touch the Bay. At this exhibit, visitors can pet a number of fascinating creatures, from bat rays to leopard sharks. Interestingly enough, some of the animals at the Touch the Bay exhibit are land animals. These animals include non-venomous California king snakes, which are quite curious. California king snakes are almost entirely immune to the venom of rattlesnakes, and they have been known to kill and eat their venomous adversaries. This makes them particularly popular with humans. It's also worth noting that these snakes can be found in other southwestern states, such as Arizona and Nevada.

After visitors to this San Francisco Bay aquarium take in the various animal exhibits, they can enjoy a few hands-on experiments that will help them gain further insight into the world around them. They can also take in some of the other great attractions that can be found in the area. The Aquarium of the Bay can be found at the end of Pier 39 at The Embarcadero, which is one of the most popular places to hang out in the city. From the aquarium, it's just a short walk or car ride to any number of attractions, and views of Alcatraz can also be enjoyed. Perhaps a sour bread bowl filled with savory clam chowder will hit the spot while you break for a moment near the waterfront.

The Aquarium of the Bay is open daily, and the hours vary according to the season. In general, the hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., give or take an hour depending on the month. The only day that this San Francisco aquarium closes is Christmas Day. While the admission prices for the San Francisco Bay aquarium are somewhat high, there are special family rates. Visitors can also enjoy discounted rates if they purchase a San Francisco CityPass. These passes include admission to some of the city's top attractions, and the discounts are significant.