Aquarium of the Bay
Underwater Tunnel · San Francisco, California
Aquarium of the Bay sits on Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, and it does one thing: it shows the life of San Francisco Bay and the Northern California coast, not the tropical oceans. Its centrepiece is about 300 feet of clear tunnel beneath tanks of Bay water, where sevengill sharks and bat rays glide overhead, along with a jellyfish gallery that includes moon jellies, a giant Pacific octopus and a touch pool of local rays and sea stars - confirm which animals are on show. It is small. Plan about an hour or two, not an afternoon, and do not expect the scale of a larger aquarium down the coast. The wild sea lions on the pier outside are free and are what many visitors remember. Tickets are timed or dated - confirm - and combination tickets with other Pier 39 attractions exist. The pier is crowded on summer weekends, and the Bay waterfront wind is cold even when the sun is out.
Pier 39, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, California, 94133, United States
The aquarium is normally open daily, commonly from about 10 AM to 6 PM, with later closing in summer and on holiday weekends and shorter hours in winter - confirm the schedule for your date with the aquarium. Last entry is usually an hour or so before closing, so arrive earlier than you think you need to. Some days it can run timed entries to manage crowds, and it may close for private events or for maintenance without much warning. Diver shows, feedings and talks run at posted times through the day and are worth planning around - confirm the board at the entrance. The touch pool can close for cleaning or for animal welfare reasons. The sea lions on the nearby docks are outdoors and need no ticket.
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