was one of my favorite things in San Diego... take a day to spend in this area... absolutely beautiful.... this place is definitely worth seeing... inexpensive.... $11 per adult, but we had entertainment book that saved us 50%. very friendly and knowledgeable staff. we were like little kids seeing all the ocean life..... great views outside also....highly recommend. more

This aquarium may not be as large as some in California, but there are multi displays of sealife, an outdoor hands-on tidepool and great views of the coastline. Tip for photographers: turn off your flash to avoid a light burst reflection from the aquarium glass. I recommend this aquarium for all ages, its a nice way to spend the day. more

This is a small aquarium--nowhere near the caliber of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Still my son enjoyed looking at the fish and playing in the tidepools (although many beaches in La Jolla have real tide pools that are much more interesting). It was very crowded with young kids (under 5 set) and is probably better for that age. The shark... more

Our family (me, my husband, 7&9 year old girls) greatly enjoyed visiting this nonprofit aquarium run by Scripps Institute of Oceanography, which featured impressive exhibits about oceans, sea life, and climate change, and showcased research from Scripps scientists. Information was presented in an understandable and interesting manner for both kids and adults. Exhibits include numerous tanks of fish, including sharks,... more

Created by Scripps Institute of Oceanography, you'd expect this aquarium to be educational and fun....and it sure delivers. We spent a most enjoyable 1/2 day here perusing the exhibits, the views, and the educational tools this aquarium provides. We learned a lot about the research projects being conducted by Scripps - very interesting. The displays are wonderful, with many types... more

The Birch Aquarium, just off the UCSD campus in La Jolla, is part of the Scripps Oceanographic Institute. While it certainly doesn't get the same billing as Sea World or other animal attractions in the San Diego area, it is certainly worth the short drive up the coast. First of all, it is very reasonable, with adults tickets only $11... more

We checked out the aquarium on a weekday, and it was still pretty busy. It's not huge and it is pretty crowded, but if you're patient you can see everything when the exhibits aren't covered up by people. There is also an area with educational exhibits catered to children (they rotate, when we were there it was DNA and earthquakes,... more

Beautiful facilities, small crowds and a great price. Great for families of all ages... been going for years. A great way to spend half a day. Don't miss out! Excellent exhibits and location. I've visited the Monterrey Aquarium and the Aquarium of the Pacific and this is by far my favorite! more

We were staying at Carlsbad and had one extra day so we decided to check out this aquarium. My 6yr old nephew loved it!! We all had fun, too. The aquarium is little small but has few different sections and the display of sea life are great!! There were so many sea creature to see for a small place and... more