Aquarium of the Bay: Explore San Francisco Marine Life

Explore the diverse marine life of San Francisco Bay at Aquarium of the Bay. Get up close with sharks, rays, sea stars, and river otters in this interactive and educational experience.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Aquarium of the Bay - When you arrive at Aquarium of the Bay, located on San Francisco’s bustling Embarcadero (also home to other attractions like Fisherman’s Wharf, the Pier 39 sea lions, Boudin Bakery and the ferries to Alcatraz Island), head inside with your general admission ticket and begin your self-guided exploration of the aquarium.
    Your…
What's Included
  • Aquarium of the Bay entry included
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Experience an immersive journey into the aquatic life of San Francisco Bay and the adjacent Pacific Ocean at the Aquarium of the Bay. This entry ticket gives you admittance to the primary display sections of the Aquarium, home to over 20,000 marine animals. Come face-to-face with species such as sharks, rays, sea stars, and river otters. Conveniently…

Location
Aquarium of the Bay
Embarcadero & Beach St, Pier 39
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.5
(306 Ratings)
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Ralph_p
Apr 14, 2026
It was GREAT till the... - It was GREAT till the kids came for a field trip and Serenity no more! Lol The tunnels are amazing. Could spend all day just in the tunnels.
Review provided by Viator
Traci_f
Apr 1, 2026
Clean, organized, laid... - Clean, organized, laid out well, lots to see, multiple floors, family loved it. Good experience. Otters, sting ray touch pond, starfish, jelly fish, sharks, etc.
Review provided by Viator
Jenee_f
Jan 30, 2026
Best experience ever! - No matter how many times I’ve been here, the experience is always like the first. This time we went on 01/27/26, and they were in the tanks, cleaning. The divers waved at us, and showed how they clean the tanks and feed the sharks. The jelly fish exhibit, is my absolute favorite. I can spend hours there. And the staff are so amazing. They have wheelchairs available and you can bring a can/walker. If you’re checking this place out, and have kids, or just love ocean life, this is the place for you!
Review provided by Viator
Pamela_t
Jan 1, 2026
Some thing to go see! - It was really nice! Small but really nice! It was a little pricey for the amount of time you got to be there, but it was beautiful
Review provided by Viator
Denise_c
Dec 9, 2025
Aquarium SF - My dad was a good tourist and professor ...marine science since 1990s old traditions fun ..turtles otters ..small aquarium at the wharf pier
Review provided by Viator
Aubrey_g
Feb 15, 2026
Meh! 😕 - It’s definitely small and not truly worth admission price . Not easy to navigate as you are only to access exhibits via elevator which means more waiting than enjoying the experience
Review provided by Viator
Sharon
May 6, 2026
Wildlife looked sad and unwell - We had a complimentary pass with our BigBus two day ticket so we went along but it was not a good experience, lots of the fish were pale and just sitting on the bottom of the tank or on the shelf by the glass, so clearly they are not being well looked after. It was all very sad to see.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camper25382169735
Apr 3, 2026
Too expensive for what you get - I have to say: For $28, I don't think it's really justified. You are through relatively quickly in about 30 minutes you have seen everything. The tunnel is cool and the atmosphere is calm, but overall it is nothing very unusual. There are some nice fish, but nothing that really surprised or excited me. For the price I would have just expected more either bigger, more highlights or interactive stuff. Conclusion: Quite nice for a short visit, but value for money is not right for me.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia
Mar 12, 2026
Waste of time - I was so disappointed I took my granddaughter to the aquarium in San Francisco what a waste of money it's only one room the bathrooms are bigger than the room it was sad I had been to the aquarium in Monterey and I thought it would be something more like that I'm just warning people don't waste your money
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mbcusefan
Feb 16, 2026
Don't waste your time - Visited here on a holiday, first mistake....long lines. Could not use the stairs so everyone had to wait for an elevator to go to the first floor & then back up again. Without the lines you could have seen the entire place in 30 minutes, not worth the almost $30 admission.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $28
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).