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Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Birch Aquarium condenses a world’s worth of marine exploration and ocean science into a compact, easily navigable setting. As the public outreach center for the renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Aquarium brings you into the exciting world of cutting-edge research and discovery through innovative exhibits, hands-on activities, and animal encounters — all with stunning ocean views. From the hidden world of a giant Pacific octopus to the research happening at Scripps Pier to the incredible biodiversity of a coral reef, Living Seas, the Aquarium's largest exhibit, invites you to immerse yourself in the vibrant ecosystems of the Pacific.

San Diego CityPASS includes:

General Admission — Entry includes all exhibits, daily feedings and talks, select special events, and the Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery.

Highlights

  1. 01.

    Experience stunning ocean views on Tide Pool Plaza while getting hands-on with local tide pool animals including sea stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

  2. 02.

    Get up close with local shark and ray species on Blue Beach.

  3. 03.

    Visit Seadragons & Seahorses, one of the largest seadragon habitats in the world.

Visit Birch Aquarium at Scripps with CityPASS®

CityPASS tickets offer a great way to see Birch Aquarium at Scripps while saving you time and money.

San Diego CityPASS

Advice for Visitors

Tips

The Aquarium is quietest right after opening and in the last hour before closing, so consider planning your day accordingly. A little blue penguin feeding is offered daily at 10am and is a great opportunity to learn more about these gregarious animals and see them at their most active.

Learn more on the CityPASS Blog about what you'll see at Birch Aquarium at Scripps.

Attraction Features

Amenities

Dining: Blue Wave Bistro from Behind the Scenes Catering offers a fresh, flavorful menu, designed to fuel your Aquarium adventures.

Shopping: Selling more than just souvenirs, The Gift Shop offers a variety of sustainable merchandise, gifts and accessories; all sales support the Aquarium.

Accessibility

Get information on services for guests with specific needs.

Parking/Transportation

Birch Aquarium at Scripps offers free 3-hour parking in the lot. If you would like to extend your visit, parking permits are available at the guest services office for a small fee. Get more information on parking and transportation.

Offers & Upgrades

Outdoor Adventures

Birch Aquarium offers seasonal Outdoor Adventures including Pier Walks (fall) and Tidepooling (winter).

Behind-the-Scenes Tours

Birch Aquarium offers Behind-the-Scenes Tours daily.

Contact Information & Hours

  • Birch Aquarium at Scripps
  • 2300 Expedition Way
  • La Jolla, CA 92037
  • Daily: 9am-closing

Closing time varies by the day. Check the Daily Schedule for up-to-date details.

Closed: New Year's Day (Jan. 1), Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday of November), and Christmas Day (Dec. 25)

Read reviews from CityPASS® travelers.

San Diego CityPASS
Easy to Use
Took my kids to San Diego and got the City pass. Super easy to use the tickets on the phone. They scan them and you're in to the park; no trying to keep up with the tickets anymore. The CityPASS will save you money and time. I'll use it again when I go back next time.
Absolutely no regrets..!!!!
This is a great deal and was our 2nd CityPass experience. Highly recommended. Of course, we crunched all the numbers to make sure it was. Tickets on the app, worked every time, at everyplace we visited. Do it..!!!
Best family vacation we've ever had!
We bought a city pass for our recent trip to San Diego and it was the best decision. We bought the Legoland plus 3 and we used it fully. We chose the Zoo, Aquarium and the Midway Museum. The pass was so easy to use and we had no issues anywhere. We were able to enjoy so many attractions and we saved a lot compared to the regular prices and we were able to buy the city pass in our home currency which was also really nice. Will definitely buy a city pass again in the future.
Loved sunny California!
The citypass was a great deal and very easy to use. This is the second time I have used it and I would do it again. Thank you for making things so easy!
CityPASS was great!
We bought CityPASS on our recent trip to San Diego and it was great. We saved enough money to do something extra special while we were there that made the trip unforgettable. The tickets we received from CityPASS worked seamlessly at all the attractions. Super easy and convenient.
San Diego CityPASS is rated 4.7 out of 5 by 334.
Rated 1 out of 5 by from Could not book attraction Researched attractions before purchasing CityPASS. Wanted to do the 90 minute bay cruise and checked the website to confirm open spots. Bought CityPASS and immediately tried to book. No spots available. Went back to bay cruise website and sites are still showing available. Called CityPass the next day after trying again, Customer service said plenty of spots available and this rarely sells out. Had no idea why I couldn't book. Had to speak to someone else in the company to try to figure out what is happening. Called back 20 minutes later and said CityPASS only gets a limited amount of tickets to the bay cruise and could not get us on even though tickets could still be purchased. Suggested I keep trying up until the time of the cruise to see if they would release tickets. Kept trying with no luck. There should be a way of warning the customer that even though tickets show available you could still be denied.
Date published: 2026-04-29
Rated 5 out of 5 by from All-in-one Easy! Saves money. Clear directions for each attraction as well as schedule. All in one place.
Date published: 2026-04-22
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Absolutely unforgettable I bought city pass tickets for my trip. And it's great.
Date published: 2026-04-21
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So easy to use and a great cost-savings! CityPass San Diego was so easy to use and a real cost-savings. I would absolutely use it again and will remember to use it for other cities too in the future!!
Date published: 2026-04-17
Rated 5 out of 5 by from good idea Great purchase. Made going to all the events super easy and even if only had time to go for a few hours, it made it worth it. Always nice to save money when you can, as the event we went to are pretty expensive
Date published: 2026-04-16
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All images courtesy of Birch Aquarium at Scripps