Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco

Spread across 9,000 square feet, the Aquarium of the Bay is an insightful, fun visit for people of all ages; a place like no other in the world, where you get to touch, feel and see the world that exists under water, experiencing what it takes to be a deep sea diver – without actually getting wet.

The aquarium boasts of a collection of over 50 different species of sharks, as well as a wide variety of marine wildlife like skates, bat rays and thousands of other animals including eels, flatfish, rockfish, wrasse, gobies, kelpfish, pricklebacks, sculpin and sturgeons. A river otter exhibit opened in 2013, with snow placed in the otter enclosure periodically during the winter, in what are called "Otter Snow Days."

The top attraction, however, is the underwater exhibit, which allows guests spectacular close-ups as they pass through clear tunnels within large tanks, each filled with fish, sharks, crustaceans, and other marine life. Another point that elevates the experience to the memorable is the presence of touch pools upstairs, where kids and adults can feed and touch the slimy, squishy creatures. If you haven't seen them in the wild, seeing them up close will be quite fun!

Why You Should Visit:
Cool little aquarium with a pleasing emphasis on the environment and sustainability.
Huge underwater tunnels with a large variety of fish to see!

Tip:
Pay the extra to do the behind the scenes tour (available only on certain days) where you literally walk above the tanks and all the people inside the aquarium.