Spring is the perfect time to see new life in the animal and ocean world at the Los Angeles Zoo and at the Aquarium of the Pacific in LA County’s coastal city of Long Beach. You can visit baby sharks and baby penguins at the Aquarium of the Pacific this spring. You’ll see a baby hippo, giraffe, and chimps at the Los Angeles Zoo. The aquarium and the zoo are offering visitors the chance to visit both places with a discounted combo ticket, which can be purchased online or at either attraction and used on different days.
In addition to seeing the bounty of babies, visitors to both institutions can enjoy special exhibits and activities. The L.A. Zoo offers a variety of engaging opportunities to learn more about animals with close-up encounters, special feedings and shows, all free with paid Zoo admission, including Elephants of Asia Training Demonstration, World of Birds Show, Marsupial Talk, Hawk Training Demonstration, Keeper Talks and more. At the Aquarium of the Pacific, you can explore the Wonders of the Deep to see animals that live in the dark depths of the ocean, from glowing flashlight fish to moon jellies you can touch. You’ll also be able to touch sharks, rays, horseshoe crabs, and tidepool animals at the aquarium and feed colorful lorikeet birds. Visitors to the Aquarium can also watch feeding sessions with sea otters, seals and sea lions, penguins, and other animals as well as underwater SCUBA diver shows in its largest exhibits.
The zoo/aquarium combo ticket is available for $39 per adult (12+), $26 per child, and $38 per senior (ages 62+).
The landmark Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, drawing 1.6 million visitors each year, is home to a diverse collection of 1,100 animals representing 250 different species, many of which are rare or endangered. Its lush grounds on 113 acres feature the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles); Elephants of Asia; Campo Gorilla Reserve; Rainforest of the Americas, an extraordinary collection of endangered and exotic mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians living in spaces that exemplify their natural habitat in the rainforest biosphere; Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel; an Indian Rhino Encounter direct-contact opportunity; Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains, home to one of the largest troops of chimpanzees in the United States; Red Ape Rain Forest where visitors can walk among orangutans; the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo; one of the largest flocks of flamingos in any zoo in the world; a botanical collection comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants; and much more. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous professional standards for animal welfare, the Zoo has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. The Zoo, open daily except Christmas Day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., is located in Griffith Park. For more information call (323) 644-4200 or visit www.lazoo.org.
The Aquarium of the Pacific, a nonprofit AZA-accredited institution, is dedicated to conserving nature and its resources by building relationships among people. Home to over 11,000 animals and visited by 1.5 million people annually, the Aquarium invites visitors to explore the waters of Southern California and Baja and the Northern and Tropical Pacific. The Aquarium features its interactive Shark Lagoon and Lorikeet Forest aviary, June Keyes Penguin Habitat, hands-on discovery labs, the Molina Animal Care Center, Ocean Science Center, Wonders of
the Deep gallery, and Discover the Wonder exhibits. Beyond its exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, from hands-on activities to lectures by leading scientists. It is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and important topics facing our planet and our ocean are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in the search for sustainable solutions. A world of discovery awaits. The Aquarium is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is closed on December 25 and during the Grand Prix, April 17-19, 2015. For more information visit aquariumofpacific.org or call (562) 590-3100.
