Zoos and Aquariums in Los Angeles
When you’ve had enough of the human wildlife in Los Angeles, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy other creatures of the land, sea, and air in the many aquariums and zoos in the area. While San Francisco and Seattle are better known for their aquariums, and San Diego and the Bronx take the prize for famous zoos, Los Angeles provides solid experiences for the fans of each type of animal entertainment.
The Los Angeles Zoo benefits from the weather of southern California for sure. Every animal from aardvark to zebra seems to adjust nicely. Even the penguins take a look around the sunny ‘scape and think, “You know, this isn’t too bad at all.” The rolling grounds of the zoo melt away the stress of the city, and the Animal Encounters program captures the imaginations of the children in a way that makes them forget they wanted to go to Disneyland today. Their programming is fun, too. They have an elephant habitat that is over six acres in size (elephantine, indeed!) and really gives the great beasts a chance to stretch their trunks, and each February, they make snow for their black bears, Sumatran tigers and others. That’s right, snow in Los Angeles. Maybe their next exhibit is “Pigs Fly. When? Now.”
A short Metro ride away, the Orange County Zoo might not feature the exotic animals that the L.A. Zoo focuses on, but the American southwest is the natural habitat to all manner of creature, including many you would not want to encounter outside of a zoo environment. Hawks, coyotes, black bears, ocelots reside in the middle of an enormous wilderness park. And at $2 per ticket, it’s a great way to spend a day without spending a fortune.
Maybe the first word that springs to mind when it comes to L.A. isn’t “Aquarium.” After all, the “Los Angeles River” is a concrete trench through the middle of the city, more famous for the drag race scene in “Grease” than the schools of marine life.
In Long Beach – south of L.A. and a million miles away from the turmoil of the city – the Aquarium of the Pacific is home to 47 tanks, large and small. The aquarium is just the right size to enjoy in a few hours, and for those with an eye for the dramatic and exotic need to find the time for the dragonfish and the bioluminescent jellyfish.
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (can you guess where it’s located?) is tightly focused on education and conservation of the Santa Monica Bay’s ecosystem. It goes to show you just how vibrant it is when the Aquarium is home to over 100 species of sea life. They host many school field trips and special events, but keep public hours as well for your enjoyment. Just look for the Carousel. The Aquarium is beneath.