Basic Info
Cost: Free! There is a suggested donation of $5 for adults and $1 per child.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday - 12 noon to 5 pm
Saturday and Sunday - 10 am to 5 pm
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Our Review
The Cabrillo Aquarium makes a great family day trip. It is located in a quiet section of beach. Parking in easy to find and only $1 an hour. We spent about 2 hours in the aquarium and exploration center. The exploration center is a great room with an opportunity for interaction and kid friendly exhibits. We spent most of our visit in this area. There was something to do for all of the kids from 2-8. The staff was very helpful and answered all of the questions the kids asked with great age appropriate explanations. My 2 year old had a great time with the puzzles and my 4 year old really enjoyed the dress up area! The main exhibit area of the aquarium has a nice variety of fish and other sea life. My kids favorites were the whale size comparison and the stuffed birds. We enjoyed the touch tank as well. There are nice clean bathrooms with a water fountain.
Looking for a spot to eat lunch in the shade was a challenge. There are many picnic tables outside the aquarium and plenty of beach space but most was in the sun. There were also several large family groups all along the beach area and picnic areas. We decided to drive to the San Pedro Harbor part of the area. We ended up at the Fanfare Fountain. We found plenty of benches and enjoyed out lunch. We also got to enjoy the spectacular fountain water shows every 10 minutes.
Fanfare Fountain at the Port of Los Angeles
Basic Info
Cost: Free!
Hours: During the Summer and Fall
From 10 am to 10 pm the fountain plays one song every 30 minutes.
At 12 pm it switches to every 10 minutes till 1 pm and then again from 8 pm to 9 pm
Our Review
Bottom Line
This was a really great combo trip. Each part was not a major adventure but worked really well together. The kids had a good time and we didn't get any complaints!
