The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is the largest aquarium in Southern California, home to more than 12,000 animals across 100 exhibits. Adult admission is now $49.95, and because every visitor needs a timed reservation, most people buy tickets before they arrive.
We stay in Long Beach several times a year because my daughter plays volleyball at the Convention Center, and helping families pay less for California theme parks and aquariums is a core part of what I do here. So this guide covers every current way to buy discount Aquarium of the Pacific tickets, each one checked against a live price, plus straight answers on Costco, Ralphs, and free admission days.
Which Aquarium of the Pacific Ticket Is Right for You?
The quick answer
Adult admission is $49.95 before discounts. Find your route:
Fact-checked and updated July 17, 2026.
Groupon offers rotate and limited-time promotions come and go, so confirm the price on the listing before you buy.
Aquarium of the Pacific Ticket Prices (2026)
Whether you buy online or at the window, the aquarium publishes one admission price. Buying online simply bundles in the timed reservation you need anyway.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (12-61) | $49.95 |
| Child (3-11) | $34.95 |
| Senior (62+) | $46.95 |
| Under 3 | Free, no reservation needed |
Reservations are required every day. If you show up without one, you may wait for the next open entry time, so lock in a time slot even on a weekday. Parking at the aquarium structure is $8 for the day with validation.
1. The Groupon After-3 P.M. Ticket ($35.95)
Groupon’s best Aquarium of the Pacific offer is an after-3 p.m. admission ticket for $35.95, which is 28 percent off the $49.95 adult price. More than 25,000 people have bought it.
The trade-off is the entry window. You can enter any time after 3 p.m., and the aquarium closes at 6 p.m. most of the year, with later summer hours on many dates. Three hours is enough to see the major exhibits at a comfortable pace, but it is not a full day. All sales are final, so read the date-change terms on the listing before you buy.
Groupon also sells a full-day general admission ticket, but it is typically priced within a few cents of the $47.95 aRes Travel discount below, so it saves you nothing extra. If the after-3 p.m. ticket has rotated off when you look, compare whatever Groupon is offering against the aRes price before assuming it is a deal.
2. Discounted Single-Day Tickets From aRes Travel
aRes Travel is a San Diego-based authorized ticket seller for attractions across California, including the Aquarium of the Pacific, and we have been partners with them for years. Their current price is $47.95 for adults and $32.95 for children, which is $2 off both tiers.
Two dollars is a modest discount, so here is why it is still my pick for a full day: you pick your date and entry time at purchase, so the required reservation is handled, and you can add ticket insurance for $25 at checkout for a full refund if plans change. Unused tickets bought directly from the aquarium remain valid for one year from the purchase date.
3. Go City Los Angeles Passes
If the aquarium is one stop on a bigger Los Angeles trip, a Go City pass usually beats buying tickets one at a time. The Aquarium of the Pacific is included on all three current Go City Los Angeles passes:
- Essentials Pass: pick 2 to 7 attractions and use them within 30 days. The 3-choice pass starts at $69 for adults and $54 for children, which works out to $23 per attraction.
- All-Inclusive Pass: unlimited attractions for 1 to 7 days, from $94 adult and $74 child for one day.
- All-Inclusive Pass Plus: the same idea with Universal Studios Hollywood, the San Diego Zoo, and LEGOLAND California added to the lineup.
The math only works if you genuinely visit multiple attractions. Against a $49.95 aquarium ticket alone, no pass wins. Pair it with Madame Tussauds, a studio tour, or a harbor cruise and the per-attraction cost drops quickly. Note that Go City replaced its old Explorer Pass with the Essentials Pass, so ignore older articles comparing Explorer tiers.
One more thing to know: no CityPASS product includes the Aquarium of the Pacific. Neither the Southern California CityPASS nor the Los Angeles CityPASS lists it, so Go City is the sightseeing pass option.
Go City Los Angeles Promo Code
Explore more and spend less, saving up to 50% on admission to top Los Angeles attractions.
Two ways to buy · pick one
Lowest price
Through my ticket store
Apply code at checkout for extra savings.
or
Buy direct
Straight from Go City
Apply code at checkout for an extra 5%.
4. AAA Discounts, Including Wednesday Online Savings
AAA members save up to 10 percent on Aquarium of the Pacific tickets purchased at any Southern California Auto Club branch or through the AAA website. For a limited time, the aquarium is also offering AAA members up to 30 percent off online purchases for Wednesday visits, which beats every other single-ticket discount in this post when it applies.
AAA shows the exact member price only after you log in, and the discount varies by ticket product, so check your total against the prices above before you commit. You still need to reserve a date and time for every guest in your party.
5. Aquarium Hotel and Ticket Packages
If you are making a trip of it, aRes Travel also runs the aquarium’s hotel and ticket packages. You choose from 27 Long Beach hotels, with rates starting around $115 a night, and bundle discounted admission with your stay. The Queen Mary itself is one of the hotel options.
We stay in Long Beach several times a year because my daughter plays volleyball at the Convention Center. There are several benefits to consider when vacationing in Southern California.
Why stay in Long Beach?
- Hotels are typically cheaper than in coastal Orange County.
- You can have ocean views from your room.
- Great restaurants and bars are located near the convention center.
- It’s about 20 miles to LAX.
Note that the area is gentrifying. There are excellent spots but also gritty ones, too.
6. Military, Teacher, Nurse, First Responder, and Student Discounts
The aquarium offers verified discounts through ID.me for military members and veterans, teachers, nurses, first responders, and students. Each group saves over 15 percent; the exact price appears after you verify your status through the ID.me store.
Military families have a second option. Discounted advance tickets are sold at MWR and ITT offices on base, which is often the better price if you have base access.
7. Discover & Go for L.A. Library Cardholders
If you live in the City of Los Angeles, your library card is a discount. Through the Los Angeles Public Library’s Discover & Go program, cardholders 18 and older can reserve discounted Aquarium of the Pacific tickets online, with new passes released monthly. The current price shows when you make the reservation.
8. Aquarium of the Pacific Membership
At current prices, a family of four pays $169.80 per visit. The $249 Family membership costs less than two visits, so if you live in Southern California or expect to return within a year, membership is the better buy.
- Individual: $119 for one cardholder.
- Dual: $179 for two cardholders in the same household.
- Family: $249 for one or two cardholders plus all children in the family.
- Plus: $299, which adds two single-use guest tickets and a transferable card that admits one extra guest per visit.
Every tier includes 12 months of unlimited admission, 50 percent off parking with a pre-paid voucher, 20 percent off guest admission tickets, 10 percent off in the gift stores (20 percent in December), and 10 percent off at the aquarium café.
9. Combo Tickets: L.A. Zoo and the Queen Mary
The aquarium sells two year-round combo tickets, and you do not have to use both attractions on the same day. The Los Angeles Zoo combo is $68.00 for adults and $51.00 for children, saving $8.95 and $5.95 versus separate tickets. The Queen Mary combo is $76.46 for adults and $62.96 for children, and the ship is directly across the harbor.
Seasonal boat add-ons, including whale watch and harbor cruise packages, rotate on and off the aquarium’s prices page. Gray whale season runs December through June, so look for those combos in winter and spring.
10. Group Discounts for 10 or More
Any group of ten or more receives discounted admission, and groups that visit after 3 p.m. get a deeper discount. Prepaid group visits run on weekdays and require one chaperone per ten children, which makes the rate popular with scout troops and school groups.
Employers can go further. The aquarium’s corporate programs include a free-to-join eTicket store for employees and prepaid ticket programs with express entry, each requiring 25 tickets sold per year to stay active. Details are on the aquarium’s group sales pages.
11. College, Conventioneer, and Union Discounts
Three smaller programs are worth checking if they apply to you:
- College students: many Southern California universities sell discounted aquarium tickets through the Student Union or ASI office. Ask on campus before paying full price.
- Conventioneers: present a Long Beach, Los Angeles County, or Orange County convention badge at the ticket window after 12 p.m. for a discount, valid one week before and after your convention, one discount per badge. A free reservation is still required.
- Union and professional organization members: many SoCal unions offer member pricing. Check with your Member Benefits office.
Tips for Visiting the Aquarium of the Pacific
- Address and hours: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802. Open daily except Christmas Day, generally 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended evening hours on many summer dates.
- Parking: $8 for the day at the aquarium structure with validation. Members pay half with a pre-paid voucher.
- Reservations: required daily for every guest age 3 and up. Book your entry time when you buy, or reserve free online if you are paying at the window.
- Animal encounters: check the schedule for feedings and the paid encounters with sharks and rays, seals and sea lions, and Magellanic penguins.
- Before or after: The Pike Outlets and Shoreline Village are within walking distance for meals and shopping.
FAQs About Aquarium of the Pacific Tickets
What are the best exhibits?
Do not miss the June Keyes Penguin Habitat and Shark Lagoon. My favorite animals, no doubt, include the sea otters, sea jellies, sea horses, and sea dragons, as well as seals and sea lions. You can also hand-feed lorikeets.
Are there free admission days at the Aquarium of the Pacific?
The aquarium does not publish any free admission days, and children under 3 are the only guests admitted free. The cheapest current path for adults is the after-3 p.m. Groupon ticket covered in section 1.
Does Costco sell Aquarium of the Pacific tickets?
No. Costco does not sell Aquarium of the Pacific tickets on Costco.com or in warehouses. A search on Costco’s own site returns nothing, and the old aquarium listing pages there now lead to a page-not-found result. Prices you may see quoted from Costco elsewhere online trace back to that discontinued listing, so treat them as expired.
Costco does still sell some Southern California attraction tickets, including a San Diego Zoo Safari Park pass. I keep a separate guide to what Costco sells for the San Diego parks if that is part of your trip.
Does Ralphs sell discounted Aquarium of the Pacific tickets?
Sometimes, and it is worth understanding the pattern. The aquarium runs occasional promotions at participating Southern California Ralphs stores. The most recent one offered $7 off adult tickets and $5 off child tickets in stores through May 31, 2026, with the purchased tickets valid through December 31, 2026. If you bought tickets during that window, they are still good; you just need to make a reservation before visiting.
When offers return, the aquarium announces it on its own discounts page, so check there before making a special grocery trip.
Is there an EBT or Museums for All discount?
The Aquarium of the Pacific does not currently offer an EBT or Museums for All discount. If you are in San Diego, Birch Aquarium does participate in Museums for All with reduced admission for EBT cardholders.
Is the Aquarium of the Pacific on a sightseeing pass?
Yes. It is included on all three Go City Los Angeles passes (Essentials, All-Inclusive, and All-Inclusive Plus). It is not currently part of any CityPASS product.
Is there a discount for first responders, government employees, or teachers?
Yes. Teachers, nurses, first responders, students, and military members all save over 15 percent by verifying through ID.me.
How much is parking at the Aquarium of the Pacific?
Parking is $8 for the entire day at the aquarium’s structure with validation, paid by card on the way out or at nearby kiosks.
Is the Aquarium of the Pacific worth it?
For most families, yes. It is the largest aquarium in Southern California, with more than 12,000 animals across 100 exhibits, and the penguin habitat, Shark Lagoon touch pools, and sea otters justify a half-day visit. Most visitors spend two to four hours, which is why the discounted after-3 p.m. ticket works so well if you arrive knowing what you want to see.
The Aquarium of the Pacific anchors our list of the best zoos and aquariums in California. In addition to Long Beach Aquarium discount tickets, I’ve written comprehensive guides to buying discount:
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