We immediately decided to stop in to the Aquarium of the Bay and were pleasantly surprised when we did. Although its size and grandeur is not the same as the Monterey Bay Aquarium where I grew up and spent many hours after school as a kid, it was a nice little aquarium with well done displays and a little something for everyone.
Located right in the heart of Pier 39 on the Embarcadero at Beach Street, this pleasant little diversion was perfect for a couple of free hours in the city by the bay.
Animal feedings peppered daily through the visiting hours allow visitors a chance to watch giant sharks, bat rays and other enormous marine life feast on the food chain.
Selected presentations daily offer chances for guests to learn about specific species in short and educational talks.
And a 3D Bay Theater offers a chance to learn about and enjoy various aspects of marine life from turtles to sharks, all on the big screen and with dramatic effects.
We enjoyed the varied jellyfish displays. The 300 foot walk-through shark and ray tunnel was wonderful as it was filled with over a thousand various huge marine specimens including torpedo-like tuna and colorful rock fish.
This is not the type of venue that you need to plan an entire day around. But it made a great little diversion and escape for half of an afternoon. Pier 39 can be insanely crowded during peak vacation months and summer. We probably enjoyed our visit so much, in part, due to the fact that it was mid week and off season. Parking issues and crowds were a minimum. Take a little time to plan a few hours at the Aquarium of the Bay next time you visit San Francisco.