8 . Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium in La Jolla California is a special San Diego attraction -- interesting, educational and fun for the whole family.

Located on the coast just north of downtown La Jolla, Birch Aquarium is one of the foremost aquariums and marine research facilities in California. It is part of the University of California San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, an important scientific center for global warming research.

Birch Aquarium showcases more than 60 habitats of fish invertebrates from the Pacific and beyond. You can watch them closely as they swim around natural coral and peer back at you from their large, floor-to-ceiling tanks, created to simulate natural habitats. View several exhibits throughout the day, including There is Something About Seahorses, Shark Reef, Living Tide Pools and Hall of Fishes, and California Currents.

Visit Birch Aquarium during feeding time to catch marine life activity at its peak. There are various feeding times daily throughout the aquarium.

General adult admission is $12, seniors (age 60 and up) is $9, college students with ID is $9, youth ages 3-17 is $8.50, and military with ID is $10. Kids ages 2 and under are free. Birch Aquarium hours are: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day).