Birch Aquarium

We love the new additions of the outdoor activities at Birch. The water tables and building areas are amazing at grabbing children's creative sides. The under water creatures are also a huge hit. They added a few new cool features on the inside, like the mirror room, which is really very pretty.

Haven't been in years, lots of changes and its all been great. My son is 5 yo and he had so much fun and their outdoor river for kids to create a boat out of recycled materials is super fun and great idea. Almost a good hour was spent here.

Good experience, it would be nice to have more information on exhibits. It's rather small and can be visited in just over an hour. The gift shop could benefit by having a better selection of books on sea life. Prices rather high

First visit to LA Jolla, CA. Scenery is wonderful. The drive from Coronado Island was normal highway until we were close to the aquarium. Interesting roads leading to the aquarium. There were a wide variety on display. Really cool and informative. Clean snacking area.

Beautiful aquarium, very clean. I imagine if it were busy, it might get crowded easily since the exhibits are close together and the walking space is narrow. Highly recommend getting tickets beforehand. Admission has timeslots of availability.

Very nice aquarium. It's a little bit small it can be done for less than an hour, definitely for smaller kids, but my son did enjoy it.

We loved visiting the new Living Seas exhibit which was perfect for families with young kids. It’s an easy way to spend a few hours learning and exploring. There’s parking on-site, clean bathrooms (always key), and a little café where you can grab drinks and snacks to bring inside. (Pro tip: the coffee comes in a Coca-Cola cup, which feels odd... but it gets the job done!) Highlights for us: touching the sea cucumbers, spotting seahorses, and watching the octopus do its thing. A fun and educational outing that kept our 7-year-old fully engaged.

A fairly small public aquarium outside San Diego. At the time of our visit part of the building was closed for refurbishment, so it probably took around an hour to look around. Some of the exhibits were impressive. Not sure they covered all aspects of the ocean life, but they had a good try. Staff were lovely, helpful and knowledgeable. Free car park.

Visited the Birch Aquarium today and was a little disappointed. Half of the Aquarium was closed due to construction. So there was truly very minimal marine life to see and experience. It was pretty overcast in San Diego so it was hard to get the full San Diego vibe of how gorgeous San Diego always is. There were still lots of surfers out enjoying the surf. If you're planning to bring the family out to the Birch Aquarium, I'd recommend waiting till after 05/22 when we were told the construction will be completed. Can't wait to see the improvements.

If you've never been to this aquarium, you're not missing much. It is very small, and extremely overpriced. There are maybe 3 memorable exhibits, which are the penguins, the (rescued) sea turtle, and the octopus. There are a couple of touch tanks outside, with a total of about 4 areas inside to explore. We took our time, and still struggled to make the experience last about an hour. This place is definitely geared more towards younger kids, my 9.5 year old was a little too old for most of the activities they offered aside from the touch tanks. Great views of La Jolla though, but not worth the price in my opinion.

Definitely plan to come if you're in San Diego. The town of La Jolla is beautiful and we were so impressed with the aquarium. Buy tickets ahead of time. Plan to be there early so you can see the penguin feeding.

Wanted to drop by the famous Scripts Aquarium. Yes it smaller than the one in Monterey Bay but this is worthwhile place to visit. They have cute penguin exhibit and nice Jellyfish area. Did I mention that parking is free also buy tickets ahead of time.

We loved visiting the new Living Seas exhibit which was perfect for families with young kids. It's an easy way to spend a few hours learning and exploring. There's parking on-site, clean bathrooms (always key), and a little café where you can grab drinks and snacks to bring inside. (Pro tip: the coffee comes in a Coca-Cola cup, which feels odd... but it gets the job done!) Highlights for us: touching the sea cucumbers, spotting seahorses, and watching the octopus do its thing. A fun and educational outing that kept our 7-year-old fully engaged.

Love coming to Birch two to three times a year. It is smaller aquarium, but still a good one for kids to visit. I'm glad they finally reopened the other half of their aquarium. I could see why others were leaving low ratings due to half the aquarium being closed for so many months. Our favorite part is visiting the Jelly Fish. They added some interactive screens and sounds on the newly renovated part of the aquarium!

I visited during a Friday morning and it was surprisingly pretty busy! There were a lot of exhibits to check out and keep the attention of the young and old alike. There were both indoor and outdoor exhibits and I enjoyed seeing the different marine animals. They had a few shows throughout the aquarium as well. I was here for work, but it seemed like everyone was having a great time and the workers were all very pleasant and nice!

Birch aquarium is a quiet and smaller aquarium in La Jolla, perfect for avoiding crowds. Unlike the Aquarium of the Pacific, it will only take an hour to see everything since half of the site was currently closed for renovations. Although they did not feature walk through tunnels or noteworthy exhibits, they still featured touch tanks, penguins, and sharks which were fun to look at. I really liked that there was no crowds; sometimes the abundance of people makes it hard to enjoy exhibits but here, you will have plenty of space and time to enjoy everything at your own pace. Birch aquarium was a perfectly fine aquarium with typical marine life exhibits. It was a smaller attraction with plenty of space to relax and appreciate the unobstructed view of the La Jolla coastline.

Visited the Birch Aquarium on a Friday afternoon for walk-up entry. Online mentions walk-ups may not be available due to sell out / crowds but it wasn't too bad on a weekday. I wish they had offered a discount with 1 of the 2 halls currently closed for construction at this time. Each adult ticket was $29.95 which is steep for being able to get through the aquarium within 15-20 minutes indoors. Thankfully there is some water/foam play for kids outside as well as an opportunity to touch certain sea creatures outdoors (starfish, sea cucumber). Private parking lot with a decent amount of spaces though it was about 75% occupied on a Friday afternoon.

This aquarium is under construction and it's a bit disappointing because I was expecting huge tanks with fish. And I didn't see that here. On a positive note, there are a lot of activities for little kids and many tiny sea creatures to see. Penguins are the highlight. But it's a wonderful place to help future parents determine if they really want kids. Just spend 45 minutes with 25 toddlers screaming at a high pitch in a small space and you'll never want to have children. Ever. I couldn't wait to leave.

We made our second stop at the BIRCH AQUARIUM, and again this place was crowded, but not too crowded!!! We had lots of disabled parking spaces to choose from, RIGHT UP FRONT!!!

Absolutely perfect afternoon! My favorites were the giant octopus, the giant spider crabs, sea horses, colorful fish and mesmerizing jellyfish!

We visited here last weekend when the renovated Living Seas exhibit just opened. Tickets increased as a result and was told to get membership beforehand when free passes would no longer be offered. So glad we did it so didn't have to reserve timed tickets. I would recommend to do the aquarium in reverse at opening. Blue penguins exhibit was our highlight to see it without anyone. Most everyone started in Living Seas new exhibit since that is where the guest desk will tell you to start. After the penguins, you can see the shark tank and then we made our way to the sea dragon exhibit and touch tank to see beach and pier. Afterwards we visited the Living Seas exhibit which was amazing to see giant octopus, huge spider crabs, and kelp forest. By 10am, the water table with build-your-own-boat was open so we were able to race boats. By 11am, the water tables were filled so glad we got there early. There are picnic tables and umbrellas for a quick snack break. We then got some souvenirs at the gift shop. We finished this place in 2.5 hours and enjoyed it so much. Parking was full when we left. Best to get here early at opening 9am and there was a line formed by 8:45am.

We love coming here with our son! So many things to see and it's not really big and overwhelming. Parking was easy around 10am during the weekday. There's an outdoor area as well that you can look out at the view and have lunch. Kids also love that area to play. We brought our own food which they allow. Note that when looking at the penguins you have to park your strollers outside that door entrance. We will definitely be back!

We had such a great experience. Wasn't overwhelming with just enough to keep you busy.

Fun Facts: The Birch Aquarium is home to more than 5,000 fish in over 60 habitats. And you'll see everything from sharks and lobsters to turtles while learning all about ocean science and the marine environment. There are daily feedings and sea life interactions to watch, and if you want to get hands-on, you can head to the touch pool and pet sea stars and crabs. Aquarium Website: https://birchaquariumprograms.com/mainstore?l=2&sid=919836069&vid=0&cid=1270&_ga=2.257360523.1424608719.1686582331-1817545411.1584417816&guid=6E968C93-0960-4F9F-931D-72E6989FE4A2&venueId=0 Location/Parking: Located at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in UCSD. There is a private lot. Free parking for all! Visitation Rates (They encourage Advanced Reservations): Adult $29.95 Child (3-17, 2 and under free) $24.95 Senior (60+) $27.95 Students (ID required) $27.95 UC San Diego Students, Faculty and Staff (ID required) $3 off admission Military (ID required) $3 off admission You can also check out the Go City Pass for San Diego https://gocity.com/en/san-diego/attractions/birch-aquarium-scripps . This attraction is included in the in the pass. Visitation Rights: 1 time Ambiance/Decor: Your typical aquarium feel. It's more than 3 times smaller than Long Beach Aquarium. Most Notables: 1) Little Blue Penguins: Seeing them waddling and swimming around is pretty cool. Wasn't there during feeding time, but at 10am every day you can see them eat. Fun fact about them is that they eat about 20 percent of their body weight a day. Must be nice! Every single penguin has a name and can be identified by their distinct color bands. Get a chance to meet and greet with some penguins and get your education on for $100 (members) and $115 (general public). https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/exhibits/beyster-family-little-blue-penguins 3) Seahorses: Pretty neat seeing them. My favorite type of seahorse to watch is the Weedy Sea Dragon. So Majestic! If you want to have a behind-the-scenes learning experience about Seahorses. You have a chance to do that for $95 for general public and $90 for members. Price also includes admission to the aquarium. https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/behind-scenes-seahorse 4) Jelly Fish: Pretty cool to see. "I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy." -- Dory. Like that Finding Nemo reference that I did there? Huh? Huh? :P 4) Sea Turtle : You can check out their rescued Loggerhead sea turtle that was outfitted with a 3D printed brace to keep her afloat. Located in the Hall of Fishes... where you can also see leopard sharks, bright orange garibaldi, moray eels, and even an endangered Giant Sea Bass in their giant kelp forest! How coool is that! 5) Preuss Tide Pool Plaza: Cool area where you can touch some sea stars, sea urchins, and sea anemones (Amnemonemomne) 6) South Plaza: Check out them leopard sharks, smoothhound sharks, bat rays, halibut, and pacific angel shark! Birch Aquarium For Thought: Just keeeep swiiiiiimmmmmming! :)

First time visiting this museum. When I lived in SD for many years for the first time I could not care less about it. Even now this second time of living in SD I would not have paid the $28 ticket. The perks of unemployment is that we can keep the sanity going to museums for free or at a low cost. Since the ticket was $3 for me, I said to myself: let's go and check it out, finally. Parking situation was pretty smooth considering how many visitors were there. It is free with the ticket. I was mostly impressed with the mini penguins, super adorable and read about their names and distinct personalities. There were feeding them and was a total show. I liked the views from the patio so wonderful to see La Jolla beaches from there and the Scripps pier. Beautiful. Also, I enjoyed learning a lot via the art exhibits. My favorite was the video regarding kelp forests and the prints a local scientist and diver does. Just stunning. Same with the 'fish printing' Japanese technique from another artist. That kept me entertained for a long time, plus the giant aquarium was super soothing for meditation.

Why not be a tourist in your own city! We enjoyed a day with family and decided to check out Birch Aquarium as we all haven't been since we were kids. I always love the giant whale statue when you first walk up I remember being a kid and thinking how cool it was to see that! When we first walked in we went outside to the penguins which was probably my favorite part. They were so cute and loved the camera for the videos I was taking. I will say it is a little underwhelming for an aquarium, I know they are redoing part of the aquarium but you'd think that maybe they would lower the ticket price or something considering only about half of the aquarium is open. I did enjoy the views of La Jolla since it was such a nice day but we were able to go through the entire space pretty quickly.

I love the aquarium very much because I like all the fish, the penguins were cool, and the stingrays and sharks were nice.

***3.5 Stars*** I hate to write this, but as a tourist the Birch Aquarium was a bit disappointing. It was a lot smaller than I expected (that's what she said). Beautiful views of La Jolla, which was probably the highlight for me. Not only was the physical space small, but we went on a weekday where there were 3 school buses pulling up at the same time, so there were a lot kids on school trips. Not a bad thing, but it was just a bit too crowded for my liking. For around ~ $30 a head, I probably would not return. They have some cool displays (vortex of fish, jellyfish, etc) but I don't think it's worthwhile, even if you need a break from walking around La Jolla. I would rather spend more time by the water or at the park.

Highly recommend doing Ocean Nights! Although, try to show up early as there is traffic to get into the parking lot. I loved catching the sunset outside on the balcony part of the aquarium and the DJ was pretty good. It's an amazing experience and I highly recommend it. It took me a couple of times to book the Ocean Nights event as it sells out quick!

The Birhc Aquarium is an amazing place to visit. I really enjoy aquariums so visiting this one was really fun. There is also so much work that the Birch Aquarium does outside of what we see that I really respect it for that Parking can be a bit difficult on a really busy day(weekends) but it is always manageable. It is a bit of a smaller aquarium so it does tend to get crowded a bit quickly. I would recommend going to and attending the Birch at night program. It is a bit costly but I personally think its pretty worth it. There are so many different events and fun things to do there. The food at the event is just okay and the parking can be a little difficult to find but I still enjoyed it.

I loved this aquarium. It's definitely smaller than most but the exhibits were phenomenal and vibrant. It's a nice activity to schedule if you have limited time in your day because I believe it only took me a couple of hours to get through everything. The little blue penguins were my favorite but I missed their feeding! Parking is free and there were many spaces available as I booked a time right when they opened. As I was leaving, it definitely filled up so I would recommend booking an earlier time if you can. I would definitely make another trip back!

We are in the lot to park. But the aquarium is under renovation till next summer. Looks like it is very nice for children now. The parking lot is half full. So we will pass till next trip.

Lovely aquarium in the La Jolla/Scripps area. Free and adequate parking lot. Standard admission prices are $30 for adults and $25 for children...AAA and other discounts are available. Lots of marine animals and interesting exhibits, although I think the standard admission prices are a bit much given the limited experiences offered...$20/15-ish may be more appropriate. Took about 1.5 - 2 hours to complete the entire aquarium. Great way to kill a few hours.

Visited San Diego this weekend and wanted to check out birch aquarium. I did see reviews saying this place is small and it indeed is. Positives were that we saw weedy sea dragon in a large tank with lots of them and blue penguins which are a rare find. You can spend 30 minutes and see everything. Negative is that for almost $30 I expected a little more variety but I was able to add to my photography feed.

So, the main exhibit was under construction. We saw their penguins (cute), and marveled over the seahorses and Seadragons for a bit. We left wanting more.

We have been visiting Birch Aquarium on and off for several years and it never disappoints. The exhibits are well maintained and provide ample information. The creatures are fascinating and just awe inspiring. The ocean views from their outdoor touch pools are absolutely breathtaking. We also love sitting down and just watching the kelp sway back in forth and the ocean friends go about their day in the aquarium's large tank. The only downside, when visiting on certain days, the place can get quite busy/packed. We visit maybe 1-2x a year and we would definitely visit again. We paid $84.85 for 2 adult tickets and one child ticket.

I made a reservation in advance and had a great time! The aquarium is small, and it took me a couple of hours to walk through the entire area. The staff is super friendly and interactive, especially at the touch pool. The views of La Jolla are also gorgeous. I think everyone should visit at least once, as it's a fun experience, and the aquarium contributes beyond just their displays. There's a large free parking lot with some short dirt trails at the back.

As a San Diego local I was looking for something to do on a rainy, gloomy day and decided to check out the Birch Aquarium. It overlooks La Jolla beach and is located right outside of UCSD. I am used to bigger aquariums and wanted to see larger sea mammals so I was a just a tad bit disappointed with how small it was. However, If you're looking for the big fish then Seaworld would be a better option. We managed to see everything in an hour time. Although it was small, it was still very enjoyable. If you're looking for a short fun activity to do without breaking the bank this might be it. Parking is free. Tickets to the aquarium are around $20 for adults and cheaper for kids and they also offer discounts (students, military, etc.) The concession stand outside the entrance sells food and beverages for a very low price compared to your average theme park.

Great local aquarium supported by UCSD campus. Look for some deals online! I have to say you can spend 1-2hrs here with your lil ones. Great variety of sea creatures from fishes, starfish, turtles, penguins, shark, stingrays etc. complimentary parking for 3hrs

We visited during construction which is okay because the rest of the exhibits were really cool. Our personal favorite were the seadragons which were incredibly fascinating. I had never seen anything like that before. The seahorses and the penguins were a close second as they were so adorable. We visited the tide pools and got to touch the fish and sea life in there. Although it was an activity targeted for kids, we enjoyed making our own little boats and testing them to see if they can float. They also had a cool projection room that projected sea life and nature which was also pretty cool to walk inside. Cool place and can't wait to visit when they finish their construction!

Saturday, 18MAY2024 around 11:45AM. My son and I arrived for some quality dad and son time. We've both never been here and decided to give it a shot. This place did NOT disappoint. We were amazed at all the animals and had a blast. First off, the parking was not bad, decent size for mid to full sized vehicles. There is a cafe for food and drinks, but if you're the big appetite type, eating before and after or even bringing your own food is recommended. For the adults, there's a nice little selection for alcoholic beverages. I've never seen a sea dragon til today and there's plenty of other sea animals/creatures to sea! Lol DOWNFALLS/CONS: THE ONLY downfall is it's not as big as I expected, we took our time and enjoyed every second of it but I do wish it was bigger. I was so excited to see sharks but the shark encounter is very small and dark so couldn't really see much. Overall rating: 8.5 of 10

It's a very small aquarium and probably even smaller right now (Nov 2024) because it's under renovation. What it lacks in big fancy exhibits, it makes up for in educational and interactive though. I don't think it's worth the $20+ price BUT it was included in our CityPass so we decided to go. My 4yo daughter's favorite spot was the riveropolis where you get to build your own boat (wine corks, rubber bands and popsicle sticks) and float it down a River. LOTS of toddlers getting very wet sleeves or jackets as they just play with the water. The La Jolla tank had lot of interesting fish including the California halibut which had 2 eyes that are facing up by then it has fins like it should be swimming normally. Apparently it swims like a normal fish at first and then when it develops, it changes and the eyes move and it becomes more of a flat fish. So alien-like! Leopard shark and other stingrays can also be spotted in that tank. The touch pool with sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and sea stars was fun for adults and children alike. I enjoyed it but my daughter was kinda timid around touching them. They also had some little blue penguins with some nice viewing windows that you could see them up close if they come by.

This is the worlds smallest aquarium, its a really cute place for toddlers. The pictures are a bit deceiving, its really small.

Had family in town visiting so I wanted to take them to the aquarium. We had a great time. Sad that they had the turtle and octopus exhibit closed but we still enjoyed our visit.

It was my first time bringing my toddler here. The aquarium is easy to locate and there was plenty of parking. You are required to make a reservation prior. They have a strict time slot. Arrive 15 minutes before or after your reservation. They offer military discounts online as well as memberships. They also require you to space apart. We toured the whole place in under an hour and a half or less. Everything is easy to locate within the aquarium, there are signs everywhere. Not all displays were labeled with the name of the sea animals. Seahorses are my favorite so I was so excited that they had quite an exhibit on them, I hadn't seen a sea dragon sea horse in forever! My daughter loved the giant turtle the most along with the outdoor area where you can touch a starfish, sea cucumber, a small shark and other sea life. The line went fast, it was only about a ten minute wait. The overlooking view once outside is beautiful, you can see the coastline.

I visited a year ago, and they were renovating and they still renovating according to a sign i believe. Also there are expeditions starting around 5,600$ to the Arctic and norway related to this place there is a sign outside with link, exedition around novemebr and may. Back to this place they are focused on seahorses penquins and you get to touch some sealife like starfish and plointon. For the price of around 30, per member, its a wuick hour visit also penquins and partnering up and fun. And you get insight to whales and the gift shop has items from the movement of reusiing sandals to shape into animals. Very cool. Lots overpriced though.

Honestly, the fact I got to pet a shark makes this place somewhere I would come again. My other favorite part was watching the Juvenile Big Skates. Its little legs were soo cute! And I got to see a Sea Lily, which I had never heard of before. Lilies are my favorite flower, so this was pretty interesting to me. The outside space where you can touch creatures is interesting and unique and it has a beautiful view of the city. Good place to drop the kids off for a bit while you sit and relax. Other than these few things, the rest of the place was just a standard aquarium with an expensive gift shop. Solid 3.5 stars, but rounding to 4.

First I want to say the employees are absolutely amazing, caring and patient. They took the time to answer ALL and I mean ALL of my littles questions. They didn't rush them or send them away. Instead they explained everything in a way 4/5 year olds could understand. Second my littles could have spent the whole day building their own boats/rafts and watching it go down the river. They thought it was the best thing ever. Lastly they enjoyed comparing all the different Seahorses, we didn't realize there were so many.

Super easy to get in and park. Entry fee is cheap about $10. Lots of interesting small fish and jellyfish. These kinds of places always entertain me. Lots of touch and feel exhibits. We touched a hard and soft starfish. Touched a sea slug, shark and sting ray. Real nice way to spend a few hours. They're really off the beaten path. I'd never heard of Birch Aquarium, part of Scripps. Now that I've been I reccomend to check it out if you're in the area.

On a recent trip to San Diego, we had some time to kill and as an avid fan of zoos and aquariums, I really wanted to check this one out. Overall, it was cute. It had a decent amount of different animals (the penguins were super cute) and the views from the deck were amazing. But the price was a bit steep for the size. I think we were in and out in just about an hour. It would probably be best to go with kids so they could spend the extra time and make it last longer but for two adults, I'm not sure it's super worth it.

Aww I love this nonprofit aquarium. Everyone told me this aquarium was small, so I set my expectations accordingly and I'm pleased to say that it wasn't as small as I thought it would be. At least, it feels like there's a lot to see if you really take your time to see all the different species in the tanks and observe their behaviors. We spent a good amount of time admiring each exhibit. I wish they had more jellyfish, but the types they did have were mostly cool. There's an egg yolk jelly that looks more like an egg white jelly but the others are neat lol. My favorite section was the seahorse/sea dragons area. They had more seahorses than I was expecting. Some other favorites were the baby skate, penguins, the sea turtle that was rescued and given a prosthetic shell, and the giant tank with a bunch of different fish in it and seating to take it all in for a while. I had a really great time. We only paid $25 for two people to get in because it was the last day of February Museum Month. But I wouldn't have minded paying full price either. Awesome date spot!

My fond for sea animals grew even bigger after visiting the Birch Aquarium! I felt like a kid on a field trip when I came here. Many families and groups of all kinds came to visit on the weekend to learn about the marine life. Not only is the exhibit all indoors and full of fisk tanks, but there was also an outside patio called the Tide Pool Plaza that offers even more scenery and interactive activities. There's some audio learning and small petting areas as well. I enjoyed my first visit to the Birch Aquarium as it was fun for all ages. It was a good activity to kill some time in the area and see some cool sea animals! They recommend booking your tickets prior to your visits as they cannot guarantee walk ins, but I came as a walk in and was able to buy tickets at the booth. Student discounts ($22.95) are eligible if you bring an id and regular priced adult tickets were $24.95.

Cool entrance. Nice little fun place to take children. Outside they allow you to pet starfish and a shark.

Our realtor gave us a year's membership as a housewarming gift. We visited the aquarium, and were pleasantly surprised. They have so many different types of fish, with a place outside where you can touch sea anemones, sea cucumbers, etc. Our kids really enjoyed it. My favorite exhibit was the jelly fish. I could watch them for hours. So relaxing! My daughter's favorite was the sea horses. They had a sea horse nursery with baby sea horses. So cute!

Good place for kids. On the small side and can get crowded. Come first thing in the morning, especially during summer, or they run out of parking.

I dropped by here the other day while visiting since I had heard good things about this location. Parking can be a little challenging to find but you can't miss the giant whale that's out front. Entry fee is $27 for adults, $22 if you're a college student. Upon walking in you can either go right or left to see inside exhibits or head outside where there is a touch pool with a beautiful view overlooking the beach. The inside exhibits have various fish under colorful illuminating light that highlights some cool fish. I particularly enjoyed seeing the jellyfish which were fascinating. They also had the world's smallest penguins but unfortunately I didn't get to see them swim around. There is also a decently sized shark tank outside but it was a little hard to see inside due to the glare from the sun. The aquarium itself is on the smaller side, you can probably see everything in an hour or so. Overall, a nice aquarium with a decent variety of exhibits and a fantastic view. I can see myself returning again in the future.

Great place to bring your kids to keep them busy for a few hours. It really caters to kids, there's plenty of interactive spaces. It's not huge, but they really pack a lot in the small space. I have even been here for a kid party. We have membership and have come often throughout the years. The kids always enjoy it, and our kids are aged 13-4. You can head down the hill and visit the beach afterwards. The snack bar outside has something to drink or munch on, but I recommend packing a snack.