Aquarium of the Bay

Website: http://www.aquariumofthebay.org/

Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco for Family Travel

Living in Baltimore, Maryland, when I travel and hear the words, "You must see the Aquarium!" I tend to roll my eyes. Baltimore has a fabulous Aquarium and people visit from all over the world just to see it. So when heading to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, this was the last place I though we'd visit. But I'm so glad we did! ​
​Located on Pier 39, Aquarium of the Bay is on the smaller side, but everything is exactly what you want to see. First, you enter to an amazing display of mesmerizing jelly fish.
Then after exploring beautiful tanks of tropical sea life...
 You'll take a large elevator led by a staff member down to a lower level. Here you walk through tunnels and experience sharks, stingrays, starfish, and more, swimming all around you. It's incredible to see the underbellies of these magnificent creatures so close above your head. ​
We were so taken by this experience, we even did another lap around.​
Once you ride back up on the elevator, there are few touch pools for little ones to get their hands wet. Last stop is to see the adorable otters swimming around. 

When finished, there is a terrific gift shop (along with very nice restrooms!) on your way out. Don't forget to save your ticket stub. On the back it has a coupon for 15% off at a few restaurants right on Pier 39. 
If you are heading for a visit to San Francisco, definitely don't miss Aquarium of the Bay. Kids of all ages will love it!