h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A great place to visit in Long Beach, California is the aquarium. It's located right on the coastline, just off Shoreline Drive. There's a beautiful harbor next to it, and ample parking.

Outside of the aquarium is a neat fountain, that mimics the effect of waves crashing on the shore. Water shoots up really high, and it's a great site to see.

When you go into the aquarium, you can expect to see a great diversity of animals from the Pacific. It is divided into three sections: Northern Pacific, Tropical Pacific, and Southern California/Baja.

In Northern Pacific, you'll find a great deal of aquatic birds, such as puffins. They're really cute, and splash around in the water, and swim using their wings to propel themselves. The three sea otters in residence are also great fun to watch as they roll about in the water. You'll also be able to see a giant octopus, many fish, and these huge spider crabs.

In the Tropical Pacific, there are many many many many brightly colored fish. The best part of this exhibit is the tunnel that goes through the tank, allowing you to be completely surrounded by fish. There's also a large viewing window, where divers make presentations, and you can watch the sharks swim around.

Southern California / Baja focuses on the region the aquarium is situated in. There is a large seal / sea lion exhibit where you can watch marine mammologists work with the animals in training sessions. You can also see the turtles, Donatello, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, Thelma, and Louise. (I got to name Thelma and Louise .) Raphael likes to bite aquarists in the leg. You also be able to see rays, and touch them, and a variety of other fish from local waters.

If you're planning on going to the aquarium, try to go on a weekday, as weekends are crowded. But if you're going on a weekend, aim for going right when it opens, or go a few hours before it closes. I'd recommend about 3 - 4 hours to see everything at a nice leisurely pace.

For more information about the aquarium, visit their most nifty website at http://www.aquariumofpacific.org, and get current prices.

Oh! The Jellies Are Coming! The exhibit will open in June 16 2000. (They're reeeeeally cool. =)