Open hours: Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm
Special hours: 10am to 3pm on November 23 and December 24
Closed: December 25
Headout is an authorized and trusted partner of the venue, offering curated experiences to enjoy this attraction. This is not the venue's website.
Get acquainted with the underwater residents of San Francisco Bay at PIER 39, right along the bustling San Francisco waterfront. At the Aquarium of the Bay, you will come across over 24,000 marine animals from more than 200 species, all native to the region! Stay on this page to see the jellyfish, bat rays, river otters, and other sea creatures you will encounter at the aquarium!
From the sevengill shark to playful river otters, bat rays, and majestic white sturgeons, the marine life at Aquarium of the Bay is exclusively curated to provide an authentic glimpse into the local marine life of the San Francisco Bay area.
At the aquarium, you get to walk through a 300-foot-long acrylic tunnel where sharks, rays, and schools of fish glide above and around you, creating the sensation of walking through an ocean full of life.
Get up close and personal with starfish, sea cucumbers, and other marine creatures in the aquarium's touch pools, allowing hands-on interaction with the fascinating marine life.
Nestled at PIER 39, the aquarium is an exciting attraction and a part of San Francisco's iconic waterfront, surrounded by dining, shopping, and gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
From watching the playful antics of river otters to learning about the Bay's diverse ecosystem, the aquarium offers fun and educational experiences for visitors of all ages, making it a perfect outing for families.
Walk through clear glass tunnels that put you in the center of the marine action where you can watch schools of fish, rays, and sharks glide over and around you.
Your Aquarium of the Bay ticket grants admission to the aquarium and access to exhibits such as underwater tunnels and touch pools.
You’ll find a variety of exhibits at the museum that put the spotlight on local marine life, including sharks, jellyfish, and rays. Don’t miss the stunning underwater tunnels and interactive touch pools.
Yes, the aquarium occasionally hosts special events and themed exhibits like the River Otter Snow Days, Breakfast with Ollie the Otter, and Yoga Under the Sea. Keep an eye on their event calendar for unique experiences.
Currently, the Aquarium of the Bay primarily offers self-guided experiences. However, you can find staff members throughout the experience to answer questions and share insights.
If you live in one of the nine San Francisco Bay area counties or are a military personnel, you are eligible for discounted tickets.
Keep aside around 1.5 to 2 hours to explore the aquarium. However, you can take your time to enjoy the displays at your own pace.
Your tickets are valid for the entire day on the selected date of your visit. Be sure to verify your date when booking.
Visit during weekdays or early in the morning to avoid peak crowds. The aquarium and PIER 39 tend to be busier during weekends and holidays.
The aquarium is family-friendly and suitable for all ages. Children, especially, will love the interactive exhibits and touch pools.
The aquarium is a great place to take pictures of marine animals from the Bay area. But remember to keep your flash off.
Our guide, Anja (affiliated with the local SF based company, MustSee), was incredible! She was knowledgeable, personable, and FUNNY. The timing of the trip was perfect. We honestly could have spent more time at both Alcatraz and Muir Woods, but this was a perfect way to experience both places when you have limited time in San Francisco. Heads Up - 1. You have to pay the entrance fee to Muir Woods (or check out a National Parks pass from your local library before going on the trip and entry will be free). 2. You have to pay for the ferry ride, if you choose to go on it. We chose to pay for the ferry back to San Francisco from Sausalito instead of taking the Sprinter van back. This allowed us to have a long, leisurely late lunch (We ate at COPITA Tequileria Y Comida - amazing, authentic Mexican food) in Sausalito and still have time to just poke around the shops and take in the sights before heading back. I highly recommend the ferry ride! With the ferry ride, our excursion lasted from 8:45am-7:00pm. It was perfect!
Witness majestic redwoods, scenic ferry views, and Alcatraz's history, with convenient pickup from San Francisco!
Inclusions
1 or 2-day trip around San Francisco (as per option selected)
Daytime or nighttime Alcatraz tour (as per option selected)
Hotel pick-up from Hilton Union Square
Round-trip ferry transfer to Alcatraz Island
Tickets to Muir Woods National Monument, Alcatraz Island, and a ferry ride back from Sausalito
Alcatraz prison audio guide in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Korean
Aquarium of the Bay tickets
Exclusions
Transfer to Pier 33 for the Alcatraz excursion
Transfer to Pier 39 for the Aquarium of the Bay
Guide gratuity
Explore San Francisco and beyond with one ticket—marine life, dramatic granite cliffs, and gripping prison tales.
Inclusions
Round-trip ferry rides to Alcatraz Island
Admission to Alcatraz ($45)
Multilingual audio guide in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Korean
Entry to the Aquarium of the Bay
Expert English-speaking guide
Complimentary pickup/drop-off from select San Francisco hotels
In-coach narrative of Yosemite
Entry to Yosemite National Park
3 hours of free time in Yosemite
Round-trip transfers to Yosemite in a mini-coach
Exclusions
Food and beverages (available for purchase)
Gratuities
Alcatraz Island:
Aquarium of the Bay:
Yosemite National Park:
A curated 2-day journey through San Francisco’s top sights and wine country—covered end to end with one easy ticket.
Inclusions
Round-trip ferry to Alcatraz Island
Admission to Alcatraz ($45)
Multilingual audio guide in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Korean
Aquarium of the Bay entry ticket
Round-trip transfers to Napa/Sonoma wine country
Professional guide
3 flights of wine tasting in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys
Free time to explore Sonoma Plaza
Exclusions
Gratuities
Additional tastings
Alcatraz Island:
Aquarium of the Bay:
Napa/Sonoma Valley:
Easy to use, available on most hotspots. But keep in mind; it can get cold when sitting at the upperdeck!
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Wonderful experience. Everything on time
Convenient, no lines. Very interesting, worthwhile tour.
I had issues w the website and was pushed to purchase a ticket for the following week not the one I needed! Never got to do Alcatraz and was forced to pay again for the on off bus tour
Mucho tiempo de espera para el ferry a Alcatraz, se compro con mucho tiempo de antelación
Explore top sights in San Francisco from two unique perspectives, from land and sea.
Inclusions HOHO pass:
48-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off tour
Access to Red Route
1-hour Chinatown digital walking tour
60-min sunset tour
Bike rental offer: book 1 hour, get 1 free
Audio guide in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese & Korean (on the bus)
Audio guide English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese (on the walking tour)
Complimentary headphones
Mobile app with a detailed map and live bus tracking
Alcatraz Island:
Round-trip ferry ride to Alcatraz Island
Admission to Alcatraz ($45)
Multilingual audio guide
Exclusions
Food and beverages
Tips
Please click here for the detailed route map and boarding points. You can join a tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket. Red Route
Sunset tour
Digital walking tour
HOHO pass:
Alcatraz Island:
