What to KnowShark Lagoon Twilight TuesdaysAquarium of the PacificLong BeachJan. 13, Jan. 27, and Feb. 246 to 9 p.m.Free, but a reservation is required
Shark Week may be a summertime classic, but fans of the sleek and splashy superstars know that sharks also rule the heart of winter, at least around a certain Long Beach location.
We’re talking about Shark Lagoon, one of the most popular (read: obsessed over) areas at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
This is the outdoor area where you may pause to touch a bamboo or other small shark, something that is always a thrill. The shark glides under your fingertips, giving you just a moment of contact, the sort of moment that has a way of transforming into a core memory.
If this is your year to up the memory-making moments, and you wouldn’t mind saving money while doing so, make your way to the ocean-adjacent aquarium on select winter Tuesdays to enjoy the free Shark Lagoon Nights.
Of course, the area isn’t just about the more petite specimens of the lagoon; visitors are invited to admire larger sharks in a non-touch way, from behind glass.
Whatever your favorite might be — a sizable shark or a smaller touch pool shark or both, because it is really hard to decide — you’ll want to reserve your place ahead of time.
This is important, given the ever-growing popularity of Shark Lagoon Nights. And the fact that they aren’t happening every Tuesday night just means many people with an interest in sharks — or perhaps we mean “fin-interest” — will be swimming by the LBC institution to get their sublime sharky fill of the gill-rocking beasties.
Shark Week may be a half year away, but sharking-up your January, and February, is powerfully possible at these pay-nothing Aquarium of the Pacific evenings.
Oh, and from the “good to know” files: The lagoon is the only open part of the aquarium during these special nights. If you’d like to take in the rest of the excellent exhibits, be sure to buy a ticket during the day.