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Explorer's Reef

4.2 (6 reviews)

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Marcus F.

First impressions mean everything and the Explorer's Reef makes a good one. Skin nibbling fish, horseshoe crabs, and bamboo sharks are all part of this interactive exhibit. Hands and shirt sleeves will get wet and sometimes a kids shirts. There do have hand washing stations. Warning!! You don't have to worry about any of the animals in this reef, but you will have to watch out for schools of ASS-CRACK! More prevalent during the warmer summer months.. Be safe out there!

Explorer's reef
Akiko I.

- Locale Destination - It's in Sea World, San Diego. It's right by the park entrance, right after you past the first shopping area. - Gluttony Expedition - Even the first exhibit you see in Sea World isn't a half ass! This is so fun! You can touch several ocean creatures - including "cleaner fish". You put your hand into the water and hold still. "Cleaner fish" will swarm up on your hands and clean up your dead skins. Very tickle yet fun!! There's a washing station for this type of "touching the creature" exhibits - you can wash your hands after you touch the creatures! *** FYI *** "Fish Spa" (put your feet into the tab full of these fish, then the fish would eat off your dead skins to clean your feet) is getting the popularity lately. I thought it was in Korean only, yet even UK got the popularity. However, the risk of infection recently caused 14 US states to ban fish spas. A customer steps into the spa water and if, unfortunately, he or she happens to have an infectious wound, the infection can definitely spread to other people who step into that very same spa tank. It doesn't necessarily work, but it's kinda fun and weird way to clean your feet off ;p - Conqueror's Deduction - It's fun to be able to touch the ocean creatures. Especially "cleaner fish" was lots of fun!

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1 year ago

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12 years ago

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10 years ago

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SeaWorld San Diego - That Orca Tail about to do some serious damage to the front row

SeaWorld San Diego

3.2(4.3k reviews)
0.1 mi

Phenomenal! I haven't been to Seaworld in 30 years. I was about 4 or 5 years old since my last…read morevisit, so of course I expected changes. When I went here long ago, Shamu was popular. He's been dead, but his memory is still alive here. New orcas, dolphins, sea otters etc. existed. My friend and I came here since his father owns a timeshare 5 minutes away from Seaworld and we both had vacation time. We were at the Marriott hotel in downtown San Diego where the parking structure was on the top floor, unusual for sure, but necessary in order to park there due to the poor surrounding environment. A lot of places nearby including the boat museum maritime. Seaworld, changed! In the most interesting and good way possible. New rides, more things to do. Last time I went to Seaworld there were only shows involving orcas swimming in a pool of water splashing guests as the highlight, it still is there as usual, which I loved by the way and was enjoyable to witness. Rides: 1. Emperor - 5/5 amazing 90 degree drop dive coaster, with ejector air time and intense g forces, my favorite ride due to having a fresh breeze of the ocean air at the top and a beautiful view of the park. 2. Electric Eel - 5/5 bizarre coaster with a launch and a positive g roll at the top. Not that intense unfortunately, fun and intimidating, but enjoyable to go on with a friend. I enjoyed it. 3. Atlantis - 5/5 intense hybrid water ride and coaster. Two drops, the water drop was meh, but the coaster drop after was taller and more intense g forces on the drop and swivel loop below. My personal favorite tier with emperor 4. Manta - 5/5 most intense coaster there, super fun, launch coaster with strong g forces throughout. Shockingly the most intense ride at the park with the intense factor of the launches and ejector air time and speed. 5. Arctic Rescue - 5/5 super cool ice ride, it's near the penguins in the back and has a bike you sit on that has great launches and strong positive g forces on the launch, not as good as manta, but super fun, went on it more than once and enjoyed it the most. Theming of the ocean from the start before the launch was cool. 6. Skytower/skyride - admission fee rides, very relaxing, $6 per person, the skyride was fun, you sit in a carriage and observe the scenery of the ocean with a slight breeze. The skytower is a tall swiveling cylindrical seated container that overlooks sea world. 7. Closed attractions - dolphin show was closed, looks promising but was not open during spring for whatever reason, roaring rapids ride was closed in spring reopens in summer, the sea otter show closed due to renovation. Food was very nice, I enjoyed it, I got a vegetarian salad wrap at the cafeteria near the orca show. They had pretzels, fried foods, pizza and sandwiches, burgers that looked and smelled good. I saw some people with turkey leg and they had other foods at the food court. My friend liked touching the small fishies that eat dead skin near the entrance. Place is good for older kids and young adults who have children. Not as family friendly as Disneyland and Legoland due to the intensity of the attractions, especially that emperor and manta. Those two rides are more intense than any of the rides at Disneyland, better off comparing those to magic mountain and knotts berry farm level of intense. Outside of the top 2 mentioned (manta and emperor) the other three were relatively good rides with strong intensity (electric eel, Atlantis and arctic rescue) that Atlantis ride was closed for like 6 hours which was annoying and the wait time was long too maybe 2 hours, so rode that ride last just before going home. We were there right when it opened and left before the place closed. I bought a dolphin souvenir t shirt at the shop and I love it. Overall a solid 5/5 for entertainment, ambiance and overall experience. It had great themes and a beautiful environment similar to universal studios but sea based. The orca show was nice, cute host for the show and the little kids sea lion show was relatively meh. I would come back again. I enjoyed it but it is so far Southern California. Unless you live in San Diego, this place is a treat.

Well I've been here so many times with my daughter and I love it here…read more Never that crowded and I'm a huge ocean guy and I like to snorkel so being able to se all my fishy friends in person on land is great Makes the birch aquarium look like a single Goldfish in a cheap tank lol But anyone that had not come should definitely check it out

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SeaWorld San Diego - BEAUTIFUL DAY to visit Seaworld!

BEAUTIFUL DAY to visit Seaworld!

SeaWorld San Diego - Orca encounter show

Orca encounter show

SeaWorld San Diego - GONZALO, watching DOLPHINS!!!

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GONZALO, watching DOLPHINS!!!

Maritime Museum - Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship, a San Diego icon only found at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Maritime Museum

4.5(363 reviews)
4.3 mi•Little Italy

The Maritime Museum of San Diego is honestly one of the most impressive history museums I've…read morevisited because the artifacts are the museum. You aren't just looking at history -- you're surrounded by ships that actually survived it. The Star of India, launched in 1863, survived mutiny, violent storms, collisions at sea, and decades carrying immigrants across dangerous oceans. Some sailors believed the ship was cursed after captains died during early voyages, yet somehow she survived long enough to become the oldest active sailing ship in the world. HMS Surprise shows the brutal reality of naval warfare during the Age of Sail. Ships like this once carried enough cannon firepower to destroy enemy vessels while sailors lived packed below deck surrounded by gunpowder, disease, and fear of battle. The Berkeley steam ferry even helped evacuate survivors during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake while much of the city burned. One of the most fascinating exhibits is the Soviet B-39 submarine from the Cold War. The inside is unbelievably cramped and gives you a real sense of what life was like beneath the ocean during one of the most dangerous periods in modern history. The USS Dolphin may have been my favorite. This experimental deep-diving U.S. Navy submarine helped test advanced underwater technology and launched the deepest-fired torpedo in naval history. The museum also includes the San Salvador, recreating the ship that explored California's coastline in 1542 -- long before America existed as a country. What makes this place incredible is the timeline it creates: 1500s exploration... 1800s global sailing... steam-powered industry... world wars... Cold War submarines... All sitting together in one harbor. This place doesn't just teach maritime history -- it shows how ships shaped exploration, immigration, trade, warfare, and entire empires.

What an absolute gem. The Maritime Museum is a collection of floating ships available to tour…read more We enjoyed the add-on ($10) 45 minute, docent-led, bay tour on the Pilot. We learned so much. The Museum is well-organized with plenty of memorabilia and artifacts to enjoy. There are several boats to explore. There's also plenty of seating along the boats, to just enjoy the scenery. The Maritime Museum is a must!

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Maritime Museum - Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

Maritime Museum - Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

Maritime Museum - Galley

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Galley

San Diego Whale Watch - The Privateer

San Diego Whale Watch

4.7(1.1k reviews)
0.6 mi
15 years in business
Free parking

Fantastic whale watching experience in San Diego! The weather was perfect, which made the trip even…read morebetter. We were lucky enough to see a whale that truly put on an amazing show--such a memorable moment. The crew was efficient, friendly, and very informative throughout the entire trip, which made us feel comfortable and engaged. Everything was also very budget-friendly, which made it an even greater value. Overall, a great experience and absolutely worth both the time and the money. Highly recommend!

Heard it was migration season so decided to book a 9am tour on a Friday…read more The tour was two and a half hours long and we saw so many dolphins it was bananas! We also saw a baby grey baleen whale which was such a treat. But even sightings aside it was a lovely way to be out on the water. The crew to our boat were great. Knowledgeable and ensured everyone was having a good time. They recommend you get there 45 minutes early and definitely do so! You sign in and then line up. A lot of people can be fit on their boat (if you get the group one) and the line can get pretty large and it's first come first sit. For 10 bucks a pop you can go on early. For 200 dollars you get the exclusive front top deck. I recommend sitting at the top. Please note that means sometimes no shade so bring a hat. You can sit on the first level or inside in the shade. The boat has a bathroom and after 3 miles you can get drinks! If you park in the lot attached to their location it's 10 dollars. Or you can street park on Quivera road which I recommend as it was super easy and not a walk at all. Would highly recommend regardless of if you see any whales just for the joy of being out on the water.

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San Diego Whale Watch - Privateer and Whale

Privateer and Whale

San Diego Whale Watch
San Diego Whale Watch - Blue Whales off the coast of San Diego. Sept 2, 2011

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Blue Whales off the coast of San Diego. Sept 2, 2011

Hakkai - Aquascape Design Gallery - Classic Nature Aquascape Workshop tank

Hakkai - Aquascape Design Gallery

4.5(4 reviews)
2.0 mi•Liberty Station, Point Loma

Hakkai is the sister shop to Pet Zone (exotic fishes). It's focus is purely an urban pop up shop…read morefor aquascape at Liberty Station at Barrack 19 at the corner of Dewey and Historic Decatur road. We came the first week of November on their soft opening. Located inside the double doors, you'll find Hakkai occupying a tiny space no more than 200 sqft that mimics an art gallery, except it ranges from small to large aquariums or shall I say "tanks" with living creatures inside as in tree branches, wood, stones. You can buy what you see or create your own. Other shelf items are fertilizers, rocks, and plants. What is aquascape? It's a form of art, an "under water gardening" activity. Before this, I never knew this type of hobby existed. Just like gardening, aquascape has many styles: Iwagumi style Manzanita wood Dutch tank Aquascaping Planted tanks Rimless tank Low iron tanks The service here is wonderful. The staff will help you on your tank needs whether you're a newbie or a veteran. They even sell already curated tanks. Aquascape is like the latest paint with wine or pottery activity because Hakkai offer group workshops where you can learn how to design your own tank! Hands on classes are offered at this location in the courtyard. The workshops are offered by skill level, types of styles and some are free while others require a fee. This activity would be great as a gift or for yourself especially when it's outdoors and you can maintain social distance during CoVId.

If you're tryna get into Aquascape, come thru to Hakkai! They made a good choice to set up shop in…read moreLiberty Station, since the vibe and the space is great for the classes/workshops they put on! The staff is knowledgeable and they will get you up to date on learning about the hobby and setting you up with the right equipment and tools to become a master at this. Highly recommend!

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Hakkai - Aquascape Design Gallery - Awesome decor with the ceiling tree branches

Awesome decor with the ceiling tree branches

Hakkai - Aquascape Design Gallery - The intricacy of manzanita driftwood does wonders for an aquascape

The intricacy of manzanita driftwood does wonders for an aquascape

Hakkai - Aquascape Design Gallery - ADA Amazonia Ver. 2 Aqua Soil works wonders for a planted tank

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ADA Amazonia Ver. 2 Aqua Soil works wonders for a planted tank

Explorer's Reef - aquariums - Updated May 2026

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