Living Coast Discovery Center Reviews

This is a great place to visit as an adult, senior, with or without small children or teens. Pet the sharks and sting rays, feed the falcons and eagles, and enjoy a natural, preserved view of the California coastline. Exhibits are very well done, animals are looked after with love. You will be happy that you went. A very peaceful, fresh, and restorative place to visit.

I just discovered this place! Gorgeous sea-creatures you get to see up close. Learn about sea life and our environment. Walk around in a beautiful ocean setting. It's inspiring and educational.

Short drive from San Diego to this location and there are no crowds at this Discovery Center. It is smaller but they have several large Sea Turtles, a nice covered Ray exhibit and many outdoor birds in a very scenic locale. Reasonably priced and they shuttle bus you inside from a nearby lot. Also has a small gift shop and things for younger kids to do. Great getaway from all of the other busy parks.

It is a non for profit and it is great that they care for these animals and educate the community but the Center needs upkeep, there is cobwebs everywhere and saw several wasp nests on under the exterior roof in the patio towards the birds. It has the potential to be a great stop if they invested in appeal to consumers

This preserve is multipurpose. The land was formerly the site of a large factory that made potash from kelp for WW1. The wetlands and vegetation have been reclaimed and there are interpretative trails throughout. The Center has tanks of sea turtles, rays and small sharks, at kid level. Presentations and feedings are at 11:00 and 1:30, (shark and ray feeding), 2:00 (sea turtle feeding)and 2:30 (eagle feeding). The osprey, kestrel, bald eagle, golden eagle, peregrine falcon are all rescues, either unable to fly or blind. All, beautiful. The Center has arts and crafts opportunities for children and picnic areas. A great family destination, with sea breezes on a hot day.

Kids love to pet the bat rays and get so excited when they get to see Eagles close up. They also love riding the free shuttle from the parking lot

This place has many different animals to see from various types of fish, snakes, rodents, sharks, marine turtles, stingray, birds, (bald and brown eagle) to name a few. What I really like is that this place uses its admission and membership funds to keep providing for these animals that couldn’t otherwise make it own in the wild due to injury. There is a marine turtle in particular that We like to go see ever time we go. Apparently it was struck by a boat twice and his whole bottom half is paralyzed. He seems very happy to be swimming with what he has while awake but don’t be alarmed if you see him upside down floating motionless he is just sleeping then. This place offers party packages so kids birthday parties can be interactive and fun. You can bring your own lunch and snacks and if you decide to go up and eat on one of their watch towers you will have a great view of Coronado island and the Coronado bridge. We ended up buying a membership because it made sense for the price.
Overall a great place to teach kiddos about nature and enjoy the animals.

I take the grandkids several times a year.
Our family have been members and volunteers for years. I have a new 'Living Coast Discovery Center' jacket, but it will always be the Nature Center to me.
It's a wonderful, hands on place to bring the family. You get to see many birds of prey that can no longer live in the wild. They are so close, and they are amazing.
The turtles swimming in the front are beautiful.
The Clappers are great, ask about the one that 'came home'.
The docents are all very educated.
There are lots of local marine life and local birds.
You can pet and feed the rays.
There are gardening areas with experts who can tell you about species and things like composting.
There are classes and summer camps.
The walking trails are lovely.
Just park in the parking lot right off the freeway at the end of E Street, wait a few minutes for the bus (it's free).

You can view Sea Turtles, Octopus, Hawks, Owls, and Manta Rays up close! The animal encounters and education talks are excellent.

This off the beaten path museum and wildlife center gives an uncrowded glimpse into the wildlife of San Diego wetlands.
They have eagles, a great up close turtle display and you can touch rays!
It's small and is good for a shorter visit.
You are at the mercy of their shuttle service since it's located in the middle of a reserve that you can't drive onto.
There are also some nice short trails to take a walk on.

The nature center has a variety of life that lives in coastal areas around the globe. You do need to take a shuttle from the parking lot to the nature center. This is to protect the area from too many vehicles. walking around outside and seeing the marshes along the coast was nice. I also liked he touch tank with the sting rays. Nice place to visit.

Accompanied my son's kindergarten class for a field trip at the Living Coast. I have been before with my family (husband, 2 boys 6 and 1). The facility is rather small but the kids had a blast. There is opportunity for the kids to pet sharks and rays, see a bald eagle or learn about composting. Pack a lunch and enjoy the scenery. Mr. James is awesome with kids. If you have the opportunity to attend a presentation with him, do it!! I def recommend this place!

Discover the coast and salt marshes of the bay at this low slung center that includes animals indoors (e.g., snakes) and birds outdoors in cages (e.g., roadrunner and raptors) and in the air. Although a bit pricey ($16.00 for adults and $8.00 for kids), a free shuttle bus from the parking lot at the entrance to the center is included and required. There is easy entrance from I-5 (exit 8B) and a small gift shop adjacent to the payment counter. I highly recommend the trails for sweeping views of the San Diego bay as well as birds and squirrels.

Plan on going on their bus schedule because you have to park and ride. Not an al day event.

Well, I loved this place. Small, intimate setting of giant sea turtles, sharks, sting rays and many other sea creatures. Also, many owls, hawks, bald eagle, golden eagle, road runner. Snakes, lizards... just on a smaller scale than an aquarium or zoo.
Check their feeding schedules if you want to watch. We happened to be there when some small summer camp groups were there and they fed the sharks and rays, so we watched. Also saw them feed sea turtles and trout.
You do have to park and wait on shuttle to take you to the center.
There is a gift shop with some snacks and cold drinks. You should bring lunch, they have many picnic areas to sit at.
When you have small kids, this is great. Can see things close and because of it’s size, you don’t have to spend all day to see everything. We were there about an hour and half, which was plenty with a 2 year old.

It is a nice place for young kids. It is at small side. I love their sea turtle exhibit. You only need an hour or so to go through everything. Staff there are really helpful.

If you go to the San Diego Zoo, or Seaworld, you really need to go here as well. The new name for 'here' is the Living Coast Discovery Center. This is real, not artificial. Not that either the zoo or Seaworld should be eliminated from your touring list, but that this is the place where you can get thorough information on how to live in harmony with the nature around you, in an up close and uncrowned atmosphere. You pull into the parking lot which is at the end of E Street in Chula Vista (exit 8-B off of Interstate 5). Parking is free. You then take a short shuttle ride to the Center, set in the middle of quiet and wild East San Diego Bay marshland. $14 for adults, $9 for children. Open from 10 am to 6 pm. Lots of local fish in the aquarium area. They have a shark and Ray tank, with a special area where you can pet the Rays. They also have many species of local birds and a parrot aviary. You can look out and see local birds in the marshland, hunting for lunch! We saw egrets and Hawks. There are also golden and bald eagles, Ospreys and barn owls. They have a set schedule of feeding times after 11 am on Saturdays and Sunday's for the Eagles, sea turtles, and sharks/Rays. There are also (1) walking trails out into the marshland toward the Bay itself, and (2) special 'VIP animal encounters With Eagles, owls, Rays, sharks, and reptiles for an additional $10 per person (book online). Gift shop, but no cafe. Enjoy!

This is a great stop for families. The Discovery Center is not very crowded and allows you to get close to the animals. We enjoyed watching and feeding the birds. The turtles are massive. The site is clean and well maintained. This is a small gem hidden by the ocean. My 93yo grandmother and my autistic daughter had the time of their lives due to the low numbers of people in attendance. There is also a free shuttle from the parking lot to the center. All employees were knowledgeable and able to answer my kids questions. They really took the time to give them an appreciation for the animals/site. I also thought the cost was very reasonable. I would suggest visiting!

This place was a great place to start our trip. My children spent at least an hour touching the batrays. We saw a bald eagle being fed as well as the owls. The tanks with the blown glass are beautiful and sparkly clean. A great learning experience and for cheap! I would definitely recommend this place to all.

Many animals to see that can be found in the area, plus a bald eagle. Art created from trash washed ashore or found on beach. Good use of rubbish.

This is a local wildlife conservation area along the coast south of San Diego. It has a small visitor center, an outdoor shark tank, and a few birds in individual aviaries. I think the conservation part of their efforts are great and glad they are keeping the wetlands safe but the tour is pretty small.

Tucked inside the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge in South Bay. But the real gem is inside the refuge. The Living Coast Discovery Center. This interactive center focuses on animals native to San Diego Bay. The tours are informative and not long. From 'E' St west parking lot the shuttle bus will take your family in and out. This is a great family outing experience that you and your children will remember.

Small place with lots to see and educational talks given throughout the day. Not too busy so you can get up close. Local sea life and birds, compost garden, and trails to the ocean with some signage. I think there would be a lot of flowers in the spring. Free parking with a short shuttle ride to the center.

Not huge in size but full and huge with living sea life and birds. Many sharks and rays, some you can touch. Very good for children.

I took three boys ages 10-12 to the nature center on a whim. It was a smaller attraction, but just enough to fill the afternoon. There werent any large crowds, so there was always plenty of time for the kids to take in each exhibit. Petting the rays was a big favorite, and there is an outdoor walk where you can see the raptors. We spent a good hour just meandering the trails around the center, and at the end hopped aboard the shuttle to head to our car. Parking is free (!) and the center is incredibly affordable. In my opinion, a quiet, intimate place beats out the long lines, high prices and hassle of others hands down. The boys had a great time, and I imagine we'll be back before too long.

Small but lovely place - and one of the few wetland habitats left in San Diego. Take the kiddos and see lots of beautiful critters, both in captive displays and then free-ranging as you walk the paths around the center (my favorite). It's usually quiet - check the tide tables and go bird-watching when the tide is low. Rapture!

Chula Vista Nature Center is freeway close, with ample free parking and an excellent place to see the birds ocean dwellers of the south bay. The center has interactive displays that are great for preteens and excellent explanations that satisfy the adults.Magnificent raptors, giant turtles and sharks are all on display as well as nature walks throught the habitat

Fun for all ages.There is a shuttle from the Wildlife Refuge to the Discovery Center.small place but great place to be outside. Great walking path.

Small but beautiful
I though this place was going to be bigger, but it is really small. Still, has beautiful animal attractions, and it is good if you want to spend just an hour or so with your family. They have beautiful views of the sea. We spend a good time in there!

An excellent place to visit and learn about the wildlife & creatures that reside in and about San Diego Bay and the nearby Pacific Ocean. The exhibits were all open (except a couple that were undergoing rehab. There are an abundance of walking trails that are well marked and easy to walk on. Everything is sea level. This is an especially nice place to take small (elementary age) children; there are several aquariums inside the center housing a wide variety of fish and other underwater creatures. The eagle exhibit outside is very interesting, especially if you can arrange to be there at feeding time.

This is one of San Diego's "hidden gems." Everyone is always so busy trying to go to the big attractions that Chula Vista Nature Center can be completely overlooked. We became members thanks to a Groupon and really enjoy going. It's something you can do easily in an hour and you can pack a lunch or snack and enjoy the view. Very easy to do with small children and they have even thought of putting "ledges" so little kids can see into the smaller aquariums that sit a little high off the ground for them. Just need to note that you park your car in the parking area (free) and take a bus that takes you to the main bldg (bus ride is free.) It's a very reasonably priced attraction and only minutes from Downtown San Diego. Have fun!

We went to see the turtles and the fish and the birds with the 3 year old. Had a nice time. I enjoyed all of it. Ggrandson needed more interaction. But he enjoyed the things he saw.

In order to visit this place you park your automobile in a parking lot, which is free of charge, and board a bus, also free of charge, which takes you over to the nature center. The admission charge lets you in to see everything and there isn't much to see. We watched the employees feed some small sharks and then walked through the area where the birds were located. There were owls and other birds including a bald eagle named Franklin. We watched when an employee fed Franklin a dead animal which looked like a rat or small squirrel. Then we wandered around and looked at the various tanks with fish in them. There were other enclosures which contained snakes, eels, turtles, and shellfish. There's a small gift shop located inside. This place was a disappointment. If you're expecting to see more, you're in for a big surprise. Save your time and money.

Great place for children to see local birds and sea life. They have done a great job. Our kids enjoyed it, but once they were finished they were ready to leave.

This discovery center is small and intimate so it is great for young children. I took my 5 yr old, and 9 and 11 yr olds nieces. We did 2 of the VIP tours. The best is the back tour of the aquarium where they let the girls have hands-on info on a lot of the items (shark egg shells, starfish, plankton growth tanks, turtles, and food for feeding). The finale feeding the sting rays was the highlight for my peeps. They got so much attention since there was only 5 of us total. We also did the back tour of the birds of prey - taking out the burrow owl was awesome! Again, girls learned so much and were very enthusiastic about all the new information all well. I think it is worth it if you want an intimate experience with young ones. The San Diego Zoo and Sea World are great, but are on a huge scale - so this was a nice break to do something local supporting conservation efforts and keep it personal.

Love this place. Great to walk near the Bay. Saw many birds n bunnies including an Osprey. The refuge has sharks turtles stingrays and many birds. You do not need to pay the fee to walk the trails and not go into the building. Binoculars are handy to view the wildlife. Saw no snakes but there are plenty of warning signs! Been many times but this latest was the best

I believe it's a very expensive place to visit, I wish there was a membership one could buy. The kids like it, and it's a good alternative to supporting seaworld

This is a great little hidden gem!! It’s a great place to take the family or just to go relax by yourself!

A fun and charming environmental experience. Leary about, and to appreciate, your community resources. This place rates a 5/5. You will have a great time if you explore all their resources to learn about the marsh and estuary that define Chula Vista.

This is a low-key, small, local coastal nature center that was perfect for our 2 and 4 year olds. They could get so close to the exhibits. They saw an octopus, jellyfish, rainbow trout, reptiles, raptor birds, four kinds of Rays, and a loggerhead sea turtle. There were ramps to run, friendly staff to answer all questions (very knowledgeable as well), and an observation deck where we had our picnic lunch. We spent a couple of stress free and enjoyable hours here. We could have stayed longer to walk the paths through the marsh. The price is right and the gift shops has many books and items that are locally appropriate. You park by the highway and get a free shuttle to the center. It's a great place.

This place is great for families, a great learning experience for children, just a beautiful place in general surrounded by an awesome military history and one of the most breathtaking views of the bay around! From the Indian history to the culture of the ocean life, this place is a jewel in Chula Vista.

First visit to this place and it was wonderful. Our group, which included a 3 year old, loved it. The animals and displays were great, the hands-on things were fun and informative. We listened to the eagle demonstration, definitely worth it. As much as we liked the display, the best part was the knowledgeable and engaging staff and volunteers. We learned so much about raptors, roadrunners, sharks and sea stars from them that it made our visit special.

Had a wonderful morning at this small aquarium. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I appreciate the fact that many of the animals here were rescues.

Close up look at ocean life. There are also several birds to see. Interesting Look at ocean life. The kids liked seeing the staff feed the stingrays.

Located just south of Down Town San Diego, well worth the drive. This is not a commercialized establishment, just plenty of interesting exhibits showing local wildlife. Kept two eight year old girls enthralled for three hours and they didn't want to leave. Some of their animals have been rescued and cannot be released into the wild but they take good care of them. It was magical to see the Bald Eagle up close even though it had a damaged wing. They have three feeding schedules right after each other starting at 1.30p.m. We arrived early, toured the place which isn't very large, had a picnic lunch, no cafeteria on site, I did say it wasn't commercialized. Watched the stingrays and sharks being fed, followed by the green sea turtles then the eagles. The temperatures were very hot downtown, but out on the sea marsh with the winds, it was a very pleasant experience.

This is one way of letting the kids develop the sense of loving and caring for our planet. Plenty of live animals that are around San Diego. A lot of hands on exhibits. The staff is so friendly and warm.

Easy access by the bus that is provided by the Living Coast Discovery Center. Large parking area for cars.

Great place for a family outing plus beautiful surroundings. The Chula Vista Marina is nearby and offers places to eat and opportunity to walk around and see lots of wildlife.

This wildlife sanctuary is worth its admission. Parking is free and at the entrance to the preserve with a quick bus ride in. The docents and staff were fantastic and personable. They answered all of our questions and were great with kids. Bring a picnic lunch and water bottles as there is no food on site beyond snacks at the gift shop. There are plenty of picnic tables. The animal interactions and learning are top-notch. It was a fun half-day adventure with plenty of views and limited crowds.

ATTENTION: Park at their free public parking lot and take the free shuttle to the Living Coast Discovery Center!

You cannot walk, hike or bike onto the the San Diego Bay Wildlife Refuge which the Living Coast Discovery Center sits within.

Their free shuttle also transports those that just want to access the San Diego Bay Wildlife Refuge paths that are free of charge to explore.

If you follow apps such as Google Maps they will direct you to the Center but you can't access the Refuge/Discovery Center via a private vehicle.

Animal lovers, especially those into raptors, will love this place.

They house injured and rehabilitated creatures.

They have in-depth presentations of the eagle, sea turtle and sharks/rays at certain times of the day Wed-Sun.

Every Saturday there is a great walking tour outdoors giving you insight to the surrounding marsh ecosystem.

If you're a bicyclist, the Center is right off of the Bayshore Bikeway though the new parking lot has no bike rack so you're best bet is the shuttle shelter poles.

The San Diego MTS Blue Line E Street Trolley Station is nearby, about a 10 minute walk.

This place is loaded with exhibits. The parking is ample with a shuttle to the attraction. The crowds are acceptable and everything is well maintained.

We have been visiting every year with our son who is now a teenager and still enjoys going there. Plan for an hour in the building and another outside if you wander in the marsh. Also add 15 min for the bus ride each way from the parking lot

Can spend about 1.5 hrs here with small kids. Watched the eagle feeding which the kids liked. The $3M touch tank was closed so we couldn't see that-bummers. There is a craft section for $0.50 that the kids liked.

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a great place to go spend some time in the South Bay area. This place is great for kids and everyone else who enjoys getting a close look at our local natural habitat. From sea turtles to birds and fish, this place will let you experience the nature that surrounds us in our local community of South Bay. You need to go visit the Living Coast Discovery Center and I recommend that you buy the yearly membership if you can!

Living Coast Discovery Center is a very quaint local zoo. It has a nice collection of sea turtles, aquariums, and local birds. The birds of prey selection is impressive and the shark and ray tank is a big hit.

As an educator, I have taken students here multiple times. The staff, exibits and location are all top notch. It is amazing how they communicate the need for a wetland in the urban environment of the South Bay of San Diego. So close to major freeways and the port of National City where numerous cars are delivered from the far east every week, amazing how nature works.

If you are headed south to the Water Park in Chula Vista, it is right on the way off the I-5 and if you need another "nature-fix" for you and your family, check out the Tijuana Estuary in Imperial Beach and Border Field Park. Nature knows no border!

At the non description end of D Street the casual visitor will only notice a fence and small sign noting that the Living Coast Discovery Center park and ride lot is beyond. The small parking lot has a small covered shelter foe inclimate weather and about every 15 minutes a bus comes along to take people through the next electronic gate over the wetlands to a low lying building that houses the Dicovery Center.

Inside visitors are in for a great educational surprise. Greeted by a turtle pool at the door, then by a number of large well kept aquariums showcasing a number of different aquatic species the visitor slowly wanders through the small building.

At the far end you exit and to the left is a larger water tank holding large fish and other marine life including sharks, turtles, and rays. There is a smaller Ray tank that allows close up inter action with the Rays and sea urchins.

Exiting and walking through the small garden area you are greeted by a number of different bird species. A few cages hold formerly injured, larger raptor species. If your visit is at feeding time you will observer eagles enjoying their meals.

Also, the volunteers that work at the center may be walking around with one of the aviary inhabitants allowing a ver up close visit.

The Center is a great place for young children to learn about many of the animal inhabitants of the San Diego ecosystems.

It was so small, it was barely worth the cost of gas. The bird exhibit was closed so that cut the visit even shorter, which was less than a half hour. Young kids would enjoy it.

Living Coast Discovery is a small-to-mid-sized place, but wasn’t crowded on the recent President’s Holiday. Our 5 and 8 year olds loved the feeding of the turtles, touching the rays and seeing sharks, octopus, raptors, and birds, we walked the trails along the bay, seeing rabbits, gophers, birds and lizards

nature center. As much as I enjoyed the larger zoos, aquariums, &c this was a bit more intimate and an opportunity to get "up close and personal" w/ the animals. The octopus apparently knew folks were watching as it put on a show working its way back and forth and up and down in the aquarium. The turtles and rays were extremely entertaining as they surfaced and would splash as many as they could who were close to the tank. Lots of other fish and exhibits as well as a nice raptor center (unfortunately I missed the raptor show) w/ about a dozen different majestic birds.
The docents w/ whom I spoke were very friendly and informative and enjoyed sharing what they knew and seemed to "know" their animals.

We really enjoyed our three hours here. We were able to see the whole place in that time. I like the shark and sea turtle tank. We attended a talk at that tank and also the stingray tank. We walked the path of local birds. The various tanks in the building were at a nice height where kids can also view into them. They had lizards and snakes and a toucon to see. It wasn't really crowded when we attended on a Saturday morning, so you were able to get up close to each exhibit. We also walked on an outside path that led to water. It was a very nice way to spend the morning and I was able to really enjoy it because it was not overcrowded like most zoos and nature centers are. They had some outside tables where you have a picnic if you brought your lunch. My only disappointment was in the gift shop. I did not feel it had anything worth buying which is a shame because that would be another way for them to make money.

Great place to take kids who love nature! Small but nice and informative. Great place to get close to interesting sea creatures. Very affordable! Quick visit in and out in 1-2 hrs.

I loved stopping by here; it's in my neck of the woods and I enjoyed seeing the sea creatures and other animals they have on site. great information and they also have tours; I went on a nice sunny day with my kids and we enjoyed walking around; the sun and it was a little windy but nice. all in all I recommend you stop by. the whole family will enjoy it!

This place is a gem - great sea animal exhibits on out beautiful coast! Plenty of parking - you park and take the shuttle to the Discovery Center. No crowds, plenty of helpful knowledgeable staff - a great place to spend the day!

Great place to enjoy with family for a few hours seeing plant and animal life in the Bay area. There are turtles, sting rays, birds, fish, and other creatures in caged and aquarium settings with descriptions and explanations. If you are a resident of the area, you get a discounted price.

This place was so much fun.We had to wait for 30min until the next shuttle came but it wasn't bad.The kids loved how they made a savanger hunt for them.It was very eduacational. It was a little to pricey for such a small attraction but who knows if that money goes back to cleaning up the oceans.We had a good time.

Took grandkids. Great uncrowded experience. Very up close adventure for little ones. I recommend this for any one who enjoys learning about our near shore animals. It is special because it so uncrowded and kids can really get up close to inspect and learn about nature without getting shoved all the time.

This is a great and inexpensive place to take children. Lots of live exhibits that are enjoyable to both kids and adults. Rescued raptors (Eagles, etc), live petting pond, burrowing owl exhibit. Great birdwatching. Right off the freeway (Interstate 5), and near the trolley, but located in the middle of the marsh.

We decided to try the Discovery Center because we got a great deal on groupon. When you arrive at the location you park in the parking lot outside the gates and a shuttle bus comes every 15 minutes to take you into the center. The center itself is small, would only take about 30 minutes to go through but we ended up staying about an hour and a half because the sting rays and shark feeding were so interesting. They have all local animals with short but informative descriptions of things. There are birds, fish, turtles, snakes, sharks and sting rays. It was so much fun being able to pet the sting rays!! The shark feeding was enjoyable because the staff was so informative and friendly, we actually learned a lot. Even though there were quite a few school groups there it never became overwhelming because they clearly had it well organized so as not to disturb other guests. Definitely worth a stop if you have some extra time in your day, especially since it's always nice to support the wildlife.

Although this nature preserve has been around for decades, many people do not even know it exists! Take my word for it, it is well worth your time to visit. Not only do they have an impressive array of native fish in their giant aquarium, but they also have scores of other exhibits featuring birds of California. Many are eye catching and won't disappoint you.

This is a nice education center to spend a few hours. We didn't do any hiking, but there were path available I think. We enjoyed seeing the turtles especially as well as the birds. The tanks were all well maintained and the staff at the ready to answer any questions.

Fund birthday Celebration! All the kids enjoyed celebrating their friends bday and also learning. Living Coast makes it a fun experience! The kids get to touch fish and different animals. The kids also got to feed the Sharks. The turtles in the exhibit are beautiful! Staff was very friendly and willing to answer any any questions you may have. I definitely recommend Living Coast Discovery.

No it is not as glamorous as Sea World or the San Diego Zoo. But what it lacks in splash (and grinding crowds), it makes up for with an intimate educational experience, great volunteer staff and a fantastic view of San Diego bay with one of the last pristine coastal areas of Calif.

Kids love the eagles, owls and other raptors that have been taken in, nourished and saved from death in the wild.

Great day out and definately a hidden jem. I was looking for something to do so I packed up my mom (54) and grandmother (85) and went to the Chula Vista Nature Center. It's conveniently placed right off the freeway and the parking was free! The wait for the shuttle bus was only a few minutes and it's only about a 5 minute ride to the nature center. Well, we must have hit the nature center at the perfect time becaue when we arrived at 1:30pm we bought our admission tickets, walked around inside for a few minutes looking at the star fish, trout, jelly fish and so much more and then it was time for the Sea Turtle feeding, after that we went on a nature walk with one of the docents from the center which was slow paced but that was ok for us because we were enjoying the great weather. It was nice to walk down to the water and see some birds and hear about the native plants. The view of the Coronado Bridge is great! After the walk it was time for the shark and sting ray feeding, I was actually suprised at how many they had here. The volunteer kids did a great job of feeding and answering questions. What a great summer job! Then it was off to the birds. Thay had a great display and we were again just in time for the feedings. We were able to see the bald eagle, hawks, owls and more being fed again by the kids. In all honesty you can see the park in about 30-45 minutes but it's more fun to take your time and spend 2-3 hours at the feeding times. One thing we didn't look at was the compost section...something to do next time! I would definately go back again!

This is not a well known place, but my husband and I fell in love with this place twenty-five years ago. It's not very expensive (I think $9). You go in to a parking lot (that seems like it is in the middle of no where), park, and wait for a shuttle that comes very, very frequently. This is because the Living Coast Discovery Center is located in a wildlife refuge that is in an estuary with many sensitive species. The exhibits may not seem like a lot at first, but the very, very best is the ray petting exhibit. There are several rays that come right up to you, let you pet them, and they even stick their heads right out of the water to see you better. It is incredible! An experience like none other!!! Absolutely made our vacation! The only reason I didn't give this a five star is that the exhibits aren't quite a five star, but the bat ray exhibit sure is!!!

Small enough to take in within an hour or so.

You won't feel like you have to rush through because it's so big and there are plenty of employees and volunteers to answer your questions.

It has the same old great exhibits like the jelly fish and hands on experience with the shark and rays but it also has beautiful new exhibits like the parrot and I loved playing around with the selfie backgrounds.

Sent my son to day camp here and he loved it. He's going again over the summer

My husband and I decided to visit the Living Coast Discovery Center. The center is located in the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge along the San Diego Bay. Parking is available just outside of the entrance gate. A shuttle bus runs approximately every 15 minutes. We waited a few minutes before the bus came. The bus ride is a short trip (less than 5 minutes) to the discovery center. The entrance fee is $14/adult. It's slightly overpriced, but it goes for a good cause.

At the entrance, 3 live sea turtles greet visitors before going inside. Once inside, there are several aquariums containing mostly local saltwater fish. Our favorites were the large crabs, jellyfish and eels. There were also a few fresh water tanks. There are signs identifying the animals in the tanks. Outside of the main building is a large pavilion containing 2 large tanks with sharks, rays and a variety of other fish. In one of the tanks they allow visitors to touch the rays. We happened to be there during feeding time and the discovery center's staff was giving an interesting presentation. The rays kept splashing anyone close to the tanks. It was quite entertaining. There is a nice display of birds including owls, a bald eagle, vultures, etc. We really liked burrowing owl. It was so cute!

After checking out the animals, we took a walk out to the bay. There are 1.5 miles of trails that pass by old remnants of a gunpowder factory. The trails are flat and fairly accessible for most people. We did see lizards, a duck and egret during our walk. The trails have signage and nice views of the San Diego bay. There are benches and picnic tables available in the park. This area would be a nice spot for a picnic lunch. Bring your own food since there isn't much available at the discovery center.

Overall, a fun and interesting place to visit. We ended up buying a membership and will be back.

Nice , small aquarium, particularly suited for younger children. Park in lot and wait for bus that runs every 15 minutes, arriving at the new sea turtle exhibit near front doors. Ray and shark exhibit is fairly large, feeding times twice daily are led by interns who educate crowd on the wildlife. For extra fees, there are behind the scenes type events with some of the animals. As a non profit, admission fees help with coastal preservation and education.

We visited this one since we had been to San Diego many times but never seen it. It was worth the visit. Small in size but interesting in regards to the wetlands it is protecting. It is not an aquarium type set up even though it does have fish, turtles, lizards and such. Also, has quite a few birds and first time I think I have seen a roadrunner. But, if you walked the path thru the wetlands and marshes you would see the impact that this has on "non development" and nature's resources. You will park in a parking lot and take a shuttle over since they keep the road traffic to a minimum. Easy to do coming and going.

We live close by and this was our Sunday Funday adventure! It's pretty small but so many interesting animals. My son loved the touch tank! We also enjoyed all the animal feedings. It was alot of fun!

The Living Coast was a great place for my family. All of children, ages 6-14, my wife, and loved the exhibits. We were able to touch the sting rays and watch the staff feed sharks, rays, and eagles. The staff was very friendly and helpful and friendly. We got a good price on admission by using groupon. If you are in San Diego it is worthwhile to stop in and visit for an afternoon.

We visited here in August with our two young children (aged 5 and 2). A shuttle bus runs from the car park to the centre. It is a small aquarium but you get to see everything up close. It has a feel good factor as most of the animals have been rescued/were previously injured , the staff are knowledgeable. There is a small shop which sells drinks and snacks. A nice place to spend a couple of hours.

We loved our visit to Living Coast! As soon as you arrive, you are greeted by a beautiful sea turtle swimming in her own outdoor aquarium. Indoors, the aquariums and habitats are designed so that visitors can get up close to view the animals, and they have a fun variety of sea and desert creatures, some we have never seen before. In the back of the center, we loved petting the rays and watching the sharks and other sea animals swim in their environment. It is also set up so that you can more closely observe the animals in a few ways. We also very much enjoyed visiting the birds, and we had the most amazing personal tour given to us by one of the employees. We got to know cool facts about each bird, their names, why they are at Living Coast, and more. Our questions never stumped him! Toward the end of our visit, two more employees brought over one of the raptors for us to observe from a slight distance and talked about it. It was amazing!!! We didn’t have time to do all the trails at the preserve, but we did take a short one out near the shore and observed the flocks of sea birds enjoying the human-free environment. I would have loved to stay longer to walk more of the area. This place is a gem, and is great for families with kids of any age, as well as anyone who loves to see beautiful animals and habitat. I applaud all at Living Coast and the wildlife refuge for their dedicated care for the animals and environment, and their courtesy and expertise.

Don’t come here with expectations.
Overpriced for what they offer. Several exhibits closed including play are “for renovation”, the educational shows they offer are super short and in my opinion not worth waiting around for. The pollinator garden offers no bloom for any pollinator due to the organization not maintaining the vegetation. Absolutely disappointing.

This aquarium/nature center is small but friendly, great for a few hours with our 2 small children (4 and 5 at the time). Its a hidden gem... tucked away so that you'd almost never know it was there. Since it is in the middle of a wildlife preserve where visitors' cars are not allowed, you park in a nondescript lot right off I-5 and a shuttle takes you to the center itself. We went on the weekend so it was quiet, although I am sure its bustling during the weekdays if there are school trips. An interesting contrast to Scripps Birch Aquarium a few miles north (another great place for little kids), which is bigger and has more going on but is also much busier on a weekend.

This tiny little slice of nature is worth the trip. Though the place is small, the employees are knowledgeable and helpful. I have had two very different experiences, the first was a yoga class out on the deck overlooking the marshland early one morning, very peaceful and included a self tour of the place. The second time was a really great behind the scenes semi-private tour of the whole Discovery center. Very informative and so great to see what is in our backyard!

I had hoped to find a lot of hiking trails so I could walk and take photos of wildlife. I found only 1 trail but was able to photograph Great Egrets and Hawks. I decided to pay the entrance fee and checked out some of the other birds at the nature center...golden and bald eagles, osprey, barn owls, hawks and many more. I stayed for the demonstration of the eagles being fed. It wasn't what I expected but thoroughly enjoyed it.

I love bringing my grand here. She always enjoys looking at the sea life. It's a small venue so you don't have to spend all day, but it's a great little outing. They also have outdoor exhibits.

The Living Coast Discovery Center is fun for all ages. The giant green turtles outside welcome you into a small exhibit building with displays, a meeting room, and a gift shop. However, there is more outside. The shorebird and raptor in cages area winds around 2 sides of the building. There is also a small aquarium in the back with regular feeding times. The other side of the street offers several easy trails that lead to the Pacific Ocean and tells the history of mining in this area. Along the way we spotted one cotton tail rabbit, a hummingbird, and many shorebirds. As the parking lot (free) is off site, a free bus brings you into this center. Although the $16.00 entry fee for an adult seems hefty for the small size of the building itself, but the other parts -- trails, butterfly garden, caged birds, and aquarium -- makes this a spot that appeals to all ages and interests.

Lets start by saying this is not Seaworld. This is a small nature park run by mostly volunteers. Take the 5 to E street in Chula Vista and turn toward the bay and a small parking lot. A small bus runs from the parking lot to the center about every 10 minutes. The staff is very friendly and there isn't any of the hype you run into at larger parks. They have a excellent aquarium with areas that you are allowed to touch the various sea creatures. They have a collection of local birds and quite often a volunteer can be found walking around with some sort of animal on their arm. The whole place comes across as quiet and peaceful with nature trails you can stroll and relax. They have a craft table for kids to try their hand at painting and cutting up paper into animals and on my last visit there was a display of sculptures using trash collected from the bay as the building material. This small but impressive center has had troubles in the past staying open while living in the shadow of Seaworld and the San Diego zoo and they deserve everybody's support. $14 for adults...$9 for kids. the website is thelivingcoast.org. Its worth the trip!!

Cost is $14 with a discount to $9 for children and seniors. Features include wetlands, petting pool with stingrays and sharks, up-close views of endangered green sea turtles, a bald eagle and a golden eagle. Nature trails are provided.

Tucked into the South Bay, it preserves a valuable slice of San Diego Bay. Nice exhibits, and some short trails.

My husband and I went to the Discovery Center and had a educational and fun time. We made sure we saw them feeding the turtles, stingrays and eagles. The educational presentations were excellent. I took the suggestion of bringing my own lunch and enjoyed eating on nice shaded picnic tables. It is a smaller venue which made it nice to be able to get close the wildlife. The shuttle driver is very nice. We took a walk to see the San Diego Harbor. Lots of history. Great place to visit.

As grandparents, we took our adult kids (40's & 50's) and grandkids (13 and 17) to the Discovery Center. All of us rated this attraction very highly (except our 17-year-old, altho he had fun, too). It's affordable, and we loved the chameleon, sharks, and raptors. It's well laid out on a beautiful coastal area. Cute gift shop, too.

We had a great time here on Father's Day. We have a 4 year old who really enjoyed all of the exhibits. We also paid extra for the VIP tour for sharks and stingrays. I suggest you try this. We all had a blast during our behind the scenes tour. We even got to hand feed stingrays which was definitely something new to try. After checking out all of the exhibits, you should definitely hike the trails around there. They are flat and easy for all ages, and you get some great views of the San Diego Bay area.

We take our 2 1/2 year old grandson here, and it is perfect. Inexpensive and small, with safe places for him to run outside, without a possibility of escaping into traffic or dangerous situation. He is happy as a lark and we can keep up. Many Displays are low to the ground and he is able to see them. We have season tickets so we can go for an hour and then leave & he is tired out and can nap on the way home. His favorite is the giant turtle enclosure where they swim right up to him and seem to see him through the glass. It is like they are friends. Staff and volunteers are kind & understanding to the need of little people to explore.

Go early an enjoy local native wild life. See how the habit and animals work together.

We took our 2 year old grandson for a morning at the center. It was a perfect visit, educational and fun! Highlights were the ray petting, sharkfeeding, Sapphire the Turtle, the Jellies and the bus rides to and from. Well maintained(except for several of the aquarium windows) with a cheerful and informative staff.There's much to learn and experience here.........adults and children alike!

We have been members for the last few years. Each visit provides new information and great wildlife to see. There are trails to walk all the way out to the bay. All employees are excited and proud to show off their center. Being just off the I-5, it is convenient to visit and will reward you with a great fun and educational experience for adults and kids.

We took too long to have our first visit. Don't make that mistake!

Visited the LCNC with my 10 and 13 yr old and thought we would be in and out since it's a rather small place... I was wrong! Although, the main lobby exhibit is small, there's so much to see and enjoy here. We we're able to watched mini owls so close, and photograph them eating frozen mouse.

Sharks and Turtles and all sorts of birds... but what we enjoyed most was the hiking trails. Got to observe more birds on the trail and kids ran freely. We whind up spending an entire day here, had a small picnic, and relaxed while listening to the birds above.

Great little Gem here in Chula and all proceeds help maintain and care of the animals. I stopped to talk to some of the workers/staff and they are so knowledgeable and will tell you great stories of their own experience with these animals.

Facility and ground is so well maintained, mostly from volunteers who love this place. After leaving, my family and I are looking forward to returning to volunteer and will try the overnight sleepover too.

The admission price was worth the exhibits. The shark feeding was absolutely incredible. The touch tank had stingrays (with the stinger removed). And plenty of room for everyone to touch them. Be sure to see all the birds in the outside exhibits. The bald eagle was especially majestic , but all the birds were impressive. Kids can even create an art project to bring home for cheap, 50 cents I think. The goal of this center is education - and they succeed with both children and adults. The shuttle bus was easy to use. I was surprised by the recorded message on the bus - it was clear and informative. There were giant sculptures when we visited made of trash. Excellent art! Helps you realize how much trash goes floating away in the ocean - which we need to realize so we can stop the litter.

This place is small, but good for children. It’s something to do while in San Diego. We spent 1 hour here. Short visit, but worth it.

Frist you have to wait for a shuttle bus to take you from the parking lot to the Nature Centre, most of the time the bus is running empty & creating unnecessary green house gases. The centre do not open until 9, way passed bird time!
Then you have to pay $11 entrance fee, just to see a few caged birds, and a few fish & turtles in fish tanks.
The butterfly & hummingbird garden is all tored up under construction.
Walks to the bay yielded a handful of waders, and the 'Star Attractions'... an osprey. This is not a bird watching place... no flowers, no garden, no water drops, no bird feeders. It is more like a nature hands on exhibition place for grade 2 kids.

We went here without kids! And it was lots of fun. We parked in the lot and waited for just a few minutes until the shuttle came. It was a nice 5 min ride to the center. The giant eel near the front entry was amazing. It looked like he was showing off for whoever would watch him. We were told not to miss the burrowing owls. But we could not see the owl in its hole so we walked around a little and enjoyed the bald eagle exhibit and the peregrine falcon. As we made our way back we decided to check out the burrowing owl cage again and there it was! It was just standing in front of its hole watching everyone. It would stare and follow your movements by turning its head(owls eyes are so large that there is no room in the cranium for eye muscles so they must turn their entire head to see around them)
The shark and ray tank was small but very interesting. The rays are receptive to being petted and we were able to watch feeding time. The staff member put some fish bits in his hand and fed it to the rays whose mouths are underneath. There is a very unique sea turtle in with the sharks. Sapphire, was injured and now cannot fully express the air from her lungs. She had to have weights attached to her to help her submerge so she can eat, but her hind legs still float upward. She is a delight to see!
Make sure you take a walk on the trails before leaving. The Discovery center is a great place to spend an afternoon with or without kids.

Went with my kids after they did a field trip there and got a free adult ticket. Much different than the zoo, Sea World or Wild Animal Park. Enjoyed the experience.

The tanks and ponds need pumps cant they see that the turtles don't even know what they are swimming in,ewww,,someone needs to take there job more seriously here,,pumps for ponds and larger tanks these animals are swimming in muckkkkk

Our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 younger children) decided on this activity. We picked it based on the thought that they rescue animals. When we pulled up the parking lot was pretty empty and that should have been our first sign to walk away but we proceeded anyways. It was $54 for the 4 of us to be there and we were there less than one hour. There are limited exhibits to see and they need to clean up the property. The tanks seemed like they needed some work as well. I would skip it as I think there are more exciting things to do.

From the time you get on the bus to go to the nature center , this tour is educational, the bus driver tells you all about the wetlands surrounding the nature center and can answer any question you have, the nature center itself is full of all types of animals , great aquariums and birds , we took a lunch and enjoyed our time there, its a beautiful place to visit with lots to do.

My three year old was entertained. He was able to see the turtles before we even entered the aquarium! The octopus was hiding out in the corner of its tank when we got there, and there were several field trips that arrived shortly after we did that did NOT encourage an appearance. That was disappointing. The bat rays were ready to eat so they followed him wherever he went which was pretty exciting for him. Definitely worth it since kids were free in October and it was just the two of us! We did not take any of the walking trails and spent less than an hour looking at everything there was to see in and around the building.

Customer parking is at the west end of E Street in Chula Vista. Bus service is provided to Discpvery Center and can handle physically-handicapped. A great earning experience for all.

The displays of marine life and birds are very well done. Walk around and learn about the unusual plant life on the property also.

Kids love this place. A chance to see wildlife in their natural habitat. Not at all commercial.

This is a place where elderly animals get transfer, any wounds that never recovers will make the animal to finished there. Personal is mostly volunteer They take great care of any details to keep the animal safe and at the same time closer to the people. Friendly staff. Souvenirs available. You need to wait in parking lot and wait for the tour bus. They offer composting classes.

It is small but very well done and maintained. Some very nice nature trails if you have time.
Fun activities for the kids.
Quick bus ride from parking lot.
Minor admission fee.
Loved it.

It has been over 15 years since we took our children here! Our 15 year old daughter wanted to see what her brothers and sister had talked about. It has grown bigger and better over the years. We enjoyed petting the rays. The baby sea turtles were our favorite! A care taker brought a small owl up to us and told us all about it. We also loved the beautiful view fron the observation deck! We went early in the day and were glad we did as children's camps and tour groups started showing up around noon.

What a great place, so close and so hidden from the rest of us. It was a nice surprise to walk into their trails, the exhibitions, the great architecture...

Great for taking the kids, they have many programs to teach you about sea life and conservancy.

They even provide a space for your kids party.

Fun!

We visited this nature center with our two kids (10 and 14). It was a very nice, thoughtful nature center. The shuttle bus wasn't a problem at all. The center itself was a bit pricey but I considered that partly a donation. The center seemed to be geared toward children under 10 so my kids weren't very engaged. We thought there would be some trails we could explore on our own but that wasn't the case. I would recommend it for younger kids though.

Located just on the west end of E street, the entrance to the Nature Center doesn't look too promising; It doesn't have a fancy, colorful entrance, but a simple parking lot, which is free. From there a bus will take you about two miles into the park and the welcome center. There you can start to grasp the greatness of this place. It has a nice aquarium, which includes is part of a scavengers hunt for items within the habitats. Outside, the bigger fish pool includes many species of shark and rays that are fed for the public to see. To the south, there is a habitat for local birds and lizards that is very interesting to watch, all while enjoying pieces of artwork made entirely from the trash found at the local beaches, all this to make awareness of environmental problems in the area. Th s park is a true gem for the City of Chula Vista, and it gives us a look into the beauty and vastness of our natural resources. A must visit for local and foreign tourists.

A neighbor friend of ours is a docent at this nature center. It's amazing what you can learn about flora and fauna in your own backyard. I've drive my car and pedalled past the entrance to this SouthBay gem a thousand times and finally visited on our neighbors prompting. The wildlife in this area is extremely diverse and this center can show what you have missed or can see up close and or with a pair of binoculars anywhere along the bay front. Take some time, show your kids and get in touch with nature here.

I haven't been there for a long time but i went when i was 6-7 and I remember I loved the sea turtle exhibit and there's a little trail leading to a private part of the beach!

Took my 4 year old grandson. We all enjoyed the exhibits and seeing the fish up close. There is a small zoo with birds and some other native animals in the back.

It's very nice, lots to see not to many people , Amazing animals, fish, birds, Very Friendly staff , Highly recommended for all family's

Yesterday I visited the Living Coast Discovery Center. My husband and I traveled by Trolley and then took the shuttle bus into the center. This is an activity reachable by public transportation.
The Center is very educational and has rescue birds and a rescue turtle.
The walking paths are well marked and interesting but would be more interesting if we had brought along binoculars. I did not notice if it is possible to rent binoculars.
In general, I would have to give the center an average rating only because we have been to some spectacular wildlife ( including aquariums) centers. This one is fine, educational, and easy access.
I felt the exhibits or enclosures, were somewhat small and not very attractive.
It is worth the entrance fee but if you have limited time in San Diego and have not yet visited some of the main attractions of San Diego I would save this one for your next visit!

Wide variety of animals from birds to reptiles to small furry creatures. Very educational and a lot of programs for kids.

We went down to the living coast discovery center today. Great little zoo nature center. Has lots of different exebits of rays sharks,birds and turtles.
There area several trails you can go on through the salt marchs.
Great little place we spent a couple of hours there but didn't do the trails as it had just rained.
Cost is 16 each for adult but check Groupon and living social. Got tickets for 2 for 14 total.
You get of the freeway and turn into their parking lot. A shuttle bus picks you up and takes you in. It hits both sides every 15 minutes.
This is a really great place to take kids also.

This is a small zoo and aquarium located at the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can find exhibits for turtles, a shark and ray touch pool, aquariums containing seahorses, eels, craps, octopus and the like. This facility also contains exhibits of birds of prey along a walking path around the facility. There are also many native plants to view. There is a strong educational component for school aged children. There are walking paths for bird viewing that lead down to San Diego Bay. There is an entrance fee for admission. Parking is available at the metro train station and a shuttle bus will pick you up from there to take you to or from the facility at no additional charge. You can also take the Metro train from San Diego to the stop in Chula Vista.

The facility is small, but it is a lot of fun for small kids interested in animals. (particularly marine life)

Very cool place to visit, especially if you love nature and animals! The Nature Center is kind of hidden but easy to find if you Google Living Coast Discovery Center. They have fish species, birds of various kinds, turtles, a couple of eagles, owls and more. There are a couple aquariums there and also hiking trails to the bay! Parking is free and you will ride a shuttle into the Discovery Center itself. It also offers natural history along the hiking trails to read!

You park and take a shuttle in. It is a small aquarium- museum with sting rays, hawks, tucan and various fish. There is a viewing area for wildlife. Small children enjoyed it as there were several school groups visiting.

There isn't much to see or do here. The best part of the experience was the tank where you can "pet" the rays. There are a few birds in cages that are interesting to see but that's it. You will be done in about an hour so don't plan your day around this attraction.

We went to this place as an interim activity, and wound up spending more time than expected! The exhibits are informative, with brief posts that are easy and quick to read, while providing interesting tidbits. It is small enough to feel relaxed while roaming around, no need to rush through to try and see it all. Though it was a holiday weekend- it was not crowded at all, no one trying to push to the front to see the feedings, which were all accompanied by a knowledgeable docent who provided lots of additional info and answered all questions.

Many who visit San Diego have heard and will go to the San Diego Zoo and Sea World. I encourage you to include, the Living Coast Discovery Center especially if you have small children. It is accessible via the trolly, the cost of admission is affordable and you will enjoy seeing local wildlife in its natural habitat. My favorite exhibits are the turtles, sharks, and petting the rays. My son's the bird of prey.

The Nature Center provides an interesting learning experience not only for children but for adults as well. As for me, I had the most fun "petting" small rays swimming in a tiny "pool". There aren't too many places that one can fearlessly do that! Thanks to the Nature Center I have now been able to cross another item off my bucket list! :)

I love this place. It's like a mini-aquarium set on a nature preserve. It's not crowded, loud or hard to navigate like some zoos. It's perfect for my toddler. We've seen sea turtles, jellyfish, seahorses, sharks and rays. There's also a bird section. Tastefully curated, and all species represent LOCAL wildlife.

You can also walk the free nature trails outside, right by San Diego Bay. Breathe in the freshest air you'll find in the San Diego area. The smell of sagebrush and the ocean... very healthy and refreshing.

Living Coast Discovery center is a small, little aquarium center. It is a non profit and I think they are doing a good job with what they have to work with. It was quiet (until we got there with our 4 noisy kids) and there was enough to look at for an hour or two. We paid for the 'behind the scenes' tour which was interesting. They had baby creatures that they were caring for in the back and we got to feed the sea turtles and touch starfish. We stayed for the shark feeding and the bird feedings which were interesting to learn more about the animals and their habits and how the center cares for them. There was a lot of focus about the local environment and species so for locals it might be more interesting than to us tourists :). The kids thought the bus ride from the parking lot to the center was an adventure in and of itself.

I have been to the Living Coast Discovery Center many times with my granddaughters, it is one of their favorite places to visit. The staff is so friendly and helpful and you feel that the entrance fee is really going to help preserve wildlife.
The Living Coast is a non-profit that helps preserve our local fauna and flora.They have a brand new turtle pond, a shark and ray pool where you can pet the rays (they feel like velvet) and find out about hawks, kestrels, eagles,owls and coyotes.
They have classes for children and summer camps.

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a great place to see sea creatures and coastal animals up close. There are also trails and viewing areas so you can find wild animals native to the area. It is a calm, relaxing place that excites your interest in coastal plants and animals. Kids love it too!

Went with grandma and the kids. It don't have a lot of aquariums, but it has a lot of local species. We took a private tour to feed the baby rays and that was the highlight of our tour as our little 3 year old was able to take part. Lots of interesting things to see for the little one and adults too. We had a stroller which the layout was easy for us to navigate.

Living Coast Discovery Center is a great nature center that is a bit off the beaten path. They have great exhibits of various sea life. It feels intimate and you are able to get up close.

While this centre is clearly aimed at children we went without any and still spent about 90 minutes looking at the exhibits and about four hours in total as we also spent time outside as paths lead down to the sea shore where a wide range of birds large and small live. You can get really close to the shore here, so it's one of the best places to see the local seabirds.

The main centre is compact but crams in a lot of interesting stuff. It has some nicely laid out small aquarium tanks, a shark and ray tank and a wide range of large birds which, for one reason or another, can't be returned to the wild. During the day they feed the turtles and the eagles and give related talks about them. Staff are knowledgable and enthusiastic.

If you want to see more birds being fed, just wander along half an hour or so before the eagles are fed, as when we were there all of the other birds were fed with mice before the eagles got their whole rats for lunch.

The center has recently been renamed The Living Coast Discovery Centre.

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a great family outing to see the stingrays, plants and birds in the South San Diego Bay region.
It has wonderful walking trails, perfect for birders. On this visit we attended the composting seminar and found it very helpful in establishing our compost bin.
It’s a great resource for the whole community!

My husband and I have been taking our boys there since they were less than 1 yr old. They're now almost 3 and they still love it! Some of the highlights for them are touching the stingrays, the everchanging outdoor deck area that usually has some sort of interactive play activity and (of all things) the bus ride to and from the center. It's well kept and has a great display of local animals as well as feedings to view and talks about the different species. Highly recommend.

Enjoyed the sea life and bird exhibits. Walking through the wetland preserve was beautiful. The ocean breeze was a delight.

Ages 1 to 100 will enjoy this Educational fun place. There is a small fee with volenteer guides who love what they do.

I went to the Living Coast Discovery Center (LCDC) around 11:30 AM on a Wednesday to check it out in advance of my niece and her daughter visiting in a few weeks. There were only a handful of people in the center at that time, making for a very quiet, relaxing visit.

You park in a lot at the end of E Street and a SDMTS shuttle bus will take you to the center for free. The bus runs every 15 minutes with its last pick up for entry into the park at 3:00 PM. (The park closes at 4:00 PM.)

As a solo adult, I spent a little over an hour there. When my niece and her daughter come, I could see spending about 2 hours there.

The main building contains several aquariums with all sorts of sea life, from fish to lobster to Moray eels to sea urchins and much more. I found the Moon Jellyfish tank particularly mesmerizing, as the white jellyfish floated gracefully in front of the blue background of the aquarium.

There are also some displays of local reptiles--snakes and lizards--as well as insects.

The shark and ray enclosure was very well done, with window access to see the sharks and rays swimming from just about any angle. Unfortunately, I had just missed their 11:00 AM feeding.

The shore bird enclosure was nice in that you can actually enter the enclosure with the birds through a double door system. Raptor Row, where the eagles, owls, hawks, and ospreys are located was nice. The enclosures, however, are about 10 feet from the pathway and they are filled with foliage for the birds, so it can take a few moments to locate the birds in the shaded enclosures.

They have a set feeding schedule that you may want to plan your visit around. Sharks and rays are fed at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM; sea turtles at 1:30 PM; and eagles at 2:30 PM.

I walked one of the trails (nice pea-gravel path) all the way to the water's edge on San Diego harbor (about 10 minutes each way). Along the way, I learned that the site was used to manufacture gun powder from 1916 - 1919, so I learned a little early San Diego history, too. You can see some of the ruins from the gun powder plant as you walk to the harbor.

I know that the LCDC was just days from having to close its doors late last year because of funding issues, and I'm glad that groups came along to save it. It's a very nicely done nature center that educates everyone on the importance of preserving and protecting the surrounding wetlands and marshes.

The place is not too big, but it has enough to make your visit worth it. I did enjoy being there for a few hours. Taking their bus from the parking lot is also a nice ride.

Shuttle driver ignored me and my daughter waving to him. He did not stop. Hey pal. This isn't New York. Fish Brain!!

This would be a great place to visit if you have kids. Lots of animals, tons of information & very friendly people working. Bonus, they help to preserve the coast, marshes, etc.

We pulled into their small parking lot and the empty bus departed the lot by the time we turned the car off. We figured we could walk to the nature center instead, but they have a gate blocking any access. We read the signs and it stated the bus leaves every 15 minutes, after reviewing the admission price we decided to head back to san diego.

Hidden Gem of San Deigo.
We picked a free entry day, which made our trip even better. But even paying $14 would be total worth.
It was a fun and educational experience for my 5 year old. One a crowded day, the shuttle to pick-up from parking lot/ trolley station might take more than 30 mins.
This place is a treasure, the views are beautiful and great atmosphere is so friendly for animals and birds. It is small place though, do not expect a zoo or wild aniumal park. You could do all under an hour or relax and enjoy the details over 6 hours.
What makes this special is, this is Perfect place for a visit with small children, interactive staff and volunteers, well maintained enclosures and regular keeper talks/feedings. My kid especially enjoyed visiting the rays and Mom enjoyed watching the sea turtle target training!

Also, the small hike across the street and walked .25 miles on their hiking trails that lead into the bay and great view of Coronado Bridge.

Downs:
*Not so frequent shuttle service
* the entrance fee for adult is $14, guess it bit high considering the size.
* Absolutely no food to buy from inside, bring your own food, picnic style.

Do not miss:
11:00 a.m. Shark & Ray Feeding
1:30 p.m. Shark & Ray Feeding
2:00 p.m. Turtle Feeding
2:30 p.m. Bald Eagle & Golden Eagle Feeding

The Center is right off the freeway, and when you park a shuttle takes you right to the Nature Center's door. Lots of tanks with sealife, touch-tanks, walking paths to the aviaries (most of the birds/raptors have been injured and unable to be in the wild). It's also nice and peaceful to walk the many marsh/tide area trails. Good views of the beautiful San Diego skyline too. This Center is not only lovely, but highly educational for all ages.

We did not go in the Discovery Center due to time constraints. The walking/biking paths at the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge are fabulous. New plantings with natives, both paved and unpaved paths with plenty of space to walk and watch birds or just be outdoors. Will go back and see the Discovery Center as it looked completely uncrowded. There is a shuttle from the Wildlife Refuge to the Discovery Center, that is the only way to enter but you can park and walk the trails for free. Great place to be outside.

Took our 16 month grandson to this very natural and informative exhibit. Very natural, not glitzy. Small, very accessible, and comfortable. He got to "pet" rays in the tank and see all of the exhibits. Probably can bring him back and he can see something new each visit.

My grandson and I parked off of E Street and a bus takes one to the Living Coast Discovery Center. There were two different types of eagles, hawks, owls. My grandson loved the eagles. We also saw small sharks in a pool and different types of manta rays. At the entrance they have the giant turtles. It was very interesting and informative.

We visited this place in August 2016 with a 3yo and 1yo in tow.

When you first arrive, there is a turtle tank/aquarium on your left before you go in the main doors. You then enter the main doors, get in line to pay, and you're inside the main "indoor" area of the Center (most exhibits here are outdoor ones). My first impression was that the inside exhibits were very poorly done- small tanks everywhere, not much information on the animals in the exhibits, dirty glass, and things up high making it hard for children to see the animals. It was also very crowded and a very tiny space for as many exhibits/tanks as they had crowded into it. We truly didn't spend very much time inside because of the poor quality of the exhibits and also, a lot of the interactive features they had tried to install were broken.

We then moved outside which is when I began to feel like our admission cost had been somewhat worth it. There were a variety of birds in aviaries outdoors, from red-tailed hawks to wetland birds to a bald and golden eagle. These cages were somewhat bigger than the ones found indoors but still very small when compared to the quality of exhibits found elsewhere; ie, the zoo and other facilities.

The sting ray pool and shark tank was the main attraction of our visit and these were found outdoors in a covered area to the left. My 3yo had a very good time petting and interacting with the rays- we spent a good 45 minutes here and then returned to see the 130pm feeding time. One complaint here is that there again was not any guidance on the exhibit or much more than a barebones sign explanation here. For instance, we did not know the correct "petting technique" for the rays until we came back at the 130 feeding time and there were staff available to answer questions. There was also a lot of concern and chatter amongst guests about the stingers on the rays while we were there earlier in the day, something that turned out to be a non-issue as the staff at the feeding time told us the rays had all had their stingers removed- would have been good to know earlier! It seems like this would be a good "permanent staff" post, someplace to always have a staff member on hand to answer questions and make sure their animals are being handled appropriately.

Finally, I did ask about the condition and origin of the animals- ie, how the facility acquired them, whether they were rescues, etc. and got a mixed response. It seems that some of the animals- the eagles, for instance- were injured and can not survive on their own in the wild; however, I was also told that some of these animals were wild-caught and brought here for the purposes of display- something that does not sit well with me at all. So, take that for what it's worth.

Overall, this was a good, if quick, outing. We arrived around noon and were ready to leave right after the ray feeding at 130. Had we had to pay for our children, I might have felt that we overpaid, but since they were both free (0-3yo are free) and we just paid for our cost of admission, I think it was a fair price and hopefully that money can help the Center to better itself. Go earlier in the day if you can or check the weather before you go- as I have said, most of this Center was outdoors with little shade and I imagine it could get very HOT on many days.

I am glad we went once to experience it, but we will not be back. As far as smaller, similarly-priced facilities go, Birch Aquarium is much better arranged and displayed, and of course the (more expensive) Zoo and Sea World are much much better as well. A good diversion for an afternoon, however!

Local wildlife preserve dedicated to educating people about the coastal wetlands. Has a small indoor aquarium area, a shark tank outside, and an aviary. Offers military discount.

When I visited this place I was pleasantly surprised at the low cost to be able to see all the coastal animals. Touching the stingrays was very special and quite exciting. And oh getting close to the sharks. Right up to the glass. I would recommend this to any age. Especially young children with open minds to learn about our local environment.

My son attended Summer Mini camps here & LOVED it! I hadn't been so was very anxious to go check it out. First off I felt it was pricey given what you get to see. When we arrived they had no maps to give to us. Fortunately we were able to touch some star fish which was very cool HOWEVER we were handed a disgusting stained old towel to wipe our hands with. No sink or soap or any other kind of clean towel to be seen. We walked further to where the Sharks are kept & the water was so murky you could barely see them. There was an opportunity to touch the stingrays & here there were several sinks to wash up. They were filthy! Not to mention no soap or anything to dry your hands on. The bird section was interesting & walking through was fine. The shuttle driver was great & waiting time was minimal. Overall I was disappointed in my experience.

The small sea ray petting pool was great my son loved it. Can learn about the nature reserve rigth under the freeway.

This is the perfect destination for a half day with your children or grandchildren. Our grandchildren enjoyed every moment exploring, touching fish in the indoor pool, and learning all about the animals and birds from the guides. It is a non-commercial, educational, close-up experience with nature - no gimmicks. Even bringing our own lunch to enjoy at a picnic table was part of the fun. Easy walking for grandparents or if pushing a stroller. Lots of easy parking. We highly recommend it and plan to return this spring.

Had a great time at the Living coast and Discovery Center was nice and up close with the animals. My girlfriend and I were able to take in snacks to eat at the tables provided so we made our own picnic. We missed feeding time. I was impressed with the birds of prey. Being a Vet Tech I wish I could been there for the feeding. Before you go check out the feeding times. They have all kinds of discount for veterans, AAA and seniors I will definitely visit again

Our family has been visiting the nature Center for many years. Our girls are growing up to truly value the inherent right of our environment. We love to picnic here, enjoy the trails, waterfront breezes, and visit the turtles, Rays, fishes, reptiles, and array of shore birds. The kids have always loved the bus ride in too. Our only negative is all the Made In China toys and unnecessary junk in gift shop. All plastic toys should be banned, as they will live forever and do harm to nature and humans.

After being pulled from the jaws of closure last year, this living museum in Chula Vista has come back better than ever. In addition to an active education program for school groups, they've expanded the table eating space and also made a tented outside meeting room. You can enjoy traditional tank exhibits about coastal creatures, catch a shark/ray feeding outside, and stroll through the cacti garden to see the encaged raptors. Don't forget to leave time to walk around on the trails outside that have an abundance of birds, snakes, some furry creatures, and amazing views of the city skyline, cargo ships, and the Coronado Bridge.

This really is a discovery center.
It is a federal fish and wildlife preserve filled with a wide variety of both. In addition there are many exhibits providing helpful knowledge of the coastal waters.
Much recommended!

There are sea turtles out front, lots of fish tanks, bird exhibits, a lookout area, and a short hiking trail. Here you can pet manna rays. I would recommend going in the afternoon as that is when a lot of the feedings of the animals are done. Parking is free and you take a free shuttle over to the nature center. If you are a student, bring your ID as they offer a student discount. I had fun bird watching as there were a few birds in the marsh.

Living Coast Discovery Center is truly a tiny treasure. The ray/shark tank is amazing. Besides the birds eye view you get when you come inside there are large portals all around giving any visitor "the best seat in the house". The staff were knowledgeable and friendly and seemed to really like their jobs. I did pay extra for the turtle feeding and the behind the scenes look. I thought it was well worth the extra money. I walked the trails for 45 minutes and enjoyed a picnic lunch while watching the activity on the bay. Well worth the price of admission!

For a taste of nature without leaving San Diego, go to the Living Coast Discovery Center. If there is an overflow of school groups in the center with a limited number of displays, then go for a walk around the museum to enjoy the outdoor exhibits/cages or roam along the bay pathways. There are also picnic tables outside. A free shuttle bus ferries folks from the free parking lot every 15 minutes.

This small venue is perfect for children who love animals. There is an opportunity for up close viewing, as well as viewing of feeding of the various creatures. Our favorite activity was the ability to pet the stingrays. An awesome experience.

Another couple invited my wife and I to go along with them to LCDC, as they had purchased a Groupon for it. I can truthfully say I didn't even know it existed, let alone what a wonderful and educational experience it would be. We two couples spent three hours there. We took advantage of the shark and stingray talk, the eagle feeding and talk and the octopus talk. We were even offered to tag along on an informative bird walk in the grounds outside the facility but we had to passed on that.

It's great place for young and old. It's touchy-feely. It's self-paced. It has areas where you can watch the wildlife in the marsh area. It has a souvenir/gift shop. It has an area for picnicking which during our visit, was being used for a little person's first birthday party. It's conveniently located right off I-5 at E Street in Chula Vista. All in all, it's a pretty cool place and one you should put on your list to see when in San Diego.

There is no way to drive into this facility. You must park in the lot and take a shuttle bus to the center, which runs every 15 minutes. The displays were interesting, but many of the interpretive stations were non-functional, i.e., "press this button for the sound of a red-tailed hawk", press and nothing happens. Of five stations we tried, none worked. The walking trails are limited, but flat and easy to navigate. Limited interpretive signage, but nice to see the conversion of an old industrial site to a conservation-oriented endeavor. The native animal exhibits are excellent, if you can get past the fact that they are caged. 16 buck/per person entry fee is steep, but it is for a "good cause", school kids running everywhere, but it exists mostly for them. Hopefully, they will learn some respect for this beautiful planet.

We've been to Chula Vista every year since 2006, and have never visited this place. We figured our three year old daughter would enjoy it. We were able to get in for free, and I'm so grateful we did not have to pay. The animals we got to see my daughter liked, but there weren't many animals, and the place looked pretty run down. A lot of it was overgrown with grass. After reading other reviews, I wonder what it is we missed out on. The highlight for my daughter was the bus ride from the car to the site.

The living coast was so nice, we went back! It's pretty small do we saw everything in about an hour and a half. Seeing the sharks and the stingrays were the best part. The petting area is fun for all kids. It's not been busy at all on the days that we have gone. Parking in the lot and waiting for a ride to and from was a bit of a hassle but it adds to the exclusivity of the adventure. Especially for little ones. The outside bird area was pretty interesting but more for older kids. Don't forget to take a pic with the sea turtle out front! Beautiful!

There's always something news here to look at as well as the permanent displays. My kids enjoyed the shark tank and a cage of parrots out back. It's a little off the beaten path, but even that made it a little more interesting as it's at the edge of a tidelands area.

NOTE - the center has recently been renamed. Previous reviews are under the name "Chula Vista Nature Center".

While this centre is clearly aimed at children we went without any and still spent about 90 minutes looking at the exhibits and about four hours in total as we also spent time outside as paths lead down to the sea shore where a wide range of birds large and small live. You can get really close to the shore here, so it's one of the best places to see the local seabirds.

The main centre is compact but crams in a lot of interesting stuff. It has some nicely laid out small aquarium tanks, a shark and ray tank and a wide range of large birds which, for one reason or another, can't be returned to the wild. During the day they feed the turtles and the eagles and give related talks about them. Staff are knowledgable and enthusiastic.

If you want to see more birds being fed, just wander along half an hour or so before the eagles are fed, as when we were there all of the other birds were fed with mice before the eagles got their whole rats for lunch.

The Discovery Center was perfect for our 2 year old. She enjoyed looking at the different aquariums, and being up close to the different sea life. There were no huge lines, or people pushing to get to the best views. The kids enjoyed seeing the shark feeding, and the staff was knowledgeable in their explanations and discussions. It is a smaller place, and putting that with the attention span of a smaller child means the visit was fairly short. I did like it for the work they do, and would make the trip again if only to support them.

It is a beautiful and well organized center that offers the whole family a chance to view wild life in beautiful settings. They are host to many rescued animals which are part of the exhibit and they provide guided activities for children. A place worth visiting for a fun, educational day.

Nice place to stop and kill some time for an hour. Focus is on native animals. The feeding times are very educational. Animals are all rescues and are clearly being well cared for. Nice little Center, it’s just small, so you can see everything in an hour or less.

So my wife and I decided to visit Living Coast Discovery Ce yet without doing too much research, which let me tell you was a big mistake, pulled into small parking lot for shuttle bus which took a little while to get there, then pulled up to small building with pretty lame Fish tanks inside, outside there was a covered small area with Stingrays and sharks and that was pretty much it, we were told trails were good and took a walk on two of them only to find nothing too see- I hate to sound too negative but this places is geared to small school trips and not a couples days out, spend the extra $$ and go to Sea World or Birch Aquarium.

My kids and I love this place.
So worth the year pass :)
It's a great escape into nature in our own back yard.

We vacationed in San Diego and visited The Living Coast Discovery Center for my son's 7th birthday. Our whole family enjoyed the Center! We got to see stingray, shark, and sea turtle feedings, and the bird exhibit, which featured many falcons, was great. The staff was very helpful and informative. We would recommend a visit!

This is a fun place for kids to explore, and it's not so huge that they (or you!) will get worn out.
They have a good assortment of local wildlife, from birds to reptiles to sea creatures.

There is a fun petting pond that kids enjoy.

There is a shuttle

It's a little on the pricey side as it isn't that large, but if you are in the Chula Vista area it's a fun place to visit.

Being a CV native, this place will always have a place in my heart! Used to be called the Nature Interpretive Center; now given a streamlined name of CV Nature Center, it's a great way to spend an afternoon. Lots of local wildlife that's been rescued. Guests get some history about the region. Did you know Coronado, one of the most expensive regions in the country, home to the number one beach in the country, is actually sitting on dredgings from the ocean? Fun factoids and sights of beautiful birds, fish and turtles are what you will find here. Watch sea turtle, eagle, and shark feedings daily. They even have a bald eagle and a golden eagle in neighboring enclosures; symbolism anyone? They take in injured wildlife help protect the region's biodiversity. They also have a stingray petting pond, starfish, and lots of owls! Guests can also enjoy walking the nearby trails. The center offers an outdoor food cart serving homestyle burgers and dogs on most afternoons, but there's also ample picnic areas for brown baggin' it. A nice place for families as well as couples. Lots of photo ops!

The Chula Vista Nature Center (now under a new name) is great for younger kids, 12 and under. It is small, has a compact indoor viewing area with some fish species, eels, snakes and spiders. There is a larger area outside that displays small sharks along with a ray area where you can touch the rays. Follow the trails to view various local birds, owls and some bigger bird species such as hawks and a bald eagle. They also do have crafts set up on certain days for a small fee. And a small gift shop on your way out. One of the best features of the nature center is the fabulous and affordable camps they have for the younger ones! My daughters have both attended them and request to go back repeatedly. They are far better value than the camps at the zoo and seaworld. Overall a great place. Just a heads up you park your car and then take a bus up to the buildings, you cannot drive directly up so keep that in mind if you are trying to be there at a certain time.

Not a bad place to visit. They have tanks were the kids can pet the string rays and many other coastal stuff

Because this is situated on protected land, you have to park in a parking lot and wait for a bus to take you back to the center, but it's less than a ten minute wait, so we didn't even register it. The facility is not that big, but they pack it full not only with displays, but with employees who clearly enjoy the work they do and want to share their enthusiasm with guests.

We did a behind-the-scenes tour that took us into the food prep area where we got to touch different things in a tank (a snail versus a limpet, for example) and also allowed us to feed the 2 unnamed sea turtles they have in the outside tank. I highly recommend this. The tour was already full the day we got there, but they were kind enough to allow us to join, then split the tour into 2 groups so that more people could participate. Kudos to the staff for making that happen.

We felt that our money was well spent here - they're doing their part to educate and protect.

We booked a behind the scenes for sea turtles, sharks, and rays. There were 10 of us for 100.00 altogether!!! (Take that Sea World $$$$) Elizabeth was our guide and she was amazing. Our Grandkids ages were 2,3,7,and 9. She patiently explained the feeding process , looking at tiny krill through a microscope which she let any who wanted look at. Her explanations were informative for kids to understand and believe me, she answered a lot of questions. I particularly like that she didn'd make up answers to a couple specific questions that she did not know, not in her wheelhouse. The whole family fed the shark and several rays. Then came time to feed the 2 sea turtles. What a thrill!!! And not just a few bits of foor but a whole bucket!! All in all a small but wonderful place to spend time looking at sea horses, fish, rays, sharks, and the turtles in a much more personal experience. Time spent 2 hours

It’s a good place for children to interact with wild life. The only place you can see a bald eagle outside of the wild. The only other time I saw one was in Alaska, so it’s rare sight to see.

We love Chula Vista Nature Center because of their amazing kids outreach programs. They have holiday nature camps for prek and School age children that are fun as well as educational. Our 4yr old just loved spending time there and had animal encounters with turtles,iguanas,snakes and even went crab catching. They also do a great job teaching about conservation. Worth The visit to Chula Vista! Great day trip.

I've been supporting this place for years, and I hope it continues on for years. This si a place that is easy to see in half a day, and not be totally tuckered out. The zoo is great but takes all day and costs a lot more. CVNC has all local wildlife and you can see the Eagles and owls eat in the afternoon. Kids can pet rays and sharks and watch them eat too!! Trails wind down to the water and kids can learn about preservation.

We recently had a casual corporate dinner at the Center and all the attendees really enjoyed it. You can visit the different exhibits plus have their staff show off some animals to your group while they eat dinner. We had an owl and a vibrant colored snake.

The staff at the venue are wonderful to work with and they have a great outdoor area that was perfect for our group of about 65 people. I highly recommend going whether it's for a business event or for an individual visit.

Last year, on my day off on the way to another of my endless chores (groceries) with my 4 year old son, I saw the sign for the Chula Vista nature center. I hadn't been for years!!!! On a whim I said forget chores we're going to the nature center! It has a new name now: "Living Coast Discovery Center". We made it about 30 feet into the center and I turned around and paid for the membership. This place is a local jewel. No loud music, none of the touristy gimmicky junk found in larger parks. Beautiful aquariums, neat bird and non-fish displays, and good fun educational/environmental info. The staff are very nice and they sometimes bring out animals for close encounters. Volunteers also sometimes have low cost crafts for kids. No snack shop but a few nice places to eat your own picnic lunch. There are trails too but I have yet to walk them. There is a small gift shop. You park in a lot at the west end of E street off I-5 in Chula Vista.

Great location to get away from hustle and bustle of other parts of San Diego. We love to walk along the paths and enjoy the estuary.

This place is cool but don't expect it to be a seaworld. They have shark feedings dally as well as turtles.

Tip.
They have two or three short hikes that lead to the bay that also have some history marks and sites that are cool.

They may accept AAA discounts

This is an place to spend the day and discover the kid in yourself. They save so many amazing animals.

We have been coming here for years even before it got its new name. My kids now ages 6, 8, & 10 still enjoy coming to see the animals. The best part by far has been during the raptor feedings and shark feedings. Petting sting rays is pretty cool too. Walking the short trails out front has been fun. We've even attended a birthday party here, and that included animal interactions with a rosey boa and a tortoise. If you have a few hours to spare it is totally worth your while. It's a nice little gem in the South Bay!

For sweeping views of the bay, downtown San Diego, and the Coronado bridge, take one of the trails that fan out from the new Butterfly Garden that is adjacent to the free shuttle bus drop off area. If indoors, you see sea creatures and birds in cages, outdoors you can experience raw nature -- shore birds, such as Great Blue Herons, doves, and many rabbits were spotted on Memorial Day (2017). Due to the rains this season, some wildflowers are still blooming. Adjacent to the ticket desk is a well-stocked gift shop. Also, included in the admission fee are several feedings and talks on the sea creatures. There are picnic tables, if you have brought food. So for an upclose taste of bay culture, go to the Living Coast Discovery Center.

My husband and I enjoy the center so much we became members. They care for damaged birds and endengenous sealife.Many creatures such as the greenback turtle are endangered. Lectures,,classes for children,hikes in the wetlands are some of the offered activities. It's a great adventure for the child in each of us.

We fed the sea turtles and spent 45min in the shark and ray touch tank. A great adventure at a smaller than average southern California attraction. definitively recommend it!

The exhibits are beautifully kept and the volunteers are friendly, but the best reason for going to the Living Coast Discovery Center is to walk down into a rare piece of 'wild' coast land and see the birds and the small critters. It is a surprisingly peaceful area given that the views include downtown, docks, and it's an abandoned explosives factory!

vAwesome hidden gem! The aquarists are very knowledgeable and care about the animals there! Awesome to see so many indigenous animals, and some that you would normally not see on your own! They offer summer camps for kids and many other programs for kids who are interested in working with animals. Staff are very friendly from the woman at the front desk to the bus driver. Lovely place

This was a nice, low-key place to visit for a couple of hours. They have a good collection of animals to see and learn about, including sea turtles, birds of prey, sharks and rays, and other aquarium exhibits. They have many educational programs for school kids, who appeared to be loving it! There are nice walking trails and pathways to the waterfront. Staff were friendly. There is a shuttle between the parking lot and main entrance that runs about every 15min.

We went here Sunday. We parked the car in the parking lot and waited for a few minutes for the shuttle to bring us to the main building. Upon arrival we immediately saw a sea turtle in a tank. Quite a welcome for a toddler. We paid $16 for adults and $11 for kids 3-12 yrs. It was not a very extensive animal display but what they do have is sufficient to amuse and impart new knowledge to toddlers and adults alike. We did not get to explore much due to our hectic schedule but we plan on going back. I like their gift shop as they do sell more educational stuff and reasonably priced. This is a great alternative to the more expensive and far zoos. And quite a productive way of amusing children without spending too much.

I lived in San Diego 2 years, and so when we were about to come here for the weekend, and I doublechecked Tripadvisor for ideas on things to do, I was happy to see that I had already covered most of the top attractions in town during my time here. I had never been to the CV Nature Center though, and was impressed it ranked 4th here. I decided to go, and luckily for us, it also happened to be a free admission day in honor of National Wildlife Refuges. Attendants had taken the Kestrel, Red-Tailed Hawk and G. Horned Owl out of their cages for people to see up closer, and we also talked to some SD Audubon reps about the birds out on the marsh. We touched the rays, and watch them feed the rays and sharks, and we took a tour of the place with a docent and listened to an hour long presentation on sea turtles. I thought it was great. Maybe it's not quite as exciting there on a regular day, but I do think it is a very cool little place, and I'm so glad it was saved, and the wetlands are there for the birds, of which we saw quite a few- egrets, godwits, herons, willets.... At $11 per adult, and entertaining for at least 2 or 3 hours (we were there for 4), it's a very good bargain for So. Cal!

This is a wonderful place to take your kids. A hidden secret.
They might close soon so please go now.
Your kids will enjoy it.

This nature center is AWESOME! You can really get up close to a lot of the animals as well as watch them feed which is really cool. I had never been so close to an Eagle before or even seen a Golden Eagle, such beauty. The Marine animals were great too especially the Turtles, Sharks & Seahorses. Way cheaper than SeaWorld and a lot less crowded too.

We did the turtle and bat ray behind the scenes encounter and it was awesome! We especially enjoyed the extra info and the up close and personal feedings. The facility itself really focused on saving the earth, something I think needs more attention. There was an admission coupon we found for a buy one get one adult.

For me it was a huge disappointment, the place has potential to become a top attraction, but there is a clear lack of attention, it is huge but most of it is empty, the service is bad, I recommend you to skip it and enjoy your time in other more fun locations.