CHULA VISTA (KUSI) – The Living Coast Discovery Center will reopen to the public today, following a 13-month closure due to COVID-19.
The Living Coast, a nonprofit zoo/aquarium located on San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, will be open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays only, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations or advance tickets are not required. Private tours will be available to book Monday through Friday for small groups in a private two-hour tour and animal encounter.
“We cannot wait to finally welcome visitors back to the Living Coast,” said Ben Vallejos, executive director of the center. “This extended closure has been challenging for us, and we would not be here without the incredible support and dedication of our donors, fans, members, volunteers and staff. We look forward to once again making connections between families and native wildlife, which is at the core of our mission.”
For now, the Living Coast Discovery Center will be open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays only, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the weekend visits, reservations are not necessary, the center said. Admission costs $16 for visitors age 13+; kids ages 3 to 12 get in for $11, and kids age 2 and younger get in free. You can get more information on tickets here.
Private, 2-hour tours for small groups can be booked ahead of time Monday through Friday. Those private tours cost $250 for nonmembers ($150 for members) and include admission for up to 10 people. The small groups get a tour around Living Coast guided by an animal ambassador that includes up-close encounters with wildlife, such as options to feed a sea turtle or bat ray.
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Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista announced it is reopening to the public Saturday, May 1, after a year of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the nature center is set to welcome guests back Saturdays and Sundays only. Limited private tour reservations will be available Monday through Friday, said Communications Manager Rachel Harper.
Due to ongoing health-related restrictions, the nature center is set to reopen with limitations, such as asking guests health screening questions, requiring face masks and physical distancing.
The reopening comes after pandemic-related shutdowns forced the center to close. With public visits and educational programmings, such as field trips, wildlife camps and animal feedings its main source of revenue, the closure placed the Chula Vista nonprofit in financial uncertainty, Executive Director Ben Vallejos told the Chula Vista City Council during a July 2020 meeting.