Octopus

Courtesy Aquarium of the Pacific /

Let the fishies soothe you

By Mary Forgione

Start by slowly watching butterflyfish weave through rippling kelp beds before heading over to the shark-infested …well ... Shark Lagoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach (100 Aquarium Way). Warning: Don’t fall in! Once you can stand upright and actually read the placards in the exhibits, check out one of the aquarium’s newest species — the prehensile-tailed porcupine — and the 211,000-gallon seal and sea lion habitat. The aquarium is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but for those who won’t wake up until much later, admission is just $10 per person, regardless of age, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (usual admission: $20.95 for adults; $11.95 for children 3 to 11).www.aquariumofpacific.org.

The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro (3720 Stephen M. White Drive; www.cabrilloaq.org; free, but suggested donation $5 per adult, $1 per child) also is open noon to 5 p.m. on New Year’s Day.