Plan Your Visit

Hello Ocean ADVOCATE!

We are so excited you have taken an interest in our mission to save pinnipeds!

We are open every day 10am-4pm except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and if announced otherwise on social media due to weather.

What to expect

Our volunteers will greet you in our visitor yard to introduce you to our:

  • California Sea Lions

  • Northern Elephant Seals

  • Pacific Harbor Seals

  • or Northern Fur Seal patients

Our visitor yard features:

  • Interactive displays

  • Marine mammal artifacts

  • Treasure Trove gift shop for kids and adults

ADMISSION IS FREE, but donations are greatly appreciated! PMMC also offers educational programs for all ages. Ask how you can get involved!

Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more only, smaller groups need not make reservations.

How to find us

We are located near the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter and the dog park, 6 min from Laguna Beach. There is free limited onsite parking. Look for the red barn!

Visiting FAQ

  • You do not need a reservation. We are open every day of the week from 10am-4pm and there is no charge to visit. We have docents that will help give a wonderful experience and answer all your questions. We rescue several species of marine mammals including California Sea Lions, Elephant Seals, and Harbor Seals.

  • We do. Please contact our education department at education@pacificmmc.org to see what options are available for your group.

  • Yes, there is a small lot onsite with free parking.

  • Yes. California law allows persons with disabilities to bring trained service dogs and psychiatric service dogs, but not emotional support animals, to all public places.

    Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls

  • Other dogs are not allowed in due to disturbance/stress it can pose to the wild animals we are rehabilitating. Additionally, we do not wish to habituate the animals in any way to dogs as it would be dangerous for them in the wild. There are also potential communicable diseases between dogs and sea lions, so it is safer for both our patients and people’s pets that pets not be brought in to PMMC’s visitor yard.

Patient FAQ

  • The most common Pinnipeds to Southern California are Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals, and California sea lions. Occasionally, we treat Northern fur seals. PMMC is also the only temporary holding facility for small whales and dolphins between Santa Barbara and San Diego.

  • "PINNIPEDIA" is the scientific name given to all seals, sea lions and walruses. It means, "fin or feather-footed." All seals sea lions and walruses are referred to as Pinnipeds. There are two types of Pinnipeds that we care for at Pacific Marine Mammal Center: the "true seals", belonging to the Family Phocidae and the “eared seals”, belonging to the Family Otariidae.

  • "Cetacea" is the scientific name given to all whales, dolphins and porpoises. All whales, dolphins and porpoises are referred to as cetaceans.

  • PMMC is responsible for animals stranded on beaches along the Orange County coast. The range extends north to Seal Beach and south to San Onofre. We are a member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network that services animals along the entire coastline of the United States.

  • The majority of the pinnipeds we rescue are severely malnourished, suffer from dehydration and may have respiratory infections. We also treat animals that are affected by gill net entanglement, fishing line / hooks, human inflicted injuries, shark bites, parasites and various diseases. Trash has also become an increasingly vital concern for the health and safety of our oceans. More information can be found at Project Aware.

  • The length of stay varies with each patient and depends on the severity of their medical problems. However, the average length of stay is three months.

  • The criteria that determine when our patients are ready to be released are sound medical condition, the ability to dive independently and compete for fish while maintaining a healthy body weight.

  • Our busiest season is during late winter and early spring. Late winter / early spring period is the time when pups are weaning from their mothers and are more susceptible to natural medical issues such as malnourishment and dehydration.

Happy Visitors

  • Cute place with dedicated staff. Informative displays. Spanish speakers available. They have a variety of rescues at any given time but especially in the spring. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Adorable little gift shop. Membership available on their website.

    ADORA
    Google Review Local Guide

  • It is an amazing place where they save and rehabilitate the marine mammals. Free entrance and open to the public from 10 AM to 4 PM everyday except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Great for a day trip of a family especially with kids. There is a small gift shop inside as well. Lots of opportunities if you love the oceans and volunteer...

    CHERI P.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • Small place but a great place to take kids to learn about marine mammals, ocean conservation, and animal rehabilitation. The staff there was super friendly and informative. They took the kids on a mini tour of the place and explained the process of receiving, renourish, and releasing the animals. If you're in the area, I recommend stopping by with kids and donating a few bucks to a good cause.

    DANIEL L.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • Beautiful experience! The seals are very cute (and loud!) the volunteers are friendly, and this place is very good to bring your kids.

    S.D.L.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • What an amazing place to visit. It is free to the public and very educational the entire staff is knowledgeable about the marine mammals and one of the staff told my wife and I that this place is his anti depressant. Anything you buy or donate goes straight to the seals food so they can eat. They are expanding adding a bigger swim area for the seals.

    MARC G.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • Awesome place!!! They are all very educated on the animals that they are caring for. Stop in and purchase something from the gift shop to help support their company and the great things that they are accomplishing there! Lots of cool stuff in their shop. Not a huge property but a fun place to visit for a few minutes. 5 star from me!

    M.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • Really cool place and experience. I was greeted upon arrival and happily shown around. The guide who assisted me was very informational and she answered all of my questions. I learned a lot about their 4 patients they have at this moment, and what the center does to help many marine mammals throughout the year…

    JAYMIE M.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • I'm so happy I stopped by here! This wonderful place takes in various marine mammals and works on rehabilitating them so they can be released into the wild. There were a bunch of sea lions being cared for during my visit. A kind volunteer explained things and answered my questions. It was free, but they have a donation box for those who can contribute…

    STACY R.

  • Such a great facility to take your family to, free admission and the staff put in so much effort to educate you. Animals are so well looked after and happy <3

    CARALEYN S.
    Google Review Local Guide

  • Thank goodness for this place. Learning about the different marine mammals found off the coast of California is great. And then learning about how these wonderful animals are cared for, rehabilitated and almost always released back into the wild is terrific. Watching the animals swim, eat and play is such a treat.

    DEVIN B.
    Google Review Local Guide

Our rescues can’t wait to see you!

Sample text if needed. Other links could lead to the webcams or education programs.