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Cheap Thrills: beach adventure

By Rebecca Nieto

| Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009 | Updated 8:02 PM PST

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California coastline is the spot for an experience of a lifetime - the grunion run. The elusive fish washes ashore March to July during the dead of night. You can catch all the action at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

It may one of the best deals in town and all you need is 5 bucks and a flashlight. The main attraction is one of the world's most elusive fish - the Grunion.

Each year from March to July, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium opens its doors for a special evening of programs. During that time, the grunion wash themselves ashore 3 to 4 nights after the new or full moon. The females dance their way onto the sand, laying eggs along the way while the male follows to fertilize them. In 10 days the eggs will be hatched and the next high tide will wash them away where the fish will mature over the next year.

Your part: the spot the first wave of grunion to wash wiggle onto shore during the dead of night. The grunion watchers suggest you bring a blanket and a flashlight - one so you can stay warm and the other so you can see the fish in the dark waters.

For more information on when you can see the grunion, go to the events page on the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium website. And, click here for directions on how to get to the aquarium.