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Vancouver Aquarium
Category: Active Life Aquariums Aquariums [Edit]
845 Avison WayVancouver, BC V6G 3E2
Neighbourhood: Coal Harbour
(604) 659-3474
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9:30 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
128 reviews for Vancouver Aquarium
128 reviews in English
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Review from Michael U.
2/8/2012
I've been to many of the "best" aquariums in both the United States and now Canada - all I can say is that although it is pricey this is one of the most impressively designed aquariums I've seen and when you take into account the outdoors exhibits with dolphins and Belugas as well as the interior with a diverse and well designed collection I would put the Vancouver Aquarium on the same level as the Shedd, Boston, or Tampa as a reference for how an aquarium should be managed.
Great gift shop, good crowd control, well behaved children in general - a must visit during a trip to Stanley Park and the city of Vancouver. -
Review from Taylor K.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love the aquarium. It always brings out the kid in me. I find myself walking around and learning something new every time I come. For example, I learned that a frog can eat a frog or even a bat. Who knew? Not me, obviously.
Seriously though, this place is pretty awesome. They have everything you need. A kids' play space, a beluga show, dolphin show and a wild bird show.
It is pricey. It's about $27.00 to get in and it seems pretty expensive to me but I guess they need that to keep the aquarium running.
I would definitely suggest getting a membership card if you have a kid and you live fairly close enough that you can come here often.
It is way cheaper and it also gets you discount on food and merchandise. -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
2/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I suspect I was brought here as a kid, although I have no independent memory of that and my parents failed in documenting and/or recollecting that particular precious childhood event. (I'll take that one up in therapy.) However I can safely say that prior to two visits within the past six months with visiting family and friends, I hadn't been here in at least 20 years. (Wow, does that ever make me sound old...)
Anyway, not to worry, because this place will instantly bring out the kid in you - once you get past the annoyingly long line to get in!
But once inside, you are surrounded by an incredible array of marine life at which you can stare for hours. Countless fish and other assorted weird and wonderful sea creatures from various parts of BC and around the world. There is also a mini tropical environment with incredibly colourful birds and butterflies, which I loved. The snakes and caimans (alligator-like creatures) freaked me out but fascinated me, too. Of course one of the big highlights is the outdoor marine mammals: the sea otters, seals, dolphins and beluga whales. They are highly intelligent and absolutely amazing to watch.
All that to say, yes, this place deserves a high-ranking spot on the list of places you should bring tourists visiting Vancouver, or even places to check out if you want to play tourist in your own city. It's a great place to escape on a rainy day, and on a nice day, you can add it to a walk around Stanley Park. -
Review from Ellen L.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Haiku review:
I'm a giant child
So much stuff to see and learn
Ooooooh a PINK star fish!!!!!!!
Addendum: pink is mah favvvvvvourite colour. And yes, DO come into the Aquarium with a child's curiosity and you're guaranteed good times.Listed in: Places to go in Land of…, Haiku Reviews
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Review from Sunshine M.
Coquitlam, BC
12/12/2011
I am a repeat offender. Try to bum 50% off coupons off friends with Entertainment & Vancouver Attraction coupon books. If you have to pay full price-it's still worth it!
We are finally learning not to go at 3:30 PM and madly fly around until closing time. Go earlier in the day and you will have time to see the exhibits and the animals will be active.
Before living in BC I thought the BC Coast area would be boring. It rocks! Look at the pics above each exhibit to see what the serene water areas look like, then look in the tanks to see the enchanted underwater world unfold.
Try to catch Kila the beluga playing peeka-boo before a show. Go outside to see the playful otters and then go back inside to warm up in the Amazon area. Be a rock star and spot the 1) sloth or 2) the eel in big tank.
Every time holds a new wonder. Last time there were little tube worms that stood in the sand and swayed to watch you with bug eyes, then "bloop" disappeared when you came close. If that doesn't make your day, what will?!?
Tip: VERY kid and wheelchair friendly. -
Review from Billy C.
1/16/2012
Daisy the Dolphin and I had a moment together. It was pretty amazing.
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Review from Melissa Nicole J.
1/17/2012 2 photos
So, I haven't been in an aquarium since I was a kid. And I was a little hesitant to go. I figured...hmmmm....I could totally go to the aquarium in San Diego......MAN am I glad I went. I loved this place. I think the only thing I would change is increase the amount of enclosures and tanks. But I had a blast. It was a little expensive, but you can't put a price on returning to your childhood. I was seriously skipping through the halls of this place....This place is not only amazing for kids...It's incredible for adults.....
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Review from Jason L.
Vancouver, BC
1/11/2012
I can never get enough of this place! What can say, An amazing aquarium is a beauteful park!! love to come here in a sunny, winter afternoon, cuz it will be less crowded than summer days!
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Review from Sarah M.
10/24/2011
This is definitely one of the best aquariums I've been to, hands down. I've been on an aquarium kick recently and it beats San Francisco, Honolulu, and Seattle any day.
This place is located in the heart of Stanley Park and is much bigger than most aquariums that I've been to - there's just a ton to do. They have a rainforest display, sea turtles, dolphins, and beluga whales which were my favorite exhibits.
On a Sunday afternoon, it was extremely crowded with crying kids and parents - although I was surprised at the number of couples that came here as well. I felt less creepy coming here than I usually do. :)
Luckily it was a beautiful day and we were happy to go outside to see the sea otters, whales, dolphins, and sea lions. Although this place was a little expensive for admission and over $40 to get in, it was worth it. -
Review from Mike K.
11/6/2011
Pretty typical as far as big city aquariums go, which is to say it's AWESOME. (I love aquariums.) It was crowded when we went on a Sunday, and is probably crowded more often than not.
QUICK TIP: if you have a credit card, don't wait in line...go to one of the credit card kiosks across from the front door (on the other side of the Orca fountain) and get your tickets there. We avoided about a 30 min. wait in line that way and got through the entrance right away.
All sorts of cool critters and habitats that I don't want to spoil for you...go and check it out! -
Review from Christine D.
9/25/2011
We picked a crowded Sunday to check out the aquarium. It had some great exhibits both inside and outside.
I enjoyed the beluga whale exhibit you can view them from both the inside and outside. As well as the otter exhibit. The otter exhibit, those little guys like the attention and they are real cute.
There was a frog exhibit inside that was interesting as well as informative. Some of them are going instinct, which is a good indication of change in the ecosystem.
Interesting information on the north pole as well.
All in all informative but try to avoid the weekends if you can as they are jam packed.
We found using our credit card out at the kiosk outside was quicker for ingress than waiting in line to pay in person which we would have paid via credit card anyway so that just made the process quicker. Also, there is an aquarium employee outside by the kiosk on this particular weekend in case you have any difficulties.
I loved the soda and water machines that took credit cards. Canada has it all over the US in that regard as anyone with a credit card can buy a soda and not worry about exact change or which currency you were carrying.
I'd visit this place again.Listed in: Vancity
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Review from Jennifer R.
Toronto, ON
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
The shows here are really informative and entertaining. Bring a camera, especially for the dolphin show!
The "4D" show that they have here isn't exactly anything great. I was fairly disappointed by it -- it was supposed to be Planet Earth, but the 2D to 3D conversion and the cheezy water and wind effects in the theatre don't add anything to the show. I don't recommend standing in line very long for it. Just go towards the time that the show is starting and you'll probably get in.
The rainforest exhibit is quite neat, though it's difficult to get a good view of the small monkeys they have in one of the pens. There are a lot of butterflies that you get up close to, though.
The jellyfish exhibit is great and something that they have that I haven't seen before is a lifecycle exhibit where they depict the growth of a specific species from child to adult stages.
If you're going to come here from downtown, go to the Tourism Vancouver stands first. The price for a ticket at the door is around $30, but you can get one at those stands for around $22. The directions they give you say to take the 5 bus. Don't do that. Take the 19 instead.
There are a lot of children here since it's a popular place to bring your family. -
Review from Charles W.
9/21/2011
Its a decent aquarium, a bit on the small/cramped side.
Lots of small exhibits, not a lot of the really big exhibits you'll see at some zoos/aquariums.
Lots of areas where exhibits are hiding, so its easy to miss an entire wing of exhibits at this place.
The bird show was good.
The tanks look a bit cramped, especially for the dolphins.
Beluga whales like to just float and chill in place.
Otters are cute and playful, as always.
Water in some tanks looks like it could use a bit more filtering. -
Review from Erika L.
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
GREAT aquarium! Lots of parking available, even on a busy day - although you may have a bit of walk. We ended up with maybe a 10 minute walk to the aquarium, but it's Stanley Park, so it was very beautiful and peaceful (aside from screaming/crying kids).
The aquarium itself is very nicely laid out, with lots of information on each animal and where you can find the different species. The beluga whales have always been one of my favorite animals - and they've got 3! They have above and below ground views of the beluga whales, dolphins, otters and seals. The dolphin show was very informative and entertaining! -
Review from Eric B.
6/11/2011
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre is located in Stanley Park and easily accessible from my rental bike at the time. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, conservation and marine animal rehabilitation.
The opened in 1956 and is run by a self-supporting non-profit organization. The operation of the aquarium receives no government funding. The property is owned by the City of Vancouver and rented to the Aquarium for $40,000 a year since 1991 (prior to which it was $1 per year). It is officially Canada's first public aquarium and its largest. It's also the first aquarium in the world to capture and display an orca. Other whales and dolphins on display included belugas, narwhals, and dolphins. No penguins though.
I still have my Vancouver Aquarium "Fish" tie as a souvenir from my visit. It was a cool, fun, and educational experience (especially the arctic stuff), and one that I'd love to repeat. -
Review from Alan Y.
The Vancouver Aquarium is the greatest, most visited aquarium in Canada. Okay, it's also the Canada's ONLY aquarium.
I was able to finagle myself into the guestbook, thus saving the $21/person ticket fee twice. We also had the benefit of a backstage viewing where we saw the jelly fish breeding room, their sea turtle up close, various amphibians and reptiles, and other miscellany.
We also watched a Dora the Explorer video in 4D, that's right FOUR DIMENSIONS. I was a little bit sad that I was forced to watch Dora the Explorer but it was a cute little show I guess.
There is also an Amazon exhibit, which was sweltering. They had the heat and humidity turned up to about 88F. It was amusing seeing people walk around in puffy jackets and toques in that temperature. I only had a tee shirt and I was sweating my ass off.
It was amazing seeing a Hyacinth Macaw up close. They are huge, like a freaking condor, and the purple color of their feathers does not translate through photos.
If you are coming here and expecting a world class aquarium, you might be disappointed. But if you are coming to experience some local color, and see a decent regional aquarium, then this is a great place. -
Review from Sachi M.
5/29/2011 8 Check-ins Here
I bought an annual membership a year ago. It pays for itself in two visits, since you also get a guest pass to bring someone. Any guests after that get 10% off (this month, they're having a special campaign of 20% off).
The good thing about it is, I didn't have to rush to see all the shows (dolphin, beluga, sea otter feeding, 4D theatre) in one day. I could come to the Aquarium, even if I didn't have a whole day free.
The sign by the food stand said 'more covered seating available in the underground dolphin and beluga viewing areas', so I guess we're officially allowed to eat down there! The dolphin area, especially, has lots of seating. It's a bit dark to read in, but it's a nice, relaxing place to hang out on non-school-vacation weekdays. You can't do that if you bought a daily ticket! There are also some seats by the beluga tank outside that has a canopy for shade. Now that was a good place for reading (between the shows). I went there a few times just to peek at the fish exhibits, then sit around.
I guess I should say something about the exhibits :) The BC Coast area is unique. I like being able to see which ones I'm swimming with when I go to Whytecliff Park!
I wish they had a section for turtles just as big as the frogs. They're getting an expansion this summer, so I can hope...
Don't expect a Sea World-type show, because you will be disappointed. It's a Research, Conservation, Education, etc. centre that supports those activities by being a tourist destination. -
Review from Jon M.
8/21/2011
+ Lots of different types of sea life to view
+ Dolphin show was great fun
~ There's a "rainforest" exhibit, with non-sea life animals. It was cool to see, but not sure why it had it as it was weird to see sloths and butterflies at an aquarium.
~ Beluga show was ok
~ Parking is $10 if you're there for a few hours, plus $30/adult, the price can add up quickly.
- Traffic from someone who's not used to Vancouver traffic can be a pain on the Weekends. -
Review from Fritz S.
6/5/2011
I love coming here!
I recently took my daughter here and she absolutely loved it! Just seeing the excited look in her face when she saw the dolphins and the beluga whales was well worth it for me!!
There are so many things to see and do here! They even got a 4D experience show where a lot more happens than just 3D.. u gotta see it to believe it. it reminded me of Disney World. You can easily spend the whole day here. try to go on the weekdays because the weekends tend to get HELLA busy with a million rug rats running, yelling and screaming around, lol!
OH and food here is pretty expensive as well so eat before or eat after. hey, just helping you out.. :) enjoy -
Review from Letie W.
7/2/2011
I haven't been here since I was a kid, but what I remember is that I absolutely loved it...and well...still do! I followed the SeaWall to the Info Center. There's a road to the right of the Info Center, follow it up and you'll see signs that direct you to the Aquarium.
My highlights are the bats, amazon setting, and jellyfish. They also have a 4D film that is included as part of the admission. Just make sure you get in line 10 min prior for good seating. -
Review from Carrie H.
9/12/2011
To say we enjoyed this aqarium would be an understatement! The drive from Seattle to Stanley Park was totally worth it. The shows we watched today were amazing. We were only there for a little over two and a half hours yet we caught the Bird Show, Dolphin Show and the Whale Show from under the water. This place certainly compares with the other aquariums in Dallas and Seattle we have visited we will definitely return with friends and family in the future!
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
3/2/2011
Sebastian from The Little Mermaid was absolutely correct...
~Under the Sea. Under the Sea. Life is better under the Sea~
Be forewarn, do not come here on an empty stomach.
(Coho, Crabs, Clams, Jellyfish, etc...)
Be sure to check out the following:
4D Experience Theatre
Beluga Show
Dolphin Show
Check the schedule online to plan your time.
Spend a few dollars on Food to support their on-going research.Listed in: 4+ ****Stars****, Vancouver'ing for the Week
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Review from Runner G.
9/25/2011
This review is completely about clownfish cove, not the rest of the over crowded, poorly designed aquarium. Visited today for the first time after Clownfish Cove reopened and what a joke! The area is by the dolphin viewing, exits on both sides, no room for strollers, people or kids. Clearly the aquarium is looking to not have kids and families hang out at the aquarium as the space is not welcoming or appealing. Regretfully, I have a membership but once it is done will not be renewing. I refuse to support and organization that is not family friendly and goes out of their way to push families/kids away. TERRIBLE place!
Comment from Vancouver A. of Vancouver Aquarium 11/14/2011
We can assure you that we in no way intend to push… More » -
Review from Dru C.
2/25/2011
Not a zoo, but a place where animals really live. It is also a research center for animals now too.
This is the perfect place to go when you have friends from other countries around!! It is also a very entertaining place to go learn about our amazing sea animals, especially when we live by the ocean!
I love the jelly fishes the most in this whole place. The nice dark blue background and the beautiful colour of the jelly fishes are the coolest ever!! I also enjoy those frogs that are in here too!! There are so many memories made in this place when I was a kid!
The food here is expensive, if there is food it is mostly just Burgers and fries, so go out to grab food, but enjoy all the exhibits, and remember to learn!! :D -
Review from Scott P.
3/14/2011
I have been to many aquariums and wasn't expecting much, but I was super surprised at the fun I had. It was a great way to spend a rainy day. I made sure I went to each of the special shows: beluga whales, dolphins and the 4D movie experience. All three were worth the $21 I spent on entrance fees. In fact the 4D experience alone was worth the money.
4D is a 3D movie with another dimension added. It is a "Disney" sort of thing where you watch a Planet Earth movie and there are special effects besides the 3D experience. For instance when the pod of dolphins came across the screen water was misted into your face. It was pretty cool! There are other fun surprises too.
Vancouver Aquarium you made me smile today and I certainly needed that smile! -
Review from Erin U.
10/6/2011
The aquarium is great, especially for kids. used to bring the kids at my daycare whenever we could. A bit pricey so most people only go once a year even tho they would probably go more if it were cheaper. lots to see tho and the staff are very friendly. The new 4-d theater is always fun and kids can touch sealife here a few times a day which they will freak out about. the dolphins and belugas are beautiful. shows all the time and a great way to spend an afternoon. food vendors are kinda gross and way overpriced so bring a packed lunch if you wanna eat good.
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Review from Vincci L.
A cool way to spend a day, and many great opportunities to snap great photos. This is Canada's largest aquarium, so it's definitely worth checking out.
Dolphins, belugas, seals, fish, and of course, the famous sea otters. Different themed areas exposes visitors to all kinds of species. There is also an Amazon Gallery which houses cool creatures and plants.
There are scheduled shows throughout the day, a dolphin one, seal interaction, a beluga show, and even a 4D theatre. The beluga tanks are amazing, you feel like you're in a whole different world.
They are highly committed to conservation and research for aquatic life, and have many programs to carry this out.
It's super family friendly, with lots of washrooms, wide ramps, and even a kid's learning area.
So much to see, so much fun. Go! -
Review from Liz B.
Vancouver, BC
3/14/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This such a cool place to go and even better if you have kids who get up early, so you miss the crowds! My particular favs - the BC area and the sea otters. Although having said that the little harbour porpoise really is very sweet.
Now I have never been a fan of having the bigger creatures there, but after listening to one of the talks the other week about The Arctic and climate change, some of the things they are learning because of their research ,it looks like it will have practical applications for the populations in the wild. -
Review from Ninette C.
4/27/2011
My boyfriend and I needed to kill some time between meals (90% of the reason we come to Vancouver) so off to the Vancouver Aquarium we went.
It was a rainy day and the signs were really confusing. After paying for parking, admission was $21 or something quite high. Let me put it this way: the website says $21, but for some reason I thought I paid more? Maybe I'm imagining things. Either way, whoops...a little pricy of a way to *kill time* (though I don't think its too bad for an aquarium).
I enjoyed looking at the tanks of colorful fish, the beluga whales and the exhibition on life in the Arctic Circle (very unique).
I was quite irritated that NOTHING was happening outside. The animals were lazing around, they wanted to close it the whole time we were there aka no exhibition and it was cold.
I found out recently that this is Canada's largest aquarium and I can see the potential there. I might come back in the summer sometime when I plan this trip more carefully. It was not my best-laid of plans. I'm sure it would be more worth it that way. -
Review from Joshua N.
3/26/2011
***This is a review for the "Immersion" event at the Vancouver Aquarium, Friday March 26, 2011. But also kinda a review for the aquarium itself.***
The idea of the event was fantastic: open the aquarium to adults, at night, with music, serve alcohol and appetizers, and have guided tours of the exhibits and other activities. The whole thing is a fundraiser for the aquarium (which already bugs me more than a little -- I believe science museums should be free for everyone. Our priorities as a society are messed up... on second thought, maybe I won't rant about this in a review).
Although an incredibly cool concept, the execution of the event was not perfect. There were five activities: a guided tour of the shark habitat, a "4D" viewing of a BBC Planet Earth video on a big screen, a guided tour of the "wet lab" where you could hold sea stars and sea urchins, a tarot card reader (?!) and a cartoonist drawing caricatures (?!?!). I'm not sure what these last two had to do with aquatic life, but then I'm not a marine biologist.
The outside decks were open and we could go out and wander around with the belugas and the dolphins, which was excellent. The sea otters were sleeping but some lady kept flashing her camera at them and they eventually woke up (sorry about that, little guys). And it was generally just pretty cool to hang out at a party with eels and jellyfish and sharks and whatever without little kids running around all over the place.
Unfortunately:
A lot of the exhibit was closed, including the tank in the main atrium and the Amazon area. I'm sure the tarot reader and caricaturist were nice people but I would have liked more guided tour stuff, that was by far the best part (I am, however, a professional nerd, so maybe that's just me). Also, 5 activities weren't enough for the number of people they had (250?), especially since some of them weren't available the whole night. The net result is that we spent a lot of the night standing in line. Also I would have liked a little more food for the $33 it cost me for the ticket.
This is an event with a lot of potential at possibly the best tourist attraction in Vancouver. I'm sure next year's installment will be even better. -
Review from alison t.
Mission, BC
10/6/2011
My son loves to come here and look at the beluga's. Entertaining, educational and fun. We have a family membership. We love the giftshop. We like that 4d shows are offered, but haven't been able to watch one yet due to the lines and a three year old that doesn't like lines. We really love it here and its nice to see some public education about marine mammals happening and the rescue work that they do.
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Review from Christopher J.
4/20/2011 59 photos
==Vancouver Aquarium==
I have never seen such an amazing Aquarium anywhere but here in Vancouver. They have so many exotic looking living creatures that I have seen and I just love how the place is organized as well. It was so fun to see so many species and so many areas to explore! Although I got a ticket when I walked out on my rental car. haha. Be sure to pay your meters!!
Be sure to pick up a map and show information. They do have various shows throughout the day. And if you get hungry, there are food stands around, but a little overpriced like all places.
PROS::
1] Many areas to explore here
2] Very very good for children as well
3] Bring a camera, lots to see and to take photos of
CONS::
1] Metered parking in the lot? I got a ticket ... -
Review from Nicole F.
3/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
My drawing class had a field trip to the Vancouver Aquarium this morning which I was pretty excited about, because I haven't been there since... possibly elementary school.
Highlights include:
-The awesome BBC Planet Earth 4D "experience" show that sprayed us with water and sent the audience full of children into a fit of laughter.
-The Harbour Porpoise named Daisy who bobbed around and smiled at my friends and I the entire time we stood there. She is so cute! And she has a permanent smile on her face.
-SHARKS.
-The adorable sea otters that rolled around and gazed at everyone happily.
-Tons of Jellyfish in almost all their life stages separated by tanks. So many mini jellies!!
-The Pygmy monkeys.
-The super friendly and knowledgeable staff, of course!
Love it! -
Review from Sandra T.
Toronto, ON
2/2/2011 3 photos
I am not generally a fan of aquariums (except Sea World - I love Sea World) so my review may be a little biased. Another thing is, we did not spend very much time here so we did not get to experience all the aquarium has to offer. We never saw any of the shows. I wish we had time to see the 4D movie but we came a little too late in the day.
As a place to do general browsing, it pales in comparison to the aquarium in Chicago.
Admission was also on the pricey side. But, its hard to feel bad paying admission to a place that promotes and supports preservation and education of sea creatures.
There were TONS of kids running around and having fun so I know this place is a good place for kids. Our little guy was a little too young to really appreciate what was going on but he did enjoy watching the bigger fish.
Personally, I loved seeing the jelly fish - so hypnotic!Listed in: Mommy Stuff
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Review from Diana B.
3/27/2011
When I first moved to Vancouver, I wanted to hit up all the major landmarks and tourists spots before I settled in. Lucky for us, free with our car rental, were free admission coupons to a bunch of places to see.
My poor son has been lugged around during our entire move, so his pick was first!
Honestly, it is not as big as I thought it would be... But, being partial to all living forms- pretty awesome.
You have to see the dolphin show- They look so unreal, that is how beautiful they are.
On to the Jellies and the sea turtles--- the best part! What a sight to see...
The bird area, is really not my thing... But was a nice walk through.
Overall, the Vancouver Aquarium is great for all to see, if you are in the area...Listed in: Things to Do in BC
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Review from J H.
4/16/2011
Love this place! So many different areas to explore! And I love that many of the exhibits has different viewing areas to give you different perspectives. The staff and volunteers are super friendly and helpful. Plus everything is so clean!
The kids play area is awesome. Perfect for the kids to run around even MORE freely, if that's even possible. My son's fave part in that area was the make believe vet office with the seals, stethoscopes, vet jackets and other medical tools. Super cute!
I went on a weekday, but it still seemed really busy. Then again it's spring break! So I can only imagine how crazy it could be on the weekend.
The must-sees on a visit...the belugas, the kids play area (if you have kids), the shark tank, the python, the pacific ocean (?) tank by the lower level gift shop! I was going to list more, but maybe I should narrow it down to what can be skipped... Though I can't think of one!
Parking is $2/HR, but you might as well buy the full day til 6pm for $5. Take the ticket later and go to any other part of Stanley Park and enjoy the rest of the park's offerings! -
Review from Tam F.
8/19/2010
This is probably the best aquarium I have been to and they didn't even have any penguins!
The food offerings are minimal and honestly, not very good but hopefully, they save the good stuff for the fish and other animals!
There were so many interesting exhibits, dolphin shows/feedings, otters, and Beluga whales. I had never seen a Beluga before in person, but I kept singing the Raffi song and sadly, couldn't get it out of my head!
The rainforest area was a little too humid for my comfort, but the frogs, butterflies and birds in here were awesome.
We were lucky enough that my brother-in-law, sister-in-law and nephew drove up from Bellingham to join us on our adventure here as well as a couple of other trips so it made the whole experience that much better! -
Review from Marcy L.
2/17/2011
Make that 3.5 stars. For better or worse, the Monterey Bay Aquarium will always be the Aquarium I compare all others to. And Vancouver is a proud second place to Monterey's fantastic first.
Pros:
- Location is absolutely gorgeous and the Aquarium does a good job of blending in and complimenting the scenery.
- The Beluga whale, jellyfish and sharks are all awesome.
- Ocean WIse - their sustainable seafood awareness program, is pretty top notch and a great effort distinguishing the Aquarium as a conservation and public outreach institution rather than just entertainment.
Cons:
- Sea-world clone dolphin show.
- Tiny tank for lots of sharks. -
Review from Alice A.
12/22/2010
I love aquariums that educate and have transparent policies on how the animals ended up there. Vancouver Aquarium definitely is a local gem and I mean, it is located IN Stanley Park - how much cooler can it get!?!
Belugas. You got to love the belugas, I wish I could hear their thoughts. -
Review from black p.
5/10/2011
in a word... disappointing.
in two words... depressing, as well.
in three words... disturbing, too, quite literally.
and the worst part? this was the attraction i was most looking forward to seeing while out in Vancouver, for i love marine life and from what i had heard/read, it was supposed to be a REALLY nice aquarium.
and... perhaps that was the case for the 4,578 children bumping into me, hogging the tanks up, taking pics with their siblings and parents every which way, and all screaming relentlessly. but, not the ideal conditions for a person trying to avoid a chilly, rainy day while nursing a nasty hangover.
the problem with this joint is, even without the rug rats, i wouldn't have much good to say. i would've prob bumped it up to two stars if not for the four beluga whales (absolutely amazingly beautiful creatures, btw) trapped in an aquarium not nearly big enough for one, let alone four... so yeah... one star is as much as i can suffice after nearly getting sick due to feeling so bad for them. albeit, that could've been the alkeymahal talking. or a mix of both.
they also had two dolphins and an otter outside. once more, the areas not big enough for either of the species.
my hatred for zoos washed over me once more as my heart broke. fucking humans. we suck at life.
side note: i heard they ARE phasing out the beluga whales and dolphins by not bringing anymore new ones, which brought some cheer to a most dreary day.
