Vancouver Aquarium Reviews (Vancouver, British Columbia)

Vancouver Aquarium

by missj1981

London, England, United Kingdom

November 22, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo Vancouver is a large city but many great attractions and much to do for tourists. I was surprised the first time I visited the city I was amazed by the size of the city. There is truly a lot to do in this city and you can easily spend two weeks ...Read more Vancouver is a large city but many great attractions and much to do for tourists. I was surprised the first time I visited the city I was amazed by the size of the city. There is truly a lot to do in this city and you can easily spend two weeks here. We only stayed here for one week but we took some time to visit the aquarium of Vancouver.

Although you wouldn’t really expect it the aquarium is a very popular tourist attraction. It’s located in the beautiful Stanley Park and that’s how we came across it. Stanley park is a beautiful park, especially on a beautiful sunny day. We decided to go to the aquarium because it came highly regarded.

There are several areas at the aquarium as you have an outside and inside area. There are animals from different kind of regions as the Arctic Canada, Wild Coast, BC Coast but also the Amazon Rainforest. There are simply too many animals to mention them all but a few examples are starfish, dolphins and octopus.

The aquarium is considered the best in North America and when wondering around we noticed there are a lot of options for children to learn more about the animals in a very entertaining ways like little games that they can play. For the more adults there is information all throughout the aquarium. You can read all about all the animals and their habitat.

I think for everyone the highlights of the aquarium will differ but for me it was one of the shows and my favorite was the dolphin show. The entire show took half an hour but was full of action and great entertainment. Also for me it was very important to see that the animals were cared with love.

The aquarium is very large and I think you can easily spend a good few hours here with all the different kind of shows. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see all the living habitats of the animals. Everything looked clean and the animals looked very healthy.

I think the aquarium is absolutely one of the best I have seen so far and would highly recommend it. The entrance price fee might scare of people off a bit and I can understand it might be especially expensive when you go with the whole family but it’s worth it in my eyes. For me five stars.
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From journals The beautiful Vancouver, The great Canada

fun fun fun

by pinarc

Vancouver, British Columbia

January 27, 2012

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Aquarium is such a great attractions especially for kids and families. We watched 4D movie, it was amazing, we laughed a lot. Also Dolphin show was something we would never forgot. We have very memorable pictures from there.

And thanks for all the fish

by MagdaDH_AlexH

Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom

November 16, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo Vancouver Aquarium is rightly considered to be the west-coast city's prime tourist attraction. Situated in the splendid Stanley Park, with a fountain adorned with a beautiful bronze by the most celebrated Native Canadian artist Bill Reid, a visit to ...Read more Vancouver Aquarium is rightly considered to be the west-coast city's prime tourist attraction. Situated in the splendid Stanley Park, with a fountain adorned with a beautiful bronze by the most celebrated Native Canadian artist Bill Reid, a visit to the aquarium impresses from the very beginning.

Inside there are several areas devoted to various ecosystems, both inside and outside. The native displays include Pacific Canada (one vast tank with fish and other creatures from the Straits of Georgia), Arctic Canada (live and non-live displays including belugas), The Wild Coast (outdoors area that includes dolphins, sea otters, porpoise, seals and similar), Treasures of the BC Coast (indoor displays with octopus, rockfish, starfish and more). The non-native displays are divided into Tropic Zone and Amazon Rainforest, with Frogs Forever. There is also what's called Canaccord Exploration Gallery.

The aquarium is housed in a purpose built facility and is considered to be one of the best in North America (does it mean in the world?), with what seems to be a very good balance achieved between education and entertainment, conservation and research and commercial/fund-raising activities.

The highlights will vary depending on visitors' interests, but undoubtedly will include some of the marine mammals living in the Vancouver Aquarium. There are several shows and talks every day, of which the dolphin show brings in true crowds with a lively display of Pacific dolphins' acrobatics. Sea otters are also fascinating, and the talk about them is very informative and brings together not only information about those graceful animals but also ecology in general, and the interdependence of various species in one ecosystems.

The stars of Vancouver Aquarium are, undoubtedly, beluga whales, which can be observed outside (from above the surface) and inside (under water). There are also talks and shows, but even just watching those magnificent creatures swim and play can take hours! Your reviewer was particularly entranced for having seen them in the wild previously and feeling that the encounter in the Aquarium made them both more and less real. One starts to wonder whether animals like that – no dumb fish, but clearly intelligent, most likely sentient beings at least to some degree - shouldn't really be in the wild, swimming up St Lawrence in search of krill rather than bouncing off the walls of a tank hardly bigger than three beluga body lengths? This is a difficult question in general, as most (if not all) animals live much longer in zoos than in the wild. Freedom is a human concept and we shouldn't anthropomorphise animals. Vancouver belugas seemed content enough (and they breed happily too) so perhaps their lot is not a bad one after all. And yet, one wonders.

Aside from the mammals, Vancouver Aquarium's tropical and Amazon tanks have pretty impressive collections, including reef sharks and a green sea turtle. Canaccord Exploration Gallery has some very informative stations and tanks including utterly mesmerising jellyfish.

There are catering concessions in a few locations in the Aquarium (the typical overpriced fare of such places) and a decent gift shop.

Entry to this marine wonderland doesn't come cheap. Adult tickets cost 21 CAD at the time of writing (2010), children over 3 years old pay 13 CAD and concessions 16 CAD. However, the quality of what's on offer means that it's almost certainly worth it, especially if you like marine mammals. In fact, the beluga themselves are probably worth it! Annual membership offers a good value (assuming you come at least three times), and for a family it's even better deal at 138 CAD. Close

From journal A smug city on a cool coast

Way Overpriced, No Family Discount

by Junglejake

Hinton, Alberta

August 3, 2009

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Cost 4 of us (2 aduts and 2 kids both under 7) $100 just for the admission! Then the girl asked for a donation!Upon asking the kids which they liked better the Aquarium or the Water Spray kids park outside (which was free with just water spraying ...Read more

Nice Aquarium, Good for Kids

by durian_2005

Portland, Oregon

April 8, 2008

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I've been to this aquarium twice. It's not a large aquarium like Boston's but it's nice. I like that they have a Pacific NW focus. The Beluga whales are the primary attraction and they are fun to watch. As other have mention, look for the discounts ...Read more

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

by moatway

Riverview, New Brunswick

May 31, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo Surrounded by trees in Stanley Park, the Aquarium is a magnet for families…at least that was my impression. It was extremely busy and bustling with children and that was on a Friday in early May. Part of the congestion was undoubtedly caused by the ...Read more

From journal Adventures in Lotusland: Vancouver

Areas of the Vancouver Aquarium

by wyogirl81

Casper, Wyoming

June 22, 2006

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Areas of the Aquarium include: Amazon Rainforest Giant Fishes Tropical Zone Clamshell Gift Shop Underwater Viewing Areas Treasurers of the BC Coast Ribbitting Experience (Frogs) Pacific Canada Sea Otters Sea Lions Spinner ...Read more

From journal Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

Vancover Aquarium Marine Science Center

by callen60

Ozarks, Missouri

February 1, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo Park? zoo? Science center? Amusement park? It's hard to classify the Vancouver Aquarium. If it lives in the water--especially in the waters of the Pacific Northwest--then the Vancouver Aquarium has one, and has a fun and engaging presentation of it. ...Read more

From journal Vancouver: City, Beach, Forest, Mountain

Vancouver Aquarium

by nikeki28

brandon, Manitoba

January 10, 2006

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This is an outstanding place to visit, from the colorful fish tanks to the dolphin show. You get really close to the seals, dolphins, and Beluga whales. The gift shop carries everything. It's very informative about specific species of fish and ...Read more

From journal Two Weeks on the West Coast

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

by alison_farley

Kamloops, British Columbia, Afghanistan

January 18, 2005

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It's gorgeous. The people are so nice and amazing and the best for educating you and not even knowing it. It truly was the most gratifying and amazing time of my life. I miss not living close enough to spend every waking moment there. I considered ...Read more

From journal Rocking Time in Vancouver

IgoUgo

Vancouver Aquarium

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User Reviews

Vancouver Aquarium

fun fun fun

And thanks for all the fish

Way Overpriced, No Family Discount

Nice Aquarium, Good for Kids

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

Areas of the Vancouver Aquarium

Vancover Aquarium Marine Science Center

Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

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Vancouver Aquarium

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Avg. User Rating:

User Reviews

Vancouver Aquarium

fun fun fun

And thanks for all the fish

Way Overpriced, No Family Discount

Nice Aquarium, Good for Kids

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

Areas of the Vancouver Aquarium

Vancover Aquarium Marine Science Center

Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

Compare Rates Across Websites