This is the Vancouver Aquarium, in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, is a place where you and the kids can get nose to nose and toes to toes with a vast leading array of creatures from the sea and not just the local ones
The aquarium’s exhibits are from many different areas of the world, everything from the North Pacific to the tropics and onto the Arctic, so you’ll be sure to see a variety of different habitats and make a trip around the world during your visit.
To get into the aquarium you enter underneath the Pacific Canada Pavilion which features local water actually from the Straits of Georgia which is just outside the Vancouver Aquarium’s doorstep.
There’s also a tropical gallery which features tropical pacific animals and that leads into our amazon gallery which immerses you in a tropical rainforest.
Like us at Fun Roads you’re probably used to seeing a lot of different sights from your window but coming to the aquarium will immerse you, especially in the Amazon gallery in a different environment and a wonderful chance to learn about some of the animals around the world at the aquarium so when you get here you can have a lot of fun.
Be sure to take in the shows on the marine mammal deck which introduce visitors to the aquarium’s more famous inhabitants and demonstrate the incredible relationship that these animals have with their trainers.
If the gallery seats on the marine mammal deck are too far; you can sign up for an animal encounter. It’s an up close and personal introduction to the aquarium’s most popular creatures. There are several different animal encounter programs at the aquarium but probably one of the most popular ones is the Arctic Animal Encounter that introduces people to the Belugas Whales within their habitat. It also introduces them to their natural environment along with a little bit about the natural history of these animals.
The Arctic Encounter Program has a lot of visitors that come into the habitat and interact with the animals not required to touch the animals let alone see the Belugas but because they’re Arctic animals it is very difficult to observe them in their natural environment without a boat.
During the encounter, you start by meeting the animal encounter coordinator. They introduce the animals and the environment to the visitors and to the participants of the program. Then the participants head out into the habitat which is probably the most exciting part. They meet the marine mammals, trainers and the trainers teach them a little bit about the animals and a little bit about the training. The participants often get hands-on themselves and feel the Belugas to find out what they’re like. The Belugas really do have a playful nature. They often squirt water at visitors and guards around the habitat. They are very social animals, especially the male Beluga… sometimes the training session is challenging because they’re working with the animals and there’s a lot of socializing going on.
At $160 person the program is high-end entertainment but it offers a once in a lifetime chance for you and the kids to take discovery to a new level. You can tour the regular exhibit for about $80 a family. With a wide variety of habitats to see, you can identify creatures you may have swam past in place you’ve been or learn what to keep an eye on as you explore beaches right here in Vancouver.
The Science Center is open year round and there’s plenty of parking with special spots for RV’s. So you just park and come on in and join the fun at the Vancouver Aquarium.
You’ll be glad you did because this place will be the topic of conversation for years to come.
Vancouver Aquarium
845 Avison Way
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6G 3E2
(604) 659-3474
