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 to save a few bucks. The only negative is the lame photo that they take as you walk into the building. They are nice so if you say you don't want to get your picture taken, they don't argue about it. Finding a parking space can be hard so drop the elderly and little ones off up front.

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 closure of the aquarium’s largest exhibit, the dolphin tank. (It was being cleaned and that is just so typical of my luck.)

But with that disappointment out of the way, we were able to watch the otters being fed and then go on to the beluga tank. The four snowy-white creatures can be seen from above or from viewing stations in the side of their tank. Their presence, with their benign faces, is what sets this aquarium apart.

Other than those exhibits, the aquarium is divided into several areas. The first is "The Treasures of the B.C. Coast". A number of tanks display marine life in different areas of the coast of the mainland and the island. In the Exploration Gallery, you’ll find jelly fish exhibits and various other interesting forms of sea life. Nearby, just for small children is a play area with a marine theme called Clownfish Cove.

In the Tropic Zone, you’ll pass through the Amazon Gallery. It’s more than just tropical fish as the visitor passes by tanks filled with Amazonian marine life into a rain forest with its colourful birds and tortoises. Your tropical journey continues past displays of reptiles, amphibians, and huge spiders; it’s all very entertaining and enough to make you cancel your plans for that jungle journey.

Other than that, you’ll find the rest of the usual suspects…beautiful tropical fish, some small sharks, giant clams, and tropical reefs. It makes for an interesting visit and it really is perfect for the whole family.

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 Dolphin Upstream Cafe Belugas

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.

We spent half a rainy day here--our first in Vancouver after disembarking from a cruise ship. The Aquarium is located in Stanley Park, on the eastern side, and is a pretty big complex. The number of outdoor exhibits--sea otters, seas, dolphins, beluga whales--apparently just keeps expanding. The new beluga whale exhibit was just be dedicated the day we were there, and the trainers were showing off their charges for the newspaper and television cameras. You can view these beautiful white creatures both from inside, where you look into their tank, or outside.

A series of exhibits display the varied aquatic habitats around Vancouver Island, with very large tanks containing realistic reproductions of the different shore areas. There's a simulated rainforest here, complete with beautiful tropical boards. You can watch the dolphins perform at regular intervals. You can get up close with an octopus (if you invest enough time waiting for these shy creatures to come out of hiding).

There's a fascinating exhibit on the ocean life in Lancaster Sound, near the Arctic Ocean. I had no idea how rich and varied marine life is there--but it wasn't surprising to hear that it's cold.

You should never have to pay full admission here--there are discount coupons of all kinds all over the city. Some came with our rental car (from Budget), and ended up knocking nearly a third off the price of admitting our family of five, ending up around $40. That was a great price for four hours of great fun.

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 an excellent place to take the family!