Vancouver Aquarium

The Vancouver Aquarium provides endless entertainment for little ones. In addition to daily songs, stories and activities at 10 am in Clownfish Cove (the children's area complete with touch pools and seal hospital), the Aquarium is home to two baby Belugas, several dolphins, an octopus, frogs, seahorses, turtles, hyacinth macaws, sloths and a variety of other marine and tropical life.

If you live in or close to Vancouver, an annual membership is worthwhile. It is equivalent to just over 2 general admission adult visits. Children under 3 are free. Children 4 to 12 are $14.

There is a café within the Aquarium, but taking your own lunch or snack is a less expensive option. Parking at the Aquarium varies seasonally. From April to September it costs $2/hour or $8 a day. From October - March rates are for $1/hour or $4/day. Meters accept coins, Visa or Mastercard. The Aquarium will provide change for parking; however, it is best to come prepared with change or a credit card, as there is active ticketing in the park lots. The #19 Stanley Park bus runs from Pender Street downtown and deposits passengers 10 minutes' walk from the Aquarium. 

The trick with visiting the hot tropical and outdoor viewing areas of the Aquarium in winter with small children is what to wear. Lugging coats and other cold weather paraphernalia is cumbersome and tiring. If you have an idea that you will be mostly inside, opt for leaving most of your layers in the car. If you have a stroller, it works well when it can double as a coat rack.