If you are lucky enough to visit Vancouver, British Columbia this year, then by all means put the Vancouver Aquarium on your must-see list!
Considered one of Vancouver’s premier attractions, the aquarium is also Canada’s largest marine science center. I first visited the Vancouver Aquarium in 1999 when I was writing an article for the Leisure and Arts page of The Wall Street Journal. I was participating in the Animal Encounter program that day and was destined to come belly to belly with a beluga in a Beluga Encounter! That amazing educational experience was great fun and you can read my article here.
If you don’t have the time or the resources to participate in such a unique experience at the aquarium, rest assured that there’s lots to see and do outside of the beluga’s arctic habitat ! Home to 70,000 animals, the organization is dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life through display, research, and education. If you or your children enjoy learning about the aquatic environment, then I recommend a visit to this fabulous aquarium. It can get very crowded with visitors, children, and families later in the day, so be sure to plan accordingly and visit early in the day if at all possible. I’ve taken my children to this aquarium, which is conveniently located in the city’s wonderful Stanley Park !
For additional information, be sure to check out their website.
Photo of Beluga Encounter Program by Noel Hendrickson, Courtesy of the Vancouver Aquarium.
–Melissa A. Trainer