Aquarium offers treasures from the deep

When visiting beautiful Stanley Park, a must-see is the Vancouver Aquarium.
I would estimate that to fully appreciate the aquarium, you would have to spend at least four hours there. I had only two hours so I was determined to hit only the highlights.
The aquarium contains diverse and exotic creatures from all over the world, from the rainforest to the tropic zone to the British Columbia coastline. I was sure the only things worth seeing were going to be the sharks, dolphins and whales. The rest were “just fish.”
Was I ever wrong! The very first exhibit I was saw was a big jellyfish display. I could have stood there for hours watching them float around like some giant, exotic lava lamp.
Other exhibits that grabbed my eye was the massive sea turtle, who was bigger than the small sharks in the tank, and the “just fish” that turned out to be every color under the sun, including the sunflower star, a gorgeous starfish that looks sort of like coral. Cute, but deadly rainforest frogs were on display as well as a sloth. While not exactly an aquarium creature, it was also part of the Amazon exhibit.
Then I hit the stars of the show. The beluga whales were white and stately and looked like they were smiling all the time. The Pacific white-sided dolphins and the porpoise were playful and engaging, as were the Steller sea lion and the seal.
However, the sea otters were the real scene-stealers. Like any veteran Hollywood star, they were always “on” with the audience. Rambunctious and friendly, they romped all over their tank mugging and playing games with one another and us. That was definitely entertainment!
IF YOU GO: The guidebook says the fee is $25, but I paid $27. That price includes viewing all the exhibits and the free shows featuring various animals throughout the day. Get there early for the dolphin show because it’s standing room only. The aquarium also offers a 4D theater experience and special programs like overnight sleepovers with the belugas and animal encounters that allow you to feed and touch the animals.

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