Visiting Vancouver’s Aquarium & Museum of Anthropology
Vancouver, BC is one of the best cities to visit in Canada. I’m not saying so simply because I used to live there… The city is located on the west coast, enjoys one of the mildest winters in Canada and yet is so close to the mountains you can day trip to Whistler. It has more beaches than you can possibly visit. But most of all, it’s a city of rich history and cultures. There is no better place to explore this history than the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, and no better way to experience the vibrant city culture than through performing arts at one of the many theatres.
Freedom of expression is everything here, just don’t say anything politically incorrect, mention American politics, or talk about how much better the east coast is, or you’ll quickly be corrected by one passionate activist or another. I lived here for 2 years between travels in Asia. There is always one celebration or another going on, so be sure to check up on current events.
Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium was the very first tourist attraction I visited. The Aquarium is located inside Stanley Park at the tip of the city. I recommend walking along the boardwalk and then making your way into the center of the park to the aquarium. It’s very peaceful and the views of the city skyline are wonderful.
- Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Fee: $38 CAD ($28.50 USD) per Adult, $21 CAD ($15.75 USD) per Child
- Book Tickets Online
The Aquarium is run by a non-profit organization and works with the local Universities on marine conservation. The best shows are the Dolphins, Sea Otters and Sea Turtle Talk. My favorite exhibit was the the playful Sea Otters who are just so cute! The trainers are extremely knowledgeable and welcome you to join them behind the scenes, for a fee, to encounter African Penguins in person!
Museum of Anthropology
UBC’s Museum of Anthropology (MOA) has a collection of 45,000 cultural artifacts from around the world, dating back thousands of years. The focal point of the museum is on North Native American history and culture. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Vancouver and the Islands off the coast had been inhabited by numerous tribes for over 9000 years.
- Hours: 10:00 to 5:00 pm
- Fee: $18 CAD ($13.50 USD) per Adult
Countless languages, arts, crafts, songs and stories have been lost to time, with only a handful of artifacts remaining of these primitive Native American cultures. However, some of the local tribes and other well-known tribes such as the Apache, Cherokee and Haida still exist today across North America.
The museum walks you through the habitat and life of Native Americans, from the tools they used to hunt & cook, to their canoes, and traditional crafts. My favorite exhibit was the collection of totem poles, with each animal head representing a different aspect of life.
Fair warning, the museum does have a large portion of the exhibit dedicated to the arrival of Europeans and ongoing conflicts between the Canadian government and Native Americans. The British and other European colonial powers committed terrible acts when settling North America. It was a dark part of Canada’s history. So naturally, it is one of the most fascinating yet controversial exhibits.
The museum also features a number of other exhibits. Vancouver has a rich history of local Chinese culture since the rail-road boom of the 19th century when thousands of Cantonese speaking Chinese were brought over from Guangdong Province. Many stayed, bringing their traditional Chinese arts, fashions and culture with them. My friend Sumire found the more provocative African exhibits to be quite entertaining.
It takes roughly 3 hours to properly tour all the exhibits, perhaps 2 if you are in a hurry.
Bloedel Bird Conservatory
The Bloedel Conservatory is located at the center of Queen Elizabeth Park south of Downtown Vancouver. The bird dome was opened in 1969 and houses over 120 exotic birds and 500 species of plants.
- Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm with extended hours in the summer.
- Fee: $6.75 CAD ($5.00 USD) +Tax
- Book Tickets Online
Within the dome are three temperature controlled habitats: A tropical rainforest, a subtropical rainforest and a desert. You can see tropical trees, beautiful orchids, succulents and cacti. My favorite part was photographing some of the 200 birds; parrots, macaws, cockatoos, flinch, canaries and more.
From the Conservatory, I recommend taking a walk through Queen Elizabeth Park and the nearby VanDusen Botanical Gardens only a 15 minute walk away.
Vancouver Orpheum Theatre
The Orpheum Theatre was opened in 1927. The beautiful theatre is one of multiple theatres in downtown Vancouver that host classical musical performances. There are only three cities in Canada that attract such grand and prestigious performances: Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. So a visit to Vancouver is a great opportunity to enjoy some of the best fine arts in the world.
Vancouver has a wonderful arts and theatre scene. One of the biggest local industries is film and TV. Did you know Vancouver is where Deadpool, the Blade Trilogy, Fantastic Four, some of the Scary Movie and Final Destination series were filmed? Best of all, some of Rocky 4 was also filmed in Vancouver. Other famous products are Arrow and the Flash TV series and Once Upon a Time.
In addition to film and TV, Vancouver hosts theatrical, comedy and orchestra performances. During my stay, I saw the Nutcracker Ballet which was spectacular, I saw it up close. This ballet is every year just before Christmas. In June Andrea Bocelli, famed Italian Opera Singer will be performing on tour at Rogers Arena.
If the Ballet or Opera isn’t your thing, Snoop Dogg will be in town from February 22nd 2019 for his “Puff Puff” tour. There are also a number of small local shows, I will include links of events below.
Hostels in Vancouver
- Location Score: 8/10
- Air-con Rooms: No
- Private Rooms: Yes, 1 Double Bed, 1 Twin Bed
- Bunks to a Room: 4 Bed Mixed Dorm
- Female Only Room: 4 Bed Female Only Dorm
- Security Locker: Yes
- In-House Restaurant & Bar: No
- Free to Use Kitchen: Yes
- Breakfast Included: Yes
- Towel: Yes
- Price: $27 USD for a Single Dorm Bed, $63 USD for a Private Room
HI Vancouver Downtown is located in a quieter section of the city near Sunset Beach and across the bridge from Kitsilano Beach. This hostel includes a rooftop patio, free breakfast and is part of the international network of HI Hostels.
Many of the hostels in Vancouver are in Gastown or on Granville St. which are both busy with nightlife. So this is a quieter choice but also a safer choice.
I lived in Vancouver for two years and felt more comfortable walking the streets of Bangkok or Hanoi than some parts of Vancouver at night. Hastings St & Main St, a few blocks from Gastown is Canada’s largest slum and drug den. It’s super shady. Avoid it late at night. Although Gastown is very lovely to visit for a beer, for shopping, for clubbing… I even worked there briefly, but I wouldn’t sleep there overnight, not even in a hostel. HI Downtown Vancouver is on the other side of downtown, it’s a much better choice.
Getting Around in Vancouver
Vancouver has a fantastic transit system that starts from the airport and goes all the way to Waterfront Station, and to the ferry terminals in both Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay. The subway lines fares start at $2.95 for 1 Zone, $4.30 for 2 Zones and $5.70 for 3 Zones of travel.
It can be a little confusing to know when you’ve crossed over into another zone so I recommend picking up a Compass Card at the station ticket machine and loading it up with $20-$30 to start. You can simply get this transit card at the station when you arrive. The card is valid for all buses, ferries and subways. Since downtown Vancouver is such a walk-able city, hoping on and off the bus can come in handy.
Disclaimer: Viator & Hostelworld are our Affiliate Partners, we make a small commission at no cost to you on bookings.
Pick Up a SIM Card for Canada
Canada is a vast country and the best highlights are wonderful natural environments and wildlife. Tourists visit Canada for nature, skiing, fishing, hunting and camping. So I recommend picking up a SIM Card for your stay. We made a list of the best Prepaid SIM Cards in Canada.
From popular demand we are now an Official Dealer of Public Mobile SIM Cards, one of the best plans in Canada for tourists! We ship directly to you, or your hotel as quickly as 3 days with express shipping. Just pick it up and insert the SIM. The plan of your choice will be pre-activated the day before your arrival. See Our Store for details.
More Info for Travel to Canada
For your pre-trip downtime, check out our List of Recommended Books, Movies and Podcasts all featuring Canada! Lastly, I recommend picking up a Prepaid SIM Card for your own hotspot device or mobile phone. You can order in advance on our Tallypack Store and have delivered to your hotel upon your arrival!
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