Ripley's Aquarium of Canada Guide

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada opened in the shadow of the CN Tower, and it has since become a reliable wet-weather option in the city centre. It is big, dark and quiet in tone compared with the tourist crowds outside, and the galleries are organised so that you drift from one habitat to the next, from cold Canadian waters to warm reef tanks and open ocean.

Exploring the exhibits

The signature feature is the Dangerous Lagoon, where a moving walkway carries you through a long underwater tunnel while sharks, rays and large fish pass overhead. It is the part most visitors photograph and the part most likely to jam when crowds build, so step off the walkway at the end and walk back for a slower second pass. Other highlights include galleries of jellyfish lit in changing colours, a Canadian waters section that shows the cold-water life you would find in the Great Lakes and along the coasts, and hands-on touch pools where children can reach into shallow water.

Feeding talks, dive shows and keeper presentations change through the year. Treat any particular animal or exhibit as something to confirm on the official site rather than a promise, because aquariums rotate species and sometimes close sections for care or maintenance.

Timing your visit

Two to three hours suits most groups. Families with young children can easily stretch that, particularly around the touch pools and the tunnel, while adults who walk steadily can finish sooner. The route is mostly one-way and lightly signposted, so you cannot skip around easily, which is useful to know if somebody in the party tires quickly.

Managing crowds

Because it is indoors and next to the biggest tourist magnet in the city, the aquarium fills on rainy weekends, school holidays and winter break. Timed entry is the norm, so book ahead and aim for the start of the day, or for later in the afternoon when the first wave of visitors has gone. Avoid arriving in the middle of the day on a Saturday when any other slot is open. Large strollers and school groups tend to cluster in the central tunnel, which is useful to remember if you want clear photographs.

Suitability for different visitors

Families with children under about twelve are the obvious audience, and those children will remember it. Couples and groups of adults get less out of it unless they love marine life, since the interpretation is pitched at a general audience. If you are travelling without children and short of time, we would put it behind the museums.

Combining with other sights

The aquarium sits at the base of the tower, so the pairing is natural. Our CN Tower guide suggests choosing the viewing slot by forecast. On a clear morning go up the tower first and use the aquarium as the afternoon indoor block, and on a grey day do the reverse and keep the tower for another time. Beyond them, Harbourfront offers a lakeside walk, and a ride to the Toronto Islands fits the next day when the weather allows. Hockey fans can reach the Hockey Hall of Fame on foot or by a short subway ride from Union Station.

The Rogers Centre stadium is next door, so event days bring thick crowds on the surrounding pavements, and our sports guide explains the stadium calendar and how the downtown district changes around it. If a game is on, expect more people near the station and a slower walk from the underground concourse.

Our advice is to see the aquarium as a family half day, not as a tourist obligation. It is well made and pleasantly cool in summer and dry in winter, but a couple on a first visit to Toronto will find the Toronto Islands, the market and the neighbourhoods give more sense of place.