10 Zoos & Aquariums in British Columbia That You Shouldn't Miss

Holly Hill Farm is an interactive and vast petting farm located in the heart of Campbell River, on Canada’s beautiful Vancouver Island. The winner of Campbell River’s ‘Best New Business’ Award, Holly Hill Farm is open to the public every Sunday from 10-2:00 (mid-March through October). Guests are invited to explore and immerse themselves in a free-ranging barnyard: holding chickens, snuggling baby bunnies, brushing mini goats, and hand feeding a friendly alpaca and horse. Truly a hands-on experience like no other, visitors can scratch a pot belly pig’s belly and, on lucky occasions, witness the birth of a newborn sheep or goat! Developing into a cultural and agricultural hub of Campbell River, Holly Hill Farm also hosts community events, birthday parties, summer camps, and educational after-school programs. The farm is also a supplier of healthy free-range meats, eggs, and fibre raised ethically and naturally.

The Nicholas Sonntag Marine Education Centre (NSMEC) is a unique collect and release aquarium located inside Gibsons Public Market in the seaside town of Gibsons, BC. The Sonntag Centre houses 30 exhibits displaying natural habitat and local marine fish and invertebrates from the waters of the Howe Sound. This includes interactive touch tanks and scavenger hunts! The animals are collected by our team of professional SCUBA divers. The animals are then housed in the Centre for 6-18 months, depending on the species, and released back to the ocean with help from the entire community. Displays are always changing, allowing the diversity of the marine life we have in the Howe Sound to shine. We host formal education programs with schools, run summer camps and bring in experts to deliver engaging presentations on ocean topics. Come visit us soon!

With over 60,000 amazing aquatic creatures at the Vancouver Aquarium, what will you see today? Stop by and say hi to the adorable sea otters, or come see the mesmerizing jellyfish. Enjoy daily sea lion, otter and penguin experiences, as well as the free-roaming animals found in the popular Amazon gallery. And make sure to visit the Treasures of the BC Coast gallery to discover the unique and breath-taking animals that live in BC’s local waters, including ‘Ceph Rogen’, the Pacific Octopus. You can also immerse yourself in the 4D Experience Theatre, which combines the high-definition excitement of a 3D film with thrilling sensory effects! The Vancouver Aquarium is an Ocean Wise initiative, a non-profit society dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life. Your visit to the Aquarium directly contributes to its conservation, education and research programs. Find out for yourself why the Vancouver Aquarium is one of the world’s favourite aquariums!

The BC Wildlife Park is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue & rehabilitation of injured wildlife. Discover some of British Columbia's iconic wildlife and view nearly 200 animals and 65 animal species, including bears, elk, bobcats, arctic wolves, and cougars. The majority of the Park’s animals are rescued, including Clover, the only Kermode Bear in human care in the world. Book an interactive VIP Wildlife Experience or Wildlife Encounter, or enjoy seasonal activities such as feed talks, animal encounters, Bird of Prey flight demonstrations, splash park, playground, Wildlife Express miniature train, and more. For more detailed information, check out the daily activity schedule online.

This five-acre petting zoo is particularly suitable for families with younger children.

The Victoria Bug Zoo opened its doors in 1997 and has been showing visitors of downtown Victoria our awe-inspiring bugs ever since. A visit to this must-see mini zoo offers an excellent opportunity to view and experience live tropical bugs from around the world. All the animals are alive and in tanks. Discover roughly 50 fascinating species including giant walking sticks, beautiful praying mantis, glow-in-the-dark scorpions, hairy tarantulas, and Canada’s largest ant colony. Knowledgeable tour guides will introduce you to the wonderful world of bugs, give a wealth of information about the animals on display, and provide a safe bug handling experience for the more adventurous. You can choose the level of interaction you have with our friendly animals. Don’t forget your camera to document this unique experience! The displays are ever changing so come in and be amazed by the extensive collection of invertebrates from around the world any time of the year. This stop is sure to thrill everyone; from children, adults, bug-lovers to even the more skeptical visitors! Tours always in progress, so no matter when you come, you are always right on time. Don’t miss this unforgettable, hands-on adventure while in Victoria, BC!

Explore the underwater beauty of the Salish Sea Bioregion - one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world! The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea is a not-for-profit aquarium and learning centre devoted to the exploration and conservation of the Salish Sea. The Salish Sea is named after the Coast Salish indigenous peoples of the region. Explore natural aquaria habitats of over 160 live species including a giant Pacific octopus, colourful rockfish, and magnificent wolf eels. Check out the marine mammal artifact exhibit complete with a rare orca skeleton, and take in the permanent exhibit of beautiful Coast Salish art. Journey from seashore to seafloor and discover the amazing diversity of the Salish Sea in 28 aquarium habitats teeming with marine life from anemones and nudibranchs to salmon and sculpins. Then get a close look at the weird and wonderful invertebrates in our shallow "Look" Pool (pre-COVID Touch Pool) overlooking the breathtaking Sidney waterfront.

Open during the COVID-19 pandemic with special precautions. The Discovery Passage Aquarium offers fun and unique hands-on educational experiences for people of all ages. Come to see, touch and feel our incredible local marine species and habitats and discover the diverse marine life of Discovery Passage and Islands. The Aquarium is open from spring until fall each year. Specimens from representative local species are collected from the marine environment in the spring and returned to the area of collection at the end of the season.