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Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
4.5
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Explore the Waters of the World at Ripley's Aquarium of Canada. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto at the base of the CN Tower, the aquarium is Toronto's must-see attraction for tourists and locals of all ages. Immerse yourself in a world of 20,000 aquatic animals and discover your own underwater adventure. The Aquarium features North America’s longest underwater viewing tunnel with more than 5.7 million litres of water and over 100 interactive opportunities. Get up close and personal with several touch exhibits featuring horseshoe crabs, sharks, scarlet cleaner shrimp, and stingrays as well as daily dive shows every 2 hours. This awe-inspiring attraction consists of nine carefully curated galleries showcasing a cross section of saltwater and freshwater environments from around the world – starting with species from Toronto’s backyard, the Great Lakes basin.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: CityPlace
How to get there
  • Union • 7 min walk
  • St. Andrew • 7 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • MikaylaV
    Western Australia, Australia29 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A good day out.
    I am torn on how to review this. The aquariums are absolutely beautiful with such healthy looking fish. The reason for the 4 stars is the lack of signage to stop kids from banging loudly on the glass. Was disappointing to see this is allowed.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a positive review! We love our animals. Our mission is to provide a world-class Aquarium that will foster aquatic education and conservation, while simultaneously providing entertainment for visitors of all ages. Our goal is to offer an exceptional experience for our guests, and we appreciate you taking notice! Thank you for the additional feedback; we appreciate it, as we are always looking for ways to improve!
    Written November 8, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written October 26, 2023
  • MLA-345
    Leamington Spa, United Kingdom48 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great underwater tunnel and surprise highlights such as the sea nettle jellyfish
    Brilliant experience. We loved the underwater tunnel, the rays and the orange jellyfish were highlights. The play area half way around for younger children was brilliant as they enjoyed the water play and play area, could let of steam while we had a drink from the cafe and watch them safely from the tables there.
    Thank you for leaving such a positive review! We are thrilled to hear you and your family had a lovely time at our aquarium. We hope you visit us again soon!
    Written November 8, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written November 1, 2023
  • Jamie
    Folkestone, United Kingdom69 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    10/10
    Visited aquarium first time today (November 23) Much better than what I expected to be honest, some aquariums can be boring and repetitive. But this was different from the start. Massive fish tanks everywhere, moving sidewalk under the tunnel. Play area for the children (we didn't go in there as there was no children with us). Seeing the octopus was amazing. Only comment I would make was it would have been informative to know what the lady was doing with the stingrays at the end of the aquarium. Apart from that, amazing day out.
    Thanks for taking the time to write such a positive review of your experience! We're thrilled you enjoyed our underwater tunnel and amazing animals. Our animal care team is dedicated to enriching our animals in various ways, including being inside of the exhibit to feed and train. We hope you visit us again soon!
    Written November 20, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written November 7, 2023
  • Mike from Rival Town
    Niagara Falls, Canada1,114 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved the Jellyfish!
    Very beautiful and well-done/well-kept aquarium with an amazing variety of fish! You get amazing views and get to have sharks swim right over top of you. My favorite part may have been the jellyfish! Big crowds, especially with school trips, but it’s worth it if you’re patient and take your time with this.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a positive review! We’re delighted to hear you loved seeing our variety of amazing animals. We hope you had an unbelievable time, and that we'll see you again soon!
    Written January 3, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written November 20, 2023
  • Natalie M
    Moose Jaw, Canada60 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Finding Nemo
    We really enjoyed the aquarium. It was neat to see all the different varieties of fish in the lakes in Canada. The tank with the shark, turtles & stingray that the tunnel went through was really neat. We went on a weekday during the day and there was a bunch of school kids so it was very busy. We had to try and stay away from the large school groups. But it was still a great place to visit in Toronto.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave your review! Coming on a weekday is always a good idea! We hope to SEA you soon!
    Written February 20, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written January 23, 2024
  • Xochi F
    18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definitely worth a visit.
    I had a really great time at the aquarium. The tickets for entry are definitely on the more expensive side but in my opinion it was worth it. They had lots of different sea creatures and the variety was great. I loved seeing the sharks, jellyfish, and sea turtles. The touch tanks with sting rays were my friend’s favourite part. All the staff I interacted with were very friendly and helpful. 100% would come back again.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave your review! We hope to SEA you soon!
    Written February 20, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written February 6, 2024
  • Stefan Overton
    Colchester, United Kingdom229 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Some great interactive elements
    Cost $44 for adult ticket which wasn’t bad. Some interactive elements and has a tunnel walkway with a moving walkway to watch all the Sealife animals above. (Sharks, turtles, fish, stingrays) A really great jellyfish wall where it changes colours which was really cool! Some attractions I would recommend for kids.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave your review! We hope to SEA you soon!
    Written February 20, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written February 14, 2024
  • Astrid
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It’s expensive but it’s worth it !
    We really enjoyed the visit to the aquarium. There are a lot of different fish and even a passage under the aquarium where we can see fish, sharks, rays and turtles all around us ! Just amazing ! The entrance price is a bit expensive but we really liked our visit. I recommend !
    Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback!
    Written February 20, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written February 16, 2024
  • Funfiesta
    Saskatoon, Canada75 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So Much to See!
    Awesome! So great and well worth the trip to see it. I want to go again because I was with my kids and I would love to be able to move along at my leisure and read and see more. But it was the highlight of our March Break!
    Thank you for visiting!
    Written March 26, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written March 12, 2024
  • familyfun88
    Windsor, Canada43 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Display of Sea Life
    The aquarium can get quite busy, however this does not mean you need to rush through the exhibits. Ticket prices are quite high, so make the most of your visit by taking your time and enjoying all of the sea life at each display before moving on to the next viewing tank. Many people around us were in a hurry to see what was next and overlooked a lot of really fascinating things that blended in with the coral and other features within the tanks.
    We're so glad you enjoyed our aquarium!
    Written March 26, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written March 14, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles20,797 reviews
Excellent
12,758
Very good
5,969
Average
1,547
Poor
327
Terrible
196

May R
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
Unless you've already promised your children to visit, it's best to stay away from here. It's insanely crowded, people are packed in like sardines, you can barely move and you will be pushed and shoved. Literally thousands. It was pointless to try to take photos and we couldn't even get close enough to see most of the tanks.

There are no Covid protocols, zero masks, zero spacing and zero sanitizing.

It's very expensive ($83 for 1 adult and 1 child), especially because you will not be able to last more than 30 min.

My experience: I called ahead to take my 8 year old on a weekday. I booked timed tickets, asked about Covid protocols and food options. On arrival there were several large groups (100+ in one), so timed tickets are pointless. No masks for staff or anyone else.
No food available, even though I was told there would be. Immediately after scanning our tickets I asked to briefly exit to get lunch from the food truck outside and was told that if we leave, our tickets will be void. Eventually they let us leave for 15min exactly (they timed us). They made us stand in the entrance to eat our fries, even though it turns out they have a seating area with tables, where I later saw many families eating takeout.

We HAD to exit through the gift shop, which was even more crowded.

What a giant disappointment. This place is obviously very badly managed.
Written July 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

keeperof4
New Brunswick156 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Purchased tickets ,time on line,$160+cnd ,understanding limited numbers permitted at one time. Arrived for 3pm,entrance was packed full. Numerous visitors permitted with large suit cases in tow.No order what so ever.People pushing in front of children others to get their selfies! Even at a snails pace with over max capacity took about 1hr+. Directed out through over priced souvenir shop. Only positive is you are up close with sea life (sharks) that are directly over head for a short time. Perhaps off season is a better time to visit more enjoyable experience.
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. Summer is undoubtedly our peak season and our peak hours are 10am - 5pm. To help guests who wish to have a quieter experience, we have extended our hours all summer long from 9am - 11pm daily.
Written August 15, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Safi and Fariaa Adventures
Ottawa, Canada763 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
We visited the aquarium in early July 2020. We felt quite safe, as they were limiting the number of visitors. They were also collecting contact info for contact tracing. Everyone had their temperatures checked and hands sanitized prior to entry. Every passageway and staircase were marked for unidirectional walking. Staff was constantly sanitizing the rails and other touchable features. The shark conveyor belt had surfboard stickers to stand on marked for social distancing.

The diaspora of aquatic wildlife you can see at Ripley's Aquarium is incredible. Not only is it gorgeous to see and great to take pictures with, but you can also learn a lot about the wildlife that inhabit our waters. The shark conveyor belt is by far the best feature of the aquarium. Ripley's Aquarium is for everyone, families, couples, kids, or even someone alone.

We highly recommend visiting Ripley's Aquarium when in Toronto. We would recommend about 3 hours to thoroughly enjoy the aquarium. We personally purchased a Toronto CityPass and enjoyed this along with other Toronto must sees. We made a whole day of CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium.
Written March 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for such a great review!
Written March 23, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Huong Doan
Sydney, Canada1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
With a special interest in fishes and marine life in general, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada was one of the first places I decided to visit when I came to Toronto. As introduced earlier by one of the staffs, the underwater tunnel is truly amazing. I took a lot of great photos there. Besides, I especially like the jellyfish show, it was outstanding with very creative lighting. In addition, there are many interesting activities you can participate in to interact with marine creatures. It will take you more or less 2 hours depends on the number of activities you want to engage in. This is a great experience for all ages and I recommend this place for you and your family. Lastly, little advices, pack light and if you are here with your children, keep an eye on them. The underwater tunnel is very dark and usually crowded. I have seen many people rushing looking for their children in the tunnel after taking pictures of the marine creatures. If you don't have additional people to look after them, make sure the kids stick around you throughout the journey.
Written March 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laura K
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Family
We visited the aquarium this week with my 2 young children and their grandparents. Tickets for the 6 of us cost over $220 and had a timed entry. Totally makes sense considering Covid and it being March Break. I thought I was being very smart buying tickets in advance for 3pm. Upon arrival, I discovered that timed entry meant absolutely nothing. The entire aquarium was absolutely packed. From a Covid perspective this made me extremely uncomfortable, but to top it off it was almost impossible to see anything, read any of the educational info or engage with any interactive elements. I paid over $200 to enter a zoo and see some fish from a distance. My children were very disappointed. Many of the tanks we would wait to approach for our “turn” and people would squeeze in front of us. There were no employees anywhere in sight or crowd control of any kind.

I would not go back unless it was a random weekday maybe first thing in the morning and with a discount on tickets.
Written March 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, thank you for taking the time and leaving a review - we are sorry you didn't enjoy your experience with us. March Break is our busiest time of year and I can assure you that the safety of our guests, animals and employees is our utmost priority. We utilize effective ticket monitoring software to ensure that we always remain within capacity as per strict requirements. As well, we do our absolute best to reiterate our peak hours of 11AM-4PM to guests via our phone lines, website scrolling banner, website FAQs list, and various social media platforms. Although not possible for everyone, we try to encourage guests to swim by outside these peak hours for a more comfortable aquarium experience. Thank you again for your valuable feedback.
Written April 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Gem Abroad
Toronto, Canada175 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019
Beautiful, exciting at times and busy! It is exactly what you think it will be, you walk through checking out the different aquariums and reading some facts along the way, make your way to the moving sidewalk tunnel where you get the underwater view. There are also some unique popup spots where you can climb in and check things out from a different point of view.

It is expensive to buy anything there, also to be expected.

Try to visit during off hours to avoid the huge crowds so you can get upp close for a look. especially at the Stingray viewing, it can get backlogged there. They do feedings every couple of hours too, it gets busy for these times as well.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jonisharps
Spring, TX69 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We visited the Ripley's Aquarium in February 2020 on a Sunday, because we had a very long layover in Toronto and we were looking for something easy to get to, that was indoors, and entertaining. Transportation was easy on the Pearson train from the airport. The weather was very cold that day so it was a good choice. If you have the opportunity to choose days, probably a cold Sunday is not the best idea, as it was very crowded that day...but still a great attraciton and it is also close to the CN tower...just about 100 steps!
Written April 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

roger v
Toronto, Canada63 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
It's the third time we visited this wondrous location since it re-opened in July, which was significantly more than the entirety of the prior year. Luckily, our annual membership was extended for another twelve months, free of charge.

I like the freedom of coming any time of day, without time slots. The member's entrance also avoids the queue. Friendly greeters allow you to provide vaccination proof and photo ID, which can also be your member card. I also like the spontaniety of viewing any exhibit and stay as long as you need, without trying to cram the visit to see every site.

At the Kelp pool, you can daydream on how these massive plants would have soared to the light, and the myriad of life that teamed within it's embrace. At the Rainbow Reef, I sink in to visions of snorkelling on turqouise waters off the Spanish Main, with pirates, Pizarro gold and plunder. Imagine as brightly coloured fish reflect the luminous gems that fell from a Manila Galleon recently attacked by privateers. Or picture accompanying a Cousteau expedition with stingrays and sharks.

I am definately grateful for these havens in the heart of the city, where you can go to unwind and feed the soul. It is definately great therapy that the calming waters provide.
Written October 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Roger, thank you for leaving such lovely feedback! We are so glad you have been able to enjoy the aquarium!
Written November 17, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Delena I
Freeport, Caroni, Trinidad and Tobago126 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022
The aquarium was definitely one of the most fun things I did while I visited Toronto. Totally worth it due to the size and number of exhibits and species. It was clean, with ample seating and at the time we visited it was not crowded at all. We spent about 2 - 3 hours or so, but could have stayed longer due to the lots of information provided at the exhibits and also just staring at some of the sea life. I actually wish I had done the tube/tunnel twice. It was also interactive with trying to touch the sting rays, so that was lots of fun too.

I accessed the Aquarium as part of the City Pass, which I would highly recommend due to the savings by the way, as part of a couple in late February/early March. I would also recommended that time of year to visit as there was enough space and no crowds to be able to linger wherever you wanted to go.

There is also a cafe, the location of which was a bit misleading as it was so early on honestly, but there is a lot to explore afterwards.
Written January 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write your positive review! We are thrilled to hear you had such a lovely experience at our establishment and that you enjoyed our amazing animals as much as we do. Our mission is to provide a world-class Aquarium that will foster aquatic education and conservation, while simultaneously providing entertainment for visitors of all ages. Our goal is to offer an exceptional experience for our guests, and we appreciate you taking notice! We hope you visit us again soon!
Written January 5, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Joe S
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
If you like the feeling of being claustrophobic and are hoping to test positive for COVID-19, this is the place to visit on the weekends. We went this past Saturday and it was impossible to actually view anything due to the crowds. (99% not wearing masks) I don’t understand why they don’t limit the number of people but still charge full admission for jam packing the building.
Written July 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF CANADA - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2025)

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