Aquarium of Niagara
Aquarium of Niagara
3.5
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The "First Inland Oceanarium" features more than 1,500 marine animals including sharks, piranha, California sea lions and the endangered Peruvian penguin.
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- Sheryl GOlympic National Park, Washington6 contributionsGreat little facility!What a great little find! We expected it to be so crowded but it was not. We love the ability to be close to the sea life and animals. They were filming so we could not see the seal performance, but the seal did perform for the cameras. The staff at the ray encounter was so nice and helpful. We had the whole place to ourselves and he gave us so much information about the rays. Very good place for little kids as it is not too big and displays are easy to see.Visited September 2022Written December 28, 2022
- Chris BMichigan510 contributionsSmall but the shows make up for itThis aquarium is basically 2 floors in a circle around a large center tank. We walked the entire thing 3x in less than an hour. What makes it worthwhile is the presentations. The penguin feeding was enjoyable and the sealion presentation was fantastic and made it worth the admission.Visited February 2023Written February 21, 2023
- Hayley C2 contributionsIt was ok. Def worth doing onceI loved seeing the animals and especially the sea lion shows. But the building was awfully crowded and very hot. I’m not sure what the maximum occupancy is, but it sure felt like it was at the max that day (Monday 2/20) I also don’t like how you can’t re-enter once you leave. I wanted so badly to leave and gone back when the crowd died down a little.Visited February 2023Traveled with familyWritten February 22, 2023
- slt083188 contributionsA little pricey, but fun.This was a neat little aquarium. (And it IS on the small-size.) I do think admission prices are a bit steep for what you get, but we did have a good time. We saw the sea Lion show, which was a lot of fun. The kids enjoyed the sting ray petting area. Also, for being small, there were several exhibits of sea life I had never seen before. Overall, we had fun, and we had 3 teenagers and a 6-year-old with us.Visited April 2023Traveled with familyWritten April 1, 2023
- JenRed2014Buffalo, New York912 contributionsNice afternoon with the animalsWe spent a good 1.5 hours here on a rainy day. The penguins are adorable and swim up to the glass to interact with people. Make sure you catch a sea lion show, as they are well trained and entertaining! While you are upstairs, don’t miss the jellyfish. They have them all lit up in different colors, and they have a type I’ve never seen before- the upside down jellyfish! I spent quite a while watching the seahorses (very easy to spot, unlike in other exhibits) swim around and grab onto the grass with their tails. Admittedly, some of the exhibits downstairs about the Great Lakes local seaside aren’t as exciting. However, these have a good conservation message and also it’s interesting to see some of the creatures we may be swimming with 😳. The touch tank was crowded, so we passed on it so kids could enjoy it, but it definitely looked fun. They have a decent gift shop as you leave. Just when you think you’re done, you pass some harbor seals who are outside. We were lucky enough to see the trainers feeding the two old lady seals they rescued. The “trucks” they teach the seals are really designed so they can check them out and apply medications, like eye drops! All in all it was time well spent. Some people think it’s expensive, but I felt like it was fair and went toward the care of the animals.Visited March 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten May 6, 2023
- Madelyn CBethlehem, Pennsylvania213 contributionsVery small aquarium.This aquarium was nice enough but a bit underwhelming. The penguin exhibit is, imo, the best exhibit here. A lot of Humboldt penguins who seem to enjoy interacting with visitors through the glass. It’s an old aquarium and it shows. The seal and sea lion enclosures seem small, although the rescued seals in particular did appear to be very happy. I would have expected a larger exhibit on the local ecosystem. Parking is $10 and good for 24 hours, so if you don’t mind walking or you want to take the park trolley you could leave your car there all day. I do think they care well for the animals they have. And there’s a fair bit of information on environmental impact. But I’d probably skip this next time, myself.Visited June 2023Traveled with friendsWritten June 29, 2023
- ScubagalDetroit, Michigan41 contributionsNice, small aquariumSmall but well done aquarium. The penguin, seal and sea lions are the main attraction. The fish tanks were very well done. It’s a bit challenging to see the shows if there are more than 40-50 people there. You have to pay to park in the lot since it’s so close to Niagara Falls.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 11, 2023
- DebbieSan Francisco, California22 contributionsCute Humboldt penguinsThis little aquarium has a lot of heart, especially since they provide a safe haven for rescued and non-releasable sea lions and seals. The aquarium is small and it can be seen in under an hour. The standouts are the adorable Humboldt penguins and the endearing sea lions. Don’t miss the entertaining, fantastic sea lion presentation/show which is very well-choreographed to music.Visited July 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 14, 2023
- DanielleUnited States1,298 contributionsCute but Small AquariumThe aquarium was a little expensive for how tiny the facility was but the exhibits seemed to be well maintained and clean as well as the building itself. The outside seemed in need of a refresh but inside was much nicer than expected. The shows were short but included in the admission cost. The seals are located outside and could use a much bigger tank. Quite sad honestly. Overall it only took us about 2 hours to visit with our toddlers. We would have liked to have stayed for more of the shows but we had already seen all the exhibits and the kids were ready to move on. Overall not bad with little kids, especially if you're looking to kill a couple hours.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 29, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
1,468 reviews
Excellent
309
Very good
367
Average
498
Poor
193
Terrible
101
HeyStefff
Jersey City, NJ94 contributions
Nov 2020
Add this to your itinerary y'all! Such a great to-do. Two adults, 30$. There was a sign instructing guests how to pay the parking fee in advance, 5$ for the duration of your visit. During our visit the website for the parking was down so we did not pay. The aquarium itself is pretty small; nevertheless small because of the huge tank/pool they have for the seals. We got lucky on this day because there just so happened to be a Sea Lion show taking place within minutes. IT WAS AMAZING. Such smart and charming animals. The show was perfect, the staff was sweet and knowledgeable. It's such a change to SEE people enjoy what they do. Would recommend to everyone.
Written December 6, 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.
Bobbi S
New Richmond, WI37 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Smaller aquarium but still spent a couple hours here. It's well kept, well staffed. Go in the morning before 1100 so you can catch the sea lion show, well worth admission then you can catch the seal training session outside right after on your way out. You do have to pay for parking, however I think you can use the same ticket all day at different locations for street parking.
Written July 24, 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.
Leana143
Coastal Alabama135 contributions
Jun 2021
The price is a bit high for what you get, however for a non profit it's nice, I guess we look at it as a donation to a good cause. We've done many aquariums, and this was a let down as far as variety. We read it was small, it's small don't think people are over-exaggerating that part, it is small. It took us less than a hour to explore the aquarium, both upstairs and downstairs. The staff was respectful and nice. Touch tank was a nice addition to the aquarium. Overall a nice stop if you're walking. Some of the animals - probably most- were rescues of some sort and their signs tell you information but each one. We didn't park but it looked like there was plenty of parking should you wish to do such, not sure if there was a cost associated with it though. Go in knowing it's small, consider it a donation to a good cause and enjoy.
Written June 21, 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.
cupcake871
Parkesburg, PA193 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
This is a really small, but nice aquarium.
Lots of fish, seals, sea lions, penguins, jellyfish & other small sea life.
They do not have sharks or any type of big marine life.
We walked through in about an hour.
It is $20 per person, ages 13 & up.
Lots of fish, seals, sea lions, penguins, jellyfish & other small sea life.
They do not have sharks or any type of big marine life.
We walked through in about an hour.
It is $20 per person, ages 13 & up.
Written August 3, 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.
Eraina S
45 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
This aquarium is very small, not much for adults, but it would be cool for younger children. Payed $40 online for two people to walk around the whole aquarium for 10mins. Great experience for little kids though. Got yelled at for walking through the wrong gate walked through the side closest to the counter, and not the gate next to the fake rocks. Overall didn’t really find it amazing.
Written July 14, 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.
Shaun M
Copley, OH200 contributions
Mar 2020
Visited during our 23rd anniversary. The staff was engaging and knowledgeable during the presentation (saw the rescue seals presentation). They had quite a few types of fish (including small sharks), sea lions and jelly fish. Had an upstairs section as well. There was a souvenir section at the end of the experience.
Thought it was kind of pricey for the experience ($14.95 per adult). Spent about an hour and a 1/2 there.
More than likely it would be a great place for kids to visit.
Thought it was kind of pricey for the experience ($14.95 per adult). Spent about an hour and a 1/2 there.
More than likely it would be a great place for kids to visit.
Written March 16, 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.
Jen R
Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania44 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
You have to pay for parking. They have a parking meter there or they have directionsto pay through your phone (which I did, it was really quick). We went on a Wednesday, paid for 2 hours and it was $5.30. There was no wait to get in, we were there at 9am. We bought tickets and reserved our time online. We were there for about 45min (including going into gift shop). It's not very big, But did have a good variety of fish, seals, penguins and jellyfish. (I've never heard/seen an upside jellyfish...and yet there they were 😂) my daughters are 11 & 14- both love going to Aquariums. They enjoyed thier time there. It was about 10min from Niagra Falls Park.
Written June 24, 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.
JenRed2014
Buffalo, NY912 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We spent a good 1.5 hours here on a rainy day. The penguins are adorable and swim up to the glass to interact with people. Make sure you catch a sea lion show, as they are well trained and entertaining! While you are upstairs, don’t miss the jellyfish. They have them all lit up in different colors, and they have a type I’ve never seen before- the upside down jellyfish! I spent quite a while watching the seahorses (very easy to spot, unlike in other exhibits) swim around and grab onto the grass with their tails. Admittedly, some of the exhibits downstairs about the Great Lakes local seaside aren’t as exciting. However, these have a good conservation message and also it’s interesting to see some of the creatures we may be swimming with 😳. The touch tank was crowded, so we passed on it so kids could enjoy it, but it definitely looked fun. They have a decent gift shop as you leave. Just when you think you’re done, you pass some harbor seals who are outside. We were lucky enough to see the trainers feeding the two old lady seals they rescued. The “trucks” they teach the seals are really designed so they can check them out and apply medications, like eye drops! All in all it was time well spent. Some people think it’s expensive, but I felt like it was fair and went toward the care of the animals.
Written May 6, 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.
Sparkle D
10 contributions
Jul 2020 • Friends
The smell was horrendous when you first step foot on the door. I understand it's an aquarium but it smells like a fish market. It should be free to get in. The aquarium is very small. You walk around in one small circle and your done. I spent over 30 dollars for 2 people and it wasn't worth it at all.
I didn't take any pics. Just wanted to get out of there. It literally took me 10 minutes to go through the entire aquarium. It may take longer if you have kids.
I didn't take any pics. Just wanted to get out of there. It literally took me 10 minutes to go through the entire aquarium. It may take longer if you have kids.
Written July 29, 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.
Becky E
York, PA73 contributions
Jul 2021
I am used to larger aquariums, but since my nephew loves aquariums, we decided to go anyway.
It's a bit small and dated, but it's a nice thing to do when you have a couple of hours to fill. I DEFINITELY recommend to purchase tickets online for a specific time. When we were there, if we didn't have tickets, we would have had to wait over an hour.
My only suggestion to the facility would be to have some better lighting pointed at the description placards. It was hard to read them with such dim lighting.
The cost was a bit high for such a small aquarium, but I was OK with it because it is a non-profit rescue site.
It's a bit small and dated, but it's a nice thing to do when you have a couple of hours to fill. I DEFINITELY recommend to purchase tickets online for a specific time. When we were there, if we didn't have tickets, we would have had to wait over an hour.
My only suggestion to the facility would be to have some better lighting pointed at the description placards. It was hard to read them with such dim lighting.
The cost was a bit high for such a small aquarium, but I was OK with it because it is a non-profit rescue site.
Written July 10, 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.
Travelsnus
New York City, NY8 contributions
Is there still a second level Observation deck where you can see Niagara Falls?
Mary G
2 contributions
No
doofam
Lincoln, MA
Do you think the discovery pass was worth buying? i'm debating. we have 11 kids (all under 12) and 4 adults with us.
Nama5
52 contributions
My husband bought the tour, not discovery pass. For two adults and two kids, discovery would have been much cheaper. But, it was not peak season nor crowded that week. And expect to pay vehicle parking charges! Go to the aquarium website for specifics on pricing levels and optimal viewing and crowd numbers. There are feeding times to watch. And, don’t miss the hydroelectric power plant, it is a free learning attraction.
8_is_enough_in_MICH
Berkley, MI158 contributions
Has anyone tried the Trainer-for-day or seal encounter. I understand the aquarium is smaller but thought it would be fun for my teen daughter and i to do. Thanks :)
TheLilithian
Northfield, MA29 contributions
Not exactly the same thing, but I purchased a penguin encounter for my son and it was lovely! Intimate and staff was great.
Sonnenstrahl
Toronto433 contributions
cam we stay over night with the motorhome at the Aquarium ?
Jay B
Zionsville, IN26 contributions
I don't think that'd be an option at that location
My trip opinions
22 contributions
Is there a fee for parking at the Aquarium?
Travis M
Tottenham, Canada438 contributions
sorry my mistake there is no fee there is free parking at the aquarium
dacranjel
West Park, NY27 contributions
roughly how long does it take to see the place?
BeachBikers
Coastal South Carolina, SC543 contributions
The sea lion show is at scheduled times, so you may want to check the times in advance if you are on a tight schedule. We were there 1 to 1.5 hrs.
where do you get the penguins from
eproper11
Kirkville, NY188 contributions
Tue Penguins are one of the first exhibits you see, they are to the right of the ticket counter. The Aquarium is home to African Penguins.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Aquarium of Niagara
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