Quebec City Aquarium: Tips For Visiting + Everything You Need to Know (2025)
Hoping to make it to the Quebec City Aquarium while you’re in Quebec City? You’re in the right place – we’re going to go over cost, how to get there, what there is to see, and how long to spend there.
The Quebec City Aquarium (Aquarium du Québec in French) is located in the outskirts of Quebec City, right on the St. Lawrence River. Unfortunately, its not within walking distance of Old Quebec, but there are a few easy ways to get there, while we’ll go over below.
I am not a huge aquarium person, but the Quebec City Aquarium is one of the nicest aquariums I’ve been to. For one, there are polar bears (I hadn’t seen a polar bear since I was a child.)
Secondly, the Quebec City Aquarium is well laid out, and it makes a nice visit. They truly seem to have an intention of creating a great visitor experience, but they also care about the animals and are focused on marine life welfare and conservation, which I personally appreciate.
Whether you’re in Quebec City with kids, or visiting as a group of adults, I believe that the Quebec City Aquarium is worth a visit.
Let’s jump in to everything you need to know about visiting the Aquarium in Quebec City.
How big is the Quebec City Aquarium?
The Quebec City Aquarium is quite large, with the property spanning 40 acres. The main building has 3 floors of exhibits, and there are separate buildings where you have to walk outside to get to them.
There are also some outdoor exhibits that house the arctic fox, the seals, and the polar bears.
You should set aside somewhere between 2-3 hours to see everything at the Quebec Aquarium.
Things to Do at the Quebec Aquarium
- Watch the daily polar bear feeding (there are different times)
- Watch the sealions swim around in the outdoor aquarium
- Walk through all floors of the exhibits – there are marine animals from the St. Lawrence River, as well as other ocean critters
- Pet the stingrays and starfish, and read the information plaques (in English or French) learn more about them
- Walk through the underwater tunnel
- Eat in the on-site café
- Shop in the gift shop (There’s a great selection of children’s books, Quebec and Canada souvenirs, and marine animal stuffies)
We spent a total of 2 hours doing all of the above (except we didn’t eat in the café.)
If you want to have time for everything on this list, then give yourself a minimum of 2 hours to spend at the Quebec Aquarium (plus any extra time might be a bonus.)
Pro Tip: There is an interactive map viewable online so you can get an idea of the layout and where everything is before your visit. Plus, you can see the schedule of the day, so you know when the polar bear feedings are! Click here to see the map, and schedules
How much does it cost to go to Aquarium of Quebec?
The cost to visit the Quebec City Aquarium is as follows (prices are in Canadian dollars):
- Adults: $22.50 (discount for over 65s)
- Kids: $11.25
- Under 3: Free
It cost the three of us (we are a family of four, but my youngest was under 3) a total of $64.67 to visit the Quebec Aquarium once the taxes were added on. We felt it was a worthwhile visit though, and had a great time.
They do have bundles for a family of four, and one adult with three kids, so you can save a bit of money.
Pro Tip: The aquarium recommends that you book online advance before your visit. Before you book, be prepared to choose a time slot that you’re planning to show up at. For each time slot, it shows you how many spaces are remaining for that check in time. (It rarely fills up, but its good to know.) Tickets can be booked online here.
Is parking free at the Quebec Aquarium?
Yes, parking is free at the aquarium. The parking lot is quite large, and a short walk to the entrance.
After you park, you walk up to a booth where you can either buy a ticket, or show your pre-paid ticket online.
Tips for Visiting the Quebec City Aquarium
Here are some useful tidbits to know in advance.
✅ Plan your visit first thing in the morning, if you want to visit with fewer crowds. The Quebec Aquarium opens at 10am, and we showed up around 10:15am. There were already people there, but it started to get busier around the 11am – noon range.
✅ Going to the Quebec Aquarium means being outside for part of the visit; as there are separate buildings and outdoor attractions. Dress accordingly, whether you’re coming in summer, or another season.
✅ The Aquarium is great for all ages, from babies to adults. It is fully stroller friendly. (We used a stroller for our 2 year old. There are stairs between levels, but there’s an elevator too.)
✅ During the summer months, there is a café on-site, which serves sandwiches and salads, and there’s also Beaver Tails food truck in the outdoor are of the aquarium. (From what we saw, these options aren’t open in the winter or fall.)
However, if you have a car, you have other options of places to eat in the area. Pat Retro is only 10 minutes away, and is one of the most family-friendly restaurants in Quebec. The outskirts of Quebec City also have good poutine options.
✅ We can speak French, and we used our French when we were at the Aquarium. However, all the information plaques are also written in English, and you don’t need to know French in order to enjoy a visit here.
✅ The aquarium is not a private business like most other aquariums, but government owned. That’s why tickets are booked on the Sepaq website (the same website you would book tickets for Montmorency Falls, and other provincially owned and run outdoor activities.)
How do you get to the Quebec City Aquarium?
Most visitors to Quebec City are staying near the Old Town. Here are your two options for getting to the Aquarium from Old Town
1. Public Transit
You can get to the aquarium on bus routes 13 and 25. They don’t take you right to the aquarium, but they drop you off close by.
Check the schedules and routes here. It’s all in French, however under ‘le bus’ select either 13 or 25, and it shows you the bus stops. The closest one is about a 5-10 minute walk from the entrance of the aquarium.
2. Drive
Parking is completely free at the Quebec City Aquarium, and its only a 15-20 minute drive from the city centre, depending on where in Quebec City you’re staying.
We rented a car when we visited Quebec City in winter, and we drove to the aquarium from Old Town.
Where to Stay in Quebec City
I wouldn’t recommend staying near the Aquarium of Quebec, because its in the outskirts of the city and the area surrounding it is mostly industrial. There isn’t much to do beside the aquarium.
Here are some options closer to the Old Town, where there is more to do:
- Budget: Auberge International de Quebec Dorms and private rooms available at this budget hostel in Old Town
- Mid Range: Addresse sur Grande-Allee Lofts. I stayed at this Victorian building, which has affordable apartments, just a short walk from Old Town
- Luxury: Chateau Frontenac The most photogenic castle in Canada, overlooking Old Town and the St. Lawrence River
Additional Quebec Aquarium FAQ
Here are some commonly asked questions about visiting the Aquarium in Quebec City
How long does it take to do the Quebec Aquarium?
You need at least two hours at the Quebec Aquarium, because there are several different indoor exhibits, as well as an outdoor area as well. There are over thousands of species to see; including fish, stingrays, turtles, polar bears, arctic fox, seals, jellyfish, seahorses and more.
Are there polar bears at the Quebec Aquarium?
Yes, there are polar bears at the Quebec Aquarium. The polar bear exhibit is outside, and you need to walk to the far back in order to see them. When we were there, there were four polar bears.
Are there sharks at the Quebec Aquarium?
There are some species of sharks at the Quebec Aquarium. We saw leopard sharks in the freshwater exhibit, and another species of shark which was much larger.
Final Thoughts on the Quebec Aquarium
By now, you have the information you need to plan a visit to the Quebec Aquarium. The Aquarium du Quebec is a special attraction in the province Quebec, and the only one they have. Montreal, a much bigger city, does not have an aquarium.
So, it is lucky for Quebec City to have such an amazing aquarium for a city its size. Part of what we loved about the Quebec Aquarium is that it wasn’t nearly as crowded as Ripley’s in Toronto gets. It was an enjoyable visit, and something we’d recommend to families visiting Quebec City.