Canada Place

The Basics

Canada Place offers a variety of fun activities: Head to the Port of Vancouver Discovery Centre to learn about port activities, trade, and transportation through touchscreens, videos, and animated graphics; walk along the promenade, where you can admire the North Shore mountains across Burrard Inlet, see Stanley Park, and enjoy city views; or visit the Dream of Canada exhibit, where you can see photographs that illustrate the country’s natural and cultural heritage. Alternatively, visit at night to see the “sails” all lit up.

Some Vancouver city bus tours and trolley tours include a visit to the complex, and most hop-on hop-off tours have a Canada Place stop. Sightseeing cruises and sunset cruises are great ways to see the building’s arresting outline from the water.

Things to Know Before You Go

• A Vancouver tourist information center is located across the street from Canada Place.

• There are coffee shops and restaurants inside the hotel.

• The complex has a covered parking facility that features a park and bike program that lets you borrow bikes to explore the downtown are after you park your car.

How to Get There

Canada Place is located on the northeast edge of downtown Vancouver at the ends of Burrard and Howe streets. It’s easily accessible by public transportation via train, subway, and ferry, all of which stop at the nearby Waterfront station.

When to Get There

Canada Place’s promenades are open from early morning to late at night. The complex is particularly fun to visit during holidays like Canada Day—when the area hosts fireworks, music, and food—and in the Christmas season, when the building is decked out in lights and decorations.

The Canadian Trail

The western promenade of Canada Places is embedded with tile and colored-glass markers that represent Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories. As you walk along the walkway, admiring views of the Port of Vancouver, Stanley Park, Coal Harbour, and Burrard Inlet, make sure to look down occasionally, and you’ll find a variety of facts about the country and its many regions.

Ways to explore

Canada Place is the city’s main cruise ship terminal, but the complex is also home to a convention center, a hotel, and Flyover Canada, a flight-simulation ride. You’ll often see locals enjoying the views on their lunch hour, and in summer, buskers fill the air with music. If you arrive on a cruise ship, you’ll likely debark here, but otherwise, it’s a lovely spot for sightseeing and photography opportunities.

Accessibility

Canada Place is largely at ground level, with accessible restrooms and disabled parking available.

Age limits

There are none, though children should always be supervised around water.

What to pack

Cash or credit card, camera, water

What to wear

It can get windy by the water, so opt for layers.

Not allowed

Consumption of alcohol outside restaurants, drones

Amenities

Restrooms, paid parking, benches

Address 

Located on the Downtown waterfront, Canada Place is easy to reach by car or public transit. It has an attached parking garage.

Driving

If you’re coming from central Vancouver, head north along Seymour Street. Turn left onto West Hastings Street; take a right onto Howe Street; and continue until the road ends. There's an entrance to the underground parking garage on the left.

Public transportation

Located close to Waterfront Station and the SeaBus terminal, Canada Place is accessible via Skytrain, bus, and ferry. Both the Canada Line and the Expo Line stop at the station, along with most major bus routes. From there, it’s a 5-minute walk—head west along Cordova Street, and then turn right onto Howe Street and continue to Canada Place.

Best times to visit

It’s a lovely spot in the late afternoon, when the light is softer and you can watch the float planes taking off and landing.

Best days to visit

The number of people stays consistent, except when a cruise ship is in port. Visit whenever it suits your schedule.

Best months to visit

Vancouver is gorgeous in the spring and autumn (April-May and September-October), when you’ll get views of the new greenery or the leaves changing colors.

Special events

In December, Canada Place hosts a beloved local holiday tradition: the Woodward’s Windows Christmas display. These antique animatronic displays used to be showcased at Woodward’s Department Store, but now they line the windows of Canada Place every winter.