Downtown Vancouver Attractions

In the shadow of the 1923 Mill building you gaze at the sparkling aquamarine water of Howe Sound. Then the clanging bell from the train signals that it’s time to put on your hardhat and “climb aboard” for a thrilling ride into an authentic copper mine. This is a once in a lifetime experience for the senses and your heart races as you see, touch and experience the life of a miner from historic times. And don't forget, “thar’s gold in them thar hills”, so grab your pan and stake your fortune!

Learn about British Columbia's sports heroes (including Terry Fox and Rick Hansen) as you explore galleries from the 1860's to present day. Test your own abilities in our unique sports' playroom where you can throw a pitch, climb a wall and sprint a track. Open 10am - 5pm daily.

The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is Vancouver's newest public art gallery. Located in downtown Vancouver, the Gallery is dedicated to the acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920-1998). Featured exhibition, Bill Reid: Master of Haida Art runs through June 2009 & takes visitors on a journey of renowned Haida artist Bill Reid, through his art, stories & film. Permanent installations include the exhibition Restoring Enchantment: Gold & Silver masterworks by Bill Reid; the monumental bronze sculpture Mythic Messengers & full-scale totem pole carved by James Hart of Haida Gwaii, in celebration of Bill Reid.

Vancouver's only 'garden under glass' features richly varied plant displays, free-flying tropical birds and colourful koifish. Open year round.

A superb 50-acre garden attraction offering evening entertainment, night illuminations (June-September) and special lighting at Christmas. Restaurants and gift store on site. Open daily from 9 a.m., year round.

One of Vancouver’s most iconic and thrilling sites, Capilano Suspension Bridge is breathtakingly suspended 450 feet across and 230 feet above Capilano River. But crossing the bridge isn’t the only excitement you can expect. Cross over to towering evergreens, cedar-scented rainforest air, serene trails and the award winning Treetops Adventure - a series of suspended footbridges offering a close encounter with the very heart of the rainforest and stunning views from up to 100 feet above the forest floor.

Over 100 years old, Christ Church Anglican Cathedral is a designated heritage site. We offer worship services seven days a week, host outreach programs, forums, lectures and concerts. Our annual summer festival of music and dramatic arts runs through July and August. Four meeting rooms on the lower level are available for rent.

An outstanding example of a fur trade post that traded with the First Nations people. The site offers demonstrations of fur trade skills, blacksmithing and coopering by costumed guides in addition to BC history and culture exhibits and interpretive programming for adults and families.

Take in the sights and sounds with over 600 different animals to discover in 120 acres of wide open spaces in the Fraser Valley. Lions, tigers, giraffes, hippos and so much more! Ride our narrated Safari Express Miniature Train or the fun-filled bus tour thru the North American Wild; and don't miss our interactive Radical Raptor Birds of Bird presentations! Bring your bike, blades, wagon or rent one of our Quadra Cycles. Large picnic facilities and playground. Located in Aldergrove - Exit 73 off Highway 1.

Panoramic views of the Lower Mainland unfold as the Skyride whisks you to the mountaintop. Adventures include our Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, lumberjack shows, scenic hiking trails, falconry demonstrations, helicopter tours, and much more. In the Peak Chalet, experience award-winning dining. Just 15 minutes from Downtown Vancouver.

Located on the banks of the mighty Fraser River, in the historic fishing village of Steveston, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site is a dynamic facility, full of sounds, images and artifacts waiting to be explored. Enter and learn how Canada's West Coast fishing industry developed. Built in 1894 the cannery echoes with memories of the days when it was the largest in British Columbia.

Have a blast at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre! Experience what it feels like to travel through space with B.C's First Virtual Voyages Full- Motion Simulator, enjoy multimedia Planetarium and GroundStation Canada shows, and get hands-on in the Cosmic Courtyard Exhibit Gallery.

Few Sports offer as much excitement as thoroughbred racing. That's one reason Hastings Racecourse has been capturing the imagination of Vancouverites and visitors alike for 118 years. Hastings is a legendary location with spectacular mountain and waterfront racing views.

Come enjoy the thrill of live thoroughbred racing every weekend from April to November. General admission is always free with a great variety of dining experiences. A day at Hastings is perfect for all your meetings, group events or to enjoy with your family and friends. Our staff is committed to ensuring that your day at the track is a runaway success and a truly memorable experience. You can bet on it!

Hell’s Gate is a scenic attraction, its roots in history, its future based on a monumental project to reclaim the channel for the great Fraser River Salmon run. The airtram carries 25 visitors and an operator in complete comfort and safety to the opposite shores of the mighty, raging Fraser River.

The most exquisite example of traditional Chinese palatial architecture in North America. Come explore traditional Chinese art, culture, and the Buddhist philosophy at this magnificent Buddhist Temple. Open Daily from 9:00am to 5:30pm. Free Admission. All are welcome.

Maplewood Farm opened in 1975 and has become a well loved and visited attraction on Vancouver's North Shore. Operated by the municipal District of North Vancouver, Parks Department, Maplewood offers a unique opportunity for folks, especially families with younger children. It's a safe and fun environment to connect with the real animals often featured in children stories. The small stature Pygmy goats, sometimes a lamb or a calf await visitors in the popular visiting area called "Goathill". The pure white New Zealand Rabbits welcome folks into "Rabbitat". Carrots are passé here but enter this visiting area with dandelions, kale or parsley and you will have many furry fast friends! The Farm has many other farm animals too, from the largest, the Belgian Draft Horses down to the smallest, the tiny bantam Chickens who are smaller than crows! Approximately 200 animals and birds make Maplewood their home.

Nestled against 7000 foot Mt. Cheam sits a work of art, a wonderful gathering of distinclty different gardens so spectacular you want to linger as you take in all the different sights, sounds and fragrances. Minter Gardens is set within 32 acres of floral artistry, with 11 themed gardens, two great restaurants, and a gift/plant shop all designed to dazzle your sense. Open daily April to mid-October. Only 90 minutes east of downtown Vancouver BC on Highway #1 at exit #135 (Harrison Hot Springs Exit).

Experience a garden of old world architecture, towering bamboo and fragrant roses. Delight your senses with cool pools, dazzling displays and hidden surprises at each turn. Enthusiastic horticulturalists available to answer questions. Free admission. Shops and services onsite. Close to Grouse Mountain and Lonsdale Quay.

Located on the historic PNE grounds, Playland Amusement Park features over 35 exhilarating rides and attractions, fun midway games and a NEW mini-golf course for 2008. It’s also home to Kids Playce, a special zone filled with soft-play areas and rides for children aged 2-8 featuring 2 NEW rides this season! Open from April 26 to September 28, 2008. Playland is sure to provide fun and excitement for the entire family. Discounted passes at Tourism Vancouver Info Centres. For more information call 604-253-2311 or visit www.pne.ca.

Street View Attractions. Tourist Attractions.

Enjoy the UBC Botanical Garden of 70 acres of plants from around the world and the Nitobe Memorial Garden, an authentic Japanese Tea and Stroll Garden.

Bringing life to art for over 75 years! From Canada's largest collection of beloved artist Emily Carr's work, to ever-changing world-class exhibitions in a stunning neo-classical heritage building, the Vancouver Art Gallery offers the city's top cultural experience. Located right in the centre of downtown Vancouver, the Gallery is one of the largest art museums in Canada, featuring four floors of inspirational pleasures with rotating exhibitions of major international works.

Vancouver Lookout at Harbour Centre is the BEST FIRST STOP, with a spectacular 360° view of Metro Vancouver, the majestic North Shore Mountains and perhaps even Vancouver Island just off the Pacific Coast. Your experience starts as you climb the outside of the building in an exterior glass elevator, which takes approximately 45 seconds from street level to the deck. On arrival, you are delivered 167 m on top of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. One of Downtown Vancouver's most visited Attractions.

Vancouver Museum is located in scenic Vanier Park, set against a spectacular vista of ocean, city skyline and mountains. It is Canada’s largest civic museum and home to an impressive collection of over 100,000 objects.

Through the preservation and interpretation of Vancouver’s human and natural history, the Vancouver Museum holds a mirror up to the City and leads provocative conversations about its past, present, and future. Permanent exhibits tell the city’s stories from the early 1900s to the late ‘70s and are complemented by contemporary, groundbreaking feature exhibits.