The Tourism Vancouver Visitor Centre (200 Burrard St., Plaza Level; tel. 604/683-2000; www.tourismvancouver.com) is your single-best travel information source about Vancouver and the North Shore. A helpful and well-trained staff provides information, maps, and brochures, and can help you with all your travel needs, including hotel, cruise ship, ferry, bus, and train reservations. The center also has a half-price ticket office (Tickets Tonight; tel. 604/684-2787; www.ticketstonight.ca) for same-day shows and events. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30am to 6pm (closed Sun in winter). If you’re driving, a Touristinfo Centre is located just north of the U.S.-Canada Peace Arch border crossing. For more information, visit the Destination BC website at www.hellobc.com.

City Layout

With four different bodies of water lapping at its edges and miles of shoreline, not to mention a major mountain range, numerous bridges, and a handful of islands, Vancouver’s geography can seem a bit complicated. At least it’s always easy to orient yourself: The North Shore Mountains (which are, indeed, to the north) are visible from just about everywhere. Most of your time will likely be spent in Vancouver city proper, which covers a peninsula that comprises Stanley Park, the West End, Yaletown, Chinatown, and Downtown. It’s bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, the city’s main deep-water harbor and port; to the west by English Bay; and to the south by False Creek, which is actually an inlet. There are four key east-west streets on the peninsula—Robson, Georgia, Hastings, and Davie—and three major north-south streets: Denman, Burrard, and Granville.

Tourist information centers and most hotels can provide you with a detailed downtown street map. A good all-around metropolitan area map is the Rand McNally Vancouver city map. If you’re an auto club member, the Canadian Automobile Association map is free to AAA and CAA members.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.