Five Reasons Why Even Locals Should Head to the Visitor Centre This Summer

If you’re a Vancouverite planning a day of sightseeing around your home town, you might think that a trip to Tourism Vancouver’s Visitor Centre is about as useful to you as a chocolate teapot. You know where you’re going, and thanks to Google (and tourismvancouver.com), you can do all the research you need online, right? Not so fast!

Here are five great reasons to plan a trip to the Visitor Centre before you set out to see the sights.

1. It’s a Central, One-Stop Shop for Sightseeing Tickets and Tours

If you’re planning on hitting more than one of Vancouver’s top attractions this summer, you can save some time by purchasing all of your tickets in advance. Located right by Waterfront Station, close to SkyTrain, SeaBus and regular bus services, Tourism Vancouver’s Visitor Centre sells advance tickets to attractions like Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver Art Gallery and more. But why stop there? You can also book floatplane “flightseeing” tours, whale watching excursions, and even kayaking trips from the Visitor Centre – a true “one stop shop” for planning your summer activities! So instead of waiting in line at each place in middle of the sweaty summer tourist season, you’ll have to pull out your wallet just once, and after waiting in the centre’s pleasant air-conditioned surroundings.

2. Skip the Line Up: Buying Tickets in Advance Comes With Perks!

Not only is it more convenient to buy all of your tickets at once, but you get some amazing perks like front-of-the-line access. Purchase admission to the Vancouver Aquarium or Capilano Suspension Bridge from the Visitor Centre, and when you arrive, you’ll saunter right past those crazy summer line-ups and head straight in. And since the Visitor Centre is located right across from the Canada Place stop for the free shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge, it’s easy to grab your admission tickets before you get on the bus.

3. Save Some Cash While You’re At It

As if saving time and jumping the line wasn’t enough, many attractions offer a discount on their regular admission price if you buy advance tickets at the Visitor Centre. Discounts range from 10 to 30% off, leaving you more money to spend on ice cream and souvenirs. Speaking of cash, the Visitor Centre accepts cash as well as debit and credit cards, for those who are still a little uneasy about paying for things online.

4. Your Visiting Friends and Family Need Some Guidance

You might know exactly where you’re going and what to see in Vancouver, but what about your guests? If you have friends or relatives visiting, they might need a little more help deciding what to do while they’re in town. Not only is the Visitor Centre the place to pick up Tourism Vancouver’s Official Visitor Guide, maps and other info, they also have a multilingual team that can offer ideas and suggestions depending on the interests of your guest. For the super-host, grab guides and maps ahead of time and present your guests with a welcome package!

5. It’s Not Just About Sightseeing; Catch a Show! 

Perhaps visiting the attractions is not your thing, but you’d like to grab a couple of tickets to a concert, or half-price tickets to a show. The Tickets Tonight booth inside the Visitor Centre is the only place in Vancouver to get day-of, half-price tickets to performances around town. You can check their website each day for the shows on offer, but you’ll need to purchase the tickets in person. Of course, Tickets Tonight also offers regular tickets for a wide range of shows, performances, tours and festivals.

Tourism Vancouver’s Visitor Centre is located at 200 Burrard Street, right opposite Canada Place. During summer, it’s open from 9 am to 5 pm, seven days a week.

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