Canada Place

Canada Place Review

Extending four city blocks (about a mile and a half) north into Burrard Inlet, this complex (once a cargo pier) mimics the style and size of a luxury ocean liner, with exterior esplanades. The Teflon-coated fiberglass roof, shaped like five sails (the material was invented by NASA and once used in astronaut space suits), has become a Vancouver skyline landmark. Home to Vancouver's main cruise-ship terminal, Canada Place can accommodate up to four luxury liners at once. It's also home to the luxurious Pan Pacific Hotel and the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (604/647-7390), which links to an even-more-impressive expansion via outdoor plazas and an underground art gallery-themed tunnel. The promenades, which wind all the way to Stanley Park, present spectacular vantage points to view Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains; plaques posted at intervals offer historical information about the city and its waterfront.

At the north end of the complex, at the Port Authority Interpretive Centre, you can catch a video about the workings of the port, see some historic images of Vancouver's waterfront, or try your hand at a virtual container-loading game. 604/665-9179. Free. Weekdays 9-4.

Also at the north end, the CN IMAX Theatre shows films on a five-story-high screen. 604/682-4629. C$14, higher prices for some films.