Looking for Vancouver photo spots worth exploring? From waterfront views and colourful laneways to familiar filming locations, here are some beautiful places to capture your visit.
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Gastown Steam Clock
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A visit to Gastown almost always comes with a photo beside the Steam Clock. The heritage buildings and old-fashioned street lamps give your pictures plenty of character, especially when you include more of Water Street in the frame. TWICE fans may also recognize the clock from the “Likey” music video. Go early for a quieter photo stop, then grab a coffee and wander through the neighbourhood.
Location: Water Street at Cambie Street, Vancouver
Photo tip: Stand slightly to one side so you capture the clock and the streetscape behind it.
Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza
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With the harbour and North Shore Mountains behind it, the Olympic Cauldron gives you a backdrop that feels unmistakably Vancouver. The landmark remains from the 2010 Winter Games and makes an easy stop during a downtown waterfront walk. Take a wider shot to show the setting, then spend a little time enjoying the view before moving on.
Location: Jack Poole Plaza, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
Photo tip: Leave space around the cauldron to include the mountains and water.
Science World From the False Creek Seawall
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You don’t need to go inside Science World to come home with a great photo of its dome. Follow the public seawall around the eastern end of False Creek and try a few angles with the water in the foreground. It’s a lovely place for a walking portrait or a relaxed family picture, especially when you make the photo stop part of a longer waterfront outing.
Location: Seawall near Science World, 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver
Photo tip: Step farther along the seawall so the whole dome fits comfortably behind you.
Vancouver Public Library
The Central Library’s curved exterior makes a beautiful backdrop for city photos, with plenty of lines and angles to play with. After taking a few pictures outside, head upstairs to the publicly accessible rooftop garden on Level 9 for greenery and skyline views. It’s a nice place to pause during a downtown outing, too. Visit during opening hours and respect the privacy of other library visitors.
Location: 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Photo tip: Take a wide architectural shot outside, then try a more relaxed portrait in the rooftop garden.
Sunset Beach
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Bring a snack and give yourself a little extra time at Sunset Beach. It’s a lovely place for shoreline photos, natural family pictures and an evening spent watching the sky change. There’s a K-pop connection here, too: the roller hockey rink appears in TWICE’s “Likey” music video. Arrive before sunset for portraits while there’s still light on everyone’s faces.
Location: 1110 Beach Avenue, Vancouver
Photo tip: Take your portraits first, then try silhouettes as the sun gets lower.
Spinning Chandelier Under Granville Bridge
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A giant chandelier beneath a concrete bridge is one of Vancouver’s more unexpected photo stops. Created by Rodney Graham, the Spinning Chandelier hangs near Beach Avenue and Granville Street, adding a little sparkle to an otherwise urban setting. If you want to see it move, Destination Vancouver lists its daily spinning times as noon, 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Location: Beneath the north end of Granville Bridge, near Beach Avenue and Granville Street
Photo tip: Use your phone’s wide-angle setting from the sidewalk to fit in the chandelier and bridge.
Prospect Point in Stanley Park
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For a classic Vancouver view, head to Prospect Point to see Lions Gate Bridge framed by trees, water and the North Shore. It’s a good choice when you want a photo that captures more than just downtown buildings. Make it one stop on a Stanley Park outing and leave time to enjoy the scenery between pictures.
Location: Prospect Point, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Photo tip: Choose a clear day for a better chance of seeing the mountains behind the bridge.
A-maze-ing Laughter
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The oversized laughing statues at English Bay make a fun stop for playful photos. Let everyone choose an expression to copy, especially if you’re visiting with little ones. It’s an easy way to capture a few smiles without much posing.
Location: Morton Park, near Davie and Denman streets, Vancouver
Photo tip: Copy a statue’s pose for a lighthearted group picture.
Alley-Oop
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TWICE fans may recognize this pink-and-yellow laneway from the “Likey” music video. Its colourful walls make a cheerful backdrop for portraits and a fun change from waterfront scenery. Stop by while exploring downtown.
Location: Laneway near 450 Granville Street, Vancouver
Photo tip: Try a full-body portrait with the painted walls behind you.
Queen Elizabeth Park
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Gardens and skyline views make Queen Elizabeth Park an easy choice for a relaxed photo walk. Explore the quarry gardens for portraits, then head to the upper viewpoint to capture Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains.
Location: Near Cambie Street and West 33rd Avenue, Vancouver
Photo tip: Take garden portraits before finishing with a wide city view.
Digital Orca
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This blocky black-and-white whale beside the Vancouver Convention Centre adds a playful touch to waterfront photos. Douglas Coupland’s Digital Orca is an easy stop while visiting Jack Poole Plaza, with different angles showing off its pixel-like shape.
Location: Vancouver Convention Centre West Building, along Canada Place
Photo tip: Photograph it from the side to capture its distinctive outline.
Canada Place
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Vancouver’s famous white sails make a classic backdrop for travel photos. Add Canada Place to a waterfront walk and take your time finding an angle that includes the sails, harbour and surrounding scenery.
Location: 999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Photo tip: Keep the sails behind you for a relaxed walking portrait.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
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Covered walkways, pavilions and garden details make this a beautiful setting for a slower photo outing. Look for reflections and doorways to frame your pictures, and check visiting hours before heading over.
Location: 578 Carrall Street, Vancouver
Cost: Paid admission to the classical garden
Photo tip: Use a pavilion or doorway to frame your portrait.
White Rock Pier
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Take a walk along White Rock Pier, grab something to eat nearby and enjoy the ocean views along the way. It’s a lovely spot for seaside photos, and TWICE fans might recognize it from the “Likey” music video.
Location: White Rock waterfront, along Marine Drive
Photo tip: Take a photo looking down the pier with the ocean behind you.
Steveston Village
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If you’ve watched Once Upon a Time, walking through Steveston might feel a little familiar. Look for the Cannery Cafe, which played Granny’s Diner, along Moncton Street, then head toward the waterfront for more photos and a bite to eat.
Location: Moncton Street, Steveston Village, Richmond
Photo tip: Stop for a storefront photo before taking a few by the harbour.
Riverview, Coquitlam
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For a moodier backdrop, Riverview’s historic buildings and surrounding trees offer something different. You might recognize the grounds from Deadpool 2, Elysium, Supernatural or Riverdale. It’s still an active care site, so stick to permitted outdoor areas and respect everyone’s privacy. Staged or professional shoots need written permission.
Location: səmiq̓ʷəʔelə / Riverview lands, Coquitlam
Photo tip: Include the trees around the buildings, staying in areas open to visitors.
Marine Building
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If you’re walking around downtown, stop by the Marine Building for a few photos. Its detailed entrance makes a beautiful backdrop, and movie fans might recognize it from Fantastic Four. It’s an easy stop before heading toward Coal Harbour.
Location: 355 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Photo tip: Stand by the entrance and include the details above the doors.
Vancouver Art Gallery
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You don’t have to go inside the Vancouver Art Gallery to get a lovely photo. The grand building and surrounding plaza give you plenty to work with, and you might recognize the area from The Interview or X-Men: The Last Stand.
Location: 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Photo tip: Step back so you can fit the columns into your picture.
UBC’s Chan Centre
Take a walk around UBC and stop by the Chan Centre, which appeared in Josie and the Pussycats. The curved building and surrounding trees make a lovely backdrop, especially if you want to spend an afternoon exploring somewhere outside downtown.
Location: 6265 Crescent Road, UBC
Photo tip: Find an angle that includes the building and a little greenery.
Front Street, New Westminster
For something a little different, head to Front Street in New Westminster. This stretch has appeared in Godzilla and Rumble in the Bronx, with an industrial setting that gives your photos a moodier feel. Grab a coffee nearby and make it part of a downtown walk.
Location: Front Street, near Sixth Street, New Westminster
Photo tip: Take your photos from the sidewalk with the streetscape behind you.
Pick a few spots, grab a coffee along the way and enjoy seeing Vancouver through your camera.
