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Vancouver Lookout at Harbour Centre
Categories: Hotels & Travel Tours Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Tours, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
555 W Hastings StVancouver, BC V6B 4N6
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 689-0421
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 9 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
32 reviews for Vancouver Lookout at Harbour Centre
32 reviews in English
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Review from Mark M.
2/2/2012 4 Check-ins Here
What an amazing view of Vancouver! I don't think you can have a better view of the entire city than from the Lookout at Harbour Centre. It is quite breathtaking once you get up to the top and step out of the elevator and check out the view.
The price of admission is totally worth it for some excellent picture opportunities as well as to just take in the beautiful scenery of Vancouver either during the day or night. I recommend you check the lookout right before the sun sets as you will enjoy the views of the city both during the remaining light as well as at night when you can truly appreciate just how beautiful this city really is. -
Review from Eugene G.
1/16/2012
The $15.00 price tag is too excessive. For the price you get a 360 view of Vancouver way above all the other buildings. The best views are of the stadium, Convention Center, Stanley Park set against the lions gate bridge, and North Vancouver across the waters.
Its one of those things you'll probably just do once and never do again. If you have to choose between evening or day, I would go with day, preferably a clear day with as little cloud cover as possible. -
Review from Bianca T.
12/5/2011
Simply stunning. It gives the Space Needle a run for its money, for sure.
There's a guy at the base of the tower who you either pay to get to the viewing staion (something like $15) OR you can choose to go to the restaurant for free. Of course you'd be expected to actually buy something, which was our intention anyway. So the restaurant was the more economical choice.
Service was a little odd. The hostess took a while to get us to our table. And she seemed a little put off by our arrival. Once we were seated the waitress came for our orders right away. It did take a spell for her to deliver the drinks - prolly because she was seemingly the only one working. That's OK. We took the time oggling the amazing view. SOOO gorge. I think we arrived at the perfect time to...not quite sundown, but the sun was definitely casting its long rays over the city.
We didn't stay for another drink mainly because it was taking a bit too long for our liking. No matter, we hit the streets on to the next adventure. -
Review from Daren D.
1/14/2012
In and out privieleges. I agree with Cyndi's, too. One thing I didn't like (I'm OCD like that sometimes with details) was the visible and weather metal around the window edges and that "window cleaning?" contraption. The exterior elevator is neat and the mid-rise 360 degree view is great... and no it DOES NOT give the Space Needle a run for it's money. This thing does share 3 things, but sorely lacks in 1 factor: Visual appeal! =P =) Ha.
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Review from Debbie W.
1/2/2012
We enjoyed daytime and nightime views of Vancouver from the Harbour center and lucked out to have a day on our short weekend-trip of pure sunshine in December.
Wished we would have known you could have a free ride up to the restaurant, but we first bought a ticket to enjoy the afternoon sunshine from the observation deck. The daytime views were amazing! Since the ticket was good for the whole day, we decided to enjoy a drink from the bar in the restaurant that night. (that's when we found out we could have ridden for free). Oh, well. Good to know for next time! Even though we didn't have reservations and were only wanting a drink, they were nice enough to give us a seat at the revolving restaurant tables, rather than stick us back in the bar without a view. One drink turned into two and three as we circled the city several times and enjoyed the nightime skyline. It was an experience we would like to capture again on a future visit. -
Review from Norah L.
Vancouver, BC
12/16/2011
Expensive but lovely views of Vancouver and the North Shore especially on a clear day. Friendly staff, informative tour. The gift shop and cafe were kind of sparse so when I bring out of towners here I pack a lunch, my relatives from out of town love the lookout.
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Review from Danielle L.
9/19/2011
Okay, so it's not the tallest building in the world. But does it really matter? It offers a spectacular 360º view of Vancouver...to include the Pacific ocean, the mountains, the coal harbor, the very impressive skyline, and more! You can even bend in towards the glass to see tiny little people walking the streets below. In addition, your pass is good for the entire day, so we went up mid afternoon and then also returned to see the sun set and take some night time photography. That sparkling view in the evening is quite magical and should not to be missed. Definitely take advantage of this super inexpensive opportunity to get a great view of the city.
P.S. The elevator ride up is pretty groovy.
P.P.S. The staff is super helpful and friendly. -
Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
6/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
When you visit the Vancouver Lookout, make sure it's a nice sunny day. I think that would be obvious, unless you somehow got better vision in rainy/cloudy weather....
I enjoy coming here every once in awhile. Great to see the city from a different perspective. Lots of great information about the city here. I learn something new every time I visit.Listed in: Typically Tourist
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Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
3/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Wow. What a way to enjoy the city. With panoramic views at 430 feet it's hard to not enjoy life at the top. Though the Shangri-la dwarfs Harbour Centre considerably, the Lookout's height is actually ideal because it's low enough to still make out interesting details in the landscape. Beautiful.
If you work in the area, I'd advise buying an annual pass and coming up here to eat your lunch. Can you say epic mealtime?
As an event space, it's pretty plain (you'll need caterers and decor) but the view distracts from the bare space. I mean, why distract from the sight of our beautiful city? Guests will certainly feel swank to be treated to such a view.
As any good viewpoint, at sunset it's divine. -
Review from Diana B.
3/27/2011
Nothing like a great view of the city... The building itself is lovely. The architecture is beautiful, and the entire ride up is scenic.
From above, you get to enjoy the city from a perfect height...
Beautiful place to just get some quite time and enjoy a sunset or two...
You gotta see it- to believe it!Listed in: Things to Do in BC
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Review from Maxine H.
10/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm amazed to see there aren't as many reviews for this place.
Everyone I had talked to prior to my vacation to Canada recommended that I visit the Vancouver Lookout. Seeing as how it was only a couple blocks away from the Four Seasons I decided to check it out.
Got there around 4pm and there was hardly anyone there. We bought our tickets (they do student discounts even though you're not Canadian and you can find coupons in the local travel brochures) and headed 536ft up to the lookout. The view is absolutely amazing. You get a 360 view of the entire city and more. The first thing you'll see once you get off the elevator is downtown and Granville bridge in the distance. You can stop there or keep making your way around. You can see everything from Burnaby, Grouse Mountain and North Vancouver, Stanley Park, Downtown, you name it.
The tickets were good for all day admission. So we left and came back as the sun was setting. WOW..a completely different experience. I would definitely recommend Vancouver Lookout to anyone and everyone. -
Review from Dwi C.
1/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
This tower is considered dwarf compared than several towers that I have visited.
The elevator view is quite scenic, but the existing building is blocking your view until three-quarters to the top.
Try going the elevator near the sun set, the view is worth recording in your video (... imagining being Superman carrying Louis Lane flying up to he sky during sunset ... meh! scrap that idea!)
Once on the top, I was touring the viewing deck and some corners are quite good to snap some pictures (... ok, technically there is no corner in this circular viewing deck, but you know what I mean ...)
Close to dinner, I had the special dinner appointment in the level above.
The restaurante is another revolving type and the view is amazing at nigh!
(it didn't enhance your apetite though, but it is always nice to have dinner with a special one in here).
The food serving is good, except we ordered the escargot as the late entree (thanks to my elastic stomach, I was ordering this because I was still hungry). -
Review from Reena M.
Exciting on a clear day, and pretty much the only place in Vancouver a tourist can legitimately go for a view of the city and the mountains. Unless, of course, he's staying at the Shangri-La or the Sheraton Wall Center on the higher floors (or something similar).
I have to admit though, when I was younger and had friends visit, we'd just take the elevator ride up, pretend we were going to the restaurant, and then go back down just to get the view.
Vancouver is a beautiful city!Listed in: Tourism Vancouver
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Review from Christopher T.
7/28/2010
I'm not an actual 'fan' I am just trying to rate it for what it is, built to make income off tourists; guilty.
The view is quite nice and it is inexpensive to get to the top. It also offers information on plaques as you walk around to as what you're seeing.
I wouldn't go up again. -
Review from Linzi M.
3/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Date: Take me here on a clear night and I'll love you and your city. Forever.
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Review from shain r.
Vancouver, BC
9/22/2008
This review contains two parts. The first part is what I pulled from thier website and the second part is particulaly intresting and you will definatley want to find out what I have to tell you about the Harbour Centre.
Part one:
The Vancouver Lookout tops Harbour Centre, a towering complex that is home to 28 floors of offices, the downtown campus of Simon Fraser University, shops, a food fair and liquor store, and the Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant. American astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, opened the Vancouver Lookout in 1977.
Situated high above Vancouver, the Lookout is the perfect first stop for visitors and locals alike and provides a fascinating bird's eye view of our City. Glass elevators whisk visitors 130 meters (430 feet) skyward from street level to the Observation Deck in a mere 40 seconds. Here you will enjoy a riveting and spectacular 360º view of Metro Vancouver's cosmopolitan downtown and the suburbs beyond, the vast Pacific Ocean, bustling Coal Harbour, and the majestic North Shore Mountains. Our view of Vancouver, the most beautiful city in the world, is simply breathtaking.
Part two:
now this i where it gets really good. I will direct you to a sentence that states this ...."American astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, opened the Vancouver Lookout in 1977." When I first moved to vancouver I purchased book about fun and interesting things to do in vancouver and one of sections went on to talk about the Harbour centre and it described this event that took place with a famous astronaut who was asked to make an imprint in cement to commemorate the opening of the Harbour Centrer. As I read on it explained that this cast of Neil's feet was then added to the blocks used to build that staircase which leads up to observation deck. It is stated that you can walk up the stairs to the top and somewhere in the 28 floors you will find a cast of Neil's feet. so are you up to the challenge of walking 28 stories to find out? -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
8/1/2010
Wooowwwweee!
I am a lucky lady and have a tourism passport (because I work in a museum) which entitles me to free admission to pretty much any and every tourist attraction in the lower mainland.
I had never, ever been up to the Lookout (despite attending classes at SFU right downstairs) and so last night we popped in on our way to Davie St. I am so glad we did!
The elevator itself was a fun experience, as the walls are glass and you get a neat show on the way up. Once we got off at the top, I was delighted to find informative plaques detailing points of interest the whole way around the 360 degree view.
I am such a nerdy history keener that I knew most of the facts, but the historic photos juxtaposed over the current sights were amazing! The view is breathtaking, and I had no idea that it was possible to see all the way to the San Juan Islands. Neat!
I think I may have been boring poor S, but I took it upon myself to fill in the gaps that the plaques left out. The tourists seemed to be enjoying the free tour, but S wanted to go get more dranks!
At 7 bux regularly, I would do this again even without my pass! A great way to spend an hour for a local, and a definite "must see" for tourists. And maybe, if you're lucky, I'll be up there spouting off some local history...... :P -
Review from Kelly K.
Toronto, ON
10/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
While not as high as the CN Tower in Toronto or even the SkyTower in Auckland, the Lookout was a great place to go to see the lay of the land.
My Hostelling International membership card gave me a half-price discount, so for $7.50 I braved the short elevator ride up the observation deck (I have elevator issues). The day we went the sky was perfectly clear. You could see Mt Baker in the distance (reminding you that holy crap, Mother Nature can create some really big things), all around the city, and to the Gulf Islands in the distance.
Your entrance ticket is good for the entire day, so you can go back up as many times as you'd like. We'd meant to return for sunset, but ended up being too far away when the moment arrived.
I def agree that everyone should go up at least once to see what the fuss is all about. Vancouver really is a beautiful city of glass (to paraphrase Douglas Coupland). -
Review from Eros A.
7/25/2010
Looking for a high view point of Vancouver without leaving the city; this might be the place.
It is a nice 360 degrees view of the city; and with information of the surrounding buildings it could be a nice 45 minutes adventure.
I believe that the best part of it is the buildings history and the ocean view.
I do wish it had more stuff to do in it. There was guy welcome you by the elevators and offering maps. the little history notes of the building views is a nice touch. But maybe a bar or restaurant would have been nicer! -
Review from Graydon A.
4/23/2009
I'd previously considered going up to the lookout, but figured it wasn't worth the money, since great free views of the city abound. Still, I recently had the chance to go up for free, and the view was a lot more interesting than I was expecting.
Unlike the view from the North Shore mountains, which is fairly static, looking down from the Harbour Centre you can actually see activity happening on the street and in the harbour. You also get a much closer (i.e. better) view of the nearby buildings.
Another advantage of the 430-foot height, relative to the mountain lookouts, is that tall things stand out on the horizon. You get some sense of how hilly the city actually is. In particular, Burnaby Mountain and the buildings of Metrotown are very obvious.
One final humorous note; according to one of the information panels, tourists sometimes confuse Metrotown for Seattle(!) or Calgary(!!); I find that hard to believe, but if it's true, I'm glad the lookout is educating them. -
Review from Paul P.
Vancouver, BC
3/21/2011
This is one of the best ways to see the city of Vancouver from a Bird's Eye's Perspective...I have always enjoyed this place, and the staff are pretty cool and knowledgeable as well...
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Review from Zakk D.
12/23/2008
I had a great time reading the placards that seemed everywhere here. Great spot to see the city, some really breathtaking views of the harbor, Mt. Baker, and other great scenery that I really enjoyed in my visit to Vancouver.
If you're headed here, most of the tourist handouts on what to do in Vancouver has a coupon for admission. Admission is also valid all day so try to get there around midday for the best views and later a night for the lights. -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
12/26/2008
This is one thing I guess I don't understand as a Vancouver resident.
The lookout is kind of blah if you're used to the skyline, the mountains and the ocean. But, I've brought many tourists here and they've all noted that it was one of their favorite experiences. It does feature a lot of facts about Vancouver and little placards about history but mostly you're paying for the view. In fact, if you can get around paying it's sure to be a hit, since the pricetag is about the only thing that makes it less than worthwhile.
You can also head up to the so-so restaurant, but get the same view so if you want to compact eating into the same excursion that might be a great plan.
Either way, whether we as vancouverites understand or appreciate it is moot, bring tourists here and they'll be happy. -
Review from Kristina C.
10/13/2008
I had a really good time here as a tourist. It wasn't very expensive and it was definitely worth going to at night because the lights are so pretty. I also enjoyed the pictures that are aligned with the view. Very cool and interesting history but not too exhausting.
Even better, it wasn't very crowded.
Definitely a place to go your first time around in Vancouver. -
Review from Megan S.
12/27/2008
I love the unique buildings that give shape to the Vancouver skyline. Harbour Center definitely stands out. It's a neat building, but the real treat is the view from inside. When I first moved here, I often used it as my navigation. When downtown, I'd look for it to get my northerly bearings.
The view is great- who gets tired of the downtown/water/mountains view. I love it! Great place to make someone fall in love with the city. And maybe fall in love with you? I think it's a great date spot, assuming the date has never been there before. Otherwise, people seem to have mixed reactions to repeat visits. I love em, but others like to skip it. -
Review from Heina D.
9/27/2010
Not only is this place inexpensive and a fabulous way to see all of the city, but the price of admission allows for a second visit after dark, so not only did we get to see a decent portion of BC by daylight, we got to enjoy the after-dark twinkly-lights view. The guides there are very friendly and informative, too.
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Review from Tim L.
8/14/2008
It's certainly a touristy place to go. Here's a secret, save your money and just go up to the restaurant instead. You get the view and you can get food and eat and enjoy. It's a far better deal.
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Review from Connie N.
10/18/2008
This place is actually a really good spot to hold cocktail hour business meetings. You can set up a bar from the central room and your attendees can enjoy networking and munching on catered goodies and roam around looking at the 360 degree view and return to the mingling. Good doing business times...
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Review from Noa G.
Vancouver, BC
10/21/2008
Want an added bonus to shopping at the Harbour Centre's more than 30 stores on ground level? When you're tired of looking into windows, take an elevator ride (admission charged) up to look out of them, and have the city literally at your feet. The observation deck offers sweeping vistas of everything Vancouver is known for: mountains, sea, sky, and cityscape. It's not as tall as the CN Tower, but it'll do. Grab a quick bite at the food court or have a respite at the rotating restaurant with a view up top.
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Review from Jenna H.
Vancouver, BC
4/15/2010
I think going to the top of the Harbour Centre is something that every Vancouverite should do at some point in their life. The view is amazing especially on a sunny day or at night. I have been to various functions and they always seem extra special because of the panoramic city view. Everything I go to the lookout it reminds me how lucky I am to live in such a spectacular city!
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Review from Maria J.
9/18/2008
Had fun. This is a place to take the family for some good scenic views. You can get some good people watching on. It's amazing what you can see..... LOL
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Review from roger a.
9/13/2009
always chekin out cool stuff. and this is one of them in Vancouver BC.
