You can certainly get a plethora of printed media from your hotel about the city. But I suggest you…read morepay a visit when you arrive in Vancouver anyway. Because what you don't get is the first hand knowledge, short cuts, tips and local tidbits that the enthusiastic staff here will impart. Kudos to Vancouver for attracting what seems to be volunteer retirees who love their city and want to make sure that you love it too and will get the most out of your visit here too. I spoke to two volunteers here, and another while we took a ferry ride, who went on the False Creek Ferry tour with her husband so she could talk intelligently about it. It appears that the staff on their days off take the time to go to the site and attractions the Centre recommends. They are honest in their opinions about places and are good at reading your needs too. On the day I stopped by and praised the natural beauty of the city, the volunteer recommended Lighthouse Park to me, after I informed her that wanted to explore places outside central Vancouver area. She was a gem, the park was a delight, and her advice about going early to avoid the traffic on Lion's Gate, because of a lane closure, is the kind of tip you can really only get from a local. I loved the fact that when I asked her a question she didn't know, she asked another person who did know. Teamwork and passion and common sense. Wow! The Centre is clean(that word is synonymous with Vancouver I am finding), spacious, and well stocked with all sorts of printed cards and brochures from various places and vendors. Look for the places you want to visit to see if they offer discounts. Get the brochure/map on Stanley Park as it is colorful and well done. It was so pretty I brought it home so I could gaze out it while dreaming about my next trip. The large city map the tourism board prints out is good too, if your hotel already doesn't have that one. Get also the cheat sheet on attractions the Centre prints out. That tells you what bus, train to take, and if it is a two fare zone etc. (My only tip now would be for LIghthouse Park, that they add the actual stop to get off! Also, the only bus that goes to Marine Drive I was told by a local runs only 3x Sundays!). It's a plain Xerox sheet, nothing fancy, chock full of useful information. I was already used to Vancouver's fairly easy mass transit system but if you are not a savvy, that is truly helpful. I thought it was terrific even though I had plotted most of my routes. This is one of the best tourism offices I've visited in terms of friendliness of staff, the quantity and quality of information from the staff. The only strange thing seems to be a lack of public bathroom but I was directed to the food court just next door! Just a note: If anyone from the tourist board reads this, I understand the Giant Os Gemeos might be in trouble. Why not have a satellite stand on Granville Island just asking for $1 from every visitor? Or ask randomly the visitors who come through YVR? Just one dollar? Or have the city host an Os Gemeo BBQ, with tickets going to support their maintenance?

Visited Vancouver, new Westminster, we are disgusted with the lack of washroom facilities. my…read morehusband is 73 years old with stage 4 prostate cancer, we were looking for a washroom at the train station in new west minster station, with no luck, my husband was beside himself trying to hold it in. not one shop or restaurant would allow us to use the washroom, it was humiliating for my husband , we will let our family and friends know, NOT to visit your city. So disgusted with your transit system.

In a cute little light house right next to the freeway ramp. If you're a longtime resident, go here…read moreto see all that you are missing and be a tourist in your own city! Visitors are greeted by friendly volunteers who share their extensive knowledge and love of the area, inside tips and all our beautiful little city has to offer.

From the owner: Hello! We have full-time staff here, and are so happy to help people understand and enjoy the…read morecity. We've also got free maps, guides, things that all visitor centers have, - but the real treasure is the conversation and advice that we can provide, we take pride in giving fantastic ideas, advice, and recommendations! Come talk! You can also call or email, or use the chat function on Bellingham.org.

A great place to stop by if your returning back to Whistler or if you are new to visiting the area…read more:) -The attendants are always friendly and take the time to help and explain -You can ask questions about buses to and from Whistler and shuttle service around Whistler -You can get a guide (The Duck) that tells you about monthly events -There are free maps of the area and free brochures for outdoor activities -There are discount coupons for bike rentals

The Whistler Visitor Centre is of course located in Whistler, British Columbia. We stopped in to…read morechat with the ladies working the counter to find out more about the area, and picked up some brochures and other publications about the area. They carry several free mags that cover the area. I also picked up a "Bear Viewing Guide" brochure. Interestingly, I found out that not just Black Bears inhabit the area - but there are also Grizzlies too! Good place to start your visit to the area!

Very helpful staff! He spent a good amount of time showing us the best things to do. My husband got…read moresome great advice.

We were wondering what we can do in Squamish. We came to the Visitor Information to find out more…read more We spoke to the lady working there and she was somewhat clueless. I think she was trying her best but because she lived in the area, many of the things that she can do everyday will not be considered as tourist things/spots. There is a Squamish themed gift shop in the Visitor Information center but the items for sale wasn't that much special or unique other than having the Squamish logo on it. Along the wall outside of the gift shop is a list of things to do brochure. Many of them directed visitors to visit Whistler instead. I believe when thinking of travelling or going somewhere, Whistler comes to mind and not Squamish.

If you're driving to Canada from Seattle make sure you stop here! Not because of the duty free…read moreshopping but because you can buy the popular tour tickets here at least $3 cheaper! The ladies that work here is super friendly and sweet. They're not pushy into selling you the tour deals. The worker took one look at us and sold us the tickets at the student price. 5 stars for that!! The ladies are super helpful with giving us tips, and trying to let us know what local places we should check out for dinner. Super sweet! Feels like you're chatting it up with a friend's aunt! Bathroom is clean, tons of brochures. Very helpful workers and they sell tour tickets with a discount! How can you not give them 5 stars!

Lots of brochures and friendly staff. They are offering 2 free Olympic games now that the games…read morehave started... but not when we went up the week before :-(.

This is a cool joint operation with the Mt. Baker District of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National…read moreForest, North Cascades Institute offices, and the North Cascades National Park visitor center. You can get all of your outdoor needs met here! The interior is quite spacious, with about half of the footprint of the floor being dedicated to a shop with gifts, maps, postcards, and other knick knacks. There's also the national park stamp for your book if you collect cancellation stamps. The other half of the building is filled by a large ranger desk and their cubicles. Under the long counter is a variety of maps, passes, and pamphlets. The ranger working the day I visited was very helpful, identifying some insect photos that I took earlier that day, as well as setting me up with some national park maps. Other amenities include a water bottle fill station, as well as gender neutral washrooms. Great visit!

We finally got to drive the Cascade loop and go to the visitor center of Cascades National Park and…read morewe went in the visitor center so I could get some stickers, a shirt and my stamp. The drive was absolutely beautiful and the staff in the visitor center were nice and there is info to learn about the national park!

This Visitors Centre is an all in one place for your travel needs. There's free brochures and maps,…read morebut this centre really stands out since you can also book hotels and tickets for local businesses, and make reservations for tours and transportation. It is very integrated and the staff are lovely. There's no pressure to buy anything either. You can just chit-chat about what you're interested and they'll recommend free and paid activities. The Centre is conveniently located steps from the Inner Harbour, and the clock tower makes it an easy landmark to navigate to especially if you've just stepped off a ferry or a seaplane. There's also pretty art and sculptures inside and outside of the building, so at least stop by and admire them for a quick second.

The Victoria Visitors Centre is centrally located Downtown, at the shore of the Inner Harbour, and…read morefrom the Fairmont Empress Hotel. It's a cool Art Deco building and was originally an Esso gas station. The tower vaguely looks like the Empire State Building. This is a good place to begin your explorations of Victoria and "Up Island". It's also within easy walking distance from the cruise ships and ferries and close to popular attractions (Royal BC Museum, Parliament Building, Beacon Hill Park, etc.) and shopping. The friendly folks at the Front Desk can give you good advice on places to see, tour packages, and dining options. There's also a large selection of brochures and posted information if you want something more self-directed.

During our stay in Harrison Hot Springs last week, we located the Harrison Tourism Office and…read moreSasquatch Museum occupying temporary office space on Lillooet Avenue. When we visited the facility, we found out that the location on Hot Springs Road was currently under re-construction, and they hoped to move back to a new and larger facility some time later this year. Daughter and I located the temporary location a little by accident, when looking for some parking space our first morning in town. We had dropped Mom off at the hotel, and she and I went back for a drive around, and look see at what might have happened in Harrison since our last visit. We saw some 15 minute free parking, and when we pulled into the space, found ourselves directly in front of Harrison Tourism -- right where we wished to be, and it was open. The first, of two visits during our stay in Harrison. We had different hosts for our visits, and each was so cordial, and informative. During the first time there, we browsed the Sasquatch Museum setups, I took some photos, and we chatted about Harrison 'stuff & such' with our host at the time. When we returned the second time, more chatting with our host at the time, I took a few more photos, and we both purchased some gifts to remember our trip and stay. We sure look forward to seeing the new setup when it is completed. But for this Harrison stay, our hosts and exhibits at the present Tourism Harrison location were fun, interesting, and informative, and we sure enjoyed spending some time with them.

Had a good time getting the local stories about Bigfoot. The host also shared about a local art…read moreshow we would have never known about in Harrison Mills. We went to the sale and were greeted like a neighbor. It was very fun. Stop the museum for the local lore and activity recommendations.

FANTASTIC Visitor Information Centre... Possible the Best I…read morehave ever been fortunate to find.

From the owner: Squamish Adventure is your local guide to the Squamish community & lifestyle…read more We provide the most up-to-date content and information about Squamish BC Canada. Looking for things to do in Squamish? We've got you covered! Our local guide is designed to help you discover information about: Activities (Mountain Biking, Kayaking, Whitewater Rafting, Hiking and More) Book a Guided Tour Hotels & Accommodation Restaurants & Nightlife Local Jobs Events And more! Our website is your one stop information hub for Squamish andthe Sea to Sky region. Come find us at the Executive Suites Hotel: 40900 Tantalus Road, The Adventure Desk Squamish BC