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Canada Place

The iconic “five sails” of this waterfront, multi-use complex welcome thousands of arriving cruise-ship passengers on summer days—and also serve as a visual anchor for the city skyline. The sails are part of a pavilion roof that tops Vancouver's convention center; the complex also houses the Pan Pacific Hotel, the CN IMAX Theatre, and the offices of the Port Authority; strolling along its public walkways is a great way to observe the close-up workings of a busy cruise port and to watch seaplanes come and go from one of the world's busiest water-based airports (handling nearly 64,000 aircraft each year).

Insider Tip: Plane spotters take note: Coal Harbour is a real airport, complete with a control tower. Look at the skyline slightly south of Canada Place to spot the tower atop the Vancouver Sun/Province building.