The best views of Vancouver can be found in a window seat on one of Harbour Air’s seaplanes just minutes before landing or after takeoff from Coal Harbour.
Fly on a sunny day, get a window seat, and ask at the desk if they know which side of the plane will likely have the best views based on the expected approach.
Seaplane Aerial Views of Vancouver
The following are examples of what you’ll see, based on a flight we took in the late afternoon in mid-April between Victoria and Vancouver.
The views from a seaplane during landing and takeoff are spectacular, with views of the city on one side and the North Shore Mountains on the other.
Planes land and take off from Burrard Inlet in Coal Harbour. In months with longer days, the Vancouver skyline from Burrard Inlet is in the sun early in the morning and again in the later evening.
Port Metro Vancouver is the fourth largest port in North America by tonnage, and it looks big from the sky. Views of the dozen or more ships sitting out constantly in English Bay are also impressive.
One gets an appreciation of the size of Vancouver looking down from above – the city’s downtown core indeed has one of the highest urban densities in North America.
The city with False Creek, English Bay, Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains on a sunny day is stunning. The views are nice any day with clear visibility, but sunshine and blue skies really makes a difference!
Sometimes the best views are from the left side of the plane, but other times it’s the right, all depending on the expected winds and resulting approach.
Other Information
For more information on how to get amazing aerial views of Vancouver click Harbour Air Seaplanes.
