Vintage Photos of Sightseeing in Vancouver

Ever wonder what it was like to be a tourist in Vancouver 100 years ago? Now you can get a small glimpse at the experience with these vintage photos of sightseeing in Vancouver from 1900-1950.

Sightseeing in Vancouver

Last week was Vancouver Heritage Week, a part of a national campaign with the tourism theme of “Distinctive Destinations: Experience Historic Places”. These days, you can take a float plane, trolley bus, double-decker, bike, or boat to see the sights, and in 2015 alone Vancouver welcomed 805,000 passengers, on 32 cruise ships, making 228 voyages.

Vancouver has been welcoming visitors to its attractions, parks, and shores since its infancy as a city. Here’s a glimpse at what the tourist and visitor experience has been like over the last century:

Vintage Photos

1900. Sightseeing car operated by Vancouver Transfer Company in front of the Hollow Tree in Stanley Park. Archives# St Pk P326.
1902-1904. “Tally-ho” a horse-drawn sightseeing wagon on Stanley Park Road. Archives# Trans P22.

1909. An open sightseeing bus outside the Post Office. Archives# Trans P149.11.

1911: Sightseeing in Stanley Park at Hollow Tree. Archives# St Pk P229.

1920s. Photographer: Stuart Thomson. Archives# CVA 99-5413.

1938. BC Electric Railway Company observation car, “Teddy” Lyons, conductor. Photographer: Harry Bullen. Archives# CVA 677-40.

1950. BC Electric Railway Company observation car. Archives# CVA 447-1652.

Related Posts: Vancouver Visitor Guide from 1925, English Bay Pier, Brockton History, Siwash Rock, Kitsilano Pool.