Article by: Tripsavvy
Featured image by: Pacific Centre Mall, Vancouver, BC. Photo © Richard Cummins / Getty Images
What to Expect at the Largest Underground Mall in Vancouver, BC
One of the Top 5 Shopping Malls in the city, Pacific Centre Mall is the largest mall in Downtown Vancouver, though you wouldn’t know it to look at it. In a masterstroke of urban planning, most of the mall’s over 100 big-name stores are underground, preserving the above-ground skyline and making downtown shopping comfortable, no matter the weather.
Even if you’ve never been to Vancouver before, you may recognize Pacific Centre’s glass-dome entrance (pictured); it’s been featured on multiple TV shows filmed in Vancouver, including Arrow and Smallville!
Part of Downtown’s central shopping district, Pacific Centre is connected by an elevated walkway/bridge to high-end department store Holt Renfrew and by escalator to The Bay (Hudson Bay Company) department store; it’s also only one block away from the famous Robson Street shops and Alberni Street, Vancouver’s luxury shopping destination. With so much within walking distance, Pacific Centre works well as a starting point for a day of Downtown shopping!
Pacific Centre shops run the gamut, budget-wise, from inexpensive to pricier shopping options. Stores include MaxMara, H&M, and La Senza; several stores have locations in both the mall and on Robson Street: Aldo Shoes, Bebe, and Guess, to name just a few. (If the weather is good, I prefer to shop on Robson Street, but the mall is a fantastic option when it’s raining or cold.)
There’s plenty of tech at Pacific Centre, including Apple, Sony and branches for Fido, Rogers, and TELUS.
Complete list of Pacific Centre Mall stores & Pacific Centre website
Getting to Pacific Centre Mall
Pacific Centre Mall’s main entrance is at 700 W Georgia St.; you can also reach the mall through The Hudson Bay Company department store.
For drivers, there’s the Pacific Centre Mall parkade or several other parkades within easy walking distance.
Street parking is very difficult to find.
By transit, you can take almost any downtown bus, or take the Canada Line rapid transit to Vancouver City Centre Station.
Making the Most of Your Visit / Nearby Attractions
Obviously, given its location in the heart of Downtown Vancouver’s shopping district, you can easily spend an entire day shopping: start at Pacific Centre then head to the other Downtown shopping destinations (all within walking distance) mentioned above (Robson Street, Alberni Street, department stores).
But Pacific Centre Mall is also within walking distance of other Downtown attractions, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, Robson Square, and the Downtown waterfront, which includes Canada Place and the Lookout at the Harbour Centre.
Whether you’re shopping or sightseeing, you’ll need to eat! You can go ultra-casual and taste some of Vancouver’s famous street food, or dine at one of the Top 10 Restaurants in Downtown Vancouver.
