Travel Tips & Tools For Vancouver

Free Public Wifi

Approximately 550 locations in Vancouver’s downtown core and surrounding areas now have free access to the network as part of the City of Vancouver’s Digital Strategy. It’s been a great benefit to residents, businesses, and visitors. Check out the map for free WiFi locations.

Vancouver is a casual town with mild weather year-round. The best way to tackle the weather is by wearing layers, and packing smart casual clothes to see you through most situations. If you are doing business while in Vancouver, standard North American business attire is appropriate in most office settings.

Most major credit cards are accepted, but visitors are always advised to check with the vendor before a purchase is made. The most commonly accepted cards are Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Cash machines with 24-hour access are available in many convenient locations throughout Vancouver.

Outlets and voltage (110 volts) are the same as in the United States. Small appliances such as hair dryers, irons, razors, etc. can be used in Canada. For those from other countries, adapters are required for electrical appliances. The frequency of electrical current in Canada is 60 Hz.

When dining out at restaurants, visitors should be advised that the standard tip for good service is between 15 and 20 %. If you are dining in a group of eight or more people, it’s standard for a restaurant to automatically add a gratuity of 18 % to your bill. Tipping for counter service is not expected. Other services that regularly attract tips are spa treatments, hair and nail services, and taxis – 15 per cent is standard in each case.

In case of an emergency call 9-1-1.