The Best Places to Catch Rare Pokémon in Vancouver

July 28, 2016

By Destination Vancouver

5 min read

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A hand holding a smartphone displaying a map-based game with a waterfront background.

Pokémon hunting hotspots, BC Place and Science World.

By Lenée Son

The Pokémon mania that swept the globe like wildfire in the ’90s is back with the release of mobile game, Pokémon Go.

Whether you’ve been playing since day one or you’ve just started your Pokémon journey to be the very best, here are the top locations in Vancouver you need to visit to catch’em all.

1. Seawall: From Stanley Park to False Creek

Person wearing sunglasses and a sleeveless top using a smartphone by a waterfront with city buildings and boats in the background.

A walk, jog, or bike along the sea wall is a great way to find some of the city’s rarest Pokémon. The entire seawall stretches 30km, running from CRAB park through Stanley Park and False Creek to Spanish Banks. There are plenty of PokeStops and Gyms along the way. The highly sought-after Pikachu has been spotted along the Seawall at Spanish Banks. Any section of the seawall is the place to be to catch water-type Pokémon like Krabby, Tentacool, Golduck and Magikarp.

Person holding a smartphone displaying a game screen near a waterfront with buildings in the background.

BC Place is a great location to catch fighting-type Pokémon like Mankey, Hitmonchan and Machop. If you’re serious about being a Pokémon master and want to beat rock and dark-type Pokémon in a battle, make the visit to BC Place to catch a fighting Pokémon or two.

Waterfront with boats, modern buildings, a stadium, and a geodesic dome with a Canadian flag on a sunny day.

Pokémon spotted at Science World include Oddish, Nidoran, Ponyta, and Staryu.

Four people sitting on outdoor steps looking at their phones, one person with a bicycle nearby and another walking past.

2. Olympic Village

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The Olympic Village is overrun with Pokémon! The Olympic Village Square has three Lure PokeStops within close proximity of another, keeping a constant flow of Pokémon coming. Drowsees are constantly popping up at this location. Other Pokemon spotted at this location include Magnemite, Hypno, Weezing, and Seel.

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The Olympic Village is also a great location to make friends with other Pokémon Trainers!

3. Waterfront Centre

People walking across a crosswalk near a building with a food court sign and mountains in the background.

Just a short two-minute walk from Waterfront Station, the Waterfront Centre is a gold mine for rare Pokémon. Within seconds of arriving at Waterfront Centre, you’ll find yourself surrounded by Pokémon.

Four Lure PokeStops are situated at this location – one at the Waterfront Centre courtyard fountain, another at the Waterfront Centre food court fountain, and two across the street at the Jumping Jack art installation and The Vancouver Club.

Curved stone fountain with water jets in a busy urban plaza with people walking and standing nearby.

Here’s a pro-tip – Refrain from transferring or evolving your common Pokémon such as Weedle and Pidgey. Instead, wait until you have a Lucky Egg and make your way to the Lure PokeStops at Waterfront Centre. For 30 minutes, a Lucky Egg allows you to gain double trainer experience points (XP points) for each Pokémon you catch or evolve. Once you’re there, use a Lucky Egg, start evolving your Pokémon, take advantage of the Lure PokeStops to catch Pokémon, and watch your trainer level increase at lightning speed!

A large group of people sitting and standing near stairs and flower beds in an outdoor urban area, many looking at their phones.

Pokemon spotted at this location include Wartortle, Dewgong, Jynx, Venomoth, Geodude, and Poliwhirl.

People sitting and standing outdoors near a modern building with trees and flowers around.

4. The Drop at the Vancouver Convention Centre

Crowd of people walking along a waterfront promenade next to a modern glass building with mountains and water in the background.

The Drop at The Vancouver Convention Centre is home to a Pokémon Gym where you can train your Pokémon or battle another trainer. Adjacent to The Drop are two PokeStops where you can grab some swag. If you’re on the hunt for fairy-type pokemon like Jiggly Puff, Dratini, Clefairy, and Clefable, be sure to make a stop at this location.

5. Canada Place

Waterfront building with white sails and green awnings along a pier under a cloudy sky with mountains in the background.

Canada Place is home to another Pokemon gym and many PokeStops. Magikarps are common in this location. If you’re keen on collecting Magikarps to evolve into a Gyarados, be sure to make a stop here.

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