Gastown Steam Clock

This city is truly magical, filled with stunning architecture and vibrant culture. Its streets are alive with energy, showcasing a blend of history and modernity that captivates every visitor. From the charming cafes lining the bustling boulevards to the lush parks providing a serene escape, every corner holds a marvel waiting to be discovered. The sunsets cast a mesmerizing glow over the skyline, enhancing the city's already enchanting atmosphere. Overall, Vancouver is a place that leaves a lasting impression, offering an experience that is nothing short of remarkable.

Stepping into Gastown feels like a journey back in time, and the Gastown Steam Clock is undeniably its iconic centerpiece. Located prominently at the intersection of Water Street and Cambie Street, this charming and historic landmark immediately captures your attention. It's truly a must-see for anyone visiting Vancouver, especially if you appreciate unique engineering and a touch of old-world charm. The clock itself is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, with its intricate mechanisms visible through the glass. What makes it truly special is the sensory experience: the distinctive whistles and chimes that echo through the cobblestone streets every 15 minutes, culminating in a dramatic puff of steam on the hour. We found ourselves timing our strolls to catch the full spectacle, and it never failed to delight. The surrounding Gastown area, with its red-brick buildings and vibrant atmosphere, perfectly complements the clock, making it an essential part of any exploration of this unique district. It's more than just a time-telling device; it's a living piece of history that adds immense character to t

We visited the Gastown Steam Clock during our walk through downtown Vancouver. It’s a unique and charming landmark, and definitely worth a stop if you’re in the area! Every 15 minutes, the clock releases steam and plays a little whistle tune - just like a train. My son loved it, because it reminded him of a steam engine, and he’s really into trains right now. It was such a fun moment to watch his face light up! The area around the clock is full of character, with beautiful old buildings, cobblestone streets, cute shops, and cozy cafes. It can get a little crowded during the day, but it’s still a great spot to take photos, enjoy the atmosphere, and experience a bit of Vancouver’s history. A lovely and fun stop for families, especially if you have a little train fan with you!

Gas town's steam clock is an antique style clock powered by steam. An underground steam pipe system is providing the steam for the whistles. Every quarter hour, it whistles and shoots steam from its five whistles. I heard that the clock is beautiful during the night. You can find many souvenir shops around this, and their items are pretty much reasonably priced as well.

Charming, atmospheric, and absolutely iconic! Gastown at night is simply magical — beautifully lit heritage buildings, cozy streets lined with lights, and the star of the show: the Steam Clock. Watching it release steam and whistle every 15 minutes was such a fun and nostalgic experience. It draws a small crowd each time, and you can feel a shared sense of wonder among everyone waiting for that moment. Perfect spot for an evening walk, photos, or just soaking in the historic vibe of Vancouver. This place feels like a scene from a movie — peaceful, lively, and unforgettable. Highly recommend visiting after sunset for the full effect! 📸

Its thrilling to watch this clock . Incorporating a steam engine and electric motors, the clock displays the time on four faces and announces the quarter hours with a whistle chime that plays the Westminster Quarters. The clock produces a puff of steam from its top on the hour Best time to visit is evening on weekend . Less crowded. You get best photos.

We sometimes stop and wait till the show)it’s every 15 minutes plus a longer one every hour. Charming landmark in the heart of Gastown! The steam clock whistles and puffs steam every 15 minutes, drawing quite the crowd. Fun to watch and snap a photo, especially on the hour. While not truly historic (built in the 1970s), it adds a quirky, nostalgic vibe to the cobblestone streets. A quick, classic stop in Vancouver!

The Gastown Steam Clock is such a cool piece of history and a must-see when visiting Vancouver! Built in 1977, it’s one of the few functioning steam-powered clocks in the world. It’s even more amazing up close—you can see the steam rising and hear it chime every hour. A great spot for photos and a fun stop while exploring the charming streets of Gastown.

Pretty unique and lots of tourists taking pictures here. If you are close by, worth a visit. I would come again. Pretty amazing looking of steam coming out of the clock.

I LOVE THIS CLOCK. I mean just look at it. Steam powered clock? What the heck! It's silly. My watch goes all day and it doesn't require any steam. I guess that's why it's one of only 6 remaining steam clocks left in the world. The steam punk crowd is probably bummed about that, but you have to just sit back and appreciate what we still got, ya know? Only complaint is that in changing times, growth isn't a choice--it's a response. The winds may shift, but it's how you set your sail that defines your direction. 5 stars.

busy crowd from time to time. u rly gotta be quick and hop in to get a picture with it. i suggest going rly early in the day. it's way nicer at night though. apparently i heard the owner passed away so maintenance had gone down and the steaming doesn't have a routine time as it should every 10-15min.

Gastown is a great place to visit, not only for the steam clock but also the shops along the way. Lots of great restaurants around, souvenir shops are pricey though. It's also walking distance to Canada Place

After our early dinner we decided to walk some of it off. We took a five minute walk over from the restaurant to take a look at the steam clock. We saw a small crowd and knew we found it. The steam clock is situated on the corner. And the live steam was very noticeable. I'd seen it years back but no recall of it. Maybe it was just a drive by back then. This time we were on foot. I learned a new vocabulary word today- horologist - someone who makes or repairs watches. It was built in 1977 but appears 19th century antique. It whistles on the quarter hour instead of a bell chime. It certainly draws a crowd.

Come here closer to the hour so you can see the steam clock really work It's magic. Although I feel like the time is a little off by five minutes it goes off on the Hour. Fun little tourist attraction you shouldn't miss and there's lots of souvenir stores in the area.

We got here super early, and a local told us that the clock doesn't start going off until 9:00 a.m. so it was unfortunate we didn't get to hear the clock but nonetheless it was still very cool to look at and watch. The whole area here is very nice.

A bunch of stood around waiting for the clock to play the Westminster Chimes at 15 after 11am but nothing happened. The crowd dispersed and five minutes later it tooted when we were inside Lee's Donuts. Turned out the clock hands were off by 5 minutes but matched 15 after on our watches. Someone needs to adjust the clock!

I heard about this clock and just had to see it for myself. So I decided to drive to Gastown to find it. What do you know... it only took me 5 minutes to locate the clock due to the swarm of people surrounding it. One minute after I spotted it I saw steam, then I heard the infamous whistle. It all happened so very quickly, literally only seconds long. It was definitely worth the drive to see it all in action. It's an absolutely beautiful clock, the little show it gives off only adds to the beauty. The clock whistles every quarter hour, so you won't have to wait long to see the show. Enjoy! If you ever find yourself in Vancouver. I highly recommend you drive down to Historic Gastown to check it out. Highly Recommended!

I saw this Gastown Steam clock a couple of days ago, which was my last night in Vancouver. This was a last-minute decision that I was very happy that I made. It was neat being at this clock just seeing how it operates. It was cool reading the information plate on it. It sounds off every 15 minutes, and it's so neat how the steam coming out at the top makes the noise. The steam runs 24/7. It was also a very cool fact to know that a lot of the clock machine parts are underneath the ground in order for the clock to work. It was awesome to see how many people stopped by just to check this old landmark out. It was neat to see people just stop and chat around it, just waiting for the next soundoff. I was definitely one of them. Thanks to the Dawson Creek couple that I met two nights ago, we had a great conversation and then went our ways. I will never forget this experience. A must do and see when in Vancouver Gastown!!!

Steam clocks are fully or partially powered by a steam engine. Only a few exist in the world and this is one of them. Maybe the original one. It's basically a regular clock, that looks a little vintage. On the quarter hour, it has a whistle chime. And then at the top of the hour it puffs out some more steam. It will not take you long to visit this attraction, but you might want to time it with the quarter hour or the end of the hour. It's located at the corner of Cambie and Water Street.

Very cool sight! We were looking for it on our walk, and suddenly, it was there! It had a crowd around it, but I was still able to take some good pictures.

The most famous landmark in Gastown is the historical stream clock. It is located on the corner of Cambie and Water Street. You can't miss it since there are groups of people taking photos of it. Stream powers the clock and the whistles. The whistles chime every quarter hour. The whole process is really interesting to watch. The Gastown steam clock is a must see and continues to draw visitors from all over the world. Fun fact: it's the only fully functioning steam clock.

This clock is full of hot air. Well, hot steam. My favorite thing about the clocks is that I can make sounds just like the clock and make people think it's doing its little half hour show.

It's a clock. It operates off steam. Lots of people standing around and taking pictures. Plays sounds every 15 minutes. Seen it, done it.

It's fine. There were too many tourists and you could barely see the clock. The clock is cool and all, but not worth the effort to find parking and then walk through a sketchy area to get there. If you even want a picture of it, expect to have a bunch of strangers in your photo.

It's a clock. A cute, mesmerizing, and elegant clock. To be honest with you, I would recommend it; as simple as it is, it really is an interesting piece.

I enjoyed visiting one of Vancouver's most historical landmarks. The gas town steam clock is located in a gorgeous part of the city. It's a beautiful area at night. It's a very popular attraction and many people where taking photos of/and or with the clock. I was able to snag a few photos when the traffic slowed down a bit. I was happy I was able to see it. I even got to see the part where it whistled on the half hour. Very enjoyable experience, and it was free so you can't beat it!

I swear! I visited the Gastown Steam Clock. It was designed by Raymond Saunders. Only a few steam clocks exist in the world today. The clock whistles every 15 minutes. It is good for a photo op. It could be interesting if you are into this kind of stuff. It is a historic landmark. But, where are my photos? I fail as a Yelper.

This tick-tock is powered by steam instead of swipes, and far more interesting. It may not be nearly as old as it seems, based on appearance and location, but it's still an impressive piece of engineering. Every fifteen minutes, this clockwork contraption spits, steams and bellows like a train whistle, signaling the phase and/or count of the hour, like your grandfather's...well, grandfather clock, but much wetter. I wouldn't spend a lot of time waiting for it to do it's thing, but it's still a marvel worth beholding at least once, particularly at the top of an hour, when it really puts on a show.

The Gastown Steam Clock is one of Vancouver's must-see attractions. Plus, it is free. It was easy to get to the steam clock. I was staying on Grainville St and all I had to do was walk down toward the Waterfront Station, turn right on Cordova St, and a slight left onto Water St and then I was there. I went in the morning around 9-ish on a Monday and there were little to no people around the clock. It is amazing to see the steam coming right out of it. Plus, it was a chilly day and I feel that it made the steam stand out more. Every half hour the clock would chime. I went a little down the street to eat at a cafe and I could hear it. The chimes are a cute touch. Definitely would stop by to see the clock again.

The oldest steam clock ever! It's a free attraction in Vancouver, so who wouldn't check that out?! So cool to see the steam literally flowing out and powering the clock. We were there on a Thursday and it was pretty busy. Lots of tourists checking it out and taking photos. The clock does have some info in a placard written on itself. The street around it feels very historic with brick pavers and old-buildings. Definitely check this out!

This was one of the spots we were looking forward to when visiting Vancouver. Unfortunately, it was so hard to find a parking space and the area was extremely crowded. We went on a tour instead to come visit another day and it has some unique history. Not sure I would come again, but it was interesting to learn about.

Hard to park and the area is infested with bums. Cool attraction otherwise. Better to take a taxi and only come in the day

Explored Gastown in Vancouver--popular, iconic, and a National Historic Site since 2009. It's packed with attractions, shops, restaurants, and historic features like cobblestone roads and brick buildings.

A steaming clock! So cool! The gastown steam clock is right in downtown Vancouver and it was super easy to find street parking nearby on a Sunday morning. We just stopped to do a token picture and I enjoyed watching the steam come out the top. Unfortunately we didn't stay for the hour where supposedly it makes a sound. The clock was running a little slow (~2-3 min) which was a little odd. Check out the informational plaques on each of the four sides!

It's not a business it's an attraction. Right along the road the chimes operated by steam.

It was cool to see and hear. It's not set on time, so we had to wait to hear it. I thought it would be bigger. You could walk past it and not realize it. Gastown is a cool area.

Haven't researched the history of this clock yet but definitely something worth seeing. Not everyday you see steam coming out of a clock in the middle of a sidewalk. Time to ask Siri about the history of this clock.

Expect large crowd near this clock. The clock goes off every 15 minutes. I feel it a great place tonstop for a quick picture and see the whistler gas go off on top. It is a quick 30 second show.

It's a quirky thing to visit but if you happen to find yourself in Gas town then why not? It's fun too watch and learn some history about steam clocks and how it was made.

While it's a touristy spot, I think it's still worth stopping for both the photo op and atmosphere. I can't say that I'm familiar with its history or anything like that, I'm sure that knowledge would add even more value to it, but even then I think it's a nice stop if you're in Vancouver. Great thing is, there are multiple things to do in the area, so even if you venture over, there's still likely to be something for you.

It's a clock on a street. Pretty cool touristy spot. See it once and you're good. The whole city of VanCouver is amazing so this is a nice little stop in the downtown area

This is a definite must stop for all new visitors to Vancouver. The steam powered clock goes off every 15 minutes. Every hour it lets off a huge blow/song and everyone around claps. My suggestion is to have lunch across at the Water Street Cafe and watch from outside while dining.

The clock is a work of art. The steam whistles plays every 15 minutes and plays a song on the hour mark. It's a fan favorite for picture taking opportunities.

I guess you have to visit the steam clock when you're in Gastown. It plays every 15 minutes. We saw it play and moved on.

It is a fun little attraction but not worth revolving your day or specific time to visit. It is cute and the history is interesting but the attraction in and of it is very minimal for the effort it takes to get there and dealing with the crowds and homelessness of the city.

I wouldn't make any special trip, but if you happen to be in the area when this thing gets ready to blow, it's worth a pause. It goes off every 15 min and may do something on the hour...not sure.

Very cool and unique experience. In a clean and safe area. Lots of shops and charming restaurants

Amazing place for tourists. Love the uniqueness of the clock. This clock and suspension bridge were the one of the main reasons I visited Vancouver

I've read many blogs that make it sound like there are multiple clocks, let me clear that up. There is one clock. Just one. The one clock is located on a really cute brick paved road with adorable old timey lights which makes it very photo worthy. There are a bunch of cute little shops and a few restaurants. The clock itself it pretty cool to look at and It goes off every 15 minutes. The downside of this pretty nifty clock is that everyone wants to take pictures with it which makes it difficult to get a photo of just the clock. I would recommend going in the evening during the week, there should be less people and you can get a very pretty photo with all the lights in the background.

The Gastown Steam Clock, a must see landmark and attraction for any visitors to Vancouver! Uhhh, well... Get ready to be disappointed unless you're really into steam clocks. The size of the clock was a lot smaller than I imagined. It's as tall as the sidewalk light posts, and like a Grandfather clock atop a pedestal. Nothing that cool about it, but I guess it's interesting to see the mechanisms of the clock, and wait for steam come out to some notable tunes. I guess it's cool to take a look when you're around this area, but temper expectations. It'd be cooler if a steam locomotive choo-choo'ed by, but that's just me.

The clock itself is quite fascinating; intricate workings inside make for interesting "entertainment" as you watch the gears and balls switch places, roll along, move. Every fifteen minutes, the steam whistles blow, in slow drawls "brrr brrrr brrr brrrrrrr..." and the crowds gather to watch, listen, photograph. Each hour, on the hour, too, you get a bit better "show".

It's a cool tourist attraction but it's a one and done kind of thing. You can find the steam clock on the corner of the street where a bunch of people stop to take pictures. If you don't want a bunch of people around, it's probably better to go early in the morning.

We were walking around the Gastown area when we happened across the Gastown Steam clock. There isn't a whole ton to write about it other than to say that it really makes a lot of noise and pumps out the steam out of the top of the clock every 15 minutes or so. lol It was kind of cool just to watch it go off there. It's styled like an old school grandfather clock, which looks pretty cool. It's basically a neat little trinket that is situated on a corner downtown. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to find it, but if you happen to come across it the clock may amuse you for a bit. 3 stars. A-Ok.

Why am I so easily amused! I thought the Steam Clock was super neat and entertaining for the minute it played. It plays every 15 minutes. Look for the steam to appear when it is about to start. Located in Gastown. Look for the crowd of people watching a clock and you found it. Street meter parking for the area. Touristy spot but I enjoyed it. Lucky it started a little after I got here. Waiting a full 15 minutes would suck.

This was a fun place to visit in Vancouver BC . This vintage clock blows out steam and whistle every 15 minutes. Sounds like Thomas the Train says my son . It was a fun and quick stop too for a selfie . Check it out if you ever come to visit the busy yet beautiful town of Vancouver.

This is a fun little stop to enjoy while strolling through Gastown. It's a steam powered clock and it's very evident by, well.. all the steam. Apparently though it's now just an electric driven clock.. with steam accent. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to see it, especially because it's not an original from the 1800s steam driven era, but Gastown is worth a visit so if you're there you might as well stop and check it out. It's an enjoyable pause as you're strolling down the street enjoying the brick buildings and cute shops. You can actually watch the internal workings, see and feel the steam and warmth, and hear the whistle and chimes on the hour. Other than that there isn't really any interesting history or anything particularly exciting about it. But hey, it's a steamy clock! Not something you see every day!

Built in 1977, the Gastown Steam Clock was Raymond Saunders very first. It was used to mask the steam vents and harness the steam as a source of energy. Every fifteen minutes you'll be treated to it's call and on the hour it'll sing it's familiar tune. Take a moment to check out it's intricate design and appreciate the inner-workings. It always brings a smile to my face to see tourists and locals alike stop at it to take pics and read the plaques mounted to its base. Fun fact: A photo of it is used on the cover of Nickelback's Here and Now album.