Dominated by mountains and parklands and fronted by a shoreline that runs the gamut from industrial and dockyard to a nature reserve and idyllic, secluded beaches. North Vancouver is separated from Vancouver by the Burrard Inlet. It can be accessed by the Lions' Gate Bridge, the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, and the SeaBus passenger ferry.

The District is bounded by the Capilano River to the west, Indian Arm to the east, Burrard Inlet to the south, and the Coast Mountains to the north. It sprawls in an east-west direction across the mountain slopes and is characterized by rugged terrain and steep and winding roadways. There are a number of separate neighbourhood centres. These include (from west to east): Edgemont Village, Upper Lonsdale, Lynn Valley, Main Street, Parkgate, and Deep Cove. The District of North Vancouver has a lot in common with West Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver. Together these three municipalities are commonly referred to as the North Shore.