If you haven’t oriented yourself yet, take a look at the Travel Tips page.
Local Attractions
Granville Island
Vancouver’s famous Granville Island has many shops, restaurants and a great market with fresh produce, restaurant stalls, and crafts from local artisans. It’s a good 2-3 hour outing, depending on your pace, and how much you want to take in. (Every tourist goes to Granville Island, but locals go there too!) Parking is free for 3 hours, (depending on the specific regulations of the spot), but sometimes it can be hard to find. (If you’re taking public transit, the closest skytrain station to Granville Island is Olympic Village.) After you’re done at Granville Island, you can take the Aquabus across False Creek to Downtown Vancouver, or, you might want to walk over to Olympic Village, via the False Creek Seawall. (See more about Olympic Village below.)
Downtown Vancouver
You can probably spend a few hours walking around the various sites of Downtown Vancouver, or a whole day, if you include Stanley Park in the mix. Starting from the south end, Yaletown is a cool old warehouse district with many restaurants. The Granville Mall is a formerly seedy pedestrian mall with some shops and restaurants on it, (well, it’s still a bit seedy). For sports fans, the Rogers Arena (Canucks Arena) is downtown, as is BC Place (BC Lions Stadium). Downtown also has the Pacific Centre Mall with many chain shops and a new Nordstroms! (From south to north, the downtown skytrain stations are: Yaletown/Roundhouse, Vancouver Centre, and Waterfront. You can get off at any station, it just depends on what you want to see first.)
Main Branch of the Vancouver Public Library
The Moshe Safdie designed, Coliseum-like Main Library is worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of books or architecture.
Vancouver Art Gallery
The steps of the Art Gallery are a popular place to eat lunch amongst the local worker bees of downtown. If there is a good exhibit at the time you are here, it might be worth going inside too.
Robson Street
Robson Street (west of Burrard) is Vancouver’s premiere shopping strip, filled with chain shops, upscale restaurants, and high end luxury boutiques. As a quasi-suburbanite, I haven’t strolled down Robson in quite some time, but I imagine it’s still an interesting walk.
Davie St / Denman St / West End
Davie St in downtown Vancouver has a lot of shops and bars, and you can walk from Davie St west to the intersection of Denman and Davie, which is part of the downtown residential neighborhood called the West End. The West End is a fun residential neighborhood to walk around in, filled with tree-lined boulevards and eclectic restaurants. The West End is also home to Vancouver’s Annual Pride Parade and Western Canada’s largest gay and lesbian population. You can walk from the West End to Vancouver’s iconic Stanley Park.
Gastown
A long time tourist favourite, Gastown grew from a single tavern founded by John ‘Gassy Jack’ Deighton back in 1867. Today, the district retains its historic charm and independent spirit. Home to the famous Steam Clock, Victorian architecture, one-of-a-kind galleries, and some of the more interesting cuisine in Vancouver, Gastown has experienced a bit of a renaissance over the past decade or so. Once the exclusive domain of tourists, Gastown is now a hub for hipsters and tech companies, as well as a residential neighborhood. Good for exploring on foot, Gastown lies along the north of the downtown Vancouver peninsula, from Richards east to Main Street, and south to Hastings Street.
Stanley Park
It’s a great park, walking or cycling around the 8.8 km Sea Wall is popular with locals and tourists alike. In the summer months, live theatre takes place “Under The Stars” at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. (The season generally ends at the end of August.)
The Vancouver Aquarium
If you like aquariums, we have one of the better ones! (It’s in Stanley Park.)
As an alternative to downtown, you might decide to walk over to Vancouver’s Olympic Village, via the False Creek Seawall. The False Creek Seawall, is one my favourite walks in the city, especially if it isn’t raining. You can outlet from the False Creek Seawall at Olympic Village, and take in the sites.
Olympic Village
You can spend some time people watching in Olympic Village Square (between Manitoba Street, Salt Street, Walter Hardwick Avenue and Athletes Way), or climb the newly restored giant bird sculptures from local artist Myfanwy MacLeod. The water views from Olympic Village are quite spectacular, and you can grab a coffee and a pastry from Terra Breads, JJ Bean, Blenz, everyone’s favourite local cafe, Starbucks! (The closest skytrain station to Olympic Village is “Olympic Village,” but it’s actually about a five minute from walk from the station to the actual Olympic Village.) Across 2nd Ave to the south, on Quebec St, is Earnest Ice Cream, one of Vancouver’s best (and priciest) Ice Cream parlours.
Telus Science World
Just a short walk from Olympic Village is one of Vancouver’s most iconic landmarks, that large Geodesic dome built for Expo 86, otherwise known as Science World. If you have young kids, they will probably enjoy Science World as it pretty much a children’s museum. (It’s a bit expensive for what you get, in my opinion.)
Main St / South Main
Main St, the de facto border between East Vancouver and the West Side of Vancouver, is just a (short-ish) walk east from Science World. Main St, south of E Broadway, is a bustling retail strip with a collection of eclectic boutiques, shops, cafes and restaurants. A product of the east side’s revitalization over the last 10-15 years, Main St is now one of the most chic and interesting commercial strips in Vancouver. Unlike West 4th Ave, (see below), which has been desirable, (and high rent), for years, Main St still has local charm. (Just south of E Broadway and Main is Rosemary Rocksalt, which is another fine bagelry. La Tacqueria, which is a couple of doors down from Rosemary Rocksalt, also has great Mexican food. Among other things, Main St has Vancouver’s only, “Starbucks Reserve,” location, which is like a fancy Starbucks with a liquor licence.) Cartem’s Donuts is along Main St (at E 6th), as is, 49th Paralell Cafe and Lucky’s Donuts, two of our finer coffee and donut establishments.
Beaches
It might not be real beach weather when you are here, but you could probably still walk along the local beaches. The Vancouver Beaches stretch from Kitsilano (on the West Side near Yew St) to Spanish Banks (near UBC). There is also a Beach downtown at English Bay and in Stanley Park.
UBC/Botanical Gardens and Canopy Walk/Museum of Anthropology
If you get all they way out to Spanish Banks, you can head up to UBC and see the Museum of Anthropology or check out the Canopy Walkway at the UBC Botanical Gardens. While you’re there, you can also walk around the sprawling UBC campus and pretend you are on a College Tour. (Wesbrook Village has some shops and restaurants.) The Museum of Anthropology is quite well regarded.
Kitsilano/West 4th Avenue
4th Avenue is a retail strip that stretches from Burrard to a little bit west of Macdonald. It’s a fun stroll, there are lots of skate and surf shops on one end, and then many boutiques and a Whole Foods somewhere in the middle. If you head north about 4 Blocks, you will get to Kits Beach and Cornwall Ave. There are shops and restaurants along Cornwall, including the world famous Siegel’s Bagels. (My favourite bagel in Vancouver, across from Lululemon World Wide HQ.)
Kits Point/Maritime Museum/Planetarium
Those of you with kids may want to check the H.R. Macmillan Space Centre, which has a Star Theatre and other space exhibits. Within spitting distance of the planetarium is the Vancouver Maritime Museum, which famously houses the St. Roch, the first vessel to sail the Northwest Passage from west to east (1940-1942). Right next to the maritime museum is Kits Point, which is home to Vanier Park and some of Vancouver’s top kite flyers.
West Broadway (West 9th Ave)
Five blocks to the south of West 4th is West Broadway, (or 9th Ave W, if you’re counting). There are lots of fun shops, fruit and vegetable stands, and restaurants on W Broadway, mostly West of Macdonald, (but there is also stuff to the east as well).
East Village / Yeast Van
The East Village is located within two historic neighbourhoods situated in the heart of East Vancouver: Hastings Sunrise and Grandview-Woodland. The East Village, is home to “Yeast Van,” Vancouver’s burgeoning craft brewery district. There are at least nine craft breweries operating in the area between Clark Drive to the west, Powell Street to the north, Semlin Drive to the east and Grant Street to the south – but the borders shift as new breweries open in the area. For more information and a guided tour, check out this article on Vancouver’s Brewery District.
Strathcona / Chinatown
With downtown sitting to the west and Mount Pleasant to the south, Strathcona straddles the line between frenzied city hub and chill, residential neighbourhood. It’s calm for the most part, but with unexpectedly great shops and restaurants within its borders, including well-curated clothing boutiques, an authentic Japanese grocery and a handful of “Yeast Van” breweries. On weekends, this special enclave in the centre of it all is bursting with life (and bicycles and happy dogs and dinner lineups). Strathcona is also home to the original Schara Tzedeck Synagogue building, Jimi Hendrix’s grandmother’s house, and the Eastside Culture Crawl.
Commercial Drive
Long standing, hip east side neighborhood, full of old school Italian cafes and restaurant. Worth the trip to walk around and eat some pizza and drink some coffee. A little out of the way, but one of the most vibrant and interesting neighborhoods in Vancouver.
QE Park/Bloedel Conservatory/Hillcrest Centre/Nat Bailey Stadium
The Vancouver Canadians season at Nat Bailey Stadium ends in early September, but Queen Elizabeth Park is still one of my favorite places in Vancouver all year round. It’s got great views of the city and the gardens in the park are quite impressive. You can also check out the exotic flora and fauna at the Bloedel Conservatory when you are up at the top of the park, if you like. There is also a nice restaurant in the park, called Seasons In The Park which is popular for weddings and events.
If you feel like going for a swim, or a walk in the lazy river, the pool at Hillcrest Centre is probably our best public pool. (Admittedly, I have not been to the new UBC Aquatic Centre, or the soon-to-be-opened Minoru Aquatic Centre.)
Van Dusen Gardens
The gardens here are very nice, but unless you’re a real anthophile, you probably don’t need to visit Van Dusen. We went one year on a free admission day, which was worth it, but I would probably put this at the bottom of my list, (which I have done, as you can see).
Just Outside the City
Steveston Village
Steveston is a fun little half day trip from Vancouver. About 45 mins from the Downtown Core, but even closer if you’re in Richmond, it has cute shops and restaurants and you can buy fish directly from the local fishermen on the docks. It’s easiest to access with a car, getting there by transit can be a little time consuming and difficult.
Richmond Olympic Oval
A vestige of the 2010 Winter Games, the Olympic Oval offers public skating and other athletic activities.
Richmond Centre
It’s the big mall at the end of the Canada Line (Brighouse Station). If you need multiple stores (Apple, Uniqlo, The Bay, The Gap, Old Navy, Sport Chek) in close proximity to each other and a food court, Richmond Centre has probably got you covered.
Burnaby/SFU/MetroTown
Another place to go check out the local mountains is Burnaby. The SFU campus is on Burnaby Mountain and there is a restaurant with a nice view at Burnaby Mountain Park, which is on the way up the hill. (SFU isn’t super exciting on its own, in my opinion, but if you’re looking for things to do, it’s a thing.) There are other parks in Burnaby too, but to be honest, I don’t get out there too much. Vancouver’s largest mall, Metropolis at MetroTown, is also in Burnaby. If you want spend some quality time at the mall, Metrotown has it all, (except Nordstrom’s).
Further Outside of the City
If you have more time, you might want to check out these attractions which are a little further outside of Vancouver.
Whistler
As you probably already know, Whistler is one of the world’s premier ski and outdoor resorts. The ski season usually runs from December to early April, but it all depends on the weather. Even if you don’t ski, Whistler is worth the trip. They have hiking, golfing, ATVing, bike riding, canopy tours and a million other things to do in the spring/summer. There are also lots of top notch restaurants in Whistler. Look it up online and see what there is to do when you are here. You can do a day trip to Whistler, but I always try to leave before it gets too dark, the narrow, curve heavy, and elevated Sea to Sky Highway isn’t really something I relish driving at night. It underwent heavy renovations prior to the Olympics, so it’s supposed to be a lot more traffic friendly now, but I still find it somewhat harrowing in bad weather. (Also, as you might expect, Whistler isn’t cheap.)
Squamish
Squamish is on the way to Whistler and has some of the world’s best rock climbing, if you’re into that.
Grouse Mountain / North Vancouver
In the summer, the Grouse Grind at Grouse Mountain is a popular thing to do with tourists and locals alike. It’s a 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, commonly referred to as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.” Our Prime Minister did it in 43 minutes, but he’s in good shape, and I am not. Once you get to the top, you can eat at the restaurant and enjoy the view, then you take the tram back down to the base of the hill. The grind season usually runs from May to September, but decisions regarding the opening and closing of the Grouse Grind Trail are made by Metro Vancouver. You can probably still take the Tram up, even if the trail is closed.
Lynn Canyon Park & Suspension Bridge
Lynn Canyon Park is home to many hiking trails as well as the breathtaking Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. The 50 meter high bridge stretches across a beautiful canyon boasting raging waters, waterfalls and deep pools below. The bridge is a popular attraction among tourists and locals alike, the best part is that it is free of charge for all to see. Lynn Canyon Park is open daily all year, but closes at dusk in the winter.
Outside the Lower Mainland
Victoria, BC
Victoria is a quaint little town filled with vestiges of our colonial roots. (I haven’t been there in years, like maybe 20, so things have probably changed a bit.) The main attraction of Victoria is/was the Butchart Gardens. I don’t know how into gardens you are, but most people visit the gardens when they are in town. The other “big tourist thing” in Victoria is “High Tea” at The Empress Hotel. I’ve never done it, it’s a kind of pricey ($75 CAD per person), but it remains the quintessential Victoria experience. The Provincial Legislature is also in Victoria, so if you’re visiting, you would also probably want to check that out as well.
Getting to Victoria
Most locals take the Ferry to Victoria from Swartz Bay, but service by Sea Plane is also available. Getting a Ferry can be a little stressful during the high season, often they have one or two “sailing waits”, so best to make a reservation if you can. It will avoid much anger and disappointment. Even reservations can sell out (days?) ahead of time during peak season though. I don’t know much about the Sea Plane, but Harbour Air appears to be the airline that services Vancouver Island, I believe it leaves from a satellite terminal of the main airport and downtown.
Sooke Harbour House and Resort
I’ve never been there, but it is a world famous restaurant.
If you’re travelling all the way there, you might want to spend at least a night in Victoria, especially if you plan on having dinner in Sooke, but if it were me, that would probably be it. Most of the action is in and around the city of Vancouver, and being on Vancouver Island makes all of that pretty much inaccessible.