Author: 
With its incredible mountainous scenery and rich history, Vancouver is one of North America’s most beautiful and interesting tourist destinations. It boasts a huge variety of cultural attractions, historic sites, and high-quality eateries, but it also offers easy access to lush forests, rugged mountains, and pristine waterways.
If you’re planning to visit this popular city and are wondering what you should get up to, take inspiration from this travel guide, which highlights 24 of the best things to do in Vancouver.
1. Cycle Around Stanley Park
Stanley Park in Vancouver’s West End is a natural oasis in the bustling city. It boasts lakes, lush trees, a rose garden, a series of hiking trails, and several attractions, including the Vancouver Aquarium, the Japanese Canadian War Memorial, and a display of totem poles. Walk or bike the Stanley Park seawall path for impressive views of the city’s downtown skyline, Vancouver Harbour, Burrard Inlet, and the North Shore.
2. Experience Vancouver Aquarium’s 4D Cinema
There’s endless fun and learning to be had at Vancouver Aquarium, which is home to a variety of marine animals, including sea otters, turtles, and seals. The 4D cinema is an incredible way to immerse yourself in Pacific marine life. All the senses are engaged as special sound, smell, touch, lighting, and weather effects heighten the on-screen action.
3. Get Some Retail Therapy
Vancouver offers plenty of opportunities for retail therapy. Here are three of the city’s best spots for shopping.
Lonsdale Quay
Lonsdale Quay lies on the North Vancouver waterfront, and it’s easy to access from Downtown Vancouver via ferry. The Lonsdale Quay Market, which runs on Saturday mornings between late spring and early fall, is a great place to pick up fresh, local, and unique produce from farmers and artisanal producers.
Robson Street
Robson Street is one of the city’s oldest commercial streets, and you’ll find many of your favorite North American fashion brands here. If you’re looking for luxury goods, this is the place to be.
Gastown
The most historic part of Vancouver, Gastown, is where to shop if you love eclectic boutiques. There’s a great range of independent stores here and plenty of hip cafes, cocktail lounges, and eateries to enjoy. Look out for the Steam Clock, one of just six left in the world.
4. Swim in Kitsilano Pool
Kitsilano Beach, known as Kits Beach by locals, is a popular area to relax and unwind. Kitsilano Pool is the longest saltwater pool in North America, and its position near cafes and restaurants in the trendy Kits neighborhood makes it a nice spot for summer swimming. Plus, it offers gorgeous views of English Bay.
5. Check Out Vancouver’s Art Scene
Vancouver has a fantastic art scene and it begins with the Vancouver Art Gallery, which has operated since 1931 and boasts 11,000 artworks, including historic and contemporary pieces. The Museum of Anthropology is a fantastic place to see First Nations artworks (the museum is closed until June 2024 for renovations). The Rennie Museum boasts the largest collection of contemporary art in Canada.
The Polygon Gallery showcases contemporary photography, and although it features pieces from photographers all over the world it focuses primarily on Canadian work.
You can also see some fantastic Canadian art in the Monte Clark Gallery and the Equinox Gallery, both of which champion established and up-and-coming artists. Check out Catriona Jeffries, a gallery with an international reputation, for excellent post-conceptual art.
You can also enjoy plenty of fantastic street art in Vancouver. You’ll spot sculptures and installations dotted throughout the city. Head to the arts district, with Main Street at its heart, to see a collection of colorful murals.
6. Visit the Tropical Jungle of Bloedel Conservatory
The Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park is a series of huge connected glass bubbles set under a dome. It was constructed in 1969 to create three distinct environments — tropical rainforest, subtropical rainforest, and desert.
Hundreds of species thrive in the conservatory, and there are even colorful tropical birds living here in the heart of British Columbia. Bloedel Conservatory is operated by the same bodies that manage the VanDusen Botanical Garden, which is also worth a visit.
7. Taste Authentic Asian Food in Chinatown
Vancouver’s Chinatown is one of Canada’s oldest, and it’s a vibrant, historic area packed with traditional stores and fantastic restaurants. This is one of the best places in the world to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine outside of China. Don’t forget to check out the tranquil Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, constructed with Confucian and Buddhist traditions in mind.
8. Kayak in Deep Cove
Deep Cove on the North Shore is the perfect place to cool off on a hot summer’s day. Kayaking and paddleboarding are great ways to appreciate the peaceful waters here, which are bordered by evergreen trees and granite rocks. Rentals and guided tours are available for newbies.
9. Explore Granville Island via Aquabus
The Aquabus is a convenient ferry service that runs from Yaletown dock to various False Creek destinations. Granville Island is a particularly popular one thanks to its cool industrial architecture and an array of trendy restaurants, boutiques, and indie breweries. Check out Granville Island Public Market for fantastic artisanal drinks, eats, and crafts: it’s a must-see for foodies.
10. Eat, Drink, and Be Entertained at Richmond Night Market
Richmond, which lies south of Vancouver, is home to the city’s largest Chinese community, and its Night Market is a fantastic place to pick up delicious food and products imported from Asia. It has a lively atmosphere with games, entertainment, and art demos and runs during the summer on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.
11. Tour Vancouver’s Best Eateries
Vancouver has a fantastic food scene, and it boasts some of the best restaurants, cafes, and craft breweries in North America. Take a foodie tour with a local guide to discover the best places to eat, including hole-in-the-wall eateries and food trucks that fly under the tourists’ radar but are beloved by locals.
12. Go Hiking in Lynn Canyon
Lynn Canyon Park is a haven for hikers. It has an excellent range of trails to suit various ability levels, and it offers beautiful swimming holes, creeks, and waterfalls. Be sure to walk along the canyon’s suspension bridge — it’s every bit as nerve-wracking and fun as the one that hangs over Capilano River, only it’s free to access and is significantly quieter.
13. Catch a Concert at the Commodore
Downtown Vancouver has no shortage of thriving music venues, but one of its best and most beautiful is the Commodore Ballroom. It opened in the 1920s, and its Art Deco stylings remain just as fabulous today. The Commodore has hosted a huge list of well-known names, including Sammy Davis Jr., Tina Turner, The Police, Nirvana, and Snoop Dogg.
14. Watch a Hockey Game at Rogers Arena
Rogers Arena is where the renowned Vancouver Canucks play NHL games. If you’re visiting the city between October and April, you’ll be able to catch a game, or you could take a behind-the-scenes tour to learn about the arena, including its role in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
15. Take a Long Walk in Pacific Spirit Park
Pacific Spirit Park boasts 2,160 acres of forest with plenty of well-kept trails for hiking or running. This is a great place to visit to appreciate the lush countryside and native wildlife that surrounds Vancouver.
16. See Epic Views on the Sea-to-Sky Gondola
The Sea-to-Sky Gondola is in Squamish, a town that lies on the renowned Sea-to-Sky Highway, which is considered one of the most beautiful stretches of road in North America. The gondola ride takes you 2,900 feet up to the top of Mount Habrich for some of the best views of the Coast Range Mountains. Continue along the Sea-to-Sky Highway from Squamish to Whistler to see even more sights along Canada’s west coast.
17. Ski or Snowboard in the North Shore Mountains
Vancouver’s climate is fairly temperate, but in winter, there’s lots of snow to be enjoyed in the mountains that lie above North Vancouver. Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain, and Mount Seymour are some of the best spots to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
The North Shore mountains are also great for hiking in summer. Try the Grouse Grind for a tough challenge that’s sure to leave your legs aching. Grouse Mountain also has a fun zipline tour, a breathtaking way to see the forest.
18. Take a Day Trip to Seattle
It’s easy as pie to cross the US-Canadian border from Vancouver into Seattle, so consider taking a day trip to appreciate this charming city. You can reach it by car in 2.5 hours, but for a more scenic journey, take the Amtrak Cascades train for brilliant views of the wild, craggy coastline. Alternatively, visit by ferry and drop by Victoria on Vancouver Island along the way.
19. Hop On a Ferry to Bowen Island
You can reach Bowen Island in 20 minutes by ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. It has a peaceful atmosphere, plenty of green space, and opportunities for mountain biking, kayaking, swimming, fishing, scuba diving, and hiking. There are also several boutique stores, art galleries, cafes, and restaurants to visit while you’re there.
20. Have a Treetop Adventure in Vancouver’s Forests
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is one of Vancouver’s best-known attractions. If traversing the suspension bridge isn’t enough, you can have even more fun on the Treetops Adventure, which consists of canopy-level walkways, platforms, and bridges connecting 250-year-old fir trees. You can have a similar experience at the Greenheart Treewalk in the University of British Columbia (UBC) Botanical Garden.
21. Tour Breweries and Sample Craft Beers
Vancouver has a thriving microbrewery scene, so if you’re a fan of ale, be sure to join a craft beer walking tour to sample some of Vancouver’s best local brews. Alternatively, you can take tours of individual breweries to learn about their histories and brewing processes and to sample their best-known products.
22. Go Whale Watching in Vancouver’s Waterways
As the gateway to the Pacific Ocean, Canada often sees whales in its waterways. Take a whale-watching cruise around the Georgia Strait, Howe Sounds, and the San Juan Islands for a chance to spot humpbacks, gray whales, minke whales, and orcas.
23. See Vancouver From Above with FlyOver Canada
FlyOver Canada is a popular attraction in Canada Place where you can get to grips with Canadian geography like never before. You’ll watch a film on a spherical screen while suspended just above the ground so that your feet dangle to create the illusion of flying.
24. See a Live Science Show at Science World
Science World is packed with interactive exhibits and demonstrations that let kids have a hands-on learning experience. There are lots of experiments to try, which make science fun and accessible for the whole family.
What Will You Get Up To On Your Vancouver Vacation?
Vancouver has a huge variety of museums, attractions, and outdoor activities on offer. Now you have some inspiration, you can get started making your sightseeing plans for your upcoming trip to this exciting city.
