Home to a number of gorgeous green spaces, glittering blue waters and a dynamic city center, Vancouver, BC offers a nearly endless selection of things to do. Narrow down your list with our 50 picks for fun and exciting things to see and do in Vancouver and kick start your next adventure. Get inspired and book your trip!
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Soar over 200 feet above Grouse Mountain and the forest below as you make your way across the Capilano Suspension Bridge. ∗
Eat and sip your way through Vancouver’s most iconic restaurants and watering holes, and enjoy discovering the city’s historic neighborhoods along the way.∗
Check out Canada’s largest aquarium, the Vancouver Aquarium, home to both underwater creatures and seaside mammals at the newly opened Steller’s Bay sea lion exhibit. ∗
Step inside the Vancouver Maritime Museum and uncover the city’s marine history, from interactive children’s exhibits to Heritage Harbour to Ben Franklin, also known as the yellow submarine.
Meet orca whales and other local sealife aboard an exhilarating whale watching tour in Vancouver’s open waters. ∗
Offering up the best waterfront views of the city and flat paved sidewalks, Stanley Park is the perfect spot for a bike ride or afternoon stroll.
See vibrant, contemporary exhibitions and learn about world and regional arts and cultures at the Museum of Anthropology.
Looking more like a spacecraft than museum, Science World sits at the water’s edge near downtown Vancouver. Head inside and ignite your mind with one of many interactive exhibits.
Check out the World’s Top City Garden (rated by National Geographic)! The first Chinese garden built outside of China, it serves as an urban oasis in the heart of Chinatown.
Also known as First Beach, this sandy beach is the most popular spot in Vancouver for sunbathing, swimming and sunset-watching. Join in on a game of volleyball, or stop by the Cactus Club Café for sips and bites.
Capping the top of Queen Elizabeth Park, this lush, domed tropical paradise is home to hundreds of plants and flowers as well as 230 free-flying birds. Don’t be surprised if they answer when you say hello!
Tour Vancouver’s biggest and most beautiful attractions! You’ll swing by several famous parks and lookout points from the city’s residential neighborhoods to Chinatown and the bustling city center. ∗
You don’t have to be an art major to appreciate the vast collection at Canada’s fifth-largest art gallery (and the largest gallery in Western Canada) at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Explore this 55-acre oasis in the heart of Vancouver as you stroll among over 7500 plant species and varieties from around the world.
Experience life as a 19th century voyageur at Fort Langley, where the colony of British Columbia was born.
From flashing neon signs to First Nations art and artifacts to animal specimens, learn about city history and culture at the Museum of Vancouver.
Situated on its own peninsula, this famous shopping district features countless regional artisans, studios, breweries and an indoor public market. It’s our go-to for shopping locally.
Taste 14 samples of gourmet food paired with wine and beer and meet award-winning chefs on a tour of some of Vancouver’s hottest and most celebrated restaurants. ∗
Hop on and hop off this popular tour, which showcases major sites at 33 stops around the city including Stanley Park, Chinatown and Gastown! ∗
Step back in time and chat with 1920s costumed townsfolk with a stroll through this replica 10-acre tram-stop village.
Built in 1894 in the historic village of Steveston, this historic site was once the largest building of its kind and the leading producer of canned salmon in British Columbia. Experience it through interactive exhibits, films and guided tours.
Meet animals from all over the world at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, featuring 120 acres of animals from Alpine Ibex to zebras!
Just 30-minutes from downtown Vancouver, the Cypress slopes are spread across three mountains along the legendary North Shore range. From snowshoeing tours to vertical drops, there’s a perfect winter activity for everyone.
Sit back and experience the best views of Vancouver on a scenic water tour of Canada’s “Gateway to the Pacific,” the Burrard Inlet. As you cruise past Stanley Park, be sure to keep an eye out for the breathtaking North Shore Mountains in the background.
Venture north out of town and you’ll find yourself in a winter wonderland, world-renowned for its ski and snowboard slopes, as well as snowshoe trails. Come summer, Whistler is transformed again into a lush, wooded wilderness – catch views of rolling hills and the entire Fitzsimmons Range from the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, the longest in the world.
Experience sophisticated and cosmopolitan Yaletown, once the Western terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway, the town is now filled with loft spaces, sidewalk cafes, hip restaurants and unique local shopping.
Offering winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing as well as hiking trails and lush parks in the summer, Mount Seymour is a popular outdoor haven just an hour north from Vancouver. ∗
Just a few minutes’ walk from the Capilano Suspension bridge, the salmon hatchery is a popular (and free!) destination for locals and tourists to spot Chinook, Coho and Steelhead salmon along the “Fishway” observation gallery.
This expansive 86 hectare park is just 20-minutes from downtown Vancouver and features plenty of outdoor activities like cycling trails, a swimming pool, 18-hole pitch and putt golf, tennis courts and picnic sites.
Check out unparalleled views of downtown Vancouver and historic Gastown from an observation deck from 450 feet above ground. ∗
Friday through Sunday, from the end of May to beginning of September, the Chinatown Night Market is THE spot to be for authentic food and performances all night long.
Plenty of hiking trails, viewpoints, picnic areas and rock climbing will keep shutterbugs and outdoor enthusiasts happy at this stunning and scenic coastal outpost.
Experience one of Vancouver’s leading destinations for food, art and culture on a fully-guided Granville Island Market Tour. ∗
Home to hiking trails and 617 open acres of second growth forest, Lynn Canyon Park is a hiker’s dream! Get the best views from atop the (free!) suspension bridge, swaying 150-feet above the canyon floor.
Check out some of Vancouver, BC’s hottest curbside kitchens and nosh on everything from melty grilled cheese sandwiches to fruit-filled crepes at the many colorful food trucks lining the streets of the city.
Just an hour’s drive north from Vancouver, Garibaldi Lake rewards a three hour hike with sweeping views of aqua blue waters and glacial forms. While it can be done in a day, it’s better to spend a night or two at the picturesque campground along the southern shore.
Visit the 130-acre Queen Elizabeth Park and walk among some of the most beautiful and well-maintained gardens in the world.
Hear first-hand police accounts of the city’s legendary history of scandal and vigilance at the Vancouver Police Museum.
Grab a book, enjoy the peace and quiet, check out the impressive soaring ceilings or wander the rooftop garden at the Coliseum-like Vancouver Public Library.
Whether it’s drinks you’re after or shopping and souvenirs, you’ll find it all along bustling Robson Street, the Vancouver’s most alluring stretch, daytime or night.
Home to the Vancouver Museum, the Maritime Museum and the H.R. Macmillan Space Centre, Vanier Park is one of the most beloved public parks in the city.
With 33 ski and snowboard runs along with 4 chairlifts, Grouse Mountain is the perfect spot to surf some powder and enjoy skyline views of downtown Vancouver.
Interested in British Columbia’s rich sports history? Get up close and personal with memorabilia from all over the country at the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
The second largest performing arts organization in British Columbia, the Vancouver Opera has brought four mainstage productions to the city each year, and begins its first festival season in 2017.
Evoke a sense of wonder about the universe, our planet and space exploration at the HR Macmillan Space Centre.
Enjoy a bold and innovative performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre as the region’s finest dancers take center stage for an evening of mesmerizing choreography.
Enjoy a performance by University of British Columbia students at the Frederic Wood Theatre, featuring improv shows, film festivals and theater productions.
Seamlessly combining old with new, you’ll find cobblestone-lined streets, the Steam Clock and original buildings alongside modern boutiques, the city’s hottest restaurants and the epicenter of the cocktail scene.
The perfect destination for families, Maplewood Farm is the last remaining farm on the North Shore, home to over 200 animals and birds including goats, rabbits, cows, sheep, ponies and chickens. Bring your lunch along for a picnic, and have the kids check out the newly renovated playground to burn off that extra steam.
Feed animals, take a ride or self-guided tour with the kids at Maplewood Farm.
Traveler Specials
Clipper trips to Victoria and Seattle and whale watching are discounted for active and retired US or Canadian military personnel, children and seniors.
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