Top 10 Things to do in Vancouver, BC (& surrounding Area)

From VPO Vancouver Staff

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1. North Shore Mountains North Shore Mountains are the playground of Vancouverites – skiing in the winter [ at one of three different ski hills: Grouse, Cypress or Seymour] and hiking the rest of the year, with mountain bike trails hidden in there, too. The views from the top of the North Shore mountains are pretty spectacular and these mountains are littered with trails. You could be busy here for months ticking them off your list. More Info

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2. Regional Parks Stanley Park is the grand-daddy of the local parks with an 11km paved seawall around the outside and trails snaking through the interior of this 1001-acre park. It is used a lot by the locals and tourists alike. Check out the Vancouver Aquarium while you are there, or have a bite to eat at any of the establishments. Watch a cricket game, play some tennis or take the kids to the Second Beach Pool. Of course, there are more parks than just Stanley Parks. Pacific Spirit Regional Park in Point Grey near the University of British Columbia [ UBC ] is criss-crossed with trails. But we recommend running or cycling with a buddy or a large, protective dog. That takes you near to Wreck Beach which is Vancouver’s [in]famous clothing-optional beach for that all-over tan on those sunny days that you know actually do happen in Vancouver. Dining in Stanley Park Water Activities in Stanley Park

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3. The Water Being almost entirely surrounded by water, paddling becomes an obvious choice for activity from SUP’ing, to kayaking, sailing, dragonboating, windsurfing or just swimming – Kitsilano Beach Pool is my favourite, but the Parks and Rec Board operate nine indoor and seven outdoor pools and then there is the ocean! And the beaches are great people watching places, too.

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4. Granville Island This is a great place to shop for fresh food of all types, have a sit-down meal, stroll the shops for unique crafts or sit and watch some street performers. You can connect to the downtown core from Granville Island with little water ferries for just a few shekels. More Info

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5. VanDusen Botanical Gardens Surrounded by the city, but a world all in itself. This 55 acre garden is a great place to escape the hub-bub of the city and see an amazing collection of plants, plus they host concerts, too. Accessible by transit or car. More Info

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6. Chinatown & Gastown Long an important part of the cultural make-up of the city, Chinatown continues to be an energetic city neighbourhood. Cruise the various streets, drop in for Dim Sum somewhere or escape the traffic by visiting the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classicla Chinese Gardens. Gastown is just a few streets to the north of Chinatown and has an eclectic mix of tacky tourist shops, high end furniture stores and some excellent restaurants. Worth a visit for sure.

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7. Whytecliff Park (West Vancouver) A small park, but with trails and great seaside views across English Bay to Vancouver and for sunsets looking west to Vancouver Island. More Info

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8. Get Culture(d) The Museum of Anthropology out near UBC, the Vancouver Art Gallery [downtown], Science World at the east end of False Creek, Museum of Vancouver and the Vancouver Maritime Museum across Burrard Bridge - these will keep you busy for a while! Or go to a concert? Bard on the Beach in the summer if Shakespeare is your thing, The Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Orpheum, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts or the Commodore Ballroom and any number of clubs for live music.

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9. The neighbourhoods Vancouver is a big city, by Canadian standards, but is actually a collection of small neighbourhoods where you can easily live your life – shop, dine, stroll the hound after dinner. One of my favourites is Crescent Beach in Surrey. Cut off from the rest of the city by the railroad tracks and at the end of a dead end road it has a small town charm with a few shops and restaurants and a sea wall that surrounds what is really only a few blocks wide by a few blocks long. There are others. You just have to explore.

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10. Vancouver Airport Okay – this is maybe a weird one, but millions come and go each year via the Airport and it is connected to the city by the Canada Line [but buy your tickets for this at the “other” end as they soak you for the “to the city” direction]. The architecture is nice and who doesn’t love that Bill Reid bronze canoe called the Spirit of Haida Gwaii. If you have an early flight and want to splurge, the Fairmont Airport Hotel is pretty darn nice.