25 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN VANCOUVER

Looking for ideas from things to see and do in Vancouver? You are in the right place! Then we will tell you more about this beautiful city of Canada.

Anchored on the West Coast, thousands of miles from the bustle of Toronto, and the French air of Quebec ... well, if you look closely it is far from everything, but perhaps for this reason Vancouver seemed even more beautiful. And we are not the only ones: it always appears in the listings of the best cities to live in. Because Vancouver offers endless possibilities, perfect for every type of traveler. Mountain: has. Mar: too. Museums: by bag. Good gastronomy: a lot. And the best? It is a cosmopolitan, open and tolerant city. We were very clear that the first thing to do in this part of Canada was to see Silvia and Carles, our friends from uncambiodeaires.com, but if you are not lucky enough to meet them, do not worry, that in this post we will recommend you 25 things to see and do in Vancouver. Spoiler: it's a piece of city!

And remember that at the end of the article we give you a lot of useful information for you to plan your visit to Vancouver for free!

1. To start, it is best to shop around Gastown, the old part of Vancouver and one of the most iconic neighborhoods in the city. Once there, come to know the Steam Clock, a curious clock that every 15 minutes made a cloud of steam (no magic, the trick is that it is located on a grid where the steam comes out).

2. The Canada Place, built for the EXPO of '86 and currently houses the large ship terminal from where cruise ships depart to Alaska, is one of the most peculiar and striking buildings in Vancouver. It has a roof with white cloth peaks that resemble the sails of a boat, and that reminds many of the Sydney Opera House (mmm not us). Curiosity: on the roof of the Pan Pacific Hotel (also in this enclosure) are the “The Heritage Horns“, 10 huge horns that play the first 4 notes of the Canadian Anthem at noon, announcing that lunchtime has arrived.

3. The Stanley park It is the largest urban park in Canada, it has lakes, trails, perfect picnic spots and even an area where you can admire some curious totems. The best plan is to rent a bicycle at one of the many businesses around the park, and tour it through the Seawall Path (remember to do it counterclockwise). Tip: buy something to eat and improvise a picnic, although remember that you can not drink alcohol in public spaces (marijuana however, you can smoke whatever you want!). Tip: on Robson Street with Denman St is the EzeeRiders, where they rent bicycles for $ 5 an hour (the closer you get, the more expensive they are).

4. The Grandville Island market It is a little gem: stalls full of fruit and vegetables, bakeries, other local products, more or less affordable restaurants and lots of atmosphere! It is in the Grandville Island, which was once an industrial zone and has become a leisure area for the Vancuveritas. To get from downtown Vancouver, you have 3 options: on foot (across the Grandville Bridge, with views of vertigo), by bus or by ferry. We use this last option, which are nothing more than dwarf boats that cross from one pit to another the False Creek. The ticket costs $ 3.5.

5. There are many markets, but without doubt one of Vancouver's most peculiar is the Richmond night market. The bad? Open only in the warm months (from May to October). Admission costs $ 4.75 and once there you can lose the hours (and the line) between food and foodtrucks. More info.

Little boat to cross the Grandville Island Market

6. And speaking of warmth and summer, a very cool plan to do in Vancouver when the jacket is no longer needed is to spend a few hours in Kitsilano Beach, for many, the best beach in Vancouver. We enjoyed there beautiful sunset with Silvia and Carles and it was one of the places we liked the most about our time in the city. Cerquita there is also famous Wreck beach.

7. Although probably the most popular beach in Vancouver is that of English Bay, which also seemed like a pass. It is one of the favorite places for locals to go out for sports and stretch their legs a little. Also here are two interesting monuments: the Inukshuk, a symbol of the Canadian Inuit, and a series of sculptures called A-maze-ing Laughter, which represent some Chinese giants stripping alive. As hehe.

8. The Asian community of Vancouver is one of the largest in North America, so don't leave without knowing Chinatown and his famous dumplings 😉 But hey, it's not all about eating in Chinatown. Here you also have to cross the Entrance door to the neighborhood (Millennium Gate) and visit its famous Chinese garden. You will get out of it more Zen than ever (and a little poorer: the ticket is worth $ 14). And by the way, if you want to know where to try the best dumplings in Vancouver we will tell you here (soon).

9. The Queen Eliabeth Park It is a haven of peace in the city. If you are looking to disconnect from the jungle of steel ... it is your place. Another great place to disconnect is the Botanical Garden ($ 8 in low season and $ 11.25 in high season).

10. Unfortunately, you will not be able to take a few beats of beer to the park (it is forbidden to drink in public places), but this does not mean that you cannot enjoy delicious craft beers (we are super fans of the small local breweries!). As the motto of the Craft Beer Market “Vancouver loves beer, and we love Vancouver ”, in this market located in a historic building you can taste the largest selection of draft beers in all of Canada. There are food and drink offers every day, so check out their website.More info.

Sculpture A-maze-ing Laughter

11. If the day is rainy or you are one of those who always look for the best museums to increase your culture, Vancouver has some super interesting museums. We would highlight 4: the Science Museum (Science World) with its curious and striking dome (interactive and perfect for young and old), the Anthropology Museum perhaps the most recommended, especially if you are interested in delving into the history of the different ethnicities of Canada, the HR Mac Millan Space Center ideal for space lovers and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

12. Although one of the most rare and curious museums you can visit in Vancouver is theVancouver Police Museum. Located in the old building where the murders were practiced, you will have the possibility to see rooms with confiscated firearms, counterfeit currency, exhibitions with the most heinous crimes in Vancouver's history, and even the old morgue autopsy room !

13. We stayed in the HI neighborhood of Davie village, the LGBT area of ​​Vancouver. The icon here par excellence is the crosswalk with the colors of the rainbow (Rainbow crosswalks), the first permanent of the many that are distributed throughout Canada. And is that Vancouver and in general the state of BC are known for their being their open and liberal mentality.

14. Another of the neighborhoods we were delighted after the visit was Yaletown. Its history is similar to that of Meatpacking in New York: it began as an industrial area, full of warehouses and factories, but little by little it was modernized and adapted to a rather hipster style. Bars, restaurants, small shops, lofts in brick buildings ... If you are one of those who enjoy industrial architecture, you will also freak out!

15. On the way to Yaletown, stop by the 374 Engine Pavilion, where the first passenger locomotive that arrived in Vancouver in 1887 is exhibited. Admission is free, and you can get on the engine room to do a bit of a fool!

Old 374 Engine locomotive, in the Yaletown neighborhood

16. Do you want to see Vancouver from above? Write this name: Vancouver Lookout, a viewpoint that will allow you to see the city from a bird's eye view. The ticket is worth $ 18 and you can book it online here. It is located in the Harbor Center, a UFO-like skyscraper. The free option that we propose (although the views are obviously not the same) is to go to the Public Library and go up to the top floor, where there is a terrace with a very handsome garden. Or if the budget and fear is not a problem, how about a panoramic flight by plane and hallucinate with views of Vancouver? Not only will you enjoy the views from the top of the city, but especially its surroundings: sea and mountains come together in an incomparable setting.

17. After watching a game of the Marlins in Toronto, we already have a favorite team (Let's go Marlins!), But if you are in Vancouver and you are in season, you can not miss a ice hockey match from the home team: Canucks! They play in the Rogers Arena, and the season runs from October to the end of April, here you can see its calendar.

18. If you have felt like ice skating, in the square Robson square one is mounted rink from December to February that you can use for free to remove the bug. Who knows, the same is a hockey star in you and you still don't know.

19. Did you know that Vancouver is one of the cities where record more movies of the world? On this page you can see what movies and series are currently being filmed, and who knows ... the same thing you encounter with a celebrity!

20. A highly recommended excursion is the one that takes you to the Capilano Bridge Park, to the north of Vancouver, where you can cross a huge suspension bridge, walk among treetops (literally) and kick a good dose of pure and wild nature (next to a few more, of course). Better to avoid on weekends and arrive as early as possible to avoid bumping into many people. Guess when it was us… Saturday! Of course, we had an excuse as it was our first stop on the way to Whistler, the start of the roadtrip through the Rockies. If you do not have transportation, you can book an entrance pack + transportation here (although the park itself offers a free shuttle service).

Walkway in the Capilano Bridge Park

21. A good alternative, less crowded, is the Lynn Canyon Park, which also has a suspended bridge (although somewhat smaller) and with another good reason: it's free!

22. Do you feel like stretching your legs? Canada is a paradise for trekking lovers, and if you are one of them we recommend you do the Grouse Grind Hike, a 2.8 km trail that connects northern Vancouver with the impressive top of the Grouse mountain. The legend says that nobody finished it without suffering stiffness, but the views well deserve it (no, we didn't even fuck it!).

23. If you visit the city in winter and want a nearby place where skiing, it is best to go to the ski resort of Grouse mountain, just half an hour from Vancouver (and with spectacular views of the city). Although, everything is said, if you have the possibility go skiing to the Rocky Mountains.

24. If you have several days of time, a great plan is to rent a car and tour the road from Vancouver to Whistler. They call it the "Sea to Sky highway" and it is not difficult to imagine the reason: you will go through spectacular scenarios that are often included in lists of the best roadtrips in the world. And it doesn't surprise us.

25. And for the restless there is another alternative: an excursion to Vancouver Island, you can go by ferry easily. Once there take a whale watching tour, but be responsible for it! This may be a good option.

Views from the Grandville Bridge

In the following map we put the location of all the places and attractions to visit in Vancouver, which we have recommended in the post:

As you can see, the Vancouver bucket list is almost endless. And you, do you know more things to see and do in Vancouver? Tell us in the comments, we are looking forward to returning!

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