As Vancouver-area residents, we love showing off our beautiful city—brimming with nature, and culture, and food, and fun—yet we tend to avoid the very places that helped make Vancouver famous around the world.
Well, not this year. This year, indulge your inner tourist, explore your own beloved backyard, and fall in love with Vancouver all over again.
Whether you’re looking for family fun or date-worthy diversions, there’s an activity with your name on it. Here are some top picks to get you started, and check out Tourism Vancouver, Stay Vancouver, and Vancouver Attractions for great deals on things to do and places to stay.
Capilano Suspension Bridge: The Lower Mainland’s oldest attraction (1889), this famous crossing spans 137 metres, towering high above a rocky canyon floor. Anyone who’s been there (including Mick Jagger and Marilyn Monroe) knows what a genuine thrill it is to make the long, rolling lurch across the Capilano River.
Grouse Mountain, The Peak of Vancouver: There’s a reason—many good reasons in fact—that tourists flock to this mountain. The gondola ride is dramatic, rising 1,100 metres in eight minutes and offering stunning panoramic views of Vancouver and beyond. Reserve your Skyride date in advance and make sure you buy enough parking at the bottom because there’s a lot happening up top besides the jaw-dropping scenery: a bear sanctuary, ranger talks, mountaintop hiking, a Kids Tree Canopy Adventure, dining patios, and zipline adventures, to name a few favourites. And that doesn’t include wintertime fun in the snow!
Science World: This iconic attraction is filled with exhibits on the wonders of science and nature that inspire learning for all ages. On until February, 2023, don’t miss Sacred Journey, an immersive and interactive experience that invites visitors to learn about and bear witness to the power of Indigenous ocean-going canoe journeys. Walk-up tickets are subject to availability and it is highly recommended that you book your visit in advance.
Grouse Mountain, The Peak of Vancouver, @saif.akkad | False Creek, Grant Harder | Science World, Destination Vancouver/Science World
Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA): With its soaring architecture, spectacular sea-to-sky views, and stunning Northwest Coast First Nations art collection, MOA teaches visitors about how Indigenous communities have shaped the culture and the region. Purchase your ticket when you arrive or book in advance, and allow yourself plenty of time—the impressive collections of global art and artifacts at this acclaimed museum deserve your focused attention.
Granville Island: This culinary, artistic, and cultural hub is home to more than 300 businesses. The Public Market offers a rich variety of take-out options for a picnic at the waterfront, or everything you need to make an impressive dinner at home. The local artists galleries and retail shops here make Granville Island a unique and much-loved destination.
Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art: This small downtown space—named for the creator of the famous Jade Canoe sculpture at YVR and the artwork on Canada’s $2 coin—is the only public gallery dedicated to contemporary Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast. Until March, 2023, visitors can see True to Place: stímetstexw tel xéltel, an exhibition curated by Stó:lō artist Xémontalót Carrielynn Victor that examines how the work of 10 Indigenous painters combine place-based stories with new and innovative tools and forms of expression.
Granville Island Public Market, Destination Vancouver / Nelson Mouellic | Bill Reid's breathtaking artwork, Sama Jim Canzian / Bill Reid Gallery| Queen Elizabeth Park, @happytowander
Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory: Vancouver’s “horticultural jewel” is home to the exotic Bloedel Conservatory—quite literally the high point of Vancouver. Offering spectacular views of the city and the North Shore Mountains, this lush hilltop park is the perfect setting for romantic picnics and late-night stargazing.
VanDusen Botanical Garden: This tranquil, 22-hectare urban oasis is home to more than 7,500 plant species and varieties. Take in vibrant colours and fragrant smells, and consider taking advantage of sprawling lawn space to enjoy an al fresco picnic.
Harbour Air flightseeing tour: Treat yourself to a thrilling change of perspective while staying safe and close to home. The excitement of taking off from and landing on the water adds to the fun. Tours range from 10-minute flights to daytrip adventure packages, departing daily from their downtown Vancouver location.
Being right on the water not only adds to Vancouver’s beauty, it also provides a multitude of experiences. Explore the harbour on a paddlewheel or zodiac. Cast a line and try to catch your own dinner with the help of a fishing charter, or experience the thrill of seeing orcas, humpback whales and all kinds of marine life on a whale watching tour. Want to rent your own boat? Try Sewell’s Marina in Horseshoe Bay.
Vancouver's cotton candy sunsets, @jennchanphotography | Soaring over Vancouver, @harbourair | Looking out over Canada Place, home of the Flyover Canada, @seeuouthere
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