Things to do in Vancouver. Here are all our favourite things to do in Vancouver Canada! It is such an interesting destination that we have grouped them below so you can find the area you are most interested in or you can check it all out. We really can’t choose and loved it all!
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Table of Contents
How much time for Vancouver?
We spent three days in Vancouver but really could have stayed well over a week. While this list covers all the best things to do in Vancouver Canada you can pick and choose what suits you best. We put it into categories so you can find what suits you easily! Check out our itineraries to help further plan out your trip!
Best place to stay in Vancouver?
We stayed at the St Regis Hotel and it was excellent! We can’t recommend it more highly. The rooms are spacious, the beds are super comfortable and the staff are incredible. The location is perfectly centred in the heart of Downtown you can walk the city easily or jump on public transport. This our full review of our stay at the St Regis Hotel.
Things to do in Vancouver Canada
We have added some things to do in Vancouver Canada to two or more categories as they fit amongst each, this way you can choose which category fits your needs and not have to search the others!
Things to do in Downtown Vancouver
Flyover Canada-experience the 4D thrill of viewing the Rockies from above! This is a very cool adventure that you can take from the comfort of a theatre. Spend half an hour flying across the natural beauty of the countryside and feel the thrill of the 4D experience. This is great for all ages, you can book the Flyover Experience Tickets here!
Eat Poutine at Mean Poutine and Fritz European Fry House – Our favourites in Vancouver Downtown, both are great.
Marine Building – this was once the city’s tallest skyscraper and is located at 355 Burrard Street. It is listed among the best Art Deco buildings in the world and it really is spectacular. The lobby is free to enter and has the most beautiful 1920s design. There is free wifi and some antique pay phones that can still be used to make calls!
Visit the Gasworks Steam Clock – this is one of only 6 functioning steam clocks in the world, it was installed in 1977. It lets off steam every 15 minutes and plays a tune. You’ll find tourists here to watch the steam and honestly it is pretty clock in the middle of a pedestrian path.
Visit Gasworks pub – located at the start of the Gasworks area it has a fun vibe with good beer. There are loads of great pub tours which take you to different pubs in a fun atmosphere.
Things to do in Vancouver at night
We aren’t really night owls but here are some things to do in Vancouver at night:
Attractions by Twilight Guided Tour with Dinner – Enjoy the Skyride Gondola and cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Enjoy dinner on Grouse Mountain, and see Stanley Park by night.
Lost Souls of Gastown Tour – Follow the lamplight of your guide into Vancouver’s earliest and most gruesome history on this Gothic theatrical adventure. You will discover the Great Fire, smallpox outbreaks, and unsolved murders.
Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet – Take in Vancouver’s finest views of the city skyline and mountains on a sunset cruise along the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy a buffet dinner of West Coast cuisine paired with in-house music.
Forbidden Vancouver Guided Tour – Delve into Vancouver’s darkest history on a walking tour packed with the city’s most scandalous prohibition era stories
Police Museum – Movies in the Morgue! This was a little too scary for me but definitely a unique activity!
Roxy Theatre – there is always something going on at the Roxy!
Capilano Suspension Bridge lights – Vancouver and Capilano Suspension Bridge Canyon Lights is a must see while in Vancouver, the whole area is lit up beautifully!
Free things to do in Vancouver
Marine Building – this was once the city’s tallest skyscraper and is located at 355 Burrard Street. It is listed among the best Art Deco buildings in the world and it really is spectacular. The lobby is free to enter and has the most beautiful 1920s design. There is free wifi and some antique pay phones that can still be used to make calls!
Visit the Gasworks Steam Clock – this is one of only 6 functioning steam clocks in the world, it was installed in 1977. It lets off steam every 15 minutes and plays a tune. You’ll find tourists here to watch the steam and honestly it is pretty clock in the middle of a pedestrian path.
Walk Granville Island Public Market! It is free to enter and enjoy the vibes..although you might feel tempted by the incredible foods and market stalls!
Stanley Park- while hiring a bike and cycling all around Stanley Park is a great way to spend a day you can visit for free by simply walking as much of it as you want. There are hiking trails all throughout the park that criss cross the centre.
Walk the waterfront – the waterfront is hive of activity. There is a lot going on here, you can sit and watch the sea planes coming and going for free.
Hunt for cherry blossoms – we were in Vancouver during April and there were cherry blossoms everywhere! We loved finding little patches along the city streets.
The salmon hatchery – while we were out at the Capilano Suspension Bridge we hiked up to the Salmon Hatchery. It was free to enter and really interesting to see. There were lots of information boards up to learn about the process and then walking through you could see the baby salmon swimming upstream!
Hike up to the dam – You can continue on from here to hike 1.7km to the dam. There are beautiful views out over the landscape from there.
Outdoor things to do in Vancouver
Stanley Park – hiring a bike and cycling around Stanley Park is such a beautiful way to spend a day. There’s loads to see! You can take a tour (this one is excellent) or hire from a bike shop nearby, Jo-E bikes is a great one. Take a picnic or eat at one of the many cafes or restaurants there and make a day of it!
Capilano Suspension Bridge – our all time favourite thing to do in Vancouver. It is a huge outdoor area that has many different activities and paths to walk. You can wander through tall trees and forest, watch a bird of prey show and walk out over the ravine. You can book tickets here. Alternatively you can combine a City Tour and Capilano Suspension Bridge visit on this popular tour or this really popular one does a full Grouse Mountain (no hiking!) and Capilano Suspension Bridge combined tour.
Hike the Grouse Trail – this is free to hike up and takes about 2.5 hours. It is not permitted to hike down so you would need to take the sky lift at a cost of $20CAD. This is an institution in Vancouver, it climbs to about 1,100 metres over a distance of approx 2.5 km. Called Mother Nature’s Stairmaster it is a good workout in some lovely nature.
Check out all the incredible gardens- Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Stanley Park and Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island are our favourites. This tour ‘Experience Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour‘ includes a guide and return transport to the famous Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island!
Adventurous Outdoor things to do in Vancouver
There are loads of city tours which will show you the highlights of the city, this Half-Day City Highlights E-Bike Tour is a fun way to see the city. We also loved the Gastown Walking Food Tour. Eating the best foods in the city while strolling the highlights was fun! If you prefer a cycling tour on regular bikes this is the one to choose. One last tour that is wonderful is the City Highlights Tour & The Lookout. It takes you to all the must see spots in Vancouver and can be done as a layover tour from the airport or while staying in Vancouver.
Going on a seaplane would be at the top of my list for our next visit. I loved seeing Vancouver from the Lookout, but a seaplane tour can take you out over more of the Canadian landscape!
Whale Watching Tours are a must in Vancouver! This one run by the Prince of Whales is really popular and well recommended. We had planned to go with them but had to leave before we had the chance-something we will definitely be doing on our return!
A Granite Falls Boat, Waterfalls, and Wildlife tour is definitely for the more adventurous! It will take you up close and personal to the glacial fjord of Indian Arm!
Go on a day trip to Whistler, ski in the winter and hike in the summer. This is incredibly high on our list for our next visit! We really want to do this Sea to Sky Gondola and Whistler Day Trip tour which combines the two awesome outdoor activities.
Go to Banff and Lake Louise and Lake Moraine. This would be an epic trip from Vancouver. The destination is well known to be an outdoor paradise, with hiking and skiing. We are so keen to come back and do this trip! Get to Banff via car or bus and there are lots of tours to help make seeing the best easier, our picks are: Open-Top Shuttle to Moraine and Lake Louise and Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Sightseeing Tour
Indoor activities Vancouver
Things to do in Vancouver Canada
Lookout Vancouver – this is such a cool experience. The Lookout Vancouver is not expensive and you can see all the way over and around the city. With information boards pointing out the landmarks and tables to eat at it really is a lovely place to spend some time. Take coffee or lunch with you and enjoy the city from a different perspective!
Walk Granville Market! It is free to enter and enjoy the vibes..although you might feel tempted by the incredible foods and market stalls!
The Marine Building – this was once the city’s tallest skyscraper and is located at 355 Burrard Street. It is listed among the best Art Deco buildings in the world and it really is spectacular. The lobby is free to enter and has the most beautiful 1920s design. There is free wifi and some antique pay phones that can still be used to make calls!
Breweries are a must in Vancouver! Our favourite was Red Truck Brewery, they have a very cool tap room with excellent beer, food and vibes! You can do a brewery pub crawl which would also be awesome!
Things to do in Vancouver with kids
Things to do in Vancouver Canada
Capilano Suspension Bridge – our all time favourite thing to do in Vancouver. It is a huge outdoor area that has many different activities and paths to walk. You can wander through tall trees and forest, watch a bird of prey show and walk out over the ravine. You can book tickets here. Alternatively this tour makes it easy to do both Grouse Mountain and the Capilano Suspension Bridge with kids as it is all organised. It is a small group tour
Stanley Park – it is easy to hire bikes and ride around Stanley Park with kids, there’s playgrounds and beaches as well as a lake. There’s loads to see! You can take a tour (this one is excellent) or hire from a bike shop nearby, Jo-E bikes is a great one. Take a picnic or eat at one of the many cafes or restaurants there and make a day of it!
Flyover Canada-experience the 4D thrill of viewing the Rockies from above! This is a very cool adventure that you can take from the comfort of a theatre. Spend half an hour flying across the natural beauty of the countryside and feel the thrill of the 4D experience. This is great for all ages, you can book the Flyover Experience Tickets here!
Walk Granville Island Public Market! It is free to enter and enjoy the vibes..although you might feel tempted by the incredible foods and market stalls!
Look out Vancouver – this is such a cool experienced. The Lookout Vancouver is not expensive and you can see all the way over and around the city. With information boards pointing out the landmarks and tables to eat at it really is a lovely place to spend some time. Take coffee or lunch with you and enjoy the city from a different perspective!
The easiest way to sightsee with kids is this 24 or 48-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Pass. You will be taken to the aquarium, lookout, Stanley Park, Library and more locations that are must see around Vancouver.
Best Airport Lounge in Vancouver
When your incredible Vancouver trip is over make sure to check out the best airport lounge at Vancouver airport, Plaza Premium! We loved our visit here and it made our late night flight so much better!
Where Next?
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Best Brewery Vancouver – Red Truck Brewery
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