Vancouver is a beautiful city with a special place in my heart. Located in the province of British Colombia, this city is vibrant, stunning, and even known as the 6th most livable city in the world because of its quality of life. I could see why as I roamed the city.
Vancouver is walkable, clean, pretty, and has excellent views. Just nearby, you have hiking spots, mountain views, ocean fronts, and lakes. There is tons of greenery and beautiful parks. If you go during Spring, you might even catch the cherry blossoms that painted the city pink. There are so many things to do in Vancouver!
The city felt safe, Canadians were extremely kind and cheerful, and I loved how ethnically diverse the city is. I met people from all types of backgrounds. From the rest of Canada, it’s the city with the most sunny days, and it won’t be as cold depending on when you visit.
Can you tell how much I loved this city? Canada, in general, is special because it was the first country I ever traveled to solo. I tested what solo travel felt like before my solo European summer trip, and Canada was a great choice. They speak English, Canadians are known for their friendliness, it was a cheap flight from Arizona, and simply the weather wasn’t too cold for this desert girl. It prepared me well.
Here are some great things to do in Vancouver, Canada. I’m sure you will love the city as much as I did! You can fit in so much in four days.
Stanley Park
If you love nature, then you will love Stanley Park. Trees, flowers, and water surround this park. Sitting next to Vancouver Harbor and the English Bay, the park is the perfect place for everything. Here you can relax next to flowers, ride a bike, grab a quick flight over Vancouver, or walk the long stretch. In addition, you can sit by the bay to enjoy views of the Harbor or the Lion’s Gate Bridge.
You can go for a jog or take the kids to the games. Finally, make sure to visit Lost Lagoon to enjoy some peace. It’s one of the top parks I’ve visited. It’s simply beautiful and offers a lot to do. I spent nearly a whole day here exploring and walking my way around the many things to do. I even sat down to read a book.
Totem Poles
At the park, don’t miss the Totem Poles. They are at Brockton Point at Stanley Park. These art pieces are a replica of the originals in museums for preservation and are one of Vancouver’s most visited attractions.
Lions Gate Bridge
From Stanley Park, you can go beachside to have an incredible view of Lions Gate Bridge. The bridge connects the north and west side of Vancouver and is considered a National Historic Site. This iconic symbol and landmark is the one you’ll cross when going to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Its name refers to the Lions, which are the pair of mountain peaks located north of the city.
Gastown
One of Vancouver’s oldest Neighborhoods, Gastown is a charming district with beautiful architecture. In this area, you can find many restaurants, galleries, and cute boutiques. It was perhaps one of my favorite areas because of its beauty, and it was pretty easy to explore on foot. In Gastown, you will find the famous Steam Clock, vintage lampposts, cobblestone streets, and other significant buildings along Water Street.
You can also visit the Vancouver Lookout to get a 360-degree bird’s eye view of the city. The area is also a great place to grab cocktails, and I found myself a delicious Michelada at La Casita Mexican Restaurant. Finally, don’t forget to look for the statue of Gassy Jack which pays homage to the founder of the Gastown settlement.
Steam Clock
Funny enough, this steam clocks grab tourists’ attention because it releases steam from the top every 15 minutes along with a whistle that sounds like a train releasing steam. The clock is over 40 years old and has a beautiful design to it. It was one of those spots tourists got caught up in as they saw the old clock releasing steam.
Flat Iron Building or Hotel Europe
I included this building because it reminded me of the Flat Iron building in New York, but smaller. I loved how this corner of Gastown looked, and it’s only about a five to ten-minute walk east of the Steam Clock.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
In North Vancouver, the amazing Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is one of the places I most enjoyed. It has a beautiful forest next to it. This bridge was built by the Scottish Civil Engineer George Grant Mackay in the 1800s. The bridge is 450 feet, 230 feet high, and goes over the Capilano River.
Boy, does it move a lot when you cross it! I’m not the kind to feel scared, but this bridge had me feeling funny. If you have vertigo, you will might feel dizzy. Aside from the bridge, there is a Treetop Adventure, a canopy walk along with Douglass Fir trees. However, my favorite part was the Cliffwalk. It’s a walk along the canyon’s edge on a slender walkway suspended high up. You may want to spend up to four hours here, but you can do it in less.
I recommend arriving as early as possible because I arrived midday and the bridge looked nothing like the pictures I had seen before. It was packed. Mind you, after a couple of rainy days, it was a sunny day out, so everyone was there. The only con is the entry fee, which is a steep $54 for adults, plus a parking fee if you have a car.
I took their free shuttle available on a first-come, first-serve basis from the city to get there. So all I had to do was walk over to one of their pick-up locations, wait a few minutes, and then ride about 15 minutes there. The ride there took us past Lions Gate Bridge and past the forest where filming for the movie Twilight took place.
These are the pick-up locations: Library Square: Homer at Robson, Canada Place: Canada Place Way near info kiosk, Hyatt Hotel: Melville Street Entrance, Blue Horizon Hotel: 1225 Robson St. Here is more information on the free shuttle service. The other option is to take public transportation using bus #236 from Quay.
Granville Island
This shopping district is a peninsula located across False Creek. It is situated under Granville Street Bridge and is the perfect place to shop and eat. After strolling through many shops and souvenir places, I finally went into the food market to get some delicious Thai food.
Because Vancouver is such a culturally diverse city, you will find many types of international dishes available. In addition, the Granville Island public market also sells seafood, baked goods, gourmet food, and local produce. Therefore, you will find that this place is popular among tourists and local people.
Aqua Bus Ferry
Just for the fun of it, I took an Aqua Bus Ferry from Granville Island dock to its closest stop, Hornby Street Dock, which is only a 10-minute walk from central downtown and not too far from my hostel. However, there are many other stops it can take you to depend on what you want to see in the city. It was a short but peaceful ride with a nice view of the English Bay. The one-way price was about $3USD.
Londsdale Quayside Market
Located in the North Shore, Londsdale Quayside Market is the perfect place to grab food or shop. You can find fresh food, coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, and so much more. Around the area, you will find an impressive view of the city as you stroll along the Quayside Marina.
I only ended up here after meeting a family at a Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Vancouver. They lived in the city, and after giving me some tips on places to visit, they invited me to go to North Vancouver, where they lived. They told me to tag along, showed me around the Quayside, and iaskedme to coffee before sending me back South by ferry to Canada Place. It was a lovely time with them.
Lighthouse Park
On the shores of West Vancouver is Lighthouse Park, a beautiful park that boasts large Douglas Fir trees and a fantastic view of the sea. I specifically went there to see the Lighthouse but never found the trail that went directly to it. However, I did walk some beautiful trails through Western Red Cedar Trees and Douglas Fir Trees. The trails are easy to walk, and it’s an excellent spot for a picnic. Great for families.
Though the trails can be confusing, they are well marked, and they all lead back to the entrance making it unlikely to get lost. Unfortunately, on my day there, I got caught in the rain, slipped on a rock and fell into a puddle, and ended up completely wet. I also was hiking solo for the first time in my life, so I was a little scared to run into a bear (although that was probably highly unlikely). Despite the rain, falling, and not finding the lighthouse trail, it turned out to be a fantastic day because the views were worth it.
Downtown Vancouver
Downtown is known to have a vibrant nightlife scene. You’ll find that Granville Street is famous for its bars, clubs, and live bands. However, nearby you can also find many shopping places, boutiques, restaurants, cafes, boutique stores, and big department stores.
This is the area I stayed in, and it was convenient because it’s walking distance to pretty much every place mentioned in this post. From here, I also had access to the buses, metro station, the free shuttle to Capistrano, the ferry, and the option to grab rental bikes to get places.
Grab a Coffee
If you’ve been to Seattle, you know how big coffee drinking is. Well, there’s no difference in Vancouver, which is only a couple of hours away. I saw many coffee shops and cafes and can say I stopped somewhere for coffee at least twice a day. One place that I enjoyed was Blenz Coffee.
Go Dancing
Vancouver’s better weather in comparison to the rest of Canada must be the reason the city boasts a fun nightlife. Depending on what type of scene you want, they have it all. You’ll find the most downtown place, making it an easy walk depending on where you stay. I enjoy live music, so I recommend visiting Roxy’s Bar.
Visit During Cherry Blossom Season
I had no idea Vancouver had Cherry Blossom trees until two days before visiting. I was excited to realize they were still in full bloom on the days I would be there. Japan once gave them a gift to be placed in Stanley Park in honor of Japanese Canadians who served in World War I. Today, over 43,000 cherry trees throughout Vancouver line the streets with their pink and white colors.
I had never seen Cherry Blossoms before, so you can imagine my excitement as I walked around photographing every pink tree I saw. Though they bloom in Spring, they may bloom at a different time, typically only blooming for about 14 days each year. Therefore, I felt fortunate to have arrived to see so many of them in full bloom. The city was even more beautiful because of these trees.
Ride a Bike
Vancouver had many bikes on the streets available for rental. The city itself seemed very bike-friendly. One place you’ll see many people riding bikes is Stanley Park because the park is so massive. I had already walked quite a bit through the park when I realized everyone was biking, and I should have done the same. If you visit, try to ride bikes if possible.
Port of Vancouver
Port of Vancouver is a cruise terminal and cargo hub. It is the third-largest port in North America, and any Alaskan or Caribbean cruise may depart from here. In addition, you can walk around the area and enjoy the beautiful city.
Canada Place
Just next to the port is Canada Place. Here you will find many sailboats, Vancouver’s World Trade Center, and FlyOver Canada. This is the place to take a ferry across the sea over to Quayside Quay and the place to start your sightseeing tours. You can also find many places to eat and coffee shops. It’s a great area to explore either before or after roaming through Stanley Park.
Shop Away
There is no shortage of shopping in Vancouver. Although I only did window shopping because I was traveling with just a backpack to avoid luggage fees, I recommend doing some shopping for those who love it. The famous Lulemon yoga-inspired clothing brand started in this city and is located downtown on Robson Street.
Perhaps it’s the reason walking around in yoga pants seems like a style in Vancouver. Anyhow, there are many areas of the city to shop, and some spots are Downtown Shopping, South Granville, Gastown, Main Street, Granville Island, Chinatown, and West 4th Avenue, to name a few.
Where to Stay
The best area to stay in is Downtown in the City Centre. You’ll spend most of your time here and will find all kinds of transportation to other places. This is where I stayed, and everything was conveniently located nearby. My second option would have been the Gastown area because it is also near many attractions you’ll want to see. The hostel I stayed at was Samesun Vancouver.
What to Bring
Vancouver is the city of comfort. I felt no shame in walking around in my stretchy leggings, unlike in Europe, where people dress up a bit more. You can use them to go hiking, exercise at Stanly Park, or simply wear them in the city. I pretty much felt everyone was wearing comfy clothes. It almost felt like that was the fashion. So go ahead and be comfortable.
Even though Vancouver doesn’t get a lot of snow like other Canadian cities, it does get quite a bit of rain. On my visit there, two of my four days had quite a bit of rain. Still, the rain does not take away from the beauty of the activities you can do in the city. Just bring a rain jacket, a small umbrella, or a poncho.
How To Get Around
The best way to get around Vancouver is by foot, especially if you stay downtown. From there, you can get to Gastown and Stanley Park very quickly. From downtown, the free shuttle to Capilano Bridge is a great option. The Aqua Ferry can take you to Granville Market. The public bus is a great way to get to Lighthouse Park.
Downtown and through Stanley Park, you can go on foot or ride a bike. From the airport, there is a Skytrain, or you can take a cab. Uber is still in the talks. And lastly, you can rent a car. There is no shortage of ways to get around in Vancouver, and you’ll find yourself taking different kinds of transportation depending on where you’re going.
Have you been to Vancouver!?
Things to do in Vancouver
