Vancouver travel guide & photo tour
Top things to do & see
Stanley Park
A 1,000-acre green space bordering the harbor, Stanley Park is a great area to explore by bike. Or, take the free shuttle that stops at wooded glades, the Vancouver Aquarium, historic totem poles and other delights.
Gastown
Gastown, the city’s original settlement, is just a short walk from the Canada Place cruise pier. It’s a lively enclave of cobblestone streets, Victorian-era streetlamps and historic buildings housing pubs and smart shops. Gastown's centerpiece is the Steam Clock with its steam spouts and whistle chimes.
Chinatown
The second largest Chinatown in North America is a pedestrian-friendly area of herb shops, produce stalls, dim sum restaurants and street markets. Take time out to wander through the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden, an authentic depiction of a classical, Ming Dynasty garden.
Granville Island
The star attraction at Granville Island is the wonderful public market, offering not just local produce and food products like sea salt and honey, but studio shops where artisans demonstrate glass blowing, pottery making and other crafts.
Grouse Mountain
For fabulous views of Vancouver and its harbor, take the Sky Ride tram up to the 3,700-foot summit of Grouse Mountain. At the top are observatories, restaurants and the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, a habitat for orphaned wolves and grizzly bears.
UBC Museum of Anthropology
The UBC Museum of Anthropology on the University of British Columbia campus offers a stunning collection of authentic totem poles and exhibits on the history of the region.
Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver’s major art museum, the Vancouver Art Gallery, is housed in a handsome 1911 courthouse and features changing exhibitions as well as works by British Columbia landscape artist Emily Carr.
Shopping
British Columbia wines, including ice wine, are among distinctive local products to look for, as are Inuit and First Nation artwork. The Gastown and Yaletown districts are especially good places to find distinctive shops, boutiques and galleries.
Family-friendly options
- Vancouver Aquarium: Beluga whales, orcas, dolphins, sea otters and other intriguing marine creatures are the highlight of this excellent aquarium in Stanley Park.
- Vanier Park: This park in the Kitsilano district has a bevy of kid-friendly attractions with interactive exhibits, including the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.
Best bets for dining
- Casual lunch: For a quick and delicious on-the-go-meal, try the gourmet Japanese-style hot dogs available in flavors such as teriyaki or tonkatsu and sold by Japadog vendors on street corners around the city. The Granville Island Public Market is the place to find the fixings for a waterfront picnic, while Hon’s Won-Tun House in Chinatown is popular for dim sum.
- Fine dining: Vancouver is known for its fresh Pacific Northwest seafood. Some standouts include Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse, a downtown landmark serving towers of shellfish, salmon from the Queen Charlotte Islands and other delicacies. In Stanley Park, Fish House serves seafood and other dishes in a garden setting.
- Travel + Leisure magazine named these as Vancouver's "hottest restaurants": Pidgin, with Canadian-meets-Japanese cuisine; Rodney's Oyster House, a classic seafood shack; L'Abattoir Restaurant in Gastown, dating to the 1800s, serving French-influenced West Coast fare; the stylish Hawksworth, featuring the city's top chef; Morning Shanghai (125, 8291 Alexandra Road, Richmond), with great Chinese fare, and Guu With Garlic, serving "Japanese tapas."
YOLO (You only live once!)
Capilano Suspension Bridge: North of downtown, this bridge spans 230 feet above the Capilano River, swinging back and forth as visitors make the walk across the canyon. Adjacent is Treetops Adventure, where visitors traverse from one tree to another on suspension bridges, and Cliffwalk, which has cantilevered walkways high above the river.
Best time to go
High season: June to August
Shoulder seasons: April to May; September to October
Low season: November to March
Vancouver offers a relatively temperate climate year-round, but winters can be chilly and rainy. Summers bring long, sunny days, while spring and fall are crisp and pleasant.
Fun facts
- Vancouver is one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities, with a population that is 35 percent foreign-born. It has the highest population of Asians per capita than any city in North America.
- Vancouver ranks behind only New York and Los Angeles as a film location site in North America.
- The city’s West Vancouver neighborhood is the wealthiest in Canada.
When you arrive
Docking information
Vancouver has two main cruise ship terminals: Canada Place, located downtown and steps away from shops and restaurants, and Ballantyne Pier, a 10-minute drive from the city center.
Getting around
Central Vancouver is easily explored on foot, but the city has an efficient bus system and a light-rail transit system called SkyTrain. Hop-on, hop-off tours are offered by Big Bus and the Vancouver Trolley Company. Another option are the harbor ferries, operated by Aquabus and Blue Creek Ferries, which stop at Granville Island, Yaletown and other points of interest.
Need to know
Documents: U.S. citizens will need a valid passport.
Language: English is the official language.
Currency: The Canadian dollar is generally on par with the U.S. dollar. The major difference is that there is no one-dollar paper bill. Instead, there are one- and two-dollar coins.
Your take
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