hanajournals1. Stanley Park
Rated as the #1 spot to visit in Vancouver by Tripadvisor, Stanley Park is unique and very much gives the world famous Central Park in New York a run for its money. The park can honestly take up the entire day, and we have a separate post guiding you through that if you do intend to spend more time at this beautiful and huge park. Check out our detailed guide on things to do in Stanley Park here.
2. Canada Place
The vibes on this popular tourist destination is unmatched with the various little boutiques and shops around the area. Coupled with the beautiful mountainous backdrop from North Vancouver, this one is a must see in Vancouver.
3. Lonsdale Quay & Shipyards Night Market
Lonsdale Quay lies just on the opposite side of Canada place. Cross over from downtown via the Seabus, which is a passenger-only ferry that connects Downtown Vancouver with the North Shore of Vancouver. The seabus uses the same transit system as bus and trains, which is super cool! The burning embers of the sunset along with the views of downtown Vancouver is absolutely gorgeous. Shipyards Market which is right next to the Quay has lots of boutique and food stalls to indulge yourselves in.
4. Deep Cove Park
Deep Cove Park is an awesome place to get out on the water by kayaking or paddle boarding and have a small picnic in. A two man kayak costs $69 for 2 hours minimum, while a single person paddle board costs $45 for 2 hours. There’s also nice cafes and boutiques close by the park which are definitely worth a visit.
5. Quarry Rock (Hike)
A relatively easy hike which should not be missed if you are in North Vancouver. The trail is well maintained due to the volume of hikers if gets. The hike is 4.2km long with 215m elevation, and takes about 2 hours in total. A detailed guide to this hike can be found here.
6. Capilano Suspension Bridge
A popular destination among tourists, Capilano Suspension Bridge spans across luscious green forestry which takes you close to nature while still being near the city. The treetop adventure and cliffwalk section of the sight is definitely worth the visit. They also have the Canyon light activities that start at 4pm between end of November and end of January, displaying close to 500,000 lights and decorations.
7. David Lam Park
David Lam Park is a neighbourhood park which showcases the best seawall views of yaletown, and the park is used for everything from picnics to volleyball to BBQ. In April, you’ll get to see lots of cherry blossoms at this park. The park is also one of the points where the aquabus stops, which is a good chance to use it to access Granville Island. Tickets can be bought at the ferry itself.
8. Granville Island
Similar to Canada place, Granville Island has some amazing vibes along with many boutiques, food stalls, art exhibits as well as studios for glassblowing, jewelry and other types of arts & crafts. There are lots of water activities such as paddle boarding, water cycling and kayaking that can be done in the short narrow inlet called False Creek. The impressive downtown condo skyline spanning across false creek would excite the city lovers and nature lovers alike.
9. English Bay Beach
English bay beach is an absolutely fantastic spot to catch the sunset, with nothing obstructing the view of the setting Sun. The entire area near the beach has lots of cafes and restaurants to grab a bite in. Just beside the beach, there’s the A-maze-ing Laughter, where there are bronze sculptures of laughing men.
10. Ice Hockey LIVE
It’s hard to come to Canada and not watch its national sport Live. The Vancouver Canucks play at the Rogers Stadium almost every week and is definitely worth going for a match, as you’d also get to see the spectacular Architechture of Rogers Arena.
There’s our top 10 things to do in Vancouver. If you do visit Vancouver, we’d highly recommend renting a car and going up towards Whistler, Cypress and other mountains that are slightly away from the city. For more on those, you can check out our roadtrip post here.
