Vancouver fits a seawall-wrapped rainforest peninsula, a fishing-village market and ski mountains all within a short SkyTrain ride of downtown. It's one of the few cities where a morning hike and an afternoon at the beach are both realistic.
Good to know
- Rain is normal October–April; pack layers and a real rain shell, not just an umbrella, for hiking days.
- The Compass Card works on SkyTrain, buses and the SeaBus — tap in and out, and it's cheaper than single fares.
- Capilano and the Grouse Grind both get very busy by midday in summer; go right at opening.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
A 10km paved path circling a rainforest peninsula, past totem poles, beaches and the Lions Gate Bridge — rent a bike at the entrance.
Marine science centre inside Stanley Park with sea otter and beluga viewing habitats (no shows) — a solid rainy-day plan.
A swaying 137-metre bridge 70 metres above a canyon, plus a treetop walkway through old-growth cedar and fir.
Ride the Skyride gondola for city views, or hike the punishing Grouse Grind if you're fit — grizzly bear habitat sits near the top.
Covered market of local produce, seafood counters and craft stalls under the Granville Street Bridge, with buskers outside.
Cobblestone blocks of the city's oldest neighbourhood, now filled with design shops, bars and the touristy but photogenic steam clock.
World-class collection of Northwest Coast Indigenous art, including Bill Reid's cedar carvings, in an Arthur Erickson-designed building over the water.
Vancouver's Cantonese food scene rivals Hong Kong's — a short SkyTrain ride to Richmond's malls for the city's best dim sum.
Sand beach with a mountain-and-skyline backdrop and a heated outdoor saltwater pool right on the water.
Warehouse breweries clustered within walking distance of each other, most with their own tasting rooms and food trucks outside.
A scenic two-hour drive north past Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola to the Whistler resort village.
Sail-shaped convention centre and cruise terminal with a promenade looking out over Burrard Inlet to the North Shore mountains.