Vancouver is an important city port sandwiched in-between the Pacific Ocean and the mighty Canadian Rockies. It’s a gateway to Asia and beyond as well as an important cruise port with many cruises heading north to Alaska.
A short ferry ride will take you to Victoria on Vancouver Island. A 3-hour drive across the border gets you to Seattle. It’s also the starting point or ending place for road trips through the Canadian Rockies. We did this and it was a wonderful experience—breathtaking scenery at every turn!
It’s a buzzing vibrant city with plenty to do year-round, indoors and outdoors. There’s a rich cultural scene with art galleries, museums, theaters and concert venues. At times, it’s also a filming location. It has a lively night scene with plenty of bars, clubs, cafés and restaurants.
On top of that, the proximity to the Rockies make it a perfect destination for skiing or snowboarding in the winter months. During the summertime, there’s plenty of hiking, fishing, boating and swimming opportunities.
Vancouver is one of the most diverse cities in Canada with an array of ethnic restaurants offering authentic and delicious specialty dishes making it an excellent destination for foodies.
In addition, it has close historical ties with the First Nations and the city does what it can to keep those ancient traditions alive with totem poles and artifacts scattered around the city. The Museum of Anthropology celebrates the First Nations Cultures with extensive exhibits and is well worth a visit.
Places to see in Vancouver
Chinatown
In 2011, Vancouver’s Chinatown was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Its bustling and animated streets are lined with traditional Asian restaurants serving authentic dishes, pastries and Dim Sum. Shops, groceries and pharmacies shelves are stocked with exotic produce. The whole area is effervescent, unlike the nearby oasis of peace we found inside the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
Gastown
This lively neighborhood is dotted with signs of a long gone era with its whistling steam clock, globe streetlights and Victorian architecture. It’s one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods along with Chinatown. It also has a trendy food scene and a hip bar scene.
Stanley Park
This is Vancouver’s largest city park where an array of family-friendly activities and attractions can be found including the aquarium, beaches, trails and the Stanley Park Railway. A walk, run or bike ride along the seawall offers spectacular vistas in every directions. Interesting natural features dot the area including majestic redwood trees, Hollow Tree and Siwash Rock. Signs of the First Nations can be seen inside the park, like this cluster of Totem Poles.
Vancouver Harbour
The best ways to see it is to take a ferry ride across the harbor or to walk along the Seawall Water Walk.
Near the Canada Place (home to the convention center and ferry terminal) it’s impossible to miss the massive Olympic Cauldron, built for the 2010 Winter Games. Sometimes, the torch is lit for special events.
Another sculpture in the area worth mentioning is the Digital Orca, by Douglas Coupland. The killer whale sculpture is located along the Seawall Water Walk near the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Bloedel Conservatory
This indoors botanical garden and aviary has over 120 species of exotic birds and more than 500 types of tropical plants. This giant glass-dome opened in 1969 and is located inside the Queen Elizabeth Park.
Places to see in North Vancouver
Grouse Mountain
There’s a gondola to go to the summit of Grouse Mountain where spectacular panoramic vistas can be had on a clear day. Sometimes the summit is in the clouds and on those days there isn’t any view at all but walking in the clouds is interesting and unusual.
It’s a great place to partake in outdoor activities. There’s hiking trails, ziplines, ski runs, eco-tours and much more.
There’s also one of the most remarkable collections of woodcarvings made by chainsaw.
The 31 sculptures were carved out of dead standing trees found throughout the province of British Columbia. The artist and sculptor, Glenn Greensides, named the collection: “Tribute To The Forest”.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Located a 5-minute drive away from Grouse Mountain, this 137-meter (450 ft) long suspension bridge offers a thrilling experience. Looking down at the Capilano River from the 70-meter (230 ft) high shaky bridge isn’t for the faint of heart!
The bridge itself dates back to 1889, but since our visit they’ve added more heart-stopping attractions like the Cliffwalk that follows a steep granite ravine along the river. This sounds like a terrifying thing to do, but I would love to try it!
Related Posts:
- Canadian Rockies Road Trip: A Self-Guided Adventure
- Highlights of Victoria, Canada
- Must-See Places in Seattle