Vancouver is known for epic outdoor adventures and serotonin-boosting activities. Sabrina Pirillo finds the top-of-the-top attractions in Vancouver city alone.
False Creek Ferries, Vancouver
Ferry across to Granville Island for foodie tours and a kids’ market
Granville Island is Canada’s second most-visited tourist attraction after Niagara Falls and False Creek Ferries take you there in the most fun way. Vancouver’s destination for anyone who loves food, art, and culture, even kids can indulge indulge in Vancouver Foodie Tours at the Grandville Island Public Market. The hustle and bustle of the market highlights fresh, local, seasonal produce, so what better way to sample these delicious products than with a food tour! During the tour, guests will savour fine, local foods ranging from chocolates and cheeses to locally made charcuterie, melt-in-your-mouth donuts, world-class coffee and chai.
If the best way to get to know a place is through its food culture, touring the Granville Island Public Market is the most authentic ways to experience Vancouver and its local offerings.
Granville Market, Granville Island, Vancouver
Get over to Granville’s Kids Market in Vancouver
Once your belly is filled with delights, head over to Granville’s Kids Market. Celebrating 40 years this year, the Adventure Zone features an arcade with over 30 games and tons of prizes, a multi-level play area with a 2-story slide, ball pit and mini-games. Dive into the world of Virtual Reality with Virtual Ride and explore one of 30 immersive experiences or check out LetGo bumper cars.
There are 18 shops offering everything from unique clothing brands and costumes to locally sourced games and toys. During the summer months, kids can enjoy Granville Island Waterpark, but you can grab a hot dog and fries from the Beanstalk Bistro, hot chocolate from My Island Cafe or a big bag of candy from the Granville Island Licorice Parlour year-round!
Vancouver from Stanley Park
Find your perfect Talaysay Tour in Stanley Park
Stanley Park is Vancouver’s magnificent 400-hectare natural West Coast rainforest with scenic views of water, mountains, sky, and trees that line the park’s famous Seawall.
There is so much to see, do and discover, by foot or by bike, but an Indigenous experience with Talaysay Tours is one not to be missed. Vancouver is situated on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and Coast Salish peoples have thrived in harmony with the land, cultivating a deep understanding of its natural resources and fostering rich cultural traditions.
Totem Poles, Stanley Park
There are several tours available: including Talking Trees walking tour where a local First Nations Guide share intimate cultural history and scientific knowledge of the Northwest coast trees, land and people. Alternatively, try a Spoken Treasures history walk through the lens of Squamish and Sechelt eyes highlights unique stories, oral history and perspectives of shared communities.
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Vancouver Aquarium, Stanley Park
Meet the most extraordinary locals at Vancouver Aquarium
In the heart of Stanley Park, get up close and personal with 65,000 locals ready to welcome you at Vancouver Aquarium.
Kids can come face-to-face with a giant Pacific octopus, jellyfish, sea lions, penguins and marvel while they learn about the wonders of wildlife around the world, the riveting tides of local Canadian waters, the coral reefs of the Tropics and the beauty of the Amazon rainforest.
Also, events such as Fin-tastic Fall Days are amazing fun, and don’t forget to visit the Shipwreck Wet Lab to connect with curious creatures. And it’s good to know the Aquarium has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing marine mammals for over 60 years.
Skyride, Grouse Mountain Gondola
Enjoy a Skyride on the Grouse Mountain Gondola
Just minutes from downtown Vancouver, go up, up and away until you are at the peak of Grouse Mountain.
Winter family vacations see skiers, snowboarders, ice skaters and snowshoers ride the scenic Skyride to the top of the alpine to take in this winter wonderland along with enjoying a variety of activities like the Light Walk, Sliding Zone and outdoor skating and snowshoeing. However, there’s just as much going on during the warmer months, from Lumberjack Shows, and Birds in Motion to Ranger Talks at the Grizzly Bear Habitat and family Eco-Walks.
Treetop walk, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
The Capilano Suspension Bridge to see the forest from up high
Situated in North Vancouver’s magnificent Capilano Canyon, take in British Columbia’s natural beauty from Canada’s oldest visitor attraction, The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
Take the 450-foot walk across the bridge which sits 230-feet high above rushing water and surrounding old-growth forest: a true Vancouver landmark. See the West Coast Rainforest from three perspectives: the Suspension Bridge; Treetops Adventure and the Cliffwalk. Between them you’ll climb trees via seven interconnected suspension bridges, defy gravity on a cantilevered walkway and cling to the granite cliff high above Capilano Canyon. Don’t forget to look out for interpretive information about the ecosystem as you explore.
Gold Floor view, Fairmont Waterfront
Fairmont Waterfront: majestic views and a heated outdoor pool
When the day of adventuring is done, and you’re ready to head back to your hotel: steps from the Vancouver Convention Centre, the cruise ship terminal, the Waterfront SkyTrain station and minutes from trendy pubs and eateries of historic Gastown and the retail mecca of Robson Street, is the stunning Fairmont Waterfront. Continue to take in Vancouver’s majestic views of the North Shore Mountains rising above the harbor from your room or better yet, from the 50-foot heated outdoor pool lined with seats and loungers located on the third floor.
And perhaps while the kids are enjoying their aquatic fun, the adults can enjoy a reprieve in the indoor whirlpool (which faces the pool) as the perfect muscle-soothing follow-up to an exhilarating family bonding day. Located just a few steps from the pool deck, take a tour of the Fairmont’s apiary and fresh rooftop garden, which is used in both the hotel’s cocktails and culinary offerings at Arc Restaurant.
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