Canada
Vancouver
They do things differently in Vancouver. On the edge of the Pacific Coast, intertwined with nature, with just one visit you will see how. Through music and culture, food and activities, similarities, and differences, visitors are drawn in by the beauty and bucket-lists but keep coming back for the inclusive nature and open minds.
In Vancouver, balance isn’t only found in yoga. They look to nature to keep them grounded. Naturally intertwined with the city, and local life, it inspires locals and visitors alike to gain a harmonious perspective on things. Work, and play. High-end, yet down-to-earth. With the right balance of outdoor adventure and inner peace, Vancouver will inspire you to do the same. To reach higher on the mountains. Explore further in the Ocean. From picnic table to restaurant to ski lift to bike-share, there’s a seat here for everyone. Vancouver celebrates all cultures and people and lifestyles and respects the lands it inhabits on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
When to visit:
With a year-round temperate climate, Vancouver is unlike anywhere else in Canada. Warmed by Pacific Ocean currents and protected by a range of mountains, it provides weather for all types of activity. Summers here are hot, averaging around 23°C (74°F), while during winter, temperatures peak at around 6°C (43°F). It rarely snows in the city, but outdoor enthusiasts will be pleased to know the local mountain resorts get plenty of it. Instead, winters are wet, which keeps the wide-open spaces beautifully green.
Summer
23°C
Autumn
14°C
Winter
6°C
Explore Stanley Park
Ask any Vancouverite and they’ll tell you the heart and soul of the city lives in Stanley Park. An oasis of 1,000 acres of temperate rainforest, trails, seawall paths, cricket pitches, rose gardens, totem poles and beaches. The 8.8-kilometre seawall around it provides cyclists, runners and walkers an invigorating yet easy route, with spectacular views of the North Shore Mountains and downtown Vancouver.
Visit Granville Island
Home to sawmills, cooperages, boat builders and artisans, and of course, the bustling Granville Island Public Market. You’ll find everything from premium produce, to just-baked donuts, to seafood and take-home handmade soups. Get an insider's edge with a tasting tour, meet the vendors and sample local specialties. A culturally rich melting pot, Granville Island is filled with restaurants, artists’ studios, theatres, breweries and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Surrounded by water, it's a great spot to rent a kayak for a tour around False Creek and English Bay.
Check out North Shore
Venture across the Lions Gate Bridge to Vancouver’s North Shore mountains, where nature lovers gravitate to maximize their play time. It is a launchpad for enjoying the great outdoors, with accessible hiking trails and ocean paddling during the summer, and skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Attractions and activities include Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Grouse Mountain, Lonsdale Quay Public Market, the Museum of North Vancouver, and the Shipyards district.
Visit Canada Place and Vancouver’s Harbourfront
Canada Place, where Vancouver’s cruise terminal is located, is a favourite for sightseers and selfie-takers. It's a perfect vantage point to watch cruise ships glide into the city as well as the perpetual ballet of seaplanes landing, helicopters lifting, freighters freighting and fishing vessels returning home to port. Plus, its home to FlyOver Canada, one of the city’s top attractions, where you can experience a flight simulation ride that virtually soars across Canada
Go Seaplane flightseeing
The thrill of a float plane ride is something you won’t soon forget. Particularly, your first take-off and landing on water. But it's the view from above that's guaranteed to leave you awestruck as you fly over Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver. It is also a great way to connect between downtown Vancouver and other destinations in British Columbia, including Whistler, Victoria, Tofino, Nanaimo and even Seattle! The floatplane terminal is conveniently located at Canada Place.
Sushi
Vancouver has been labelled the sushi capital of North America thanks to being one of the first North American cities to introduce the cuisine. Try the rolls at Tojo’s, Miku and Minami, and Ebisu on Robson; you can thank us later.
MICHELIN Vancouver
Vancouver is home to eight one-MICHELIN-Star restaurants and 12 Bib Gourmands. The full selection, including recommended eateries, totals 60 restaurants and is available free of charge on the MICHELIN® Guide website and app.
The restaurants join the MICHELIN® Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay in Vancouver and throughout the world.
Farm-to-table dining
The birthplace of ‘The 100-Mile Diet’, Vancouver plays host to a collection of restaurants and sizzling food trucks that source much, if not all, of their produce from British Columbia and the neighbouring Pacific Ocean.
Hot-smoked British Columbia salmon candy glazed with maple syrup
It’s prolific in grocers and restaurants across the city, though we recommend nabbing a few boxes at Granville Island Public Market.
JapaDog Hotdogs
JapaDog is Vancouver’s original food cart, serving massive hotdogs topped by seaweed flakes, miso mayonnaise and other Japanese-inspired accoutrements. Don’t forget to order a side of butter and shoyu (soy) “shaked fries” to cap off your meal.
Ethically sourced seafood
If you’re interested in sustainably harvested seafood, several restaurants in the city have raised the (sand)bar by becoming 100 percent Ocean Wise, including the RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim (the first sushi bar in the city to take the leap), Forage and Tacofino.
