A Travel Guide to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Twinkly high-rise buildings, leafy tree-lined streets, surrounded by the soothing ocean — Vancouver has it all. In the middle of the city, you’ll revel in the hustle-and-bustle. On the outskirts, you’ll appreciate the tranquillity of being at one with nature. This is western Canada’s cosmopolitan hub.
How to get there
You can fly direct from London, taking just over 9 and a half hours. Or you could visit Vancouver as part of a road trip around western Canada, including the famed Rockies!
How to get around
The easiest way to get around Vancouver is to walk. Most sites are within walking distance of each other, and as a reference walking from Coal Harbour (north) to Granville Island (south) will take you around 30 minutes.
Another popular way to get around is to cycle, mainly up and around the Coal Harbour area. If you’re not up to walking, then you can easily grab an Uber to take you from point to point.
Where to stay
Seeing as the city is so easily walkable, you can’t go wrong with most areas for where to base yourself. However, a personal recommendation would be to find somewhere in the Downtown Vancouver area.
Downtown puts you in the heart of the city, slap-bang in between Yaletown with its trendy bars and restaurants and Gastown with the well-known steam clock and local breweries. Air BNB has a huge range of places to stay across the city, from rooms to full apartments.
Food and drink recommendations
Steamworks in Gastown is a microbrewery, dating back to 1995. You can try some local brews and some classic pub-favorite dishes. Cactus Club Cafés are dotted around the city and offer happy hours, cocktails, casual food, seafood, and sushi. For a real fine-dining treat, head to Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Boasting local ingredients, quirky cocktails, and colourful, Insta-worthy dishes.
Keep an eye out for local markets, including the West End Farmers Market over in the West End, and the Granville Island Public Market. Try some locally-made snacks and drinks, whilst perusing the stalls one by one.
What to do
Stanley Park: If you want to explore the whole park (trust me, it’s worth it), then I’d recommend hiring a bike. There are a few places in the Coal Harbour area, near the Seawall, that you can rent from. Cycle all along the Seawall and across the bridge into the park.
Once you’re in, there are lots of different paths to follow to see the totems, small lakes, wooden bridges enclosed by trees, picnic points, Lions Gate Bridge, and even steep hills up to high viewpoints. There’re little cafes dotted around the park, so you can easily have a quick pit stop to refuel.
Granville Island: Catch the boat over from Yaletown, David Lam Park or Hornby, and spot some wildlife on the short journey over. It’s about $6-$8 per person return, or you can get day tickets if you fancy visiting other places on the ferry route. You can check out times and rates here.
Once on the island, there’s a load of things to explore. Starting with the popular Public Market. Here you’ll find all sorts, from locally sourced food and flower stalls to art vendors and handmade souvenirs. Meander through the hustle and bustle of the market and enjoy what’s on offer.
Outside the Public Market, there’s little units, shops, and streets awaiting you to explore. Here you’ll find breweries, handmade crafts, galleries, and even a theatre.
Whale watching: If you’re going to Vancouver between April and October, you might be in with a good chance of seeing some of these fascinating mammals in their natural habitat. You can find out more here, and you can also find out more about seeing sea lions and other wildlife.
Robson Street: Shop-till-you-drop on Vancouver’s famed Robson Street. Stretching from southeast to northwest, this expansive road is full to the brim with department stores, boutiques, cafés, and there’s even a free ice-skating rink in the winter.
Capilano Suspension Bridge: If you fancy learning more about British Columbia’s nature and walking across one of the most iconic suspension bridges in the world, head to Capilano Park. It’s not just the bridge – there’s different trails, treetop bridges, small lakes, and the chance to learn all about different trees and foliage as you go.
Top tip - look up! You might be able to spot a beautiful bald eagle swirling overhead.
It’s a short drive outside of Vancouver to get here, so I’d recommend hiring a car for the day and exploring some of the areas around Capilano Park too.
Written by Carmen Rowe
@carmenrowe93 on Instagram