Vancouver
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Vancouver - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Stanley Park Beaches
There are two fine beaches accessed from Stanley Park, with other unnamed sandy spots dotted along the seawall. The most popular with families is Second Beach, which has a playground and large heated pool with slides. Third Beach is a little more removed than the other central beaches. It has a larger stretch of sand, fairly warm water, and unbeatable sunset views. It's a popular evening picnic spot. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunsets, swimming, and walking.
7495 Stanley Park Dr., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6G 3E2, Canada -
2. Stanley Park Seawall
Vancouver's seawall path includes a 9-km (5½-mile) paved shoreline section within Stanley Park. It's one of several car-free zones in the park, and it's popular with walkers and cyclists. If you have the time (about a half of a day) and the energy, strolling the entire seawall is an exhilarating experience. It extends an additional mile east past the marinas, cafés, and waterfront condominiums of Coal Harbour to Canada Place in Downtown, so you could start your walk or ride from there. From the south side of the park, the seawall continues for another 28 km (17 miles) along Vancouver's waterfront to the University of British Columbia, making it the longest shoreside path in the world, and allowing for a pleasant, if ambitious, day's bike ride. Along the seawall, cyclists must wear helmets and stay on their side of the path. Within Stanley Park, cyclists must ride in a counterclockwise direction. The seawall can get crowded on summer weekends, but inside the park is a 27-km (16-mile) network of peaceful walking and cycling paths through old- and second-growth forest. The wheelchair-accessible Beaver Lake Interpretive Trail is a good choice if you're interested in park ecology. Take a map—they're available at the park information booth and many of the concession stands—and don't go into the woods alone or after dusk.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -
3. Vancouver Aquarium
Massive floor-to-ceiling windows let you get face-to-face with sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals at this award-winning research and educational facility. In the Amazon Gallery, you walk through a rain forest populated with piranhas, caimans, and tropical birds. In summer, hundreds of free-flying butterflies add to the mix. The Tropic Zone is home to exotic freshwater and saltwater life, including clown fish, moray eels, and black-tip reef sharks. Other displays, many with hands-on features for kids, show the underwater life of coastal British Columbia and the Canadian Arctic. Dive shows (where divers swim with aquatic life, including sharks) are held daily. Be sure to check out the stingray touch pool, as well as the "4-D" film experience (it's a multisensory show that puts mist, smell, and wind into the 3-D equation). There's also a café and a gift shop. Be prepared for lines on weekends and school holidays. Reserve ahead for timed admission and savings.
View Tours and Activities845 Avison Way, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6G 3E2, Canada604-659–3474Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$38-C$50 depending on time of day -
4. Hollow Tree
Near Siwash Rock, this centuries-old, 56-foot-wide burnt cedar stump has shrunk over the years but still gives an idea of how large some of the old-growth trees can grow. A Hollow Tree Society, made up of private citizens and donations, acts as the tree's unofficial caretaker. (You can also view an exact replica of the 43-foot-high Hollow Tree, coated in gold finish, at the corner of Marine and Cambie Streets, designed by Canadian Artist Douglas Coupland.)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -
5. Lumbermen's Arch
Made of one massive log, this archway, erected in 1952, is dedicated to the workers in Vancouver's first industry. Beside the arch is an asphalt path that leads back to Lost Lagoon and the Vancouver Aquarium. There's a picnic area, a snack bar, and small beach here, too. The Variety Kids Water Park is across the road.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Nine O'Clock Gun
This cannon-like apparatus by the water was installed in 1890 to alert fishermen to a curfew ending weekend fishing. Now it signals 9 pm every night.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -
7. Prospect Point
At 64 meters (211 feet), Prospect Point is the highest point in the park and provides striking views of the Lions Gate Bridge (watch for cruise ships passing below), the North Shore, and Burrard Inlet. There's also a (summer only) souvenir shop, a snack bar with terrific ice cream, and a restaurant. From the seawall, you can see where cormorants build their seaweed nests along the cliff ledges.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -
8. Siwash Rock
According to a local First Nations legend, this 50-foot-high offshore promontory is a monument to a man who was turned into stone as a reward for his unselfishness. The rock is visible from the seawall. If you're driving, you need to park, and take a short path through the woods.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -
9. Stanley Park Miniature Train
This child-size steam train takes kids and adults on a ride through the woods. In summer, the railway travels a 2-km (1.2-mile) winding journey through Stanley Park. Halloween displays draw crowds throughout October for the annual Ghost Train. And at Christmas, an elaborate light display illuminates the route during Bright Nights. The train periodically runs outside of these special events, too. Call or check the website for details.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada604-257–8531Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$10, special events (Ghost Train, Bright Nights) C$15, Hrs vary, check website for details -
10. Stanley Park Nature House
Vancouver's only ecology center is a treasure trove of information and showcases Stanley Park's true natural beauty with a host of programs and guided walks. The Nature House is on the south shore of Lost Lagoon, at the foot of Alberni Street.
Alberni St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada604-257–8544Sight Details
Rate Includes: Programs and guided walks vary in price, Closed Mon. in July and Aug.; closed weekdays rest of year -
11. Totem Poles
Totem poles are an important art form among native peoples along British Columbia's coast. These nine poles—eight carved in the latter half of the 20th century and one created in 2009—include replicas of poles originally brought to the park from the north coast in the 1920s, as well as poles carved specifically for the park by First Nations artists. The several styles of poles represent a cross section of BC Native groups, including the Kwakwaka'wakw, Haida, and Nisga'a. The combination of carved animals, fish, birds, and mythological creatures represents clan history. An information center near the site has a snack bar, a gift shop, and information about BC's First Nations.
View Tours and ActivitiesBrockton Point, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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