268 Best Sights in British Columbia, Canada

Under a gigantic, shiny dome on the False Creek waterfront, this hands-on science center encourages children to participate in interactive exhibits and demonstrations about the natural world, the human body, and other science topics. Exhibits change throughout the year, so there's always something new to see. Adjacent to the museum, and included in the admission, the Ken Spencer Science Park is an outdoor exhibit area focusing on environmental issues. Science World is an easy walk (or mini-ferry ride) from Yaletown or a short walk from the Olympic Village; the Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station is across the street. Limited paid parking is available.

A simulated ride underwater in a deep-sea elevator is just the beginning of a visit to this fun and educational marine interpretive center. Devoted entirely to the aquatic life and conservation needs of the Salish Sea—the waters south and east of Vancouver Island—the small but modern center displays local sea life, including luminous jellyfish, bright purple sea stars, wolf eels, rockfish, and octopi.

North Vancouver's historic dry docks have been reimagined as a vibrant waterfront public space, including restaurants, cafés, a hip pub, a boutique hotel, and even a kids' water park reconfigured as an ice rink in winter. Just steps from Lonsdale Quay on the North Vancouver waterfront, the Shipyards are easy to reach by SeaBus. On Friday nights from May through September, more than 120 vendors, a wealth of food trucks, and a beer garden set up shop outdoors for the Shipyards Night Market. The Shipyards are also home to the photo-centric Polygon Gallery.

In summer, a passenger ferry makes the half-hour trip several times a day to this long stretch of beach on Sidney Island, part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Hiking trails and picnic sites make for a pleasant day on the island.

This 17.6-km (11-mile) return trail has an elevation gain of only 135 meters (443 feet), but it's still rated as difficult, with many up and down sections. There are interpretive panels along the first part of the trail educating you about the regeneration of this forest via lightning and wildfire, which is very evident in the burned forest around you for most of the trail. Ultimately you will arrive at a three-valley river confluence. Difficult.

This lovely trail system follows a 2-km (1-mile) loop, crossing Sinclair Creek with two footbridges. Interpretive signs educate users on the environment and history of the area. There are picnic tables by the lower parking lot, and benches along the trail provide good rest stops to enjoy the scenery.

Vancouver architect Richard Henriquez knitted four buildings together into Sinclair Centre, an office-retail complex that takes up an entire city block between Cordova and Hastings, and Howe and Granville Streets. Inside are a handful of specialty retailers, federal government offices, and services including UPS and a multilingual travel agency. The two Hastings Street buildings—the 1910 Post Office, which has an elegant clock tower, and the 1911 Winch Building—are linked with the 1937 Post Office Extension and the 1913 Customs Examining Warehouse to the north. As part of a meticulous restoration in the mid-1980s, the post office facade was moved to the Granville Street side of the complex. The original clockwork from the old clock tower is on display inside (on the upper level of the arcade).

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.

The Spanish Banks and Locarno Beaches form a sandy chain, and feature huge expanses of sunbathing sand backed by wide lawns full of picnic tables. There are also volleyball courts. The shallow water, warmed slightly by sun and sand, is good for swimming. Farther west along the coastline, toward the Spanish Banks Extension, the scene becomes less crowded. Spanish Banks West and Locarno Beaches are designated "quiet beaches," which means that amplified music is prohibited. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: its atmosphere, sunsets, swimming, walking, and windsurfing.   

The Kicking Horse Pass is one of the steepest terrains in North America for a railway, which posed a real problem for the engineers who were tasked with punching a railway line through it. To solve the problem of numerous runaway trains and crashes, two circular tunnels were driven into the valley walls of Cathedral Mountain and Mt. Ogden to reduce the 4.4% grade to a safer and more normal 2.2%. The viewing platform at Lower Spiral Tunnel lookout is one of the best places to watch passing freight trains (25–30 trains pass through daily) going in and out of the tunnels, and there are several interpretive panels explaining the facts and history of building the railway through the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

A 1½ hour hike (4.2 km one way; 2.6 miles) up a switch-back trail will take you through a regenerated forest filled with wildflowers and lodgepole pines, up near the base of Stanley Glacier. The talus slopes beneath the cliffs and the glaciated peaks are home to the Burgess Shale fossils, discovered only in 2012. If you're inspired to learn more about these unique fossils, sign up for the Parks Canada guided interpretive hike which is offered several times a week. Moderate

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.

Farther along Beach Avenue toward Burrard Bridge, Sunset Beach, between Thurlow and Broughton Streets, is too close to the Downtown core for clean, safe swimming. But it is a great spot for an evening stroll. It's also a "quiet" beach, which means no amplified music. You can catch a ferry to Granville Island here. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunset and walking.

"Takakkaw" means wonderful in Cree, and when you see these falls—373 meters (1,224 feet) tall—there's no question how they got their name. Although an incredible marvel of nature even when viewed from the parking lot, the falls are best experienced at the viewing spot accessed via a short, easy walk, where the roar of the water becomes great and you can feel the water spray your face. On the trail, right before you cross the Yoho River footbridge, take time to sit in Parks Canada's signature red Adirondack chairs. The trail to Yoho Lake also starts here.

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. 

The only freshwater lake in the center of Vancouver, Trout Lake, in John Hendry Park, has a sandy beach and a swimming raft. Community festivals and family picnics are popular here, and there's an attractive farmers' market on summer Saturdays. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); toilets. Best for: swimming, walking.

Accessible only by foot, this historical log chalet previously provided lodging for guests and food and tea for day guests in the summer months; it's no longer accessible to the public. Built in a clearing across from the Twin Falls Creek in three phases between 1908–1928, the teahouse provides phenomenal views of the double falls (keep your eyes peeled for mountain goats that are often spotted hanging out above the falls). The 16.4-km (10-mile) mostly forested out-and-back trail will take you three hours to reach the teahouse. Access to the trailhead is from the Takakkaw Falls parking lot.

This craft beer microbrewery is located inside the former St. Aiden's Church. Owner Dennis Morgan transformed the building using repurposed and salvaged wood in both the bar and kitchen. Along with beers, such as the aptly named Resurrection Red Irish Red Ale and Seventh Day Kolsch, a Beer and Biologist Tour is also on offer. It includes a half-hour tour of the aquarium, followed by two hours of kayaking, and finished off with a well-deserved cold brew.

Ten thousand trees, shrubs, and rare plants from around the world thrive on this 70-acre research site on the university campus, which abuts Pacific Spirit Park. The complex feels as far away from the city as you can get, with forested walkways through an Asian garden, a garden of medicinal plants, and an alpine garden with some of the world's rarest plants. A Walk in the Woods is a 20-minute loop that takes you through more than 1,000 species of coastal plant life. The garden gift store is one of the best of its kind. One-hour guided tours, free with garden admission, are offered on certain days; call or check the website for a schedule. If you're planning to visit several attractions at UBC, a UBC Museums and Gardens Pass will save you money.

The 308-meter-long (1,010-foot-long) Greenheart TreeWalk Canopy Walkway, a swaying network of suspended bridges weaving a trail between huge cedars and hemlocks, is a thrilling way to explore the garden. Along the way, you stop off on eight platforms in the trees, each more than 15 meters (49 feet) high, while an additional two-story viewing platform tops a freestanding tower more than 22 meters (72 feet) in the air. Visits to the walkway are at your own pace or by a 45-minute guided tour, where you learn about the forest, local wildlife, environmental issues, and First Nations traditions; call or check the website for seasonal tour schedules. The walkway is a great adventure for kids. Just note that small children must either be able to walk on their own or be carried in a child backpack or other carrier (strollers aren't permitted).

Plan to spend a couple of hours at this family-owned and -operated boutique winery, where tastings of Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and port-style dessert wine are on offer. The business has also extended to include vodka production. Guided tours are offered Friday through Sunday at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm. The picturesque grounds are also home to Unsworth Restaurant, a charming bistro in a restored early-1900s farmhouse serving lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, overlooking the vineyards. On Monday and Tuesday from noon to 4 pm dine alfresco on the Pizza Patio. 

Once the sun sets, head to Vallea Lumina, just a short drive from the Village. Here, you'll meander through the old-growth forest on a 1.5-kilometer (almost 1-mile) hike to take in the mesmerizing light, sound, and art displays in the dark. When you're done, head to the campfire for a snack and games. Make sure to book your tickets in advance. In the busy season, there is a complimentary shuttle from the Village to the venue.