89 Best Sights in Vancouver, British Columbia

Once the site of the city's first civic buildings—the constable's cabin and customs house, and a two-cell log jail—this atmospheric brick-paved courtyard is now home to cafés and offices.

An underground steam system, which also heats many local buildings, supplies the world's first steam clock—possibly Vancouver's most photographed attraction. On the quarter hour, a steam whistle rings out the Westminster chimes, and on the hour a huge cloud of steam spews from the apparatus. The ingenious design, based on an 1875 mechanism, was built in 1977 by Ray Saunders of Landmark Clocks to commemorate the community effort that saved Gastown from demolition. Fun fact: yes, the clock does use steam power, but three electric motors help it run, too.

As a major wintering area for more than 260 species of birds, this bird sanctuary is busy year round with avian activity. Shorebirds start arriving mid-August, followed by northern waterfowl; bird sightings peak in November. Nesting takes place April through June; kids love seeing the goslings and ducklings. Birdseed is 50 cents. Located on Westham Island in Ladner across the Fraser River estuary from Steveston, it takes a bit of a loop route to get there. But rain or shine, there are always birds to see.

When the sky is clear, the telescope at the Gordon Southam Observatory is focused on whatever stars or planets are worth watching that night. Admission to the observatory is by donation and it's open year-round Saturday evenings, from 7 to 11, weather permitting.

This small-brewery-gone-big is where the craft beer revolution began. Back in 1984, it was Canada’s first microbrewery. Since then, it has grown rapidly. The bustling Granville Island atmosphere is perfect for a tour and tasting of beer history. Tours, which run daily and are booked on a first-come, first-served basis, last about 30 minutes and include a taste of four brews. 

North America's largest aerial tramway, the Skyride is a great way to take in the city, sea, and mountain vistas (be sure to pick a clear day or evening). The Skyride makes the 2-km (1-mile) climb to the peak of Grouse Mountain every 15 minutes. Once at the top, there are plenty of activities included in the ticket price. From spring through fall, you can catch a lumberjack show, a ranger talk, a documentary video, or a falconry demonstration. Go hiking, ride the chairlift, play disc golf, or visit a pair of grizzly bears in the mountain's wildlife refuge. For an extra fee, you can mountain bike, tackle a ropes course, go zip-lining, or take a helicopter flight. You can even pay extra to ride on top of the Skyride car. Popular family extras include a treetop canopy course and a chance to have breakfast with the bears. In the winter, you can ski, snowshoe, snowboard, sled, ice skate on a mountaintop pond, or stroll through the Light Walk, an illuminated pathway around a lake. A stone-and-cedar lodge is home to snack shops, a pub-style bistro, and a high-end restaurant, all with expansive city views. The Grouse Grind—a hiking trail up the face of the mountain—is one of the best workouts on the North Shore. Depending on your fitness level, allow between 40 minutes and two hours to complete it (90 minutes is an average time). Then you can take the Skyride down. The BCMC Trail is a less crowded, slightly longer alternative. From late May through September, you can catch a free shuttle to Grouse Mountain from Canada Place. Bus 236 from Lonsdale Quay stops at the base of Grouse Mountain year-round.

The interactive exhibits and high-tech learning systems at this center include GroundStation Canada, showcasing Canada's achievements in space, and the Cosmic Courtyard, full of hands-on, space-oriented exhibits including a moon rock and a computer program that shows what you would look like as an alien. You can catch daytime astronomy shows or evening music-and-laser shows at the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium.

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.)

This little town, tucked under the Coast Mountains on the shore of Howe Sound, marks the western edge of West Vancouver. Best known for its BC Ferries terminal, with service to Vancouver Island, Bowen Island, and the Sunshine Coast, Horseshoe Bay also marks the start of the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. Most people pass through, but it's worth making time for a fish-and-chips lunch at Troll's (operated by the same family since the 1940s) or any of several restaurants with ocean- and mountain-view decks. You can also make a day of it, swimming or scuba diving at Whytecliffe Park or joining an eco-tour with Sewell's Marina.

Kitty-corner to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, this building has a five-story-high public atrium, regularly changing art exhibitions, and one of the city's more intriguing public art installations. Pendulum, by British Columbia artist Alan Storey, is a 90-foot-long hollow aluminum sculpture that arcs hypnotically overhead.

You don't have to be a Buddhist to appreciate the intricate workmanship of traditional Chinese art and culture inside this magnificent Buddhist temple, one of the most exquisite examples of Chinese palatial architecture and second-largest Buddhist temple in North America. Amid the peace and tranquility, the temple holds regular Buddhist ceremonies, lectures, and meditation classes, and conducts tea ceremonies. There is also a renowned bonsai garden, resource library, and museum on the grounds, as well as a cafeteria offering Taste of Zen lunch service on Saturdays and Sundays. Because of the sacred nature of the temple, photography is restricted to outside areas. To reach the temple by public transit, take the Canada Line to Brighouse Station, then catch Bus 403 to the temple.

Those in the know avoid the crush of the crowds at Kits Beach and Jericho Beach in favor of this small park with a huge cherry tree framing gorgeous views over English Bay toward the North Shore Mountains. Steep stairs lead to a rocky beach below.

Home to the Jericho Sailing Centre, this Point Grey beach is popular for windsurfing and kayaking (rentals are available), especially at the western end. Swimmers can use the eastern section, where the expansive sands and a grassy park invite sunbathing. In July, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival brings thousands together over folk, world, and indie bands. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: swimming, walking, and windsurfing. 

In the center of Vancouver, this park hosts community festivals and is a popular place for family picnics. There's an attractive farmers' market on summer Saturdays, and it's also home to Trout Lake, the city's only freshwater lake, which has a sandy beach and a swimming raft.

Built in 1905 with gold-rush money, this elegantly renovated brick warehouse is now home to offices, shops, and Steamworks, a popular brewpub. From the oversized bay window at the rear of the lobby, you can appreciate where the shoreline was 100 years ago, as well as enjoy views of Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains.

The spiraling library building, open plazas, and lofty atrium of Library Square, completed in the mid-1990s, were built to evoke images of the Colosseum in Rome. A high-tech public library is the core of the structure; the outer edge of the spiral houses cafés and fast-food outlets.

At this two-level indoor market—less frenzied than its Granville Island counterpart—vendors sell prepared foods, just-caught seafood, and fresh produce. You can also shop for crafts, kitchenware, and toys, or sample the beer or kombucha at Green Leaf Brewing. Outside you can wander the quay and enjoy the views of the Downtown skyline across the water. The market is a short ride from Downtown on the SeaBus and just steps from the Polygon Gallery, MONOVA, and the Shipyards District.

Nestled into the precipitous North Shore Mountains, this 5,668-hectare (14,000-acre) reserve includes 100 km (62 miles) of hiking and biking trails—some that are steep and challenging. The meandering Seymour Valley Trailway is a 10-km (6-mile) paved pathway, suitable for cyclists, in-line skaters, strollers, and wheelchairs. Popular hikes include the easy 2-km (1-mile) loop around Rice Lake and the steep climb to Lynn Peak.

Inspired by New York's Chrysler Building, the Marine Building is worth stopping for a look. The terra-cotta bas-reliefs on this 21-story, 1930s art deco structure depict the history of transportation—airships, steamships, locomotives, and submarines—as well as Mayan and Egyptian motifs and images of marine life. Step inside for a look at the beautifully restored interior, then walk to the corner of Hastings and Hornby Streets for the best view of the building.

This four-pillar, three-story-high, brightly painted arch spanning Pender Street was erected in 2002 to mark the millennium and commemorate the Chinese community's role in Vancouver's history. The gate incorporates both Eastern and Western symbols, and both traditional and modern Chinese themes. Just east of the Millennium Gate, a right turn will take you into Shanghai Alley. Also known as "Chinatown Heritage Alley," this was the site of the first Chinese settlement in the Vancouver area. By 1890, Shanghai Alley and neighboring Canton Alley were home to about 1,000 Chinese residents. At the end of the alley is a replica of the West Han Dynasty Bell, a gift to Vancouver from the city of Guangzhou, China. Surrounding the bell is a series of panels relaying some of the area's early history.

Located right next to Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus Terminal, this new museum explores North Vancouver's rich history–through the lens of artifacts, documents, and photographs. A definite highlight is the restored British Columbia electric streetcar located in the museum's gift shop. There are also plenty of interactive exhibits for kids.

Just 30 minutes from Downtown Vancouver, this 3,508-hectare (8,668-acre) wilderness park has hiking trails of varying length and difficulty and spectacular views of the Lower Mainland. Warm clothing—and caution—are advised. Popular routes include a scenic 1½-hour trip to Dog Mountain or a more intense four-hour climb to the three peaks of Seymour. You can also hike down to Deep Cove on Indian Arm. In winter, the trails are used for snowshoeing, and you can try tubing and tobogganing, too.

Vancouver's short-but-funky history comes to life at this seaside civic history museum. The 1930s-1940s Gallery remembers the Japanese internment during WWII, as well as local stories of the war effort. The 1950s Gallery has a 1955 Ford Fairlane Victoria and a Seeburg Select-o-Matic jukebox. The 1960s-1970s Gallery revisits the city's days as the hippie capital of Canada. Visitors can hear local bands from the '60s and poke around a re-created communal house. The museum regularly mounts intriguing temporary exhibits and hosts lectures and other public events.

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. 

Opened in 1960 in memory of Japanese scholar and diplomat Dr. Inazo Nitobe (1862–1933), this 2½-acre walled garden, which includes a pond, a stream with a small waterfall, and a ceremonial teahouse, is considered one of the most authentic Japanese tea and strolling gardens outside Japan. Designed by Professor Kannosuke Mori of Japan's Chiba University, the garden incorporates many native British Columbia trees and shrubs, pruned and trained Japanese-style, and interplanted with Japanese maples and flowering shrubs. The circular path around the park symbolizes the cycle of life and provides a tranquil view from every direction. Cherry blossoms are the highlight in April and May, and in June the irises are magnificent. Because the garden is so exotic, it's worth renting an audio guide. Or take a free drop-in tour Thursday at 11 am between May and September. Japanese tea ceremonies, offered  through the Urasenke Foundation, are held the last Saturday of every month, May through September. For reservations, email  [email protected] (C$10). If you're planning to visit several attractions at UBC, a UBC Attractions Pass will save you money.