Vancouver packs a remarkable range of activities into a compact area. You can ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon, thanks to the North Shore mountains sitting 30 minutes from downtown. The following attractions are organized by category, with practical details on hours, prices, and tips for each. For more planning details, see our complete Vancouver travel guide.
Things to Do in Vancouver: Outdoor and Nature
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is a 405-hectare urban park on a peninsula just north of downtown, larger than New York’s Central Park. The 10km Seawall loops around the perimeter and takes about 2 to 3 hours to walk or 1 hour to cycle. Rent bikes from vendors on Denman Street near the park entrance: Spokes Bicycle Rentals charges about CA$10 per hour or CA$35 per day. The park is free to enter. Key stops include the Totem Poles at Brockton Point (eight poles, including work by First Nations carvers), the Vancouver Aquarium (CA$42 adult, 10 am to 5 pm daily), and Prospect Point for views of the Lions Gate Bridge. The park has two beaches: Second Beach (with a heated outdoor pool, CA$6.50) and Third Beach. See our weather by month guide for more information. Parking costs CA$3.75 per hour from April to September, CA$2.75 per hour the rest of the year.
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain, known as the Peak of Vancouver, sits 1,250m above the city in North Vancouver. The Skyride gondola (CA$65 adult round-trip, 9 am to 10 pm in summer, 9 am to 8 pm in winter) takes 8 minutes and delivers panoramic views of the city, ocean, and Vancouver Island on clear days. In summer, the mountain offers a 1.6km Wildlife Refuge walk with grizzly bears Coola and Grinder, the Eye of the Wind turbine with a viewing pod (extra CA$15), and the Lumberjack Show (included in admission). See our best time to visit guide for more information. In winter, Grouse has 33 ski and snowboard runs across 212 acres, plus snowshoe trails and an outdoor skating pond. From downtown, take the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay then bus 236 to the base, about 40 minutes total, CA$4.45 one-way on TransLink.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
The Capilano Suspension Bridge spans 140m across the Capilano River, 70m above the canyon floor. See our events and festivals calendar for more information. The park also includes the Cliffwalk (a cantilevered walkway jutting out from a granite cliff) and the Treetops Adventure (seven suspension bridges between Douglas fir trees). Admission is CA$63 adult (2025 pricing), open daily from 9 am to 5 pm with extended hours in summer until 8 pm. The park gets very crowded from 11 am to 3 pm in July and August. Arrive at opening or go after 4 pm. Free shuttle buses run from Canada Place downtown every 15 to 30 minutes. The bridge sways noticeably when crowded, which some visitors find uncomfortable.
Granville Island
Granville Island is a former industrial district turned public market and arts hub, sitting under the Granville Street Bridge. See our neighborhoods guide for more information. The Granville Island Public Market is open daily 9 am to 6 pm (closed Mondays in winter) with 50+ food vendors, produce stalls, and artisan goods. Pick up lunch and eat on the outdoor benches overlooking False Creek. The island also has the Granville Island Brewing taproom, the Liberty Distillery, artisan studios, and the Kids Market. Parking is free for the first hour then CA$4 per hour, but parking is extremely tight on weekends. Better options: take the Aquabus or False Creek Ferry from downtown (CA$3.75 one-way) or walk from downtown via the seawall, about 20 to 30 minutes. See our where to stay guide for more information. Lee’s Donuts, open since 1979, is famous for its honey-dip donuts at CA$3.50 each.
Things to Do in Vancouver: Cultural Attractions
Museum of Anthropology (MOA)
Located at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the MOA houses one of the world’s finest collections of Northwest Coast First Nations art, including monumental totem poles, carved boxes, and contemporary Indigenous works. See our travel tips and FAQ for more information. The Great Hall, designed by Arthur Erickson, features floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the mountains. Admission is CA$18 adult, open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm (closed Mondays, open until 9 pm on Thursdays). Bus 44 from downtown takes about 35 minutes. The museum underwent a major seismic upgrade and reopened in 2024.
Vancouver Art Gallery
The Vancouver Art Gallery occupies a former courthouse on Robson Street downtown. Its collection of 12,000 works emphasizes British Columbia artists, including an extensive Emily Carr collection. Admission is CA$29 adult, open Wednesday to Monday 10 am to 5 pm (until 8 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays). Donation-based entry on the first Friday evening of each month from 5 pm to 8 pm. The gallery is moving to a new purpose-built building at Larwill Park in 2028, designed by Herzog and de Meuron.
Science World
Housed in a geodesic dome built for Expo 86, Science World features interactive science exhibits, an OMNIMAX theatre, and live science demonstrations. It is extremely popular with families. Admission is CA$33 adult, open daily 10 am to 5 pm (until 6 pm weekends). The dome lights up at night with thousands of LED displays. Located at the Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station, 2 stops from downtown.
Things to Do in Vancouver: Free Activities
Seawall Walk
The 28km Vancouver Seawall is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path, stretching from the Vancouver Convention Centre to Kitsilano Beach. The most scenic section runs from Coal Harbour around Stanley Park to English Bay, about 10km. It is flat, paved, and divided into walking and cycling lanes. Sunset at English Bay Beach, where locals gather to applaud the sunset every evening in summer, is a genuine Vancouver tradition.
Gastown and the Steam Clock
Gastown is Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, with cobblestone streets, Victorian buildings, and the famous Steam Clock at Water and Cambie streets. The clock whistles and shoots steam every 15 minutes. Water Street is lined with souvenir shops and restaurants. For a more interesting Gastown experience, walk north along Carrall Street and Alexander Street to see independent boutiques, design studios, and some of the city’s best cocktail bars like The Diamond and Clough Club.
Queen Elizabeth Park
At 152m above sea level, Queen Elizabeth Park is Vancouver’s highest point and home to the Bloedel Conservatory (CA$7.25 adult, open daily 10 am to 4 pm in winter, until 8 pm in summer), a triodetic dome filled with free-flying tropical birds and exotic plants. The park’s quarry gardens and panoramic views of the North Shore mountains are free to enjoy. The Seasons in the Park restaurant offers fine dining with a view.
Things to Do in Vancouver: Shopping and Markets
Robson Street Shopping
Robson Street from Burrard to Denman is Vancouver’s main shopping strip, with international brands, sportswear flagship stores, and local boutiques. The area is heaviest with foot traffic on weekends. For more upscale shopping, head inside Pacific Centre mall (701 West Georgia Street), which connects to the Vancouver Centre mall, Nordstrom, and Holt Renfrew via underground passages. Open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday 11 am to 6 pm.
Vancouver Chinatown
Vancouver’s Chinatown is the largest in Canada and third-largest in North America. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (578 Carrall Street, CA$14 adult, open Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 4:30 pm) is an authentic Ming Dynasty-style scholar’s garden, the first of its kind outside China. Adjacent to it, the free public park captures a similar feel. The Chinatown Storytelling Centre (168 East Pender Street, CA$12 adult) documents the neighborhood’s 130-year history. For food, the area’s best-known spots include New Town Bakery (steamed buns, CA$2 to CA$3) and Phnom Penh (Cambodian-Vietnamese, known for butter beef and chicken wings).
