Vancouver

Explorable neighborhoods, drink-and-dine delights and memorable cultural and outdoor activities framed by striking natural vistas – there's a superfluity of reasons to fall for this ocean-fringed metropolis.

Taste-Tripping

Don't tell the rest of the country but Vancouver is Canada’s dine-out capital. Abandon your diet and dive right into North America's best Asian cuisine, from chatty Chinese restaurants to Vietnamese banh mi sandwich joints, or unleash your appetite on a rich smorgasbord of fresh-caught local seafood, including seasonal spot prawns and succulent wild salmon. The farm-to-table movement has also reinvigorated West Coast cuisine here – anyone for Fraser Valley lamb with a side of foraged morels? And we haven't even started on Vancouver’s thirst-slaking craft-beer scene, pouring the nation’s finest IPAs, sours and more.

Neighbourhood Villages

Downtown is just the start of Vancouver. Walk or hop public transit and within minutes you'll be hanging with the locals in one of the city's diverse and distinctive mini-districts. Whether discovering the independent boutiques of Main St or the coffee shops of Commercial Dr, the redbrick bars of Gastown or the heritage-house beachfronts of Kitsilano, you'll find this city ideal for easy-access urban exploration. Just be sure to chat to the locals wherever you go: they might seem shy or aloof at first, but Vancouverites love talking up their town and regaling you with their personal recommendations.

Culture Hub

There's a multi-textured canvas of creativity to pore over in this city. Dig deeply and you'll find an eclectically diverse grassroots scene that operates like a locavore movement for culture fans. Mingle with the regulars at indie festivals, sparkling theatrical events, toe-tapping live music, waterfront Shakespeare shows and a camera-ready menagerie of eye-popping public art. There’s also a savor-worthy menu of independent galleries, a large public gallery that’s about to break-ground on a grand new building, and a huge, party-like open-house art crawl that lures locals and visitors every November.

Outdoor Wonderland

Those snow-capped giants peeking at you from between downtown's glass towers? They're less than 30 minutes away by car. Vancouverites really can ski in the morning and hit the beach in the afternoon – although it's far more relaxing to chill out and take your time. The city's North Shore nature doorstep offers snow sports, mountain biking and rainforest hiking trails, while the city itself is studded with sandy shorelines, kayaking routes, verdant gardens and Canada's urban green-space jewel, the mighty and highly beloved Stanley Park.

Must see in
Vancouver

  • Stanley Park Seawall

    Few cities have democratized their waterfront better than Vancouver: you can stroll or cycle along a tree-fringed, wave-lapped walkway all the way from Canada Place to Kitsilano and the University of British Columbia (UBC). But the highlight is the 8.8km stretch around Stanley Park. Like an immersive visual spa treatment, you'll encounter rippling ocean backed by looming mountains on one side and the gentle swish of dense forest and smiling cyclists on the other. It's a sigh-triggering reminder of how great life can be.Downtown & West End

  • Granville Island Public Market

    Granville Island is packed with enticing backstreet studios and artsy little nooks, but the brimming Public Market lures everyone who comes here like a foodie-themed siren song. From pyramids of glistening fresh fruit to drool-triggering deli counters that inspire a picnicking approach to life, it's a taste-tripping wander for browsers as well as locals dropping in for their regular shop. Add a seat at the shoreline plaza outside, complete with cheery buskers and beady-eyed seagulls, and you've found what may be Vancouver's best afternoon out.Yaletown & Granville Island

  • Grouse Mountain

    Vancouver's favorite winter playground is a short drive from downtown. But Grouse isn't just for goggle-eyed powder nuts. In summer, you'll have great views over the city – shimmering in the water far below – plus the perfect excuse for a flower-studded alpine hike (take the steep Grouse Grind to reach the summit if you fancy working up a sweat or hop the scenic gondola ride instead). Either way, check out the grizzly bear enclosure: it's a great way to see sharp-toothed wildlife close up without wetting yourself.North Shore

  • Asian Dining

    Torn between visiting Canada or Asia? Come to Vancouver and try the richest, most authentic Asian dining scene in North America. From bustling dim-sum joints to cozy izakayas (Japanese neighborhood pubs), pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) houses to super-fresh sushi joints, Vancouver offers easy access to culinary adventure. For the especially epicurious, dive into the steam-shrouded food stands at the Hong Kong–style summer night market in Richmond, the adjoining city that also has more Asian restaurants than you'll ever be able to visit.Eating

  • Capilano Suspension Bridge

    Arrive early to avoid the summer crowds and you'll have a great time inching over the swaying rope bridge that stretches across a roiling, tree-lined river canyon. Even the bravest find their legs turn to jelly here, but it's all in good fun. At least that's what you should tell yourself, as you'll have to cross back at some point. There's plenty to see in the surrounding temperate rainforest park: a series of canopy bridges, a glass-floored cliffside walkway and nature trails through the towering trees.North Shore

  • Vancouver Art Gallery

    The city's leading showcase for art has been exhibiting local photoconceptualist photographers, the nature-themed paintings of Emily Carr and an ever-changing roster of popular visiting exhibitions for many years, becoming Western Canada's most important art space in the process. And while plans are afoot to move from its downtown heritage-building space to a landmark new joint just a few blocks away, some things will endure: including the regular FUSE evening events, when the gallery turns into a clubby late-night hangout for culture lovers.Downtown & West End

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