British Columbia, Canada

Vancouver

A mountain and ocean city with a big seawall park, a great market on Granville Island and the Sea to Sky highway on its doorstep. Vancouver is rainy in winter, bright in summer and always easy to love.

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Best months: May to Sep
Ideal stay: 3 to 4 days
Train: Not confirmed
Bus: Not confirmed

Photo by Luke Lawreszuk on Unsplash

Best months

January
February
March
April
May, a good time to go
June, a good time to go
July, a good time to go
August, a good time to go
September, a good time to go
October
November
December

Known as

Coastal
Mountain town
Big city
Beach town
Food city

Getting there

Highway / road trip
Commercial airport
Local public transit
Ferry

Train and bus

Train: Not confirmed
Bus: Not confirmed

People

662,248

in the city, 2,642,825 in the metro area

Languages

English

Vancouver sits on a peninsula between the Pacific and the North Shore mountains, and the view is part of the experience. Glass towers rise beside Stanley Park, ferries and floatplanes cross the harbour, and snowy peaks show above the city on a clear day. The downtown is on a compact peninsula, with the West End to the north, Yaletown and Gastown to the east and Granville Island across False Creek. Neighbourhoods feel distinct and are linked by bikes and trains. The city is also diverse, with strong Chinese, South Asian and Indigenous communities, and the food scene reflects it.

Stanley Park is the centrepiece, and its seawall path loops around the forest for walkers, cyclists and skaters. Granville Island Public Market has food stalls, artisans and a marine setting. Gastown has cobblestones and the steam clock, and the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia has an impressive Indigenous art collection. The Capilano Suspension Bridge and Lynn Canyon bring you into the rainforest, and Grouse Mountain is a quick gondola ride from the city. English Bay and Kitsilano Beach are good places to watch the sunset. The Vancouver Art Gallery and Science World are good for wet days.

Vancouver eats well, with seafood at the centre. Salmon, spot prawns and Dungeness crab are local favourites, and sushi is easy to find and very good. Richmond, a short ride south, is known for Chinese restaurants and dim sum. Commercial Drive has Italian cafes, Main Street has independent restaurants and Gastown has the cocktail bars. Craft beer, local wines from the Okanagan and strong coffee are available everywhere. Evening plans often start with a walk on the waterfront. Bubble tea shops and bakeries are easy to find near the SkyTrain stations.

The downtown core and the West End suit most first visits, with the seawall, beaches and restaurants nearby. Gastown and Yaletown offer stylish hotels close to the nightlife. Kitsilano is a more relaxed base near the beach, with a local feel. Hotels fill up in summer, so book early. The SkyTrain, buses and the SeaBus ferry to North Vancouver cover the region, and the Canada Line goes straight to the airport. A car is not needed in the city. Parking downtown is hard to find, so use transit for most trips.

Summer is dry, bright and the most popular season, with warm days and long evenings. Late spring and early autumn are quieter, and the cherry blossom bloom in April is a pleasant sight. Winters are mild but grey and wet, though the North Shore ski hills open for snow. Two days covers Stanley Park, Granville Island and Gastown. Three or four lets you add the mountains and the museum, and a week suits a trip that includes Whistler or Vancouver Island. Pack a rain jacket in any season. Rain gear helps.

Vancouver is a gateway in several directions. The Sea to Sky Highway climbs north to Squamish and Whistler. BC Ferries sail from Horseshoe Bay and Tsawwassen to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, and Victoria is a short sailing away. Seattle lies south across the border, with Amtrak Cascades trains running from Pacific Central Station. VIA Rail's Canadian starts its long trip east from the same station, and the Okanagan and the Rockies are a full day's drive inland. Bellingham, the first city in Washington across the border, makes a handy coffee stop.

Highlights

Stanley Park Seawall
A long waterfront path around the forested park, for walking and cycling.
Granville Island Public Market
A waterfront market with food stalls and craft studios.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
A swinging footbridge over a forested canyon in North Vancouver.
Grouse Mountain
A gondola ride above the city for views, trails and winter skiing.
Gastown
Cobblestone streets, the steam clock and bars and shops in old buildings.
Museum of Anthropology
A museum of Indigenous art and totem poles at the University of British Columbia.
English Bay
A sandy beach on the downtown peninsula, popular for sunset.
Lynn Canyon Park
A forest canyon park with a suspension bridge and trails.

Neighborhoods

Gastown
Cobblestones, the steam clock and cocktail bars in historic brick buildings.
Yaletown
Converted warehouses with restaurants, patios and a seawall nearby.
Kitsilano
A beach neighbourhood with cafes, yoga studios and a long sandy shore.
Commercial Drive
Italian cafes, record stores and a strong local feel.
Chinatown
A historic Chinatown with markets and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
The West End
A dense residential area between downtown and Stanley Park.

Getting around

Use the SkyTrain, buses and the SeaBus, and walk or cycle the seawall. The Canada Line runs straight from the airport to downtown, and you do not need a car in the city.

Where to next from Vancouver

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Show on the map Cities Listings Both

25 cities within 100 mi of Vancouver by road.

Zoom with the buttons, or hold ctrl while you scroll. Our cities are the markers; other towns on the map are for reference only.

Pick a city on the map to see how far it is and add it to a route.

All 25 cities within 100 mi, with travel times

North Vancouver British Columbia
about 4 mi · about 7 min by car · estimated
Burnaby British Columbia
about 9 mi · about 14 min by car · estimated
Richmond British Columbia
about 10 mi · about 16 min by car · estimated
New Westminster British Columbia
about 14 mi · about 22 min by car · estimated
Surrey British Columbia
about 17 mi · about 28 min by car · estimated
Coquitlam British Columbia
about 19 mi · about 30 min by car · estimated
Port Coquitlam British Columbia
about 19 mi · about 31 min by car · estimated
Gibsons British Columbia
about 24 mi · about 39 min by car · estimated
Delta British Columbia
about 25 mi · about 40 min by car · estimated
Maple Ridge British Columbia
about 30 mi · about 48 min by car · estimated
Chemainus British Columbia
about 46 mi · about 52 min by car · estimated
Ladysmith British Columbia
about 47 mi · about 53 min by car · estimated
Nanaimo British Columbia
about 47 mi · about 54 min by car · estimated
Langley British Columbia
about 34 mi · about 55 min by car · estimated
Abbotsford British Columbia
about 49 mi · about 56 min by car · estimated
Squamish British Columbia
about 36 mi · about 58 min by car · estimated
Bellingham Washington
about 58 mi · about 1 h 6 min by car · estimated · passport required
Friday Harbor Washington
about 65 mi · about 1 h 14 min by car · estimated · passport required
Chilliwack British Columbia
about 67 mi · about 1 h 16 min by car · estimated
Saanich British Columbia
about 70 mi · about 1 h 20 min by car · estimated
Anacortes Washington
about 73 mi · about 1 h 23 min by car · estimated · passport required
Whistler British Columbia
about 73 mi · about 1 h 23 min by car · estimated
Qualicum Beach British Columbia
about 74 mi · about 1 h 24 min by car · estimated
Victoria British Columbia
about 75 mi · about 1 h 25 min by car · estimated
Powell River British Columbia
about 92 mi · about 1 h 45 min by car · estimated

Best months

Known as

Getting there

Train and bus

People

Languages

Highlights

Neighborhoods

Getting around

Scores

Where to stay

Things to do

Food & dining

Work remotely

Where to next from Vancouver

Best months

Known as

Getting there

Train and bus

People

Languages

Highlights

Neighborhoods

Getting around

Scores

Where to stay

Things to do

Food & dining

In an emergency, call 911

How safe is Vancouver?

Safety score

Crime Severity Index

Areas to be careful in

Police

Hospitals

Work remotely

Where to next from Vancouver

Community

When to go

Annual events

Tours and activities

Upcoming events

Routes through Vancouver

Community

Reviews

Review Vancouver

Locals

In an emergency, call 911

How safe is Vancouver?

Safety score

Crime Severity Index

Areas to be careful in

Police

Hospitals