If you've come to visit the city this summer, there's a very good chance you're staying in a hotel downtown.
The SkyTrain line runs there directly from the airport, and it's extremely convenient considering that many of our most popular tourist attractions are within walking distance of anywhere you might be staying: Canada Place, Stanley Park, English Bay, the Harbour Centre Revolving Restaurant.
Downtown Vancouver is very walkable and compact, so it makes sense that many tourists choose to plan their itinerary around this central part of the city and forego any outside excursions.
This would be a bit of an oversight though, and you would potentially be cutting yourself off from sights and experiences that offer a very real, authentic slice of Vancouver outside of the typical landmarks. There are plenty of things to do outside of downtown that I would highly recommend to anyone coming here for a vacation, and which are exceptionally easy to access by public transit.
The best part? You're not likely to be jockeying for space with other hordes of tourists, and you'll have an experience very unique to your trip here that not many others can claim to have.
Playland
This is an old-school amusement park that's a Vancouver institution. It's been around for almost one hundred years, and it's still going strong. Located on Hastings and Renfrew Streets in East Vancouver, all you need to do is take an express bus right out of downtown, and you'll be there within about fifteen minutes. While it certainly can get crowded — predictably, weekends are absolutely packed — it still retains a real sense of totally unpretentious fun. It's really a very grassroots sort of place with exciting rides (unless you're like me, and just glancing at the world-famous wooden roller coaster makes you exceptionally nauseated) and loads of places to eat. It's a local favourite, and something you need to experience if you're here during the summer months.
Even better, for the last two weeks of August, the Pacific National Exhibition gets underway at the park, where events, concerts, contests, and traditional carnival attractions dominate the park.
No matter how much Vancouver develops and modernizes, there's something reassuring about the way Playland has always stayed its wonderful, classic self.
Central Park
Yes, there's actually a Central Park outside of downtown. Located right at the border of Vancouver and Burnaby (on the corner of Boundary Rd., which literally separates the two cities), this park is a terrific way to spend an afternoon that doesn't include shuffling around with other tourists.
All you need to do is take the SkyTrain to Patterson Station, and you'll be met with one major entrance to the park. There are woodsy pathways, small lakes, countless adorable squirrels scrambling around expecting peanuts, and even steel exercise equipment found here and there. Central Park is never crowded and is an alternative to our beloved Stanley Park (which, no matter its size, can get pretty busy in the summertime). What's more, if you really need your mall fix, once you leave the calming natural environment of the park, you can dash over to adjacent Metrotown. Just be prepared for a startling juxtaposition of going from natural solitude to retail-obsessed hordes.
Lafarge Lake Park
If you want to not just avoid downtown, but actually get away from the pace of Vancouver altogether, head out to the lovely little city of Coquitlam and visit Lafarge Park. Take the SkyTrain to Commercial / Broadway and transfer to the Millennium Line, which will take you straight to the park itself. The whole trip takes about 40 minutes, but is well worth it. While small, it's a quiet, well-maintained park with a pathway around the lake, lots of wildlife, a bandshell and stage for whenever some entertainment has been booked, and a nearby track if you need to burn off some energy.
What Lafarge is most famous for, however, is its exquisite Christmas lights display, which draws people from all over the Lower Mainland. If you're here during the winter months you can't miss out on this attraction, which — unlike many seasonal activities in Vancouver — is 100% free.
Little India
This is the affectionate name that locals give to the neighbourhood at Main and 49th in Vancouver, set nicely apart from the downtown core.
One single Main St. bus will take you all the way south of the city, straight down this lengthy road until you get to this neck of the woods. Far away from the camera-wielding crowds, you can shop for some traditional Indian groceries (if you're cooking for yourself), goods, incense, kitchenware, or even attire, and then you can pop into one of the various restaurants or buffets for an authentic meal that will cost you considerably less than what you'd pay for downtown. It's a refreshing getaway, an enjoyable immersive experience, and a great alternative to marching down trendy Robson St., where your patience with the slow-moving shoppers will wear very thin, very quickly.
New Westminster Quay
I'm a big fan of New Westminster. It's close enough to Vancouver to access without hassle (about 25 minutes directly from downtown on SkyTrain), but far enough away that you really sense the community energy here that is very much lacking downtown.
The Quay (pronounced "key") is a great area to have a bite to eat or a pint to drink — thanks to numerous affordable, diverse restaurants and pubs — while overlooking the Fraser River. The real attraction here, though, is the terrific boardwalk running along the water, where you can see a bona-fide paddle-wheeler boat giving tours, glimpse some protected marshland, or simply enjoy a nice stroll alongside the friendly New West residents, who make great use of this locale.
I'm not saying you should flee downtown Vancouver, because there's no shortage of things to do there. What I am saying is that, if the nonstop summer crowds are starting to get under your skin, there are excellent alternatives to typical tourist activities that will enrich your visit, and give you a real-life taste of the city.
