I lived in Vancouver and here are the 6 must-do activities for when you're visiting the city
So you're planning a trip to the West Coast, but you have no idea what the best things to do in Vancouver are — you're not alone. The city is full of tourist attractions (many money grabs, few that are worthwhile), and then you also want to somehow fit in a hike that'll give you the perfect photo and also get a reservation for one of the Michelin-rated restaurants.
Alas, you've only got so many days in the city, and so you can only do so much. Luckily, I'm here to help you prioritize that itinerary. I lived in Vancouver and slowly built my list of go-to recommendations for people visiting. If you've got a short trip (we're talking three to four days and you want to fit as much in as possible), these are my must-do's.
The longer you stay, the better, but if you're like me, you'll do these things and leave the city feeling satisfied.
Go thrift shopping and cafe hopping in Mount Pleasant
Maybe you've gotten your nature fix and need some retail time — understandable.
Downtown has a bunch of shopping, obviously, but I'm partial to the boutiques and thrift shops in the Mount Pleasant area. This neighbourhood has a cool, kind of eclectic vibe to it, that's worth checking out.
You can spend some time popping in and out of shops, and cafe hopping around (or brewery hopping, if that's more your jam). It's the perfect bop-around spot, and to me, that's a mainstay of any city trip.
Head over to North Van for some time in nature
If you want to keep filling your nature cup then head across the water (take your pick of SeaBus or driving) to North Van. The small city is worth visiting in its own right, with an idyllic waterfront and cute shops, but the main reason for going here is the scenery.
North Vancouver is home to some of the most beautiful nature in the area, with hikes that can take you up to impressive lookouts, or trails that guide you through the lush forest.
Lynn Canyon Park is a personal fav of mine because you can spend hours wandering around and feel like you're in the middle of nowhere, not 20 minutes from one of Canada's biggest cities. There's a free suspension bridge here (a great alternative to Capilano Suspension Bridge), that floats high above a beautiful canyon. The trails are all lined with trees towering high above and greenery that usually has that fresh-rain smell (one of the perks of the gloomy weather here). 30-foot-pool is also tucked away in this park, and it's a fun swimming hole in the summer with clear emerald-coloured water.
Grab a coffee and get some seawall steps in
We're getting a bit basic here, and that's okay.
The thing about touristy stuff is that sometimes it hits, and walking (or biking or grabbing a scooter) the seawall is one of them. First of all, it's free to go, which is a plus since a Vancouver trip can get pricey alarmingly fast. Second of all, it showcases what makes this city unique — the blend of nature right in the thick of it all.
Something I miss most about living in Vancouver is the coffee shops, so let me live vicariously through you, please, and grab a cup from Revolver or Nemesis and get walking. The seawall wraps around Stanley Park so you can get glimpses of the massive trees and bright greenery on one side, and the sparkling ocean on the other.
There's nothing better than starting your day with these signature West Coast views.
Watch the sunset from Wreck Beach
My biggest tip for this one is to leave early. This beach is my favourite in the city, set on the UBC campus, but it's not exactly easy to get to.
First off, parking can be tricky and you might have to pay to go into the garage. Then you have to trek down an incredibly long staircase to reach the beach.
Because of those stairs, though, this shore feels kind of remote, like a little slice of peacefulness in the city. It also has uninterrupted ocean views and the perfect sunset scenery.
The beach is big, and there's lots of wooden logs you can lean back against to enjoy the show. Oh, and you might want to keep your eyes on the sunset — because this is a nude beach.
Don't let that turn you away though, because there are lots of non-nude people and this really is one of the most stunning beaches around. But, if you're not up for seeing all that, you can opt for one of the other city beaches in the evening.
Have a night at the Richmond Night Market
Visiting Vancouver in the summer means beach days, swimming, hiking — and going to the night market.
The Richmond Night Market is the biggest night market in North America, so it's impressive, to say the least. It's a bit outside of Vancouver (around 20 minutes from downtown), but worth going to.
There's a ton of vendors serving up food (there's actually over 500 eats and treats here), and you can taste everything from the flying noodle cups to mango sticky rice cakes. It's kind of overwhelming at first because of the amount of choice, but it's also hard to go wrong because most of it is delicious.
There's also games, some shopping stands, and overall just a fun and lively vibe.
Take an afternoon to explore Bowen Island
If you have enough days and feel like you've gotten a good amount of city time, then this makes for the perfect sunny afternoon activity.
Bowen Island is a little island that's just 20 minutes away on BC Ferries. From the Horseshoe Bay terminal in West Vancouver you can just walk right onto the ferry. Sailing across the ocean you'll get a view of the other tiny islands dotted around, plus the mountains off in the distance. Then, you can spend the day exploring the community of Bowen Island, with its quaint shops, bike tours, waterfront restaurants, and beaches to relax on.
The ferry runs back and forth pretty frequently, so it's easy to make a day trip here.
Like I said, the longer you've got to explore Vancouver, the better. The list could go on, from renting a boat from Granville Island to looking beyond the Metro Vancouver borders to my personal favourite B.C. spots like Whistler and Vancouver Island.
All in all though, the city’s beautiful, and it's not hard to have a good trip on the West Coast.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
