6 Things To Avoid Spending Money On When You Visit Vancouver & Want To Save
Every penny helps!💸
People walking in Vancouver. Right: Vancouver street.
Travelling in general is expensive. Travelling to Vancouver — one of Canada's most expensive cities — can be brutal.
If you're visiting Vancouver you probably want to save as much as possible and are likely hunting for all the cheap activities, budget eats, and free things to do in the city.
When you're in a new city it's also hard to know what to splurge on, and what's not worth dropping money on. You want to make the most out of your trip, while not breaking your bank.
Like most things travel, it comes down to doing your research and planning smart. Pick and choose what you want to do, and what's not worth your money.
Luckily it's not all about expensive dinners and overpriced tourist activities. There are loads of things you can do in Vancouver to save money on a visit, and even if you just do one or two it can add up. Any penny saved helps!
So, whether you have a trip to Vancouver coming up or just want some tips to keep in your back pocket, here are six things to avoid spending your money on when you're visiting the West Coast city.
Staying Downtown
Vancouver has so many cool neighbourhoods outside of the downtown core that are cheaper to stay in and worth seeing. Downtown is beautiful, but you can get there pretty easily on public transit and you still get all of the signature West Coast views elsewhere.
Mount Pleasant is a popular neighbourhood filled with coffee shops, thrift stores, and cute boutiques that make for a fun place to stay. West Point Grey is where UBC is, so more of a student area, but is super scenic and good for people wanting to see the beautiful nature of the city.
Make sure to look at the map feature on Airbnb to see where the cheapest prices are, and then do a little research on the neighbourhood before booking. As long as there are good public transit options to get you to the sites you want to see and it's a good neighbourhood, it's worth skipping downtown to save a couple of bucks.
Expensive meals
Part of travelling is eating out and trying some of the best restaurants in the area. It's exciting, but often looking at the 'best restaurants in Vancouver' lists will send you to pricey spots. Although they're usually delicious, you don't need to spend a bunch of money to have a good meal in Vancouver. It's a big city with tons of options, so don't just head for the most popular in town.
If you want an award-winning restaurant without the price tag then check out all of the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand spots in Vancouver. There are lots of decently priced spots that are high-quality.
You can also look to some of Narcity's cheap Vancouver restaurant lists for inspiration. There are some top-chef-approved places that won't break the bank.
Parking
Parking in Vancouver can be a pain to find in the first place, and then wildly expensive when you do. If you end up getting a ticket it can set you back even more, and overall it's just not worth the headache if you can avoid it.
Renting a car and driving in the city might seem convenient, but when you're driving in circles for what seems like forever you'll regret trying to "save time" anyway.
If you plan your public transit routes ahead of time you can get around the city pretty easily, depending on where you want to go. Opt for the SkyTrain when you can, or even the SeaBus if you want to go over to North Vancouver.
Leave the car at wherever you're staying, or skip it all together.
Taking an Uber from the airport
This goes hand and hand with parking, but needs to be said.
Depending on when you land an Uber from the Vancouver Airport to downtown Vancouver can cost you big. Instead of spending $30, or even $40, to get to where you need to go just take the SkyTrain.
After getting off your flight you can head straight to the station and hop on The Canada Line. It takes you from YVR to the waterfront in about 30 minutes and only will cost you about $3.
Tourist activities that cost a ton of money
The beauty of Vancouver is that there's so much to do for free.
It depends on what you're there for, but if you want to see the West Coast scenery you don't need to spend a bunch of money. Things like the Capilano Suspension Bridge are classic tourist activities that cost a good chunk of change but aren't all that necessary. While it's beautiful, you can opt for Lynn Valley's suspension bridge (which is free) and still get immersed in nature.
While the Grouse Grind is a go-to for visitors, there are lots of other challenging hikes in the area that you don't have to pay for a gondola ride down at the end.
If you want to stay in the city check out free or cheap activities, like the Vancouver Art Gallery on donation night, or riding the SeaBus and getting all the ocean views for cheap.
Booking things last minute
If you do have some bucket list activities in Vancouver that cost money, then check if there are any deals. Some of the big tourist activities have discounts if you book ahead of time, or go at certain times of day.
If you visit in the winter you can go skiing at the nearby mountains for less if you go at night. Or, you can save $3 if you book a visit to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park online ahead of time.
It might not seem like a lot but if you save a few dollars on everything you go to just by checking the discount offers, it can add up.
So don't wait until the last minute to plan your activities or just show up at the door. Do lots of research and plan smart!