I Moved To Vancouver A Year Ago & These 5 Tourist Activities Are Overrated AF
Avoid these!
Vancouver, B.C. Right: Person on Capilano Suspension Bridge.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Whether you're making the move to Vancouver like I did, or are planning a visit, you'll want to have a short list of places to see. The city is huge, and there are a ton of tourist attractions, but not all of them are worth spending time at.
Some are way too overpriced, and others are just super overrated for what they actually offer.
After living in Vancouver for a year, I've been able to see a lot — and not everything impressed me. You'll probably recognize all of these names, but trust me, there's so much more out there to see.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
This is a go-to spot for anyone coming to B.C., and it's actually really beautiful. The catch though is how expensive it is.
Pair that with the fact that there are a ton of free suspension bridges in the area — that are equally as stunning — makes it a pass for me.
Granville Island
This is yet another popular spot for people to hit up when they're in town, but it was lacking for me.
I don't really understand the hype. It's just a really overcrowded area with some good restaurants, but not a must-see spot.
Gastown Steam Clock
I went to go and see the steam clock my first weekend in the city, after seeing tons of photos and even having it recommended to me.
Turns out, it's pretty boring. It's super anti-climax waiting around for the clock to make a sound, and then everyone just walks away.
Downtown
In my opinion, it's way smarter to go to all of the neighbourhoods surrounding downtown when visiting. Areas like Mount Pleasant are close by but have way more character and still have great food and shopping.
To get more of a West Coast feel head to North Van to see nature, and avoid the busy downtown area.
Kitsilano Beach
In the warmer months, this is definitely the first stop for many people coming to town. It has a nice view of the city and harbour, but there are way better beaches in the city. Because this is a tourist hot spot, it's wildly overcrowded too.
Instead, make the trip down to Wreck Beach, or even go down to Spanish Banks for slightly fewer crowds.
- 6 Things From Canada's East Coast That I Desperately Miss After Moving To The West Coast ›
- I Lived In Ontario For 4 Years & Here's How It Compares To BC ›
- 7 Ways My Life Has Gotten More Expensive Since Moving To BC From Canada's East Coast ›
- 6 Cheap Flights From Vancouver To Book This January & Start The New Year Off Right - Narcity ›
- 7 Painfully Overrated Canadian Tourist Spots That Aren’t Worth Your Bucket List (PHOTOS) - Narcity ›