The Ultimate Guide To Vancouver

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If you plan to travel to Vancouver anytime soon, this guide is for you. Throughout this post, I cover everything you need to know to have the best possible trip to this wonderful city: the best time of year to visit Vancouver, the best things to see and do, and even a full itinerary! I also cover the best ways to get around Vancouver, where to stay and so much more. Take a look below for an overview!

Best Time Of The Year To Visit Vancouver

The best time of year to travel to Vancouver can be divided into two preferences: Do you want warm, sunny weather while you explore all of Vancouvers beautiful outdoor sights? Or do you wish to visit the city at a time of year that fits a lower budget? Read below for details!

June To August For The Best Weather

If you are looking for warm, sunny weather in Vancouver, June to August is the best time to visit. Vancouver is notoriously known for its many downpours of rain… And from my personal experience it can put a real damper on your enjoyment of a city, if your few days there happen to be covered in rain. It is also worth mentioning that Vancouver has a ton of outdoor activities, that are best experienced during the summer season, such as whale watching, paddle boarding and hiking. And if you are heading to Vancouver Islands too for some more outdoor exploring, you will be happy you chose the summer months for your visit!

Shoulder Season: May-June And September-October

Although the shoulder seasons will have a higher risk of rain during your visit, you will be blessed with fewer crowds and significantly lower hotel prices. The accommodation prices in the center of Vancouver are SKY high compared to other destinations I have visited in both Canada and Europe. And your budget will without a doubt be thankful, if you choose to visit during the shoulder season! Also, this part of the year will be less influenced by the many cruise tourists that usually roam the city in the hights of summer.

How Many Days Do You Need In Vancouver?

If you travel to Vancouver, the time you need to spend in the city largely depends on what you want to get out of your trip. If you are mainly looking to wander around the city, see the main sights and have a nice evening out, you can actually do so with just 1 or 2 days following this itinerary! This does include aLOT of walking, so if you want to take your trip to Vancouver at a slower pace, why not set aside 2-3 days to explore? And if you are planning on continuing your travels onwards in Canada afterwards, be sure to read along in this post for my top tips!

How To Get From Vancouver Airport To City Center

Getting from Vancouver airport to the city center is thankfully a breeze and should only take you around 20 to 30 minutes! It is possible to drive or take a taxi to Vancouver city center in 20 minutes without traffic. BUT the traffic around Vancouver can get overwhelmingly slow, so I would personally always go with this quick and easy option below:

Vancouver Airport To city center via train

The SkyTrain is a direct railway line from Vancouver airport to city center, which will stop at convenient places in the city such as the waterfront, Yaletown and City Center. It leaves from Vancouver airport more than 6 times per hour and brings you to the city in just 20-30 minutes without the need of transfer. Doesn’t that sound amazingly easy? To get tickets,

Best Area To Stay In Vancouver For Tourists

Downtown Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver is by far the most convenient place to stay, if you travel to Vancouver for the first time. You will be close to all of the major sights and can easily link to any other part of Vancouver via public transport. Of course, this is also the most expensive part of the city to stay in – but if you book far in advance, you will still be able to catch a good deal.

On my last visit, we stayed at The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver, which has my highest recommendations! Everything at the hotel was absolutely amazing, clean and beautiful, the service was great, and there was really nothing they couldn’t help us with.

The Best Ways To Get Around Vancouver

When you travel to Vancouver, you are in for a real treat in teams of getting around. Vancouver City Center, where the wast majority of the sights are placed, is actually pretty campact, and you can walk from one end to the other in just 30 minutes! If you have the energy for it, this is my top recommendation for you – I often find that you miss so much of the place you are exploring, if you are going from one place to another via underground transportation… However, you might want to rest your legs, if you have planned a long day of exploring, and you can do so in:

the SkyTrain

The SkyTrain in Vancouver is the fastest and most convenient way to get from the most popular parts of the city. It drives partly above the city and partly underground, and would definitely be my preferred option, if I was to use public transport in Vancouver!

Boats and seabusses

If you have looked at Vancouver on a map, you will have noticed that the majority of the city center is surrounded by water. Which is an opportunity to make public transportation more fun! You can either take the seabus from Vancouver Waterfront to North Wancouver – or take one of the small ferries from Vancouver City Center to Granville Island for some delicious food and souvenir shopping.

Vancouver Travel Itinerary

As previously mentioned, it is definitely possible to see a lot of Vancouver in a small amount of time! If you are on a tight time schedule, it is even possible to see the most in one day! If you have more than one day to explore, I highly recommend following the itinerary I have linked for your first day, and then going on a daytrip to explore the surrounding areas on your second. Read along for the best daytrips from Vancouver!

Best Places To Visit In Vancouver

To me, Vancouver was such an interesting city to visit due to its diversity. Within just 30 minutes of walking from where you stand, you can experience a buzzling big city, a peaceful beach or waterfront, or a huge outdoor area with parks, cliffs, gardens and more! I especially loved how much nature surrounds the city, and how easy it is to get a breather from the busy hustle and bustle in the city center. Read along for some of the best places to visit in Vancouver!

Granville Island

Granville Island is amongst the top 3 places you MUST visit during your trip to Vancouver. This small island is placed right outside of Vancouver City Center, and is filled with artiseries, small independent shops and a large public food market. Along the edge of the island, you will have stunning views over Vancouver skyline, and sitting by the waterfront at the public market enjoying delicious local foods and snacks is like no other experience. And if you are interested in experiencing Granville Food Market to its fullest, why not join a food tour, which will take you through the very best experiences and tastings there is?

Stanley Park

My absolute favorite part about Vancouver was Stanley Park. I was just completely amazed that this type of nature could exsist SO close to a buzzling, big city. Stanley Park is a 40.000 squarekilometer park on one side of Vancouver city center, which is mostly surrounded by water. Along the edge of the park, you will find a 10 km long seawall, which you can choose to bike around, if you have the time. You can either rent a bike – or alternatively join a bike tour of the park, which will include bike rental and a local guide showing you around! It was honestly my favorite part of my day biking around this area in the sun!

Gastown And The Steam Clock

Gastown is a neighborhood in Vancouver known for its cobblestone streets, brick buildings and charming atmosphere.It is a quite romantic place to stoll around during sunset, but it also has plenty to offer for people looking for an enternaining evening. You will find that it is filled with amazing restaurants, pubs and bars, and is known for its live music and entertainment events. Be sure to stop by the Gastown Steam Clock, which steams, whistles and plays music every 15 minutes.

Vancouver Waterfront And Canada Palace

Vancouver Waterfront has some of the most spectacular views in the city. When I got there, I was surprised to see mountains in the distance! It is conveniently designed for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy, with a peaceful path along the entire waterfront towards Stanley Park, and many shaded areas and parks along the way. Also, the waterfront is where you will find the iconic Canada Palace. Be sure to stop by for a picture, even if you don’t wish to go inside.

Take A Panorama Tour Over Vancouver In A Seaplane

One of the most fun and different experiences you can get in Vancouver is to take a Panorama Seaplane Tour over the city. If you visit Vancouver Waterfront, you will undoubtably notice the seaplanes taking off from the harbor with short intervals. I personally haven’t tried it, but I wish I did – it sounds like such a unique way of experiencing the city!

Explore China Town

Another amazing place to visit in Vancouver is China Town. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is one of the most popular attractions, and a great place to take a breather from the buzzling city. Be aware that the garden closes at 4 pm, so make sure to arrive before then, if you want to enjoy your time in the garden stress-free.

Best Daytrips From Vancouver

If you travel to Vancouver for more than just a few days, I highly recommend venturing out from the city to some of the amazing sights near by. These are some of my favorite daytrips from Vancouver:

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of the key attractions near Vancouver due to its accessibility from the center. You can take a free shuttle bus straight from Canada Place and arrive at this spectacular place within 15 minutes. You can buy your tickets for the park here. But with a 450-foot suspension bridge, a thrilling cliff walk and their Treetop Adventure, the park offers experiences that will entertain you for hours. The park also has food options for your lunch and snacks – or you can bring your own lunch for a picnic in the forest.

Canadian Nature And Whistler Daytrip

Whistler is a charming mountain- and skiresort town enroute to the Canadian Rockies, which will definitely win you over with its mountain views, hiking trails and small town atmosphere. And if you join this daytrip to Whistler, you will be able to see plenty of Canadas natural wonders on the way, including the stunning Shannon Falls and the views from the Sea To Sky Gondola in Squamish!

Vancouver Island

Although Vancouver Island easily deserves a couple of days or even a week, it is actually possible to visit a small part of itvia this daytrip to Victoria! Explore the historic city of Victoria, spot marine life from the ferry and enjoy the breathtaking Butchart Gardens joined by a local guide all in one day.

Vancouver To The Canadian Rockies

Don’t tell me… Your plan of visiting Vancouver was sneakingly a stepping stone to a roadtrip towards the mindblowing Canadian Rockies? Well, I have once been in your boat! Based on my personal experience with travelling this route, I have made a detailed post entailing 3 different itineraries from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies. They include my favorite roadtrip stops and stopovers along the way, such as the wine-region of Kelowna and the mountain resorts in Revelstoke. And to make these amazing experiences more accessible to you, I have fit them in to itineraries of three lengths to better suit your time frame!

I really hope this travel guide to Vancouver has been of help to you, and that you have gathered some useful tips and advice to better your trip!

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