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Vancouver

Vancouver is a city squeezed between the Pacific and the mountains, where people spend their free time outdoors and an easy invitation to a hike or a walk is often the best way in.

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Photo: Quintin Soloviev / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Vancouver

Vancouver sits on a peninsula between the sea and the Coast Mountains, and few cities anywhere have nature this close to the centre. From the glass towers of downtown you can walk into the forest of Stanley Park, swim at a city beach and, in winter, reach a ski slope across the harbour in under an hour. The city stands on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, whose art and presence are visible across the region, and it is one of the most diverse cities in Canada, with large communities whose roots are in China, India, the Philippines, Iran, Korea and many other places. That mix shows in the food, which is one of the city's great pleasures. Life here is active and outdoorsy: people run the seawall before work, hike at the weekend and cycle almost everywhere. Locals are polite and welcoming but can be reserved with strangers, so shared activities are the natural way to meet people. Summers are dry, sunny and wonderful; from autumn to spring the city is mild but rainy, and it is one of the most expensive places to live in Canada.

Places to visit

Stanley Park and the seawall

One of the great city parks of the world, larger than New York's Central Park and covered for the most part in tall coastal forest. The seawall that circles it is about nine kilometres long and continues along the shore for many more, making it one of the longest waterfront paths in any city. Walk or cycle it anti-clockwise, past the totem poles at Brockton Point, under the Lions Gate Bridge and on to the beaches of the western side. Inside the park there are quiet trails, a lagoon and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Granville Island

A former industrial island under the Granville Bridge, now home to a covered public market, artists' studios, theatres, breweries and craft shops. The market is full of fresh fish, fruit, bakeries and food counters, and the best plan is to buy lunch and eat it outside by the water, watching the boats. The small, colourful Aquabus and False Creek ferries connect the island with both shores of False Creek and are a pleasure in themselves.

Gastown and Chinatown

Gastown is where the city began, a few streets of brick buildings and cobbles with the famous steam clock on Water Street, now full of restaurants, cocktail bars and independent shops. Next door, Chinatown is one of the largest historic Chinatowns in North America; the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a calm, beautiful place to visit. The area just to the east, around Hastings Street, shows the city's serious problems with homelessness and addiction, and visitors should simply be respectful and aware.

English Bay and Kitsilano

English Bay in the West End is the city's favourite place to watch the sunset, with a sandy beach, giant logs to sit on and the ships waiting at anchor offshore. Across the water, Kitsilano is a relaxed neighbourhood of beaches, cafés and yoga studios; Kitsilano Beach has volleyball courts and a long outdoor saltwater pool open in summer. Further west, Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks offer wide sands and views back to the downtown towers and the mountains.

The North Shore mountains

Across the harbour rise three local mountains, Grouse, Cypress and Seymour, which are ski areas in winter and hiking areas in summer. Grouse Mountain has a gondola to the top, and the steep trail called the Grouse Grind is a local rite of passage. Lynn Canyon Park has a free suspension bridge over a deep forested gorge, a good alternative to the better-known paid bridge at Capilano. The SeaBus ferry to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver is a cheap and beautiful way to cross.

Main Street and Commercial Drive

To see where Vancouverites spend their evenings, head east of downtown. Main Street in Mount Pleasant is lined with vintage shops, cafés, restaurants and a cluster of craft breweries. Commercial Drive, known simply as the Drive, grew up around Italian and Portuguese communities and is now one of the city's most mixed and laid-back streets, with patios that fill up on every sunny day.

Where to go out

Craft breweries and patios

Vancouver has a strong craft beer scene, concentrated in Mount Pleasant and in the area east of downtown nicknamed Yeast Van. Breweries with tasting rooms are relaxed, sociable places where it is easy to sit at a long table and chat. In summer, life moves onto patios and rooftops, and an afternoon drink in the sun is the city's favourite social ritual.

Summer festivals

The Celebration of Light, an international fireworks competition over English Bay in late July and early August, draws huge crowds to the beaches. The Vancouver International Jazz Festival in June includes many free outdoor concerts, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival takes place at Jericho Beach in July, and Pride in early August is one of the biggest celebrations in the country.

Bard on the Beach and live music

Every summer, Bard on the Beach stages Shakespeare in tents in Vanier Park, with the open back of the stage framing the sea and the mountains; it is one of the most memorable evenings the city offers. Through the year, venues such as the Commodore Ballroom, with its sprung dance floor, host touring bands, and smaller clubs on Main Street and the Drive feature local musicians.

The Richmond Night Market

On summer weekends, the night market in Richmond, the neighbouring city easily reached by the Canada Line, is packed with food stalls serving dishes from across Asia. It is lively, cheap and crowded, and walking from stall to stall sharing snacks is a fun, unpretentious evening out.

Sport and the outdoors as a social life

Much of Vancouver's social life happens outdoors rather than in bars. Run clubs, hiking groups, beach volleyball, kayaking and cycling meetups are everywhere, and many are free and open to newcomers. In winter, evening skiing on the local mountains is a common after-work plan. Watching a Canucks ice hockey game in a crowded bar is also a very local experience.

Things to do

Cycle the seawall

Rent a bike near Stanley Park or use the Mobi bike-share system and ride the seawall around the park, then continue along English Bay and False Creek towards Granville Island and Kitsilano. The path is separated for cyclists and pedestrians, mostly flat, and offers changing views of the sea, the forest, the towers and the mountains all the way.

Take a day trip on the Sea to Sky Highway

The road north along Howe Sound is one of the most beautiful drives in Canada. Stop at Squamish for the Sea to Sky Gondola and its view over the fjord, or continue to Whistler, around two hours from the city, for skiing in winter and mountain biking, hiking and lakes in summer. Shuttle buses run for those without a car.

Eat your way around the world

Vancouver is known for some of the best Asian food outside Asia, from dim sum and ramen to Korean, Filipino and Persian cooking, much of it in modest restaurants in Richmond, along Kingsway or in the West End. Fresh salmon, spot prawns in spring and sushi at every price level are local specialities.

Get out on the water

Rent a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard at English Bay, Kitsilano or Deep Cove in North Vancouver, where calm water is surrounded by forested mountains. Seals and eagles are common sights. For something simpler, the SeaBus and the little False Creek ferries give you water views for the price of a transit ticket.

Walk through a temperate rainforest

You do not need to go far to stand among giant cedars and firs. Pacific Spirit Regional Park near the university, the trails of Stanley Park and the forests of the North Shore offer quiet, mossy paths minutes from the city. Bring a rain jacket outside summer; the rain is what keeps everything so green.

Great first-date spots

Good to know

Best season

June to September is the best time, when days are long, warm and usually dry, and the beaches, patios and festivals are at their best. July and August are the busiest months. Spring brings cherry blossom across the city in March and April. From October to March the weather is mild by Canadian standards but frequently rainy and grey, and snow in the city itself is rare; this is ski season on the mountains nearby. Bring a waterproof jacket at any time of year outside summer.

Getting around

Public transport is good and connected: the SkyTrain, buses and the SeaBus ferry share one fare system, and you can pay with a Compass Card or simply tap a contactless bank card. The Canada Line takes you from the airport to downtown in around twenty-five minutes. The centre is very walkable, cycling infrastructure is extensive, and the Mobi bike-share system covers the central areas. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are available.

Language & meeting people

English is the main language, and you will also hear Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog and many other languages. Vancouverites are polite, friendly and helpful, but locals and newcomers alike often say it can take time to build friendships, as people tend to keep to established circles. The easiest way in is through shared activities: a run club, a hiking group, a class or a volunteer project. Tipping of around 18 to 20 percent is expected in restaurants, and the legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19.

Where travelers & expats meet

The West End, with its beaches and lively Davie and Denman streets, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive are popular with young newcomers and internationals. Students from the University of British Columbia and many international workers in the technology and film industries make the city very international. Outdoor groups, meetups, language exchanges and community events advertised in local apps and social media are the main ways people meet, and in summer the beaches themselves are the city's social hubs.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vancouver a good city to visit alone?

Yes. It is generally safe, easy to get around and full of activities that are natural to do solo, such as cycling the seawall, hiking or exploring the markets. Joining a walking tour, a run club or a group hike is the easiest way to meet people, since locals can be reserved with strangers at first.

How many days do I need in Vancouver?

Three to four days cover Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown and Chinatown, a beach or two and a trip across the harbour to the North Shore. Add a day or two for the Sea to Sky Highway or Whistler.

Is Vancouver expensive?

Yes, it is one of the most expensive cities in Canada, especially for accommodation. You can keep costs down with public transport, food markets and the many free natural attractions, from the seawall and beaches to the forest trails and Lynn Canyon.

Does it really rain all the time?

Not all the time, but often from October to March, usually as light, steady rain rather than storms. Summers are dry and sunny. The rain keeps the winters mild and the city remarkably green, and locals simply carry on with their outdoor plans in a good jacket.

When is Vancouver at its most sociable?

From June to September. Beaches, patios, outdoor festivals, the fireworks over English Bay and long light evenings bring everyone outside, and it is the easiest season to join groups and meet people.

Is it safe to meet someone from an app in Vancouver?

Vancouver is a relatively safe city, and the usual sensible rules apply: meet in a busy public place the first time, tell a friend where you are going and arrange your own way home. Granville Island, English Bay, the seawall in daylight and the cafés and breweries of Main Street are natural first meeting places.

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