Vancouver, Spectacular by Nature

City Vibes, Natural Beauty

When you set a gleaming metropolis between the ocean, rainforests, and mountains, you get something beautiful and unique. You get Vancouver — home to the third most expensive real estate in the world, and the world’s third most liveable city. Expensive because it’s good, liveable because it is.

So now that you’re going to spend 24 hours or more living your life here, follow what the local slogan — Vancouver, Spectacular by Nature — and focus on two things: city, and (don’t miss this) nature.

City

Culture, Dining, Shopping, Hanging

Start with a trip to the converted industrial waterfront of Granville Island. It’s a vividly rich and colourful public market and artisanal treasure trove. Head over to South Main where you'll find a mix of vintage shops, local boutiques, and trendy cafes. 

Or hit the slightly crunchier Commercial Drive for a little more in the way of local treasures with an Italian cultural vibe. There’s a vibrant arts scene in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, home to galleries and street art. 

Gastown, a throwback to early Vancouver (established in 1886), has just been converted to a car-free zone and is worth a look. Or drop some big bucks on shopping and high-end calories in the downtown zone of Robson Street at Burrard Street. 

Then, work them off with a stroll west on Robson to the West End and into Stanley Park for a bike rental or walk around the spectacular seawall of North America’s biggest city park. 

With the largest per-capita Asian population in North America, Asian cultural and culinary treasures abound. Next level eats of the Pho, Sushi, Ramen, Dim Sum, Malaysian, Korean and even Japanese hotdog variety can be found all over town.

You’re in the Pacific and its riches are never hard to find. Hook the daily catch at any of the great seafood spots all around town. It’s Halibut season between March and October and if you haven’t tried this rich white tender fish caught off local shores, it’s time to change that. 

Nature

Fjords, Mountains, Rainforests, Ocean

Getting into the wild around Vancouver can be even easier than staying downtown because many of the best local nature attractions run free shuttles from downtown. Catch the free shuttle at Canada Place (or most hotels) to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park for their (140 metre (450-foot) iconic suspension bridge, rainforest canopy walk, and Cliffwalk: a breathtaking bridge extension that projects out from a sheer rock face. 

Or hop the Grouse Mountain free shuttle for a skyride to the top of Grouse Mountain for mountain views, ziplines, and Grizzly Bear habitat. You can even get out on the ocean with an hourly rental from Granville Island Boat Rentals. Another great option is the Sea to Sky Gondola in nearby Squamish, offering breathtaking views of Howe Sound fjord and access to hiking trails at the summit. 

Closer to the core, ramble through Stanley Park, a 1,000-acre (405-hectare) public park on the NW half peninsula of Vancouver’s downtown, surrounded by Burrard Inlet and English Bay. The park has dozens of walking trails, beaches, Canada’s largest aquarium, and several recognizable cultural and historical landmarks. 

Visit Prospect Point Lookout for an expansive view of the Lion’s Gate Bridge, and the Stanley Park Pavilion for some signature West Coast dining and the nearby Rose Garden for 3,500 rose bushes and some leisurely post-meal exercise.

On top of Stanley Park there’s Queen Elizabeth Park — the highest point in Vancouver with spectacular views of the city and mountains on the North Shore, and the nearby VanDusen Botanical Garden, a lush 55-acre park with themed gardens and a hedge maze. 

So, now that you’re going to Vancouver, follow some, most, or a little of the advice written here and you can’t go wrong.