Vancouver

Shopping galore

If you’re looking for a little retail therapy, Vancouver is sure to please even the most ardent shopper, with everything from artisan markets to international designers. Browse the offerings on your own, or take a guided shopping adventure. Downtown’s Robson Street and Pacific Centre mall offer well-known brands and high-end boutiques, while Gastown is home to some of the city’s hippest new ateliers and galleries. Colourful markets such as Granville Island will find you shopping for culinary finds alongside the locals. Shopping is a great excuse to further explore one of Vancouver’s friendly and unique neighbourhoods: Yaletown with its interior décor stores and patio-lined streets, Kitsilano for wholesome yoga-inspired outlets, and Main Street where independent and vintage shops reside.

Savour West Coast Flavours

Well known for fresh seafood, West Coast fusion  cuisine and a  thriving dining scene, Vancouver’s chefs use the best of what’s in-season, combining fresh ingredients with traditional techniques and multicultural influence to delicious effect. Home to the 100 Mile Diet, Vancouver is known for sustainable options on the plate – look for the Ocean Wise symbol indicating sustainable seafood choices on the menu. Pair it all with internationally-acclaimed wines from BC’s Okanagan Valley, and locally micro-brewed beers to get a unique taste of the city. And don’t let the evening end when your table is cleared: Vancouver has a vibrant cocktail scene worthy of exploration along with nightlife options to suit all tastes. Whether your preferences lean towards a jazz performance, dance clubs, catching a game at a sports bar, or a quiet nightcap, you won’t be disappointed. 

A wide range of culinary walking tours take you to some of the city’s tastiest neighbourhoods,  giving you an insider’s glimpse into Vancouver’s hottest spots, cultural history, favourite purveyors and current trends. For the ultimate combination of cuisine and sightseeing, try a floatplane “fly and dine” tour: soaring over the modern metropolis, majestic mountains, fjords and ocean before landing on the water to savour West Coast flavour with an oceanfront seafood dinner. 

There are plenty of everyday activities in the Vancouver area to showcase this city, however it has a great festive side, too. It has a host of annual events to keep you entertained and so join the locals and see the true side of the city.

Dine Out Vancouver
18 Jan - 3 Feb 2019

Every story starts with a reservation. Dine Out Vancouver is Canada's largest food and drink festival dishing up unlimited ways to enjoy the flavours of the city. Choose from a 17-day calendar of culinary events and experiences, hundreds of restaurants throughout the city and dozens of hotel options to create delicious dining experiences priced at just $15, $25, $35 and $45.  It’s the tastiest time to visit Vancouver!

Vancouver International Wine Festival
23 Feb -  3 Mar 2019
The International Wine Festival features dozens of seminars, tastings and food pairings with wines from all over the world. This event is so popular that many of the sessions sell out in advance. Don't miss the grand International Festival Tasting that takes place Thursday-Saturday nights and features more than a dozen Canadian selections added to the mix of U.S., European, South American and Austrian imports. It's a prime chance to compare the local juice to the internationally acclaimed vino.

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
4 Apr - 27 Apr 2019
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival story is one of romance. It is an annual celebration that marks the reawakening in the Vancouver community of all that makes us alive and human. We smile at one another. We take our lunches under the spreading blossoms. We spend the warming nights beneath illuminated clouds of flowers. We celebrate as men and women have celebrated since time immemorial, with poetry, music, dance, good food and drink, laughter, and love - something for young and old alike!

Capture Photography Festival
April 2019

The Capture Photography Festival returns for the month of April with Metro Vancouver’s high-profile, not-for-profit celebration of local and international contemporary photography and lens-based art. Capture will once again celebrate and promote photography through a convergence of exhibitions by preeminent cultural institutions and commercial galleries, innovative public installations, and a variety of forums, community events, and films.

Vancouver Craft Beer Festival
31 May - 9 Jun 2019
Vancouver's craft beer brewing scene was voted the best in Canada in 2018 and the festival is the biggest in Canada. Let your taste buds delight with this beer extravaganza, with music and culinary treats aswell. 

Celebration of Light
27 Jul; 31 July; 3 Aug 2019
One of Vancouver's signature summer events lights up the sky over English Bay for 3 nights. Each night, the competing countries try to get one up on each other with spectacular fireworks displays, wowing the crowds that flock to the waterfront to watch. Either pick a spot and bring a picnic or you can even book a VIP experience - and don't miss the live music too!

Vancouver International Film Festival
Sept 2019
Starting in late September each year, Vancouver is home to one of North America’s biggest film festivals. There’s no question that Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is a heavy-hitter, with more than 140,000 film fans enjoying 380 movies screened in the 16-day festival. But unlike other film festivals that  can seem more about celebrities walking red carpets, VIFF is staged for those that love and make films. All you have to do to get in to a showing is buy a ticket at the box office.

Grouse Mountain Snowshoe Fondue Experience 
Nov 2019 - Jan 2020 (Dates TBC)
This private group tour combines snowshoeing and a scrumptious fondue in an evening of adventure and fun for you and your friends, family or colleagues. The tour includes snowshoe and headlamp rentals, an experienced and informative guide, and an après snowshoeing fondue in Altitudes Bistro where you will enjoy a social dining experience with cheese, broth and chocolate fondues.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park Canyon Lights
Nov 2019 - Jan 2020 (Dates TBC)
Re-capture the feeling of wonder and excitement of the holiday season and be amazed by the hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the park. The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights and visual enchantment. Once again the 30-ton Douglas firs of Treetops Adventure will receive star treatment. Treetops Adventure is a series of seven suspension bridges attached to eight 250 years old Douglas-firs with viewing platforms, reaching up to 110 feet above the forest floor. These magnificent Douglas firs will be lit above and below the collars, making these trees the eight tallest Christmas trees in the world!

Grouse Mountain Peak of Christmas
Nov 2019 - Jan 2020 (Dates TBC)
Feel the enchantment and radiance of twinkling lights, the calm echo of the snow, the warmth of Santa’s smile as he greets you in his workshop and the joy of witnessing real reindeer – only here at Vancouver’s North Pole. A complimentary shuttle is available from Canada Place, in downtown Vancouver.

VanDusen Botanical Gardens Festival of Lights
Dec 2019 - Jan 2020 (Dates TBC)
Enter a magical world for the 34th year of sparkling lights and holiday cheer at VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights. The expansive attraction features over 1 million lights spread out over 15 acres of the garden. The festival also includes a breathtaking display on Livingstone Lake every 20 minutes, where lights dance to classic, disco, and soul music sets. A carousel ride, which is open to people of all ages, is included for free. 

Wild about the outdoors

In Vancouver, nature is ever present: mountains, just 20 minutes from downtown, loom over the city; and the fresh scent of the forest is in every breath. Locals are passionate about the “great outdoors,” and are only too happy to share that love with visitors. Ease into nature, just steps from your hotel, with a leisurely cycle around Stanley Park’s seawall or a walk through its urban rainforest. Get to know the region’s wilder inhabitants with a whale watching excursion, or visit Grouse Mountain’s Refuge for Endangered Wildlife to see the resident grizzly bears, Grinder and Coola. Kayaking along the shoreline and beaches is a tranquil experience not to be missed, while hiking the North Shore Mountains is an invigorating way to re-connect with nature. Those looking to quicken their pulse can zip-line above the trees, kite-surf off beaches, or try their hand at mountain biking. All of this and you’re still in the city! 

The grass is greener

Being environmentally-aware comes naturally to Vancouverites: if you love the outdoors as much as the locals, you understand the need to protect it. In fact, this is the city that founded Greenpeace in the 1970s, and is home to renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki. That’s why you’ll find sustainable practices enveloped into all facets of a visit to Vancouver. A highly-accessible transit system and a compact, walkable downtown make it easy and eco-friendly to get to attractions, restaurants and shopping. Restaurant menus are typically peppered with organic, local and seasonal ingredients, highlighting the farms and artisan producers that they come from. While hotels are required to follow strict environmental requirements, most of them go well above these as a matter of pride, building towards the City of Vancouver’s pledge to become the world’s greenest city by 2020

Vancouver's Neighbourhoods

There are many different areas for visitors to stroll colourful sidewalks, savour spectacular settings and soak in a wide range of urban areas with roots in many different cultures and ways of life. Many of the neighbourhoods in Vancouver are located close to each other so it is easy to see many sides of this diverse city during your visit.  Here are a few of the key highlights.

Chinatown: With its vivid colours, exotic cuisine and a vibrant culture, Vancouver's Chinatown is rich in history and architecture.  Just to the east of downtown, this is North America's third-largest Chinatown after New York and San Francisco. Highlights include the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the Sam Kee Building (world's narrowest commercial building) and the Chinese Cultural Centre.

Gastown: This is the birthplace of Vancouver. Initially a settlement that sprung up around a tavern founded in 1867 by sailor and gold prospector John "Gassy Jack" Deighton. Its cobbled streets are lined with Victorian buildings that today house everything from souvenir shops and First Nations galleries to stylish boutiques. There are informational plaques placed along the streets telling the history behind many of the buildings and landmarks making Gastown ideal for a walking tour.

Granville Island: In the early 1900s, Granville Island was home to factories, plants and sawmills. Its official name was actually Industrial Island. Things are a little different now as it is both a locals’ favorite and a huge draw for visitors. At its centre is the Granville Island Public Market with many merchants selling seafood, fresh produce, cheeses and breads, it is one of North America’s best markets. There is also a theatre, many restaurants and unique cultural attractions drawing millions of people to the area each year.

Granville Street: In the heart of Vancouver, Granville Street is the city's main entertainment district. Countless restaurants, bars and nightclubs make this a popular late-night destination, particularly at the weekend. The Pacific Centre shopping mall, with Nordstrom Flagship store and many shops for people in search of the latest fashions, while the area between Robson and Alberni streets offers a diverse collection of boutique shops and luxury retailers.

West End: Close to Stanley Park, the West End is situated around Denman Street between Robson and Davie streets and bordered to the south by English Bay. Primarily a residential area, this is one of the most densely populated areas in all of Canada, with 40,000 people living in high-rise condos and apartments. Coffee shops, fine-dining restaurants and plenty of shopping will keep you entertained, and several beautiful parks and beaches are perfect for taking a leisurely stroll.

Robson Street: Head to Robson Street for shopping, strolling and people-watching. Here there is everything from big-name stores to funky independent boutiques. The main action is concentrated in the blocks from Burrard Street to Jervis Street, where stores line every inch of space along the sidewalk. There are also coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, sports bars and grills, fine dining and other eateries, so you're never far from a great place to stop and eat.

Yaletown: This waterfront community has experienced major revitalization since its rebirth as host of Expo '86. Formerly a warehouse district where textile shops and train yards provided little in the way of beauty or entertainment, Yaletown has been transformed into one of Vancouver's hippest areas, filled with sidewalk cafes, trendy restaurants, a thriving nightlife scene and intimate boutique hotels.

Commercial Drive: A confluence of countercultures makes "The Drive" the place to go for an urban experience with the young and hip Vancouver crowd. Formerly known as "Little Italy," this diverse neighbourhood is home to students, writers, artists and other bohemians. Lots of different restaurants offering every kind of cuisine imaginable make this a great place to grab an authentic ethnic meal.

Kitsilano: In the 1960s, Kitsilano was Vancouver's hippy hangout, drawing comparisons to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury. Today it still has plenty of culture, but its apartments and houses are now occupied by young urban professionals who enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Centred on West Fourth Avenue and West Broadway you will find bookstores, ethnic restaurants, cafes and specialty retailers.

Punjabi Market: The cultural focal point of Vancouver's Indo-Canadian population, this is home to a unique collection of jewellery stores and fabric shops. Located around Main and East 49th, these five blocks make up one of the largest and most prosperous areas of the city's commercial sections. Inexpensive silks, groceries and 22-karat gold jewellery also draw visitors.