8 Top Things To Do in Vancouver Canada

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Vancouver Top Things To Do

8 Top Things To Do When Visiting Vancouver, Canada

With a beautiful seaside setting, a large number of attractions, and an abundance of recreational activities, Vancouver is one of the fastest-growing cities in all of North America.


Tourism Vancouver / Hubert Kang 

Vancouver, a dynamic bustling west coast port city in British Columbia, Canada, is among the densest, most ethnically varied cities in Canada. It is located between two mountain ranges that surround the city and is home to an impressive art, music, theatre, and film scene. The city is full of shopping opportunities, dining options, entertainment venues, outdoor activities, and world-class museums. There are countless reasons to visit, and we’ve selected some of the top things to do in Vancouver to make the most of your visit.

Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium
Wikimedia Commons by: GoToVan

The Vancouver Aquarium is one of the oldest aquarium associations in the world and has been included in many movies, including Finding Nemo and  Finding Dory.  In addition to being an important tourist attraction for downtown Vancouver, the Aquarium also has an acclaimed center for ocean education, marine conservation, ocean research, and marine biology education. The Vancouver Aquarium also has an education center that offers courses to students interested in marine science, the environment, zoology, fish, and marine life.

The Vancouver Aquarium boasts the most exciting and largest collection of whales in the entire world! There are two different whale shows that entertain visitors every day. There are also other attractions, such as the Sea Life Park, the Canadian Wildlife Gallery and the Discovery Island. A must-see, both for the tourist and for the local resident, is the Vancouver Aquarium Visitor Centre. This visitor center is also an excellent learning resource. It features many exhibits and displays, including a video about the Vancouver Aquarium and the animals living there. A lot of this video was captured by scuba divers from remote locations around the world.

One can enjoy an excellent dining experience at the Vancouver Aquarium as well. The restaurant is called the Seafood Grill and serves up delicious Canadian cuisine. The seafood buffet is available daily and includes specialty foods, such as calamari and lobster bisque. The Vancouver Aquarium has an on-site gift shop where one can purchase souvenirs, toys and books related to marine life and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery is a museum situated on Robson Street, just next to Robson Street Skytrain Station. Located within the heart of Vancouver’s artistic community, the Vancouver Art Gallery sits on the top floor of a three-story building on Robson Street. It occupies an area of approximately 15,200 square feet, making it the second-largest gallery in all of Western Canada. Founded in 1931, the Vancouver Art Gallery has been home to the works of some of the world’s most important and influential artists, including Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns.

The Vancouver Art Gallery was named in honour of the late Canadian artist and philanthropist, Earl Nightingale, who lived in the area and was an important part of the local art community.  They present exhibitions that feature new and established Canadian artists. In addition to fine art collections, the Vancouver Art Gallery also offers art consultations, and educational programs, and programs that are specifically designed for the novice collector.

Capilano Suspension Bridge

The Capilano Suspension bridge is a simple wooden suspension bridge crossing the Capilano Creek in the City of North Vancouver where it borders the North Shore Mountains. Despite its simplicity, it is a spectacular sight, and crossing it is a memorable experience.  Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is situated at the corner of North Vliet and Main Street in the City of Vancouver. It is a very scenic area with the North Shore Mountains on the horizon and lots of nature areas nearby. The bridge is made from several different styles of log spans. The span itself is quite short but the bridge continues on for the next 100 meters to cross the upper part of the water. From the other side of the bridge, you can see the mountains and the ocean. The longest part of the bridge is the part that crosses the upper portion of the water and then the span continues on.

The Bridge is open for tourists from May to October. If you are planning to visit in July then you should use a taxi service as the tourist traffic is very heavy during this period of the year you can be sure that a taxi will be waiting for you right at the corner of the road.

VanDusen Botanical Garden

The VanDusen Botanical Garden is part of the Peace River Natural Reserve. The Garden has been designed to be one of the best places to relax and enjoy nature at its finest. It has a special place in Canadian history, as it is where the first settlers came from Germany and Denmark. It was also the location of the first Canadian immigration settlement as well. The VanDusen Garden is considered to be one of the crown jewels of the city of Vancouver and is one of the most visited gardens in the entire world.

Vancouver Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Garden has become a popular tourist attraction in Vancouver as well as around the world. This garden features over four hundred species of plants and trees and all are native to Canada. These plants were used for medicinal purposes by the indigenous people. They were also used for decorations and even as food, as they were known to help cure various maladies. The trees and flowers that are featured in the garden include the evergreen coniferous trees that have evergreen needles, the maple tree which has fragrant red berry and the cedars which have fragrant blue-green leaves. The other species include the beautiful flowering bushes, which include the tulips and the hydrangeas.

The VanDusen Botanical Garden was created by Frederick VanDusen and was built between 1890 and 1891. It is the oldest continuously operating natural park in Canada. This is a garden that you will find to be highly relaxing and soothing. The gardens are full of plants, flowers, trees, and ferns that provide a perfect environment for viewing and appreciating the amazing beauty of the natural surroundings that surround it.

Stanley Park

Stanley Park borders the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, and is situated on a peninsula of land on the north side of Vancouver’s waterfront. It was created to be the city’s main public park, and the park is known for its variety of natural attractions which include beaches, waterfalls, ponds, forests and nature trails. This large park also has one of the largest concentration of trees in the city and is considered one of the premier natural parks in the Vancouver region.  The park now attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and it has become a focal point for the city’s downtown area.

Science World

Science World is an interactive science center located at the corner of False Creek and includes many permanent interactive displays and exhibits.  The main science center itself has three different buildings that have their own interactive displays and exhibits, including the main building, the Science Center Gallery, and the West End Zone. The science center also boasts an outdoor playground that visitors may use to play science games.


Wikimedia Commons by Differense

In addition to having a large interactive exhibit space, the Science Center Gallery holds a huge collection of all kinds of educational and interactive science shows, including one called “How the Universe Works: A Fun Guide”. Visitors are also able to view a giant screen featuring several different films in an interactive manner. The Science Museum, located on the third floor of the Science Center, features several displays that educate visitors about paleontology, astronomy, and biology. The Science Zone also showcases a variety of exhibits and interactive exhibits that children and adults alike can interact with, such as a life-size version of a giant squid that visitors can slide down the side of and watch as it goes about its business.

Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain Vancouver Canada
Tourism Vancouver / Devin Manky

The area of Grouse is located just north of Vancouver where the sea meets the dramatic cascading evergreen mountains.  It is one of the most popular tourist areas in Vancouver as it provides outdoor activities year-round. Visitors from around the world flock to Grouse during the winter months and locals can access the ski mountains just 15 minutes away from downtown Vancouver.  Take the iconic red gondola to the top.  As you arrive at the top, you will be greeted by a whole host of things to do, restaurants, coffee shops, and a ski/snowboarding gear outlet. With over two million visitors arriving every year, this place offers something for everyone and is quickly becoming a favorite for tourists.

Dr. Sun Yaat-Sen Chinese Garden

Dr. Sun Yaat-Sen Chinese Garden
Flickr by: US Embassy Canada

The Dr. Sun Yat-sen Chinese Garden is one of the most interesting gardens in Vancouver. It was the first Chinese or classical garden to be built outside of China and is found in Vancouver’s Chinatown district. It’s located at 578 Carrall Avenue and includes a large open public garden and an enclosed garden with a modest entrance fee. The garden has many structures and fountains that serve to bring both nature and art into the open space. The gardens of this period in history had a lot to offer the Chinese and they were used extensively as temples and as garden parks. The main building, which stands near the eastern boundary of the park, is a replica of the famous Great Wall of China. The building is used as a temple to honor the ancestors of the Chinese community who live in the city.

The garden was created in the year 1966 by Dr. Sun Yat, a Chinese immigrant who later became a member of the City of Vancouver planning committee. This garden was dedicated to honoring the memory of Dr. Sun Yat and his family in recognition of their hard work and sacrifices for the community. The Chinese people are well represented here in a large way because of the numerous different kinds of fountains, water features, trees, statues, etc. There are even Chinese herbs that are used in the gardens as well. This is one of the most important gardens in the Chinese community because it serves as the central point for many other activities including cultural celebrations and social functions.

Another reason that Dr. Sun Yat’s garden is such a popular attraction in Vancouver is that its located is close to many of the other important buildings in the city. A number of people come from all over the world to visit this garden each day for the beauty and enjoyment that it provides as well as the fact that the garden is open every single day. Most of the people who come to this garden will also find themselves staying for a few hours after their visit because it is a wonderful place to spend the day without feeling crowded. It is also a great place to entertain guests. It’s also a nice place to escape for those who can’t get to stay in one of the hotels in the city because it is close to all the other fine restaurants and shopping areas.

Final Thoughts

Whistler Blackcomb British Columbia
WhistlerBlackcomb.com

Just to the north of the city of Vancouver, you can take a tour to see the many scenic places in the Northern Mountains. You can visit all the hiking trails in North Van or you can visit the Olympic National Park. You can also visit the Vancouver National Park which is just a short drive away from the bridge. You can even go further to the world-renown Whistler-Blackcomb ski resorts, one of the most popular ski resorts in the world that offer an astounding number of family-friendly activities. The best part of these tours is that they can be done from the bridge and you can spend some quality time with your loved ones while you are enjoying the natural beauty of this beautiful place. These tours are very popular among tourists from all over Canada as well as from all parts of the world.

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