VANCOUVER:
BEST PLACES TO VISIT
& UNFORGETTABLE ACTIVITIES
Would you like to visit Vancouver ?
DISCOVER A GREEN, MODERN & SUBLIME CITY.
Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world to visit ! Home to the Greenpeace movement, it is also THE greenest city on the planet, offering an exceptional quality of life where nature and modernity live in harmony. In addition, the city is sublime and offers a unique diversity of landscapes: its buildings with contemporary architecture are built in harmony next to its forest, its seaside and its mountain. A breathtaking environment. Vancouver is a young city, having only been established for 135 years. Its quality of life attracts more and more visitors, making it the 3rd largest city in Canada with a population of over 2,700,000 inhabitants. Land of the First Nations, Vancouver has taken on the challenge of repairing the damage done to Aboriginal people in the past by stepping up its actions to promote this culture rooted in its roots. Very cosmopolitan, the city is today composed of several foreign minorities and has attracted more than 100,000 millionaires creating a real estate boom, which makes it one of the most expensive cities in the world. In addition, thanks to its financial advantages, its talents and its sublime landscapes, Vancouver has become the «Hollywood North» where streets are used as film shooting locations, a real attraction for passers-by. A breathtaking visit awaits you in this incredible city of Vancouver!
THE 8 PLACES YOU MUST SEE.
1. STANLEY PARK
Let’s begin our visit with the most majestic park in Vancouver. With its 400 Hectares, it offers you an unmissable walk in a splendid natural forest surrounded by many views of the sea and the mountains of North Vancouver. On foot or by bike, you can enjoy the landscape and the various activities that the park offers, such as visiting its typical gardens in the middle of nature (ex: Rose Garden), its magnificent lakes populated by beavers and raccoons (ex: Lost Lagoon), its Aquarium, its First Nations Totems and the summer you can even enjoy the open-air cinema or theatre. An unforgettable visit awaits you…
2. CANADA PLACE
Continue our visit to a mythical square in the heart of Vancouver: Canada Place. This place is renowned for offering one of the most beautiful views of the city, where sometimes huge cruise ships stop to enjoy this magnificent place. It is also home to the Fly Over Canada attraction, where you will have an out-of-the-ordinary experience and the Convention Centre which has often been used as a film shooting location. To make your visit even more enjoyable, I recommend that you start your walk 20 minutes before at Cardero Park, then walk along the sea to Canada Place.
→ Where: between Canada Pl and Burrard St.
→ From Cardero Park: between Cardero St and Coal Harbour Quay.
3. GASTOWN
Visit Vancouver’s trendy historic neighbourhood and let yourself be transported to another time. With its charming buildings with Victorian architecture (red bricks) and cobbled streets, Gastown has become the trendy place where locals, tourists, offices, restaurants, bars and modern shops interact in harmony. Don’t leave without taking a picture in front of the “Gastown Steam Clock”, the magnificent 1977 clock that whistles the hours with its iconic steam.
→ Where: between Water St and W Cordova St.
4. CAPILANO
Explore the attraction chosen several times as the best of British Columbia and enjoy the incredible beauty of this natural park ! You will have an unforgettable experience as you can imitate the squirrels by strolling through the trees of this majestic forest. In addition, for the more adventurous, some activities guarantee a peak of adrenaline: the Suspension Bridge (the bridge located 70m (230 feet) above Capilano River) and the Cliffwalk (the breathtaking high-altitude circuit).
5. GRANVILLE ISLAND
Take the ferry and discover this 14-hectare island, a true gem of Vancouver. You can take a walk to visit many art galleries (photographers, sculptors, local artists, etc.), rent a boat or kayak, but above all discover emblematic places like the Public Market which brings together food traders including Longliner Seafoods and its delicious «Candy Salmon», a specialty of the city that I highly recommend you to taste !
6. THE SEAWALL
Discover the long seaside of Vancouver where you will enjoy walking there as it’s so pleasant ! If you enjoy walking/cycling for several hours this is the perfect place. I recommend the English Bay → Kitsilano Beach itinerary (approx. 2h walk), which will make you discover the beautiful beaches of the city because it passes by Sunset Beach Park (the perfect place to admire the sunset) and False Creek (a place with modern buildings and a small marina).
→ Where: Kitsilano Beach: between Arbutus St and Creelman Ave.
7. DOWNTOWN
Modern buildings, luxury shops, Movie shoots, atypical restaurants, nightclubs, spas, offices, charming houses… Strolling through the city centre you will discover the different atmospheres of Vancouver’s elegant streets. Here are a few streets you should definitely pass by if you don’t want to miss anything: Robson St for its chic shops and must-see restaurants, Granville St for its ambiance, lively nightlife and shopping (ex: Hudson Bay) or Davie St for its restaurants and LGBT nightlife. Tip: If you’re lucky, you’ll see a movie shooting between Burrard Street and Hastings Street.
→ Where: Robson St, Granville St, Davie St…
8. VICTORIA (VANCOUVER ISLAND)
Visit the Capital of British Columbia, Victoria, located at the south of Vancouver Island and at kilometre 0 of the Trans-Canada Highway. A charming little town with English influence where you will discover beautiful buildings including the legislative assembly and its small shopping streets. If you want to prepare your crossing by boat, I recommend the website Get Your Guide which organizes interesting and very practical tours! The boat crossing is fantastic as you pass around the many islands that surround Victoria, a true paradise on Earth that I invite you to discover.
THE 10 UNFORGETTABLE ACTIVITIES TO EXPLORE.
10.
Transport options
Prepare your adventure
A lire également → Découvrez les meilleurs restaurants et expériences gourmandes de Vancouver (article complet).
USEFUL INFORMATION.
→ Official Website
Official Vancouver Transportation Website (Bus, SkyTrain…):
→ www.translink.ca
Mobile app to convert a currency amount to Canadian Dollar (CAD):
→ Currency Converter (App Store – Apple)
→ Currency Converter (Android)
Website + Mobile App to find the best Street Food in the city:
→ Vancouver Food Trucks
I recommend you to consult your bank before your departure in order to have the best recommendations for all banking operations in Vancouver. Personally, I recommend the “BMO: Bank of Montreal” with which I have never had any problems.
Vancouver is a fabulous city, however I recommend you not to continue your visit beyond the Downtown Eastside border (East Hastings Street) where you will be faced with a disconcerting contrast between downtown and this disadvantaged district in which unfortunately a significant number of drug addicts live in bad conditions. Nevertheless, despite this difficult area, the rest of the city is very secure, it is indeed one of the safest cities in the world that I have had the chance to live in.
Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city where you will have the pleasure of discovering many restaurants with different and delicious cuisines ! To help you make a choice, here is a full article about the best gourmet experiences in the city you shouldn’t miss…