Vancouver has a lot to offer for both city and nature lovers. Whether you are there on a stand-alone trip or as a launching point for a cruise or other travels, you will love exploring the area.
Be prepared for the weather.
It is going to be cloudy or rainy at some point in your trip. Just accept it and prepare for it. Only one of our three days in Vancouver was sunny but we were still able to make the most of our trip and enjoy the main outdoor sites.
Don’t rent a car.
Unless you plan to explore outside the city (like drive to Whistler or up the coast), you don’t need a car. The SkyTrain is easy and cheap, the city is extremely walkable, there are free shuttles to Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge, and cabs are easy to catch. (Uber and Lyft, however, are not available in Vancouver.)
Buy your tickets to Capilano and Grouse ahead of time (but not too far ahead).
Since these outdoor locations are somewhat weather-dependent, if you have multiple days and a flexible schedule, it makes sense to not purchase your tickets too far in advance. BUT… you do want to buy them before heading out there (even if it is the morning of) because having pre-purchased tickets to both sites gives you access to a free shuttle between them.
Spend an entire day in Stanley Park.
The park has so much to offer you could easily spend 2-3 whole days exploring it. Give yourself at least a day to do it justice.
Explore some of the different neighborhoods in the city.
From Chinatown to Gastown to Yaletown, there are so many cool neighborhoods in Vancouver. Each neighborhood has its own vibe and offers its own unique flavor of shopping, dining, culture and more. Explore as many as you can.
Convenience is key.
We loved our two hotels (pre and post cruise) for their convenience to each leg of our trip. It’s great to stay near Canada Place before a cruise because it is convenient to city sights, to shuttles to nature sights, and of course to the port itself. And it’s great to stay near the airport for an early morning flight or late night arrival.
Stay for as long as you can.
This was my second trip to Vancouver but first with the family. I was excited that we had 2 full days pre-cruise and 1 day post-cruise to explore. But it wasn’t nearly enough. We could have spent an entire week there and still not hit everything on my list. Vancouver is an incredible city that offers a huge variety of experiences. Plan your trip for the most time possible. You won’t run out of things to see and do.
