Vancouver
Canada
Backpacking Vancouver
Information on Vancouver, sights to see, nightlife, activities and more.
Urban buzz meets nature in Vancouver, a multicultural oceanside city on the edge of a wilderness of forested mountains. Amid shiny skyscrapers and diverse neighborhoods, you can savor the craft-brew craze, browse indie stores, try out 100-plus food trucks, and enjoy the outdoors via every means imaginable. It’s no wonder Vancouver is repeatedly hailed as one of the world’s most livable cities, with its meld of stylish 21st century architecture, regenerated industrial districts and laid-back beachside neighborhoods. The West End is full of juice bars and coffee shops, while in revitalized Yaletown, designer boutiques and trendy restaurants fill former warehouses. On warm summer nights diners will spill onto busy patios to enjoy the weather. Wave after wave of new immigrants have given Vancouver its cosmopolitan feel. Chinatown is jammed with noodle houses, bakeries, and a lively market. Multicultural Commercial Drive is lined with Italian cafes and delis, while vibrant Punjabi market is a bustling South Asian hub. Vancouver residents live for the outdoors. Year-round hoards of joggers, in-line skaters and cyclists jostle for space on the seawall, while hardcore runners hit up the steep Grouse Grind trail. There are countless opportunities for rafting, mountain biking, camping and skiing. Sports junkies can ride powder on three local mountains and sail in English bay on the same day. Visitor attractions are world class too, whether you choose to edge your way round the vertigo inducing cliff walk at Capilano Bridge Suspension Park, ride the cable car on Grouse mountain or get up close to the marine life in Vancouver Aquarium.
Must See
Grouse Mountain - Known as the Peak of Vancouver, locals and tourists flock to this mountain for outdoor activities whatever the season. From hiking and ziplining in the summer to ice skating and snowshoeing in the winter, Grouse Mountain is a year-round destination. If you want to hike try the Grouse Grind, a 1.8-mile trail featuring 2,830 stairs that takes you 2,800 feet up the mountain. Or just take the gondola up for amazing views of the city and the ocean.
Sea-to-Sky Highway - Rated as one of the most the beautiful drives in the world, the Sea-to-Sky corridor takes visitors on a 1.5 hour long journey, from the heart of downtown Vancouver to the world class ski town of Whistler. With waterfalls, jaw-dropping vistas, a stunning cultural center and a suspension bridge along the way. On this drive you will find the Sea-to-Sky Gondola. At the top you can walk the 100 meter long Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge which provides 360 degree views of all the Squamish region has to offer. From rugged mountains above to the vibrant turquoise fjord below.
Capilano Suspension Bridge - Capilano Suspension Bridge is 230 feet high and 450 feet across the Capilano River through the temperate rainforest on Vancouver’s North Shore.
Must Do
Explore Stanley Park - This must-see park is a whopping 1,000 acres and contains beaches, an aquarium, playgrounds, a pool and splash park, botanical gardens, a golf course, tennis courts, and more. You can cycle all the way around an old growth forest, or get up and close with sea lions and Pacific dolphins. There are a handful of bicycle rental spots.
Take the Aquabus to Granville Island - This former waterfront industrial site is home to a public market, food shops, restaurants, artist studios and galleries, shopping and inviting green space.
Play in the Snow - With three excellent mountains all within a 15 minutes drive from the downtown core, Vancouver is your perfect place for a winter holiday. Seymour and Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver offer up challenging runs and Cypress in West Vancouver has the city’s best tubing park! And for the world class skiier, hob aboard a shuttle and head to Whistler/Blackcomb for one of the best alpine experiences in the world.
Nightlife
From sophisticated cocktail spots to hard-partying clubs, Vancouver nightlife is diverse: there really is something for everyone. Most Vancouver nightlife and bars are concentrated into separate districts, each with their own unique vibe and appeal.
Granville Street - This official entertainment district is the place to be on weekends in Downtown Vancouver. With a number of restaurants, bars, dance clubs and other nightlife spots all within walking distance, it’s easy to make a night of it without ever leaving this seven-block stretch.
Gastown - Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, has been reborn in recent years as a place to go after dark. Gastown’s scene is more about bars. This is an excellent place to go for a cocktail, but you’ll also find Irish pubs, wine bars, and beer halls.
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