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Vancouver
Photo: Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.matt · CC BY-SA 3.0

5 Days · in Vancouver

Five Days in Vancouver: Seawall, Mountains & Neighbourhoods

Five days is enough to see Vancouver's icons and still explore the neighbourhoods locals love. The first three days cover downtown and the Stanley Park seawall, Granville Island and False Creek, then Kitsilano beaches and the Museum of Anthropology. Days four and five push north to the Capilano and Grouse Mountain slopes of the North Shore, and back into Gastown and Chinatown. Along the way you'll sample fresh sushi, Pacific salmon, Chinatown dim sum, and celebrated neighbourhood restaurants. Each day stays geographically focused to limit transit time, and the variety, ocean, mountains, gardens, markets, and food, captures the full breadth of the city.

5 days
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Day 01

Downtown, the Seawall & Skyline

Coal Harbour, the Stanley Park seawall, the Art Gallery, and a harbour lookout.

  1. Morning

    Canada Place & Coal Harbour

    Start beneath the white sails of Canada Place, then follow the Coal Harbour waterfront past the marina. It's the ideal orientation point for a first full day downtown.

  2. Late Morning

    Stanley Park Seawall

    Walk or cycle the seawall into Stanley Park, passing the totem poles at Brockton Point and the view out to Lions Gate Bridge, an easy loop from the harbour.

  3. Lunch

    Prospect Point

    Break for lunch at Prospect Point above the First Narrows, with the bridge and Burrard Inlet spread out below before you head back downtown.

  4. Afternoon

    Vancouver Art Gallery

    Devote a couple of hours to the Vancouver Art Gallery on Robson Square, strong on Emily Carr and B.C. and Indigenous art, housed in the old courthouse.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Vancouver Lookout

    Ride the glass elevator up Harbour Centre to the Vancouver Lookout for a 360-degree view. Late-day light over the water and the North Shore mountains rewards the climb.

  6. Evening

    Fresh sushi dinner

    Close the day with Vancouver's famously good sushi at a spot like Miku or Minami, ordering the aburi pressed pieces the city is known for.

Day 02

Granville Island & False Creek

The public market, artisan studios, Science World, and Yaletown along the water.

  1. Morning

    Granville Island Public Market

    Begin at the Public Market for produce stalls, bakeries, and seafood counters under the Granville Street Bridge. Arriving early helps you beat the midday crowds.

  2. Late Morning

    Granville Island studios

    Explore the island's craft studios, galleries, and the Net Loft shops, a walkable cluster of makers just steps from the market.

  3. Lunch

    Public Market food court

    Grab a casual lunch from the market vendors and eat out on the docks, with the False Creek boat traffic and downtown towers across the water.

  4. Afternoon

    Aquabus to Science World

    Take the little Aquabus ferry across False Creek to Science World, whose geodesic dome holds hands-on exhibits and an OMNIMAX theatre, a highlight for all ages.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Yaletown

    Wander Yaletown's converted warehouse blocks along Hamilton and Mainland Streets, now full of design shops, patios, and cafés.

  6. Evening

    Yaletown dinner

    Dine in Yaletown, whose restaurants cover everything from West Coast seafood to modern Italian, many with heated brick-lined patios.

Day 03

Kitsilano, UBC & the Museum of Anthropology

A world-class museum, campus gardens, a classic beach, and West 4th shopping.

  1. Morning

    Museum of Anthropology at UBC

    Spend the morning at MOA, renowned for its Northwest Coast First Nations collections, Bill Reid's carvings, and the light-filled Great Hall of totem poles.

  2. Late Morning

    Nitobe Memorial Garden

    Walk the UBC campus to the Nitobe Memorial Garden, one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America, a calm counterpoint to the museum.

  3. Lunch

    Kitsilano cafés

    Head to Kitsilano for lunch, where the cafés and health-minded spots around West 4th Avenue and Yew Street keep the blocks busy at midday.

  4. Afternoon

    Kitsilano Beach

    Relax at Kits Beach, with its heated outdoor saltwater pool, and take in the classic view back across English Bay to the downtown skyline.

  5. Late Afternoon

    West 4th Avenue shops

    Browse the independent boutiques and outdoor-gear stores along West 4th Avenue, a stylish, unhurried afternoon of window shopping.

  6. Evening

    Kitsilano dinner

    Have dinner in Kitsilano along West 4th or Broadway, home to some of the city's most-praised neighbourhood restaurants.

Day 04

The North Shore Mountains

A famous suspension bridge, an alpine gondola, and the Grouse peak by cable car.

  1. Morning

    Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

    Cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge, 137 metres long and 70 metres above the river, then explore the Treetops Adventure and cliffside walkway in the rainforest.

  2. Lunch

    Capilano or Edgemont

    Grab lunch at the park's café or drive up to the nearby Edgemont Village, a quiet cluster of shops and eateries on the North Shore.

  3. Afternoon

    Grouse Mountain Skyride

    Ride the Skyride gondola up Grouse Mountain, where sweeping city and inlet views, a lumberjack show, and resident grizzlies fill the alpine plateau.

  4. Late Afternoon

    Grouse Mountain summit

    Take the chairlift toward the peak for the highest vantage on the North Shore, looking back over the city, the Strait of Georgia, and Vancouver Island beyond.

  5. Evening

    Lonsdale Quay

    Descend to Lonsdale Quay on the North Shore waterfront, a market hall and pier with harbour views back across to downtown.

  6. Evening

    North Shore dinner

    Have dinner near Lonsdale Quay or ride the SeaBus back downtown for the evening, watching the city lights come up over the inlet.

Day 05

Gastown, Chinatown & Farewell

Cobblestone streets, a historic garden, city-view park, and Robson Street shopping.

  1. Morning

    Gastown & the Steam Clock

    Start in Gastown, the city's oldest quarter, at the landmark Steam Clock on Water Street, then wander its cobblestones, galleries, and design shops.

  2. Late Morning

    Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden

    Visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown, the first full-scale Ming-style scholar's garden built outside China, a serene walled retreat.

  3. Lunch

    Chinatown dim sum

    Settle in for dim sum in Chinatown, choosing from the long-running restaurants that anchor the neighbourhood around Pender and Main Streets.

  4. Afternoon

    Queen Elizabeth Park

    Head to Queen Elizabeth Park, the city's highest point, for the sunken Quarry Gardens and the domed Bloedel Conservatory of tropical birds and plants.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Robson Street

    Finish shopping along Robson Street, downtown's busiest retail strip, then cut over to English Bay for a last look at the water.

  6. Evening

    Downtown farewell dinner

    End your trip with dinner in the West End or downtown core; reserve ahead for the city's seafood tables and standout West Coast kitchens.