Best things to do in Vancouver on your first visit

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Vancouver is one of those cities that ticks a lot of boxes for visitors.

You’ve got easy access to mountains and beaches if you’re looking for an active holiday.

There are good restaurants and bars to hang out in, and even better happy hour deals to make things affordable.

And while its museums are on the smaller side compared to other major cities, there’s still plenty of culture to uncover if you know where to look.

I’ve been to Vancouver a bunch of times, including most recently in May 2026. I’ve also written about it for The Times and Cruise & Travel, and of course right here on Culture Explorer.

So whether you’re planning a trip or are already in the city, here are my picks for the best things to do in Vancouver.

Read this: Your ultimate Vancouver trip planning guide

Best thing to do in Vancouver

Vancouver is packed with things to do, which makes it tricky if you’re visiting for the first time and don’t have much time in the city.

To make things easier, I’ve rounded up some of the best things to do in Vancouver below.

For ease, they’re split across three categories: unmissable spots (iconic landmarks in the city), guided tours, and paid visitor attractions.

Five unmissable spots in Vancouver

To help with your itinerary planning, I’ve picked out the spots that everyone wants to see on their first visit to Vancouver.

1. Stanley Park

Occupying the tip of Vancouver’s downtown peninsula, Stanley Park is a sprawling 1,000-acre public park with a temperate rainforest at its core.

You’ll need a bike if you want to see all of it, because while there are paved roads for cars, only a bike can take you into the forested interior.

Plus, you get some fabulous views if you just follow the Stanley Park seawall around the park’s perimeter.

There are lots of bike hire places* nearby and prices are pretty reasonable. 

If you’re exploring on your own, make sure you stop at these spots:

• The collection of nine totem poles, chosen to represent the Coast Salish people that call this part of the world home.
• Brockton Point Lighthouse, which has guided ships through the busy Burrard Inlet for over 100 years.
• Stanley Park Rose Garden, where 3,500 roses are at their best between June and July.
• Deadman’s Island, which is home to the Naval Museum at H.M.C.S. Discovery.

I did a tour with Cycle City Vancouver (more below), which is a great option if you want someone else to do the itinerary planning.

Vancouver Aquarium is also in Stanley Park but of course you’d have to pay to enter.

If you book direct, know that tickets are timed and vary in price depending on the day you visit. Depending on your schedule, it might be worth paying a bit more for an anytime skip-the-line ticket*.

2. Granville Island

Just south of downtown Vancouver is Granville Island, a former industrial zone that’s been cleaned up and redeveloped into a buzzy arts and design district.

Lots of artists and artisans have their workshops and boutiques here so it’s a great place to browse and pick up a unique souvenir.

You can also make a day of it by grabbing lunch at Granville Island Public Market, where there’s a mix of restaurants and stalls offering takeaway options.

I like that there’s a theatre here. And in September each year it also hosts the Vancouver Fringe Festival.

3. Gastown and Chinatown

Gastown and Chinatown sit side by side in the downtown area, and both are historic neighbourhoods dating back to around the time Vancouver was founded.

The lumber industry was what brought the first European settlers to Vancouver, and Gastown was the settlement that sprang up around the saloon that catered to those early immigrants.

Today, it’s considered the oldest part of the city and is packed with cute brunch spots.

It’s also where you’ll find the Gastown Steam Clock, which is still partially powered by steam and whistles a tune every 15 minutes.

Nearby Chinatown was founded later, by the Chinese immigrants who came and helped Canada build its railway.

There’s still a strong community here, anchored by the Chinese Canadian Museum and the more interactive Chinatown Storytelling Centre, and of course the Chinese restaurants.

The two museums are really good at putting the area’s complicated history into context and are well worth paying to visit.

You might also want to visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

There had been a proposal to build a freeway through Chinatown, which the arrival of this charming Ming dynasty-style garden helped to defeat.

4. Canada Place

A busy cruise port isn’t the most obvious landmark to visit but Canada Place offers some of the best views in Vancouver.

You get this incredible panorama across Vancouver harbour, with the Shipyards District flanked by the North Shore Mountains in the distance.

Stay a while and you’ll see seaplanes taking off and coming in to land.

And if you’re really lucky, you might even see whales – I did before a cruise.

Flyover Vancouver* is also here. It’s a short, immersive theatre experience that simulates flying over Vancouver.

I did the one in Chicago and actually experienced vertigo because it was so realistic and I’m terrified of heights.

5. Shipyards District

The Shipyards District is in North Vancouver, which is actually a separate city in the Vancouver metropolitan area.

As you can tell from its name, the area was an industrial hub for shipbuilding and repairs.

Some of that still happens today but the historic shipyards have been repurposed into a public space complete with indoor and outdoor markets, a small art gallery and lots of bars and restaurants.

In summer there’s live music, and in winter there’s ice skating and a lively Christmas market.

If you like craft beer, make sure you walk down Esplanade Avenue for an informal brewery mile – breweries operate their own on-site pubs here.

Best Vancouver tours to book

If you want to dig deeper into the city, or simply see more of it without worrying about the logistics, a guided tour is a great way to do that.

It’s also a great option if you’re travelling solo.

The Vancouver tours I’ve picked below are the ones I’ve personally been on or they have come highly recommended.

1. Bob Sung’s A Wok Around Chinatown tour

I did a lot of tours in Vancouver and hands down my favourite was Bob Sung’s A Wok Around Chinatown tour.

It’s a walking tour of Chinatown that blends history, culture and good food with a dose of personal connection – Sung’s family were among the first generation of Chinese immigrants.

I found it fascinating and insightful, and generously put together.

Price: From £88. Book here*.
Duration: 4 hours

2. City Cycle Vancouver’s Stanley Park tour

City Cycle Vancouver was close to one of the hotels I stayed at, the Azur Legacy Collection Hotel, so it was super convenient for me but they’re also a fantastic bike shop and tour company.

They have a huge selection of bikes and e-bikes in a range of different sizes for adults and children, and they have lots of different tours available. 

I did the three-hour Stanley Park tour, which felt like just the right amount of time to see everything.

There were several rest breaks but it was quite fast paced on some stretches.

If you want a more leisurely ride, the four-hour family tour of Stanley Park* might be a better fit.

Price: From £57. Book here*.
Duration: 3 hours

3. Jericho beach kayaking

I love seeing a city from the water so I will always try to book an urban kayaking tour if I can.

There are several kayaking tours in Vancouver* and I decided on the Jericho Beach one because they had a daily sunset kayak that I could do at the end of a day’s sightseeing.

It’s a tough one – even though you’re kayaking in the relatively sheltered Burrard Inlet, it feels like open water and you’re battling with waves and wind – so I’d only recommend this tour to serious kayakers.

For a more leisurely experience, you might want to book a Granville Island kayaking tour* that comes with coffee and snacks or even try a nighttime kayaking tour*.

But Vancouver, doused in the gorgeous golden glow of the setting sun, is a sight to behold and worth seeing if you’re happy to tough it out.

Price: From £45. Book here.
Duration: 2 hours

4. Whale watching tours

Vancouver is one of the best places in the world for whale watching, with migratory and resident species regularly spotted in the waters close to the downtown area.

I even saw a pod of orcas from Canada Place, but I also had luck on my side for that one.

Booking a whale watching tour significantly boosts your chances of spotting them in the wild as the boats will take you to areas where they’re frequently spotted.

I’ve been on a few whale watching trips in the past so I didn’t feel the need to do one in Vancouver but one operator to consider is the aptly named Prince of Whales.

They’re approved by the World Cetacean Alliance and have naturalist guides on all their trips.

They also have half-day tours from Granville Island, which makes it easy to work into your itinerary.

Price: From £140. Book here*.
Duration: 5 hours

5. Panoramic seaplane tour

For a really special view of Vancouver, book a seaplane tour.

Harbour Air is the main operator here, and comes highly recommended.

It operates multiple services a day but still regularly sells out.

The tour is expensive, but you get a fantastic aerial view of the harbour, downtown landmarks, Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains.

Price: From £103. Book here*.
Duration: 30 minutes

Five top attractions in Vancouver

Like any other major city, Vancouver has lots of paid attractions too, which can be a great way to pack out the itinerary if you’re travelling solo or with children.

Here are some of the most popular ones, including my favourites.

1. Capilano Suspension Bridge

Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction is Capilano Suspension Bridge, which straddles the Capilano River near the base of the North Shore Mountains.

The original bridge was built by Scottish civil engineer George Grant Mackay, who used it to access land he owned on the other side of the bridge.

It became a local curio, and its fame grew from there.

Today, the suspension bridge is part of an outdoor park that also includes a treetop walk and a cliff walk, and there are seasonal events throughout the year.

Tickets are pretty expensive for what it is but it’s still packed with visitors who want the perfect suspension bridge shot for Instagram.

Ticket price: From £38. Book here*.
Address: 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver, BC V7R 4J1, Canada

2. Vancouver Art Gallery

Vancouver Art Gallery is one of the largest art museums in Canada, housing some 13,000 works in its collection alongside temporary exhibits.

It’s fun for a couple of hours, and there are some interesting architectural features inside, but it’s important to check what’s on as large sections are occasionally closed off while new exhibits are being put up.

Standard tickets are quite pricey but you can get free entry between 4pm and 8pm on the first Friday of every month.

You still need a ticket for free entry, and these are released a month out.

Ticket price: From £19. Book regular tickets here*, or see here for free tickets.
Address: 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2H7, Canada

3. Museum of Anthropology

The Museum of Anthropology sits on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus, which is about a 20 minute cab ride from downtown Vancouver.

It’s a bit out of the way, but is definitely worth the journey.

It houses an extensive collection of First Nations art and artefacts, with engaging and detailed plaques that put the objects into context.

There’s a nice coastal walk nearby, plus a couple of small gardens, if you want to make a day of it.

Ticket price: From £14. Book here.
Address: 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada

4. Science World

Science World is the silver, geodesic dome you see at the end of False Creek and is accessible via the False Creek ferry and a short walk.

It’s geared towards families, with interactive exhibits covering everything from the human body to space exploration.

Look out for special exhibits and adult-only evening events if you’re travelling without kids.

Ticket price: From £20. Book here*.
Address: 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 3Z7, Canada

5. Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain is Vancouver’s mountain and adventure sports destination.

There’s skiing in winter and hiking in summer, plus mountain biking, zip lining, nature trails, and a wildlife refuge where you can see bears.

Tickets for Grouse Mountain get you access to things like ranger talks, lumberjack shows and a gondola ride that takes you up to the peak.

In a way, it’s like a much bigger version of the Capilano Suspension Bridge park, although it’s much further from the city.

Ticket price: From £37. Book here*.
Address: 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver, BC V7R 4K9, Canada

Is there a museum pass or city pass? 

There isn’t a city-wide pass like CityPass* in Vancouver but you can get bundled tickets, which are slightly cheaper.

One option is the Vanier Park Attractions Pass*, which is for the museums at Kits Point.

For around £40, you get entry into the Museum of Vancouver, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.

All three are quite small so the bundle is only worth buying if you’re interested in all three.

The other option is the Vancouver Explorer Card*, which costs around £50.

This covers entry to Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver Lookout and the Flyover Experience, which are all popular attractions.

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