Our 5 Favourite Attractions in Vancouver
Last updated: 15 October 2021
In case you didn’t know, I grew up in the beautiful city of Vancouver and only moved away to Edinburgh in 2015. Since then, we have come back to visit numerous times and thought we would share our favourite attractions in Vancouver! This is in no way an exhaustive list of everything there is to see and do in Vancouver, but are where we like to go and what we like to do when we are in Vancouver.
1. Stanley Park
Sitting on the edge of Downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park is 405 hectares big and is bordered by a scenic 22-kilometre seawall that took several decades to build. Locals and tourists alike can walk, cycle, or rollerblade around the seawall.
There are a multitude of attractions in and around the park, including but not limited to: Vancouver Aquarium, Lost Lagoon, Totem Poles, Prospect Point Lookout, Nine O’Clock Gun, and Second and Third Beaches.
Address: Vancouver BC V6G 1Z4
2. Gastown
Located in Downtown Vancouver near Stanley Park, Gastown was the original Vancouver and named after ‘Gassy’ Jack Deighton, a seaman from Yorkshire, England. These days, Gastown is quite a hipster area with cobblestone streets, boutique shops, and many restaurants and nightclubs.
Gastown is also famous for the Gastown Steam Clock, which whistles to signal the time.
Address: 305 Water Street, Vancouver BC V6B 1B9
3. Granville Island
Granville Island is actually a peninsula across from Downtown Vancouver, and there is tons to do there, including trying the food at the Public Market and browsing through the unique, local shops. Don’t miss seeing an improv show at Vancouver TheatreSports League either - they are hilarious!
Also, be sure to take a ride on either the Aquabus or False Creek Ferries, both water taxis, across False Creek to see Vancouver from a different vantage point and to check out new areas.
Address: Vancouver BC V6H 3S3
Hours: Public Market: Daily from 09.00 - 18.00; Net Loft: Daily from 10.00 - 17.00; Kids Market: Daily from 10.00 - 18.00
Be sure to check out our accompanying YouTube video about Vancouver!
4. Cypress Mountain Lookout
If you’re looking for stunning panoramic views of Vancouver, look no further than Cypress Mountain Lookout. Don’t bother paying the extortionate fare to enter Grouse Mountain!
Do note that this is a destination that requires a vehicle to get to. When driving westbound on Hwy 1, take Exit 8 for Cypress Bowl Road.
Address: Cypress Bowl Road, West Vancouver BC V0N 1G0
5. Steveston Village
Steveston Village is a charming village south of Vancouver in the city of Richmond and it makes for a great day trip. Originally a town known for salmon canning, it is now a fishing port and popular tourist attraction. On a sunny day, take a leisurely walk along the Fisherman’s Wharf docks.
As well, if you have the money to spend and are up for it, schedule in a whale watching trip from Vancouver Whale Watch, which sails from Steveston Village.
Address: Steveston, Richmond BC V7E 6K7
BONUS: Dining Out!
We know that dining out is not an attraction, and we are the first to admit that we are not big foodies, but when we’re in Vancouver, we do love to eat out! Here are some of our favourite places to eat and drink:
Sushi Garden
Now with three locations in Burnaby (the city directly east of Vancouver), Sushi Garden is our staple restaurant for casual and delicious Japanese food. The Metro and Lougheed locations are a bit smaller than the Highgate location, and there can be queues at peak times.
Sushi Garden - Metro
Address: 4635 Kingsway, Burnaby BC V5H 4L3
Hours: 11.00 - 21.00 (Monday - Thursday), 11.00 - 21.30 (Friday & Saturday), 11.30 - 21.00 (Sunday)
Sushi Garden - Highgate
Address: 6611 Kingsway, Burnaby BC V5E 1E2
Hours: 11.00 - 21.00 (Monday - Thursday), 11.00 - 21.30 (Friday & Saturday), 11.30 - 21.00 (Sunday)
Sushi Garden - Lougheed
Address: 4269 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby BC V5C 3Y6
Hours: 11.00 - 21.00 (Monday - Thursday), 11.00 - 21.30 (Friday & Saturday), 11.30 - 21.00 (Sunday)
Phnom Penh Restaurant
Phnom Penh Restaurant is a Vietnamese-Cambodian fusion restaurant and is famous for a number of dishes, one of which is their chicken wings. This restaurant is just good. Try it! As far as we know, reservations are not accepted and there can be queues during peak times.
Phnom Penh Restaurant
Address: 244 East Georgia Street, Vancouver BC V6A 1Z7
Hours: 11.00 - 21.00 (Wednesday - Monday)
Cactus Club Cafe
This is a Canadian chain of casual yet upscale-ish restaurants that started in North Vancouver and has now expanded across the province and country. We like to visit Cactus Club Cafe whenever we’re not totally sure of what we want to eat, but just want some delicious food. There are a lot of Cactus Club Cafes throughout British Columbia, so we’ll just name a few in Vancouver.
Cactus Club Cafe - Coal Harbour
Address: 1085 Canada Place, Vancouver BC V6C 3E1
Hours: 11.30 - 23.00 (Sunday - Thursday), 11.30 - 00.00 (Friday & Saturday)
Cactus Club Cafe - English Bay
Address: 1790 Beach Avenue, Vancouver BC V6E 1V3
Hours: Daily from 11.30 - 23.00
Cactus Club Cafe - Robson Street
Address: 1136 Robson Street, Vancouver BC V6E 1B2
Hours: 11.30 - 23.00 (Monday - Friday), 12.00 - 23.00 (Saturday & Sunday)
49th Parallel Cafe & Lucky’s Doughnuts
While this is not a restaurant, 49th Parallel Cafe & Lucky’s Doughnuts is a great place to meet up with friends for a cuppa and a doughnut (or two)! There are three locations in Vancouver for you to choose from.
49th Parallel Cafe & Lucky’s Doughnuts - Downtown
Address: 689 Thurlow Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4M3
Hours: 07.00 - 15.00 (Monday - Wednesday), 07.00 - 17.00 (Thursday - Saturday), 08.00 - 16.00 (Sunday)
49th Parallel Cafe & Lucky’s Doughnuts - Main Street
Address: 2902 Main Street, Vancouver BC V5T 3G3
Hours: Daily from 07.00 - 19.00
49th Parallel Cafe & Lucky’s Doughnuts - West 4th
Address: 2198 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6K 1N6
Hours: 07.00 - 17.00 (Monday - Thursday), 07.00 - 19.00 (Friday - Sunday)
We hope this post provided some useful information for your visit to Vancouver! Where is your favourite attraction in Vancouver? Where would you like to visit the most? Let us know in the comments!
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