Top 10 Kid Friendly Things To Do and Attractions in Vancouver

"Known as the Central Park of Vancouver (but much larger), Stanley Park stuns visitors with its scenic waterfront, dense woodland and nature trails that sprawl through 400 hectares of coastal forest. Located on the traditional, unceded territories of the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, Vancouver’s largest city park shines with cultural pride. The rich history of this low-lying headland is revealed by the totem poles that stand tall at the park’s edge, and a guided First Nations-led tour with Talaysay Tours is the perfect starting point for a day out in Stanley Park."

"Bordered by the English Bay and the Vancouver Harbor, Stanley Park is completely surrounded by water and has some of the city’s most beautiful views. This lush green forest is full of plants found only in the area and can be viewed from the many paths and trails that run through the park, including the Seawall, a stone wall that surrounds the park and runs along the water’s edge. The park is also home to Vancouver’s Aquarium and several restaurants and snack bars to make spending the day in the woods easy."

"Vancouver’s Chinatown is quite small compared to many I’ve seen worldwide, but it’s home to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, which is well worth a visit, time permitting. READ NEXT:The Ultimate Puerto Rico Road Trip"

"The center of Queen Elizabeth Park, Little Mountain, marks the highest point in Vancouver, and its elevated position affords excellent views of the city center and the mountains to the north. Things to do in the park include pitch-and-putt golf, tennis, disc golf, and visiting the extensive outdoor arboretum. If the day is grey and cool, escape to the tropical environment of the Bloedel Conservatory."

"One of the last relatively unchanged areas of dune and wetland along the Kapiti Coast, this undulating 650-hectare beachside park offers swimming, walking, cycling and picnicking opportunities, as well as a tram museum and horse riding outfit. There are three entrances: off Wellington Rd in Paekakariki, at MacKay's Crossing on SH1, and off the Esplanade in Raumati to the north."

"Queen Elizabeth Park is Vancouver’s highest point, clocking in at 410ft (125m) above sea level. Thanks to its central location, the park has some of the best views of the city’s impressive skyline, with a stunning backdrop of the North Vancouver mountains. The park is a popular picnic spot, with plenty of green space to relax with family or friends."

"More popular by the name “Kits” this is one of the best beaches in Vancouver, Canada and the people in Vancouver often refer to it as their version of the famous ‘Venice Beach’. Known to be as one of the most glamorous beaches in Vancouver the Kitsilano Beach is home to the longest and the only saltwater pool in Vancouver and offers spectacular views of the city, mountains and the ocean. Not just that but you will find a grassy area and can be a part of some really exciting outdoor activities."

"This popular Vancouver beach easily slots in virtually every Vancouver itinerary and gets absolutely packed in the summer – if you’re looking to do some people watching or meet some locals this is it. It’s also one of the best beaches for sports: whether you’re looking to set up a volleyball game (no net? there’s drop in games over summer from 6:30 pm) or shoot some hoops you’re guaranteed a game. Kits beach is also home to a 137 meter long swimming pool: Canada’s largest."

"Kitsilano Beach offers a host of dynamic and appealing reasons to visit. From the luscious white sand and gorgeous scenery, to the family friendly section outfitted with a park and outdoor swimming pool, Kitsilano beach is one you’ll want to visit. This is very much one of the Vancouver beaches most popular with the locals, and while you will find a lot of younger adults; the pool and park available for kids are top notch."

"Located in the Kitsilano neighborhood, Vanier Park is the permanent home to four attractions: the Museum of Vancouver, The H.R. MacMillan Space Sciences Centre, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, and the City of Vancouver Archives. In summer, it’s also where two well-attended annual outdoor events take place: the Children’s Festival and Bard on the Beach, which hosts Shakespearean plays in a giant tent. This is a relatively flat park with wheelchair access, and the attractions are within easy walking distance of each other."

"Kitsilano's Vanier Park is a large expanse of waterfront grass (and beach) that is home to attractions such as the Museum of Vancouver, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and events such as Bard on the Beach and the International Children's Festival."

"Vanier Park is another underrated favourite, with lots of space to lay and get lost in the clouds, or to sit and chat with friends while watching the sun go down behind the artwork."

"The easiest place to access the Lower Seymour Conservation Area in a place that’s perfect for portraits is near the Rice Lake parking lot. You can usually find a spot in the parking lot. Lower Seymour is for you if… you live on the North Shore and want a forest session."

"This sculpture is one of the many attractions along the Stanley Park Sea Wall. This particular statue reminds of the the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, and from far away she does look like a mermaid!. The Girl in a wet suit statue is located just off shore of the wall and sits just in front of Vancouver Harbour and the North Shore mountains."

"A post shared by Vancouver Ice Cream 🍦 (@creamylicks) on May 5, 2019 at 6:18pm PDT. Maker of one of the city’s best birthday cakes, Sweet Somethings also has a great selection of ice cream. You can also order cones and pints to take home for a personal dessert party."

"Every café sells baked treats, but Their There in the beachside neighborhood of Kitsilano takes its carbs as seriously as its caffeine. After all, the nuanced notes of a single-origin Kenyan coffee deserve the equally sophisticated sweetness of Thai tea cronuts with lemongrass glaze and candied Thai basil. Their There sources beans from roasters like Vancouver’s Luna, while baking kouign-amanns, croissants and donuts in house."

"We’ve been so hyped up about Their There that we recently wrote an article just to talk about the specialty flavours. Turns out, if you want our attention, all you have to do is put ‘Froot Loops’, ‘Mochi’ and ‘Donuts’ together and actually bring the flavour to back it up. Word to the wise- this sounds relatively easy, but boy howdy do we know a lot of TLC goes into each donut here."

"Their There is brought to us by the same folks behind ultra-cool eatery AnnaLena. Aside from having a killer atmosphere in the heart of Kits, the new spot offers a delicious selection of breakfast sandwiches, lunchtime eats, and baked goods along with amazing coffee. Address: 2042 West 4th Avenue, VancouverPhone: 778-379-4052"

"We all scream for ice cream but sometimes it just isn’t right for your dietary requirements. Stuffies Pastries Cafe not only offers up the Asian dessert of stuffed pastries taiyaki, but fills it with vegan soft serve!. The pastry cone is also gluten-free!"

"The cool part about Faubourg's almond croissant is the almond paste appears baked right in unlike most of the entrants which have the croissant sliced open to have the almond paste lathered on. The top layer in this almond croissant was sparse, and though the rise was great, the shell thinned out quickly leading to little flakiness. For $5, this looked pretty small and left a lot to be desired relative to other places on this list."

"Le Mont Blanc” is one of the pastries available at Faubourg, the scrumptious French bakery. It’s a spin on a classic, featuring chestnut mousse paired with a cassis gelée and sweet meringue, set over a sable breton. Address: Locations in Downtown, Kerrisdale, and West Vancouver (check website for details)Instagram: @faubourgbakery"

"From triple chocolate decadence to passion fruit mousse, this bakery/cafe is a must-try for those wishing to be whisked away to Paris, right here in Vancouver."

"If you have kids in tow, head to one of Vancouver’s splash-tastic free water parks. Granville Island Water Park, Vancouver's biggest and best water park, is conveniently located near Granville Island's Kids Market, which means you'll have the perfect lure for enticing your sprogs away from the toy shops. There's also a large pond nearby that's often filled with friendly ducks and geese."

"The Granville Island Water And Amusement Park is one of the great amusement parks in Vancouver. The best part is, the entry to this park is absolutely free."

"The easiest place to access the Lower Seymour Conservation Area in a place that’s perfect for portraits is near the Rice Lake parking lot. You can usually find a spot in the parking lot. Lower Seymour is for you if… you live on the North Shore and want a forest session."

"While the BREWHALL’s magic is in feeling like a massive German brewhall, but there’s a reason they’ve been a multi-award winner for the annual Populist Awards and it’s because there’s also magic in the patio, beer, staff, community, really all of it. They also serve a mean brunch on the weekends and the patio is conveniently covered for when Raincouver is in town."

"While our beer hall is currently closed for dine-in, we're offering 20% off phone-in takeout orders and delivery services through Skip the Dishes (free delivery) and UberEats. Try the Cheeseburger, Crispy Chicken Burger, and BBQ Smokehouse"

"The Brewhall (which is a huge space) is offering lunch and dinner but the lunches looks especially kid friendly.. PS: Grownups may want to indulge in a craft beer. 97 East 2nd Avenue, Olympic Village"

"Built into a heritage building and spread out over three generous floors, Alexander Gastown is an independent venue that is mostly known for their hip hop, trap, r&b, and funk driven club nights. Generally held down by local DJs on a weekly basis, the Alexander also hosts many live hip hop and r&b performances by artists from around the world. Where: Alexander Gastown – 91 Powell Street, Vancouver"

"A post shared by Vancouver DJ Company – VANDJCO (@vandjco) on Mar 3, 2018 at 11:08pm PST. From a chill lunch to a lowkey dinner, to a bustling nightclub, Lamplighters is known for its thriving atmosphere and delectable gourmet eats. A long row of rotating taps and shelves full of the best spirits will keep beer and cocktails lovers very, very happy."