Top 10 Things To Do, Activities and Attractions in Downtown Vancouver

"The tours stop at many of Vancouver’s most popular sites, including Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium and Granville Island, as well as neighbourhoods like Chinatown and Gastown. Continue your orientation of the city with a Sea Vancouver tour of the city’s harbour by Zodiac, or head to FlyOver Canada, a 4D flight simulation that will have you soaring above our country’s astounding natural landscape. Spend the rest of the afternoon on the city’s famous shopping strip, Robson Street, or familiarize yourself with the works of British Columbia’s best known artist, Emily Carr, at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Finish off the day with dinner at a restaurant with a view of Vancouver’s majestic mountains."

"We could write a stand alone article just on the best spots to take photographs in Stanley Park, Canada’s first, largest, and most iconic urban park. It’s size rivals that of the Vancouver downtown core and offers a much needed path into nature in the bustling city. Whether you have a quick moment to drive around the perimeter, or if you get a half day to wander the trails in the interior, you’ll soon realize why they don’t call it the jewel of Vancouver for nothing."

"Stanley Park is a glorious 1,000 acre (400ha) public park at the northernmost tip of downtown Vancouver. As well as views of the beautiful Burrard Inlet and English Bay, you can find beaches, walking trails, local wildlife, and Canada’s largest aquarium. Walk or cycle the 3.4mi (8.8km) sea wall that loops around the coastline, soaking up incredible views of the northern mountains and the Lions Gate Bridge."

"The Dr. Sun yat-sen classical Chinese garden is the heart of Vancouver. This place reflects the cultural heritage and histories of Chinatown. The garden is at the heart of Chinatown."

"Situated in the heart of Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Park is also the highest point in the city, boasting spectacular views of the downtown skyline. It's one of the best parks in Vancouver for gardens, and the free quarry gardens are in bloom virtually year-round and are truly spectacular. The park is also home to the "dancing fountains" (at its top), the Queen Elizabeth Pitch & Putt, and lots of open, green spaces for playing ball or just laying on the soft grass."

"Having the highest point in the city, it is worth the trip to enjoy the view of both the mountains and the Vancouver skyline. Queen Elizabeth Park, a former quarry, has dancing fountains that delight spectators both day and night, plenty of green spaces, tennis courts, the Queen Elizabeth Pitch and Putt , and an off-leash dog area. Queen Elizabeth Park is also home to The Bloedel Conservatory, which has 500 tropical plants and over one hundred exotic birds."

"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."

"Jacques Cousteau has said that Vancouver has some of the best underwater wildlife in the world, the only problem is that the waters off the coast can be rather chilly. Not interested in putting on a dry suit and submerging yourself under the frigid waters?. No problem, the Vancouver Aquarium has solved that problem and brought some of British Columbia's most interesting sea creatures inside to inspire and educate visitors."

"A collection of more than 50,000 aquatic creatures make Vancouver’s Aquarium the largest in Canada. Located in Stanley Park, the facility features extensive exhibits and displays along with daily dolphin and beluga shows, sea otter feedings, shark dives and “4D” film screenings. You can even book your own personalized Animal Encounters to get up close and personal with some of these amazing creatures."

"I’ve been told the Vancouver Aquarium is pretty impressive as well although that would require entering before the building’s 5pm closing time."

"Grouse Mountain is about 15-minutes after crossing Lions Gate Bridge. Head to the top of Grouse Mountain by cable car and you’ll be transformed into a snowy world of outdoor skating, snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding. In summer, you’ll still find lots of snow, but it’s truly a hiker’s dream with a heap of trails, the Grouse Grind, and mountaintop trails of varying intensity that’ll suit most hikers."

"The Lion’s Gate Bridge is Vancouver’s most iconic bridge, and the best views of it are from Stanley Park. See it from the Prospect Point Lookout or walk a little bit down Stanley Park Drive to see it straight on like in the photo above!. Fun fact: the Guinness family (yes, the Irish brewing company) built the bridge in 1938!"

"There are multiple ways to get amazing views of Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. The Lions Gate Bridge frames the mountain peaks of The Lions in the distance and you’ll find stone lions “protecting” the entrance to the bridge. The Lions Gate Bridge can be viewed from the Sea Wall or from Prospect Point"

"Home to the HR MacMillan Space Centre, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the Museum of Vancouver, and a lively program of festivals and cultural events such as Bard on the Beach – Western Canada’s largest Shakespeare festival – Vanier Park is a beacon for arts and culture enthusiasts. But museums and festivals aren’t the only draws for this popular city park. Wide-open fields make this a great spot for kite flying, and the public boat-launching ramp is a great kickoff spot for water activities."

"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."

"A post shared by Notch8 Restaurant & Bar (@notch8restaurant). If you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one to a special brunch, Notch8 will do the trick. This spot’s brunch menu offers a drool-worthy stack of classic buttermilk pancakes topped with apple compote and whipped cream."

"Viele Gerichte wurden durch archivierte Menüs aus frühen Tagen des Hotels inspiriert. Unser Küchenteam verfeinert die klassischen Gerichte, um dem heutigen anspruchsvollen Gaumen gerecht zu werden. Unser Team an der Bar hat eine Weinkarte mit...Mehr"

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Ken Walker [email protected] used under CC BY 2.5. Photo is only for illustrative purposes. Notch8 is located in the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver."

"A post shared by Mijune Pak (@mijunepak) on Aug 9, 2019 at 8:11pm PDT. Named after the location of New York’s very first Chinese convenience store, Mott 32 is a celebration of Hong Kong culture. The food is contemporary yet still gives homage to traditional Cantonese and Sichuan cooking."

"Aburi game 🔥 – 📸 Premium Oshi Trio including: ➡️Hokkaido hotate & botan ebi ➡️Albacore tuna & otoro ➡️Japanese wagyu & hickory smoked bacon – You have to try this aburi oishi sushi on a whole another level. We highly recommend getting our favourite by far – albacore tuna & otoro. The pieces presents with the in your mouth buttery texture & flavours are superb!"

"Located in the vibrant neighbourhood of Yaletown, Minami Restaurant follows the pioneering footsteps of its sister restaurant, Miku, in delivering the innovative dining experience of Aburi cuisine to Vancouver's thriving food scene. Each piece of sushi is flame seared using a blowtorch and..."

"Minami is a sister restaurant to the popular Miku restaurant, and I think I actually prefer eating here. The sushi is also pretty expensive, but I find myself liking the options at Minami more. Be sure to make a reservation because it gets super busy!"

"Lucky’s Doughnuts are tasty as they are tasteful, offering gourmet flavours like lemon curd with torched meringue and earl grey with lavender. They serve all the traditional flavours like French crullers, old fashioned glazed, salted caramel and plenty of seasonal and rotating flavours. Keep an eye out for their wildly inventive specials, too."

"Next up we’ve got a couple of spots we’ll call modern classics. This longtime brand from 49th Parallel is no joke, turning out a variety of amazing donuts using all kinds of doughs. Personally, our preferences are their old-fashioned and yeast-based donuts."

"Don’t forget you can save some money when you buy a bakers dozen of Luckys Doughnuts. *Vegan/Gluten Friendly option is also now available. #GetLucky #TheBakersDozen"

"A relatively new name in the city, Mello has opted for a pretty specific type of donut- brioche, and essentially all the filled versions. What that means for us is an array of some delicious flavours, ranging from London Fog to Black Sesame and classic Strawberry. Pro tip- you get a pretty serious discount buying a half-dozen, so maybe take these to your next small dinner party as dessert."