Vancouver is a beautiful city surrounded by mountains and the water!
Vancity Tips:
Use public transportation! It is super easy to use and reliable. You use the same Compass Card for the Skytrain, buses, trains, seabuses, etc. Also Uber and Lyft don’t exist in Vancouver so this is a great, cheap alternative to taking traditional taxis.
It also runs to/from the airport so just hop on the Skytrain when you’re coming and going!
For the bus, you do not tap off, you just tap on. For the larger transport options you will need to tap out to exit the terminal so have your card ready as you’re leaving.
Plan ahead because if you don’t have a Canadian credit card you can only refill your Compass Card at London Drugs stores or certain terminals.
Be conscious of the weather when planning your visit. I went in late August and early September and it was absolutely perfect. Vancouver can get cold and rainy if you visit at certain times so just pack appropriately!
Rent a bike! Vancouver is super bike friendly and since it is a small city it’s a great way to get around! The city bikes you can rent are called Mobi and they are super convenient to be able to pick up and drop off all across the city. I paid for the month pass so that I could use the bikes throughout my whole trip.
Do note that you use them for 30 minute increments with the passes, if you have it for more than 30 minutes you get charged extra—to avoid this just set a timer and return the bike for a couple of seconds then recheck it out, easy peasy.
For the most part, pints are 20oz in Vancouver and glasses are 12oz, so be aware when you are ordering!
Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:
Superflux Beer Company: Easily the best brewery in Vancouver. They have a restaurant-style space with an interesting array of foods on their menu. The have two taprooms—the OG in the Strathcona neighborhood and their Cabana space downtown.
Bike Stanley Park: A really pretty park that you can walk/run/bike around. It is 5.5 miles around the island. If you are biking just be aware that it is one way!
Luppolo Brewing Company: A great brewery with a Lager-heavy tap list and a full food menu. They have a side patio for outdoor seating or a colorful inside space.
33 Acres Brewing: Tasty beers in a buzzing space. They have a kitchen onsite and I highly recommend the pizza and the cheese board. They’ve also got a coffee bar here.
Electric Bicycle Brewing: A small retro-style brewery with great beer, board games, and a grilled cheese menu.
Prado Cafe: A cute coffee shop in Gastown with delicious food and drinks.
House of Funk Brewing: A cool brewery with skyline and water views in North Vancouver. They have all “funky” beers that are delightful!
33 Acres Brewing
Kitsilano ‘Kits’ Beach: It is a cute neighborhood overall and the beach is nice with volleyball and tennis courts, a playground, and lots of space overall.
I would recommend biking from Kits Beach to Spanish Banks Beach and stopping at the various beaches in between, it’s a nice ride and a good way to explore each of them! It’s about 7 miles round trip.
Visit Port Moody: A neighboring city with 5 breweries in 2 blocks—that’s the kind of ratio I can get down with! Easily accessible via public transport from central Vancouver. Check out my full blog here!
Parallel 49 Brewing: 40 taps and a full food menu on the street kitchen side or a smaller/quieter taproom connected. Delicious beers and food!
Check out all of the awesome street art in the city!
The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:
Go Whale Watching! I went on a tour with Prince of Whales and it was incredible. It’s pricey and I usually don’t love tours but I wanted to see some whales and it was so worth it!
Pro tip if you go: You meet outside to get some information before walking to the boat—when you do so, walk towards the front of the group so that you can choose the best seating option! I power-walked and got to sit in a prime seat on the top deck. Also layer up! It is chilly on the water.
Take a day trip further north:
Hike the Garibaldi Lake Trail: This is one of my favorite hikes I have ever done! It is located in Garibaldi Provincial Park and is hard—13.8 miles long with 3211ft of elevation gain. It took me just under 6 hours with spending 40 minutes at the lake. There is ample parking here but you do need a day use pass if visiting in the summer months. The lakes are absolutely stunning and you can also see Sphinx Glacier. It is definitely a challenging hike but absolutely worth it!
Backcountry Brewing: A great spot for lunch after hiking in Squamish, 25 minutes south of the trailhead. Their food and beer are both fantastic, highly recommend.
Gastown Steam Clock: Very touristy but it is a fun little show at the top of the hour. Don’t go too far out of your way for it—if you aren’t nearby at the top of the hour it also releases steam on the 15, 30, and 45.
English Bay Beach: A nice beach with cool logs to sit or lean on (like all of the beaches in the area).
Granville Island: A touristy island with lots of shops and the Granville Island Public market that is full of food stalls and local goods.
Granville Island Brewing is located here and has solid brews and a small food menu. It’s quite popular so expect a wait.
Lions Gate Bridge
Hike Grouse Mountain: I did the BCMC trail because the Grouse Grind is super crowded and touristy and it was quite the hike! It was incredibly rugged and barely a “trail” because of all the roots and rocks, but it is very easy to follow with markers all the way up. It is quite hard and steep—you gain 2,595ft of elevation in just a couple of miles.
Grouse is accessible via public transportation if you don’t have a car, unlike most mountains. If you drive you do have to pay for parking in the lot
You are not allowed to hike down the Grouse Grind Trail and I would definitely not recommend it on the BCMC trail unless you are very experienced and have hiking poles. The Skyride is your best option and costs $15 for the journey. You can also take the Skyride up if you want to see the top/do the activities at the top without hiking such as the lumberjack show, ziplining, and more
Other ideas:
Strange Fellows Brewing: Another brewery option with a small beer list and food menu. Their Sours are my favorite!
Strathcona Beer Company: Solid beers and a cute airy space. They have a small food menu as well that includes pizzas and salads.
Beere Brewing: A solid brewery in North Vancouver that only offers flights! They’ve got views of the skyline and water as well.
Brassneck Brewing: A cool spot with lots of good beer options!
Bridge Brewing: Good beers, an outside patio, and a small food menu featuring tacos. Overall very chill vibes!
Hang out in the Shipyards area of North Vancouver that has a bunch of bars and restaurants.
Craft Beer Market: A beer bar and restaurant with a large beer list and full food menu.
Three Brits Public House: A bar/restaurant overlooking English Bay Beach.
Bomber Brewing: A very small taproom with solid beers.
Far Out Coffee Post: A cafe with great breakfast burritos and coffee that doubles as a small arcade.
East Van Brewing: A cool spot to hang out with good beers and a small food menu with paninis.
Arbutus Coffee: A cute little neighborhood café in the Kits Beach area.
Faculty Brewing: Another brewery option near Electric Bicycle. They were at capacity with a line when I visited that did not seem worth the wait so I moved on, but if you go let me know what you think!
