Vancouver is one of the rare cities where you can kayak past a rainforest in the morning, wander a 1,000-year-old totem pole gallery by noon, and be eating dumplings in a century-old market by sunset. Mountains on one side, ocean on the other, and a food scene that pulls flavours from every corner of the Pacific Rim in between – it’s no wonder this city keeps landing on “best of” lists year after year.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup bringing the world’s eyes (and appetites) to the city this summer, there’s never been a better time to plan your visit. Whether you’ve got a weekend or a full week, here are the ten things you shouldn’t miss – straight from the locals who spend their days showing guests around.
1. Taste Granville Island Public Market
If you only do one thing in Vancouver, make it this. Granville Island’s Public Market is the beating heart of the city’s food culture – a warehouse-turned-marketplace packed with fishmongers, bakeries, spice shops, and some of the best produce in the Pacific Northwest. Wander the stalls, grab a coffee from one of the local roasters, and watch the seaplanes land in False Creek just outside.
Local tip: The market gets busy fast, and half the best vendors don’t have signs explaining what makes them special. That’s exactly why our Granville Island Market Tour exists – two hours of skip-the-line tastings at a dozen artisans, with the stories behind every bite.
2. Walk or Bike the Stanley Park Seawall
Stanley Park isn’t landscaped parkland – it’s 1,000 acres of genuine old-growth rainforest that a growing city simply built around. The 10-kilometre Seawall loops the entire perimeter, past Lions Gate Bridge, Siwash Rock, totem poles at Brockton Point, and views across Burrard Inlet to the North Shore mountains.
Local tip: Rent a bike from one of the shops near Denman Street, or pick up a shared electric scooter from one of the many stations near the park. Walking the full loop comfortably takes half a day. If you ride, travel counterclockwise, stay in the designated cycling lane, and slow down on busy sections.
3. Explore Gastown’s Cobblestones and Kitchens
Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood is also one of its most photographed, thanks to the steam-powered clock on Water Street and rows of restored Victorian facades. But the real draw is what’s happening inside those buildings: some of the city’s most inventive kitchens, hidden cocktail bars, and laneway murals most visitors walk right past.
Local tip: Our Gastronomic Gastown Tour is a seated, progressive tasting experience with a hands-on mixology stop – a great choice for date nights or anyone who wants a slower, more indulgent evening than a standard walking tour.
4. Cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge
Just fifteen minutes from downtown, the Capilano Suspension Bridge stretches 137 metres across a canyon 70 metres deep – genuinely nerve-jangling on a windy day. Beyond the bridge itself, the park includes treetop walkways strung between old-growth firs and a cliffside boardwalk clinging to the canyon wall.
Local tip: Go right at opening time. Tour buses arrive by mid-morning, and the narrow bridge means crowds move slowly.
5. Ride the Grouse Mountain Skyride
Vancouver is one of the only cities on earth where you can be skiing or snowshoeing twenty minutes from downtown high-rises. The Skyride gondola climbs Grouse Mountain in about eight minutes, delivering panoramic views over the city, the Strait of Georgia, and – on clear days – Mount Baker across the border in Washington State.
Local tip: Visit the resident grizzly bears, Grinder and Coola, in their forested habitat (spring through fall), or catch the lumberjack show for a surprisingly entertaining break between hikes.
6. Discover Indigenous Art at the Museum of Anthropology
At UBC’s Museum of Anthropology, floor-to-ceiling windows frame one of the world’s largest collections of Northwest Coast First Nations art – massive carved totem poles, canoes, and ceremonial masks displayed the way they’re meant to be seen, with mountains and ocean as the backdrop. It’s one of the most powerful cultural stops in the city.
Local tip: Pair your visit with a walk through UBC’s Nitobe Memorial Garden nearby, a quiet, traditional Japanese garden that few tourists know about.
7. Eat Your Way Through Chinatown and Downtown’s Asian Food Scene
Vancouver’s Chinatown is a genuine cultural anchor, not a theme district, and the city’s broader Asian food scene – spanning Cantonese, Sichuan, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian kitchens – is considered among the best outside of Asia. Come hungry and expect to leave with a new favourite dish you’ve never tried before.
Local tip: If you want it all mapped out for you, The Ultimate Asian Food Adventure takes you through a curated culinary journey in the heart of downtown – a great way to sample widely without the guesswork.
8. Slow Down at VanDusen Botanical Garden
Fifty-five acres of themed gardens, a floating boardwalk over a lake, and one of the most photogenic hedge mazes in the country – VanDusen is Vancouver at its most tranquil. It’s a favourite for a reason: every season looks completely different here, from spring rhododendrons to fall colour to the elaborate holiday lights display in winter.
Local tip: Come on a weekday morning for a near-empty garden, or check their calendar for seasonal festivals timed to what’s blooming.
9. Relax at Kitsilano Beach and English Bay
Vancouver’s beaches are where the city actually unwinds. Kitsilano Beach has a heated saltwater pool, volleyball courts, and unbeatable views back across to downtown, while English Bay is the spot for sunset – locals genuinely gather along the seawall most clear evenings just to watch it.
Local tip: Grab food to go from one of the Kitsilano cafés and picnic on the grass rather than fighting for a restaurant table on a sunny day – it’s what the locals do.
10. Take a Day Trip: Whale Watching or the Sea to Sky Gondola
If you have an extra day, use it well. The waters around Vancouver sit on a major migratory route, making it one of the best places in the world to spot orcas and humpback whales on a half-day tour. Prefer mountains to marine life? The drive up the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler passes Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola, with a photogenic suspension bridge and panoramic viewing platform near the summit.
Local tip: Book whale watching a few days ahead in peak season (May–October), and dress in layers regardless of the forecast – it’s colder on the water than it looks from shore.
A Few Practical Notes for 2026
The best weather window is May through October, though winter brings its own appeal with skiing on the North Shore mountains just minutes from downtown. If you’re visiting during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, expect downtown and Gastown to be busier than usual around match days at BC Place – book restaurants and tours a little further ahead than you normally would.
Ready to Eat the Best of Vancouver?
Reading about Vancouver’s food scene is one thing – tasting it is another. For 15 years, Vancouver Foodie Tours has been showing guests the city through its kitchens, markets, and hidden gems, and we’d love to show you around too. Browse our tours and taste the best of Vancouver for yourself.
