City guide · Canada
Vancouver
Rainforest, ocean, and ski runs sharing one glass skyline
June–September
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
English
North America
The guides
The best of Vancouver, by category
Vancouver squeezes a glass-towered downtown between the Coast Mountains and the Pacific, so you can ski, sail, and eat omakase in the same afternoon. Consistently ranked among the world's most liveable cities, it also serves Canada's best Asian food, from Chinatown institutions to sushi counters that invented their own style.
The shortlist
If you only have time for the best
The single highest-rated picks across every category in Vancouver.
Hotels
See all 6- 1
Fairmont Pacific Rim
Coal Harbour
4.7★3,000+ reviews
- 2
Rosewood Hotel Georgia
Downtown
4.7★2,000+ reviews - 3
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Downtown
4.6★5,000+ reviews
Restaurants
See all 6- 1
Hawksworth
Downtown
4.5★2,000+ reviews
- 2
Blue Water Cafe
Yaletown
4.6★3,000+ reviews - 3
Miku
Coal Harbour
4.6★5,000+ reviews
Bars
See all 6- 1
The Keefer Bar
Chinatown
4.5★1,500+ reviews - 2
Botanist
Coal Harbour
4.5★1,000+ reviews - 3
Pourhouse
Gastown
4.6★1,500+ reviews
Attractions
See all 6- 1
Stanley Park
West End
4.8★50,000+ reviews - 2
Granville Island Public Market
Granville Island
4.7★25,000+ reviews - 3
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
North Vancouver
4.6★25,000+ reviews
Where to base yourself
Vancouver neighborhoods, decoded
Pick your area first — it shapes everything else about the trip.
Gastown
Cobblestones and cocktail densVancouver's oldest quarter, where the steam clock whistles over Victorian facades now filled with tasting menus and indie design shops. Locals will tell you the 'historic' clock actually dates from 1977.
Yaletown
Warehouse-chic patios and marinasBrick loading docks turned terrace restaurants along Hamilton and Mainland streets, steps from the False Creek seawall and mini-ferry docks. Former Expo 86 land, now the city's sleekest postcode.
Kitsilano
Beachy, sporty, brunch-lovingThe birthplace of Greenpeace and lululemon, fronted by Kits Beach and Canada's longest outdoor saltwater pool. Fourth Avenue stacks brunch spots against outdoor-gear flagships.
Mount Pleasant
Craft beer and muralsMain Street's indie spine, home to a dozen-plus breweries in the old Brewery Creek district and walls painted by the Vancouver Mural Festival. Vintage shops and record stores fill the gaps between taprooms.
Beyond the city
Day trips worth the ride
Whistler
2 hr by car via the Sea-to-Sky HighwayNorth America's largest ski resort and a summer hiking and bike-park mecca, linked by the record-setting Peak 2 Peak gondola—the drive itself is the warm-up act.
Victoria & Butchart Gardens
4 hr by car and ferry, or 35 min by seaplaneBC's waterfront capital pairs the ivy-clad Empress Hotel with the century-old Butchart Gardens' 55 acres of blooms.
Squamish
1 hr by carThe Sea to Sky Gondola, granite hiking routes up the Stawamus Chief, and winter bald-eagle gatherings at Brackendale.
Eat like a local
What to order in Vancouver
Aburi Salmon Oshi
Pressed, flame-seared salmon sushi topped with jalapeño—invented in Vancouver and now copied across Canada.
Try it at: Miku, Coal Harbour
BC Spot Prawns
Sweet local prawns celebrated each May and June in a season-opening frenzy of boils and festival menus.
Try it at: Blue Water Cafe, Yaletown
Japadog
A hot dog loaded with teriyaki, nori, and Japanese mayo—a street-cart original since 2005.
Try it at: Japadog cart, Burrard Street
Nanaimo Bar
BC's no-bake classic: chocolate ganache over custard icing on a coconut-graham base.
Try it at: Granville Island Public Market bakeries
Good to know
Vancouver essentials, answered
Three days covers Stanley Park, Granville Island, and the North Shore mountains; five lets you add Whistler or Victoria. Cruise passengers bookending an Alaska sailing should allow at least two full days.
Keep exploring
