Vancouver Attractions Guide,Family Vacation Guide

Golf B.C.

Seymour Golf

Northlands Golf

Deep Cove Kayak

Stanley Park

Capilano Bridge

Lynn Canyon

Metrotown

Science World

Granville Island

Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Island

B.C. Ferries

Vancouver Golf

We have two great courses which are both within ten minutes drive of our home.
Seymour is a semi private club which accepts guests on Mondays and Fridays, and Northlands which is open every day to the public. Have a look at their website links. Only forty minutes away is another great course with breathtaking scenery. Furry Creek gives you the opportunity to play right up to the ocean with stunning mountain views. See Golf B.C. link for details of Furry Creek and many others.

North Vancouver Kayaking

Launch your Kayak or Canoe at Cates Park and explore Indian Arm. Or try some white water Kayaking on our many beautiful rivers. If you don't have your own Kayak or equipment or need tuition, Deep Cove Kayak can help. They have great kids programs too. Check out the link !

Vancouver Sailing

Cates Park has a free boat launch (although parking is charged) from which you can explore Indian Arm or West up the Burrard Inlet to the Strait of Georgia. There is moorage when available at Deep Cove and Lynnwood Marinas. You can also rent boats by the day or by the hour at Deep Cove Marina or Horshoe Bay in West Vancouver. Vancouver is also host to the Tall Ships festival and has an annual boat show.

North Shore Hiking
As we are surrounded by three mountains on the North Shore, there are many great hiking trails, from the easy to advanced levels. There is even a stroller friendly hike we have done on Cypress mountain. One of my favorites is an easy hike on Seymour mountain you can take the kids on, that ends up on a huge rock which overlooks Deep Cove harbor and has a fantastic panoramic view of Indian Arm. There is also a trail that leads back to Deep Cove.

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is one of the biggest urban parks in the world with over 1000 acres of forest including cedar, hemlock and fir trees, right in the downtown area of the city. There is a two lane paved walk around the park (one for pedestrians and one for bikes and roller blades), and great view of the city and nature. There are numerous beaches in the park, a lagoon, the Vancouver Aquarium and is home to the Vancouver Yacht Club. You can take a horse drawn carriage ride through the park, and there is a good children's playground, children's farmyard and water park in the summer months.

Deep Cove
Only five minutes drive from our home is the picturesque village of Deep Cove. The 'Cove' has a very laid back atmosphere, the people are friendly and there is plenty to do. There are shops to browse through, several restaurants, places to buy ice cream cones and a theater and arts center to explore. There is a small children's playground just steps from the beach at Panorama Park, and in the summer months it's a great spot for a picnic. The view is awesome and if you want a closer look at the water you can hire a kayak. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck stayed here while filming a couple of summers ago and the surrounding area is often used for movie locations.

Capilano Suspension Bridge
Only twenty minutes from our home is the Capilano Suspension Bridge which is 230 feet above Capilano Canyon. It's a thrilling 450 ft walk across the narrow bridge built in 1903. There is also a visitors center here. While you are in the area, a short five minute drive will take you to the Capilano Salmon Hatchery where you can view returning salmon (depending on the season). If the Capilano bridge looks a bit too scary or cash is tight, go to the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. It's smaller and not so high but it's free. There is also an ecology center (also free) and some great hiking if you have good legs. See links to both bridges.

Granville Island
It's all here and under cover, a fantastic fresh food market, a children's toy market and play area, niche shopping, museums, art galleries, a micro brewery and restaurants. Granville Island is a cool place to visit, even if it's raining. In the summer it is very busy and I would recommend an early start if you are driving as parking spaces are limited. There are usually musicians busking in the streets and lots of free samples of food to taste. A short walk from here is False Creek which is a picturesque harbor where you can hire watercraft by the hour.

Gas Town

Gas Town is a popular tourist spot just a few minutes from Waterfront Sea bus station. One of the main attractions is the Steam Clock, which is apparently the world's first, and probably the most photographed site in Vancouver. There are loads of tourist shops to buy your souvenirs and nearby is the Harbor Center from which you can get a panoramic view of the city via the outside elevator to the top.

Science World
On a rainy Vancouver day, there is no better place to take the family. Science World is situated close to Terminal Sky Train stop or a 40 minute drive from our home. this is not a museum, but a hands on learning experience that is fun at the same time. Center Stage offers live science experiments to the audience who are asked to participate, there are several shows a day. There is a puzzle area, a cinema and Omnimax cinema at the top of the building as well as special exhibitions that change every couple of months. There is a good kids play area, an eco area, and.... well have a look at the web link. We visit here two or three times a year and the kids just love it. (so do we).

Vancouver Shopping
Vancouver is a great place for shopping, especially if you come with Pound Sterling or Euros. The strong exchange rates from Europe (and U.S.A.) make everything seem cheap. You can also claim the tax back on any item over $50.00 if you keep the receipt. Unlike most of Europe the tax is added at the check out. We found sports equipment, children's clothing (which is not taxed here), and shoes particularly good value. Robson Street is the Vancouver equivalent to Oxford Street in London, but with less souvenir shops. There are some great boutique style shops here as well as big name stores, and plenty of places to stop for lunch or coffee. When it's raining Metrotown is your best bet. It is a gigantic mall in Burnaby which has everything you could wish for in a days shopping. Metrotown is accessible by sky train from downtown or if you drive it's about 20 minutes from our home.
Check out this cool Vancouver based website for gifts for Men, Teens and Boys. Boys To Men Gifts probably have the coolest selection of gifts for the male gender on the planet. Click this link to view their site. www.boystomengifts.ca

Vancouver Aquarium

Situated in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a must see attraction for all the family. Unlike most aquariums, our one features a seated outdoor section for viewing the dolphins and Beluga Whales, there are sea otters and a tropical indoor rain forest area which has birds and other rain forest dwellers. There is a large area which displays amphibians, arachnids and reptiles and a great selection of tropical, salt and freshwater fish. If you have a family group and think you might return again within a year, there is not much difference in cost between an annual family pass and a days entrance fee.

Vancouver Island & Sunshine Coast

Only ninety minutes ferry ride from Horshoe Bay is Vancouver Island which has a multitude of attractions to offer the tourist. Whale Watching is a big one, with sightings of twenty or more Orca Whales being a common occurrence. Buchart Gardens is another major attraction being the Canadian equivalent of Kew Gardens in the U.K. There is the Butterfly Gardens, and some fabulous parks, fishing and hiking trails to enjoy. Victoria which is the capital of B.C. is very pretty and has good shopping. From the "Island" you can catch ferries to many of the other Gulf Islands including the artisan island of Salt Spring where Joni Mitchell lives.

The Sunshine Coast is so called because it gets more sunshine than anywhere else on the coast. It is also accessible by ferry from Horshoe Bay. This area is not really geared up for major tourism yet, but Pender Harbour area is very popular with boaters from around the world and there is also a top white water kayak spot a bit further north. The Islands really require a web site to themselves so I recommend you check out the links for more information.