Vancouver is so packed with incredible attractions that it can be tempting to never look beyond the city limits. But don’t make that easy mistake – the wider region of British Columbia has a deep bench of wonderful things to do and see.
Whether you’re a gourmet in search of enticing food and locally brewed beer, an outdoor adventurer desperate to dive into wild landscapes or a culture fan who wants to learn more about the heritage and history of this diverse area, there’s a perfect day trip from Vancouver for you. These are 10 exciting escapes from the big city.
1. Cruise Vancouver Harbour
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: by boat
If the water that surrounds Vancouver on three sides is calling your name, Harbour Cruises’ 1-hour tour will satisfy with a meandering route along the city’s waterfront. And its half-day Indian Arm excursion goes much deeper: as the city shrinks away, you’ll slowly be enveloped in a forested, sheer-cliffed natural wonderland that feels like a Norwegian fjord.
Look out for the community of Deep Cove on your cruise and consider returning for kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding. Deep Cove Kayak Centre sets out from here on tranquility-boosting guided tours that will make you feel like cities were never invented.
How to get to Vancouver Harbour from Vancouver:
There are many ways to hit the water in this port town. Harbour Cruises launches near Devonian Harbour Park, and there are more options as you head into Stanley Park.
2. Enjoy food, art and beer in North Vancouver
Travel time: 15 minutes
How to travel: by ferry
This corner of the ocean-facing city is home to the food stands and artisan boutiques of Lonsdale Quay Market, plus a once-gritty shipyard that’s been transformed with boardwalks, restaurants and shops (many of them in restored factory sheds).
The biggest draw is the Polygon Gallery, a dramatic contemporary art space that lures culture fans from around the region. The beer in North Van also entices, with a clutch of microbreweries a 10-minute walk away on East Esplanade. Further inland is one of North Vancouver’s top attractions, the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, easily reached by shuttle or bus from downtown.
How to get to North Vancouver from downtown Vancouver:
Hop on the 12-minute SeaBus ferry from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay, and you’ll step off in North Van.
3. Explore Bowen Island
Travel time: 90 minutes
How to travel: by ferry
Board a ferry and cruise past towering mountains and tree-covered islands to stunning Bowen Island. Step off in Snug Cove to explore wooden boardwalks, stroll by brightly painted storefronts and head down forest-lined trails where sightings of bald eagles and Bowen’s resident deer are common. Need more? Follow the trail to Opa, a gigantic ancient Douglas fir that’s a highlight for many visitors.
How to get to Bowen Island from Vancouver:
Perhaps the best boat trip you can take in this region is by BC Ferries from West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island. The 250 express bus from downtown Vancouver takes you directly to the ferry dock; from there, it’s a 20-minute hop to Bowen.
4. Taste the world in Richmond
Travel time: 20 minutes
How to travel: by train
Richmond’s pan-Asian flavor reflects a community where many residents have roots in China, Korea, Vietnam and beyond. It’s revered as the home of what is perhaps North America’s best Asian dining scene.
Start with lunch at Parker Place, a Hong Kong–style mall with a food court like a hawker market and dishes like juicy pork buns and crispy Vietnamese sandwiches. Then explore the nearby Aberdeen Centre’s culturally immersive stores, which stock everything from Chinese teas to quirky Japanese trinkets. (Save time for a Taiwanese shaved-ice treat in the upper-floor food court.)
Take the foodie theme further at the clamorous Richmond Night Market. Running Fridays to Sundays between April and October, it’s lined with over 100 steam-shrouded food stands. Arrive hungry and with a sense of culinary curiosity – and get ready for stinky tofu, dragon’s beard candy and nori-topped Japanese fries.
How to get to Richmond from Vancouver:
Richmond is easy to reach from Vancouver on the Canada Line to Bridgeport Station.
5. Ascend a mountain in 10 minutes in Squamish
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: by car
The Sea to Sky Gondola is a superscenic cable car ride that whisks riders up a forested mountainside. The Squamish area’s other attractions include the family-friendly Britannia Mine Museum – don’t miss the underground train ride – and the Railway Museum of British Columbia, with a delightful vintage train collection. Also save time for Shannon Falls Provincial Park, which has one of the highest waterfalls in BC.
How to get to Squamish from Vancouver:
Rent a car for the 1-hour drive north of the city. This dramatic cliffside road is one of BC’s most spectacular routes, with several great attractions near the town of Squamish. If driving is not an option, shuttles can take you from Vancouver to Squamish, including the BC Connector, Skylynx and the Squamish Connector.
6. Raise a glass to the Port Moody beer train
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: by SkyTrain
It’s no secret that BC’s craft-ale scene has surged in recent years. And while Vancouver is studded with lip-smacking tasting rooms, you can also take an unofficial beer train out to the suburbs for an afternoon of quaffing with the locals at several intriguing breweries, each with inviting tasting rooms and friendly bars.
How to get to Port Moody from Vancouver:
Hop on the SkyTrain transit service from downtown Vancouver to Moody Centre Station (about 45 minutes), then walk across the bridge to Murray St in the heart of Port Moody.
7. Go birding at Iona Beach
Travel time: 45 minutes
How to travel: by car
If you’ve been meaning to try birding, BC’s Lower Mainland is a hotbed of easy-access opportunities. Ladner’s Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta’s Boundary Bay Regional Park and North Vancouver’s Maplewood Flats Conservation Area are all justifiably popular. But Richmond’s Iona Beach Regional Park may be the best of the bunch.
Stretching along the Fraser River shoreline, this relatively compact green space typically sees a huge diversity of local and visiting birds. Bring binoculars and keep your eyes peeled for eagles, hawks, red-winged blackbirds and Anna’s hummingbirds. It’s the kind of back-to-nature haven that couldn’t feel further from the bustling streets of downtown Vancouver.
How to get to Iona Beach from Vancouver:
Travelers can drive to the park, which is located near Vancouver International Airport, or take the Canada Line SkyTrain to the airport and a taxi from there.
8. Dine on fish, chips and history in Steveston
Travel time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
How to travel: by bus
This charming fishing village fringes the wide Fraser River. Yet the bobbing boats in the harbor, wood-sided stores and great fish and chip joints (we recommend Pajo’s) tell but part of the story; there’s tons of history here too. Shipbuilding and fish processing made this one of BC’s busiest communities in the late 1800s, and its two National Historic Sites evoke the story perfectly. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery shows you what working as a “slimer” in a fish plant was like, while exhibits at the Britannia Shipyards illuminate everything from Prohibition-era rum-running to the internment of Japanese Canadians during WWII.
How to get to Steveston from Vancouver:
Take the Canada Line SkyTrain to Richmond-Brighouse Station, then the 407 bus.
9. Visit the Royal City of New Westminster
Travel time: 25 minutes
How to travel: by SkyTrain
New Westminster – aka the Royal City – was the region’s main settlement before Victoria (the city) took the crown in 1866. Start your visit by window-shopping on Columbia St. The landmark Anvil Centre has two free-entry attractions: the New Westminster Museum and the New Media Gallery, which mounts avant-garde exhibitions.
A few steps away, cross to the other side of the tracks and explore a restored linear park that runs alongside the Fraser River like a grass-fringed boardwalk. Look for public art and grand shoreline views here – herons and cormorant sightings included. Hungry? Check out the food stands at the indoor River Market nearby.
How to get to New Westminster from Vancouver:
It’s a 25-minute SkyTrain ride from downtown to New West.
10. Tackle the slopes in Whistler
Travel time: 2 hours
How to travel: by bus
An hour past Squamish, the Sea to Sky Hwy reaches Whistler. Locals and visiting ski and snowboard fans from around the world flock to this famous winter playground. Yet there are almost as many summer visitors to the area (the icicle-draped alpine village is beautiful year-round). In town, don’t miss the striking Audain Art Museum, but also save time to plunge into the great outdoors.
Hiking and biking routes (rentals are available) appeal to folks of all abilities and energy levels; activities from zip-lining to river rafting are also on offer. Don’t miss a ride on the eye-poppingly scenic Peak 2 Peak Gondola (glass-bottomed car recommended), then inch across the lofty Cloudraker Skybridge, a steel suspension span with a see-through deck.
How to get to Whistler from Vancouver:
As with Squamish, a number of shuttle buses, including Epic Rides and Skylynx, will get you there. Yet those who rent a car for the nearly 2-hour drive will have maximum freedom.
