Things to do — Vancouver

Vancouver explores on foot, by bike (seawall trail), by SkyTrain metro and by Aquabus ferry. Typical 4-day itinerary:

Day 1 — Stanley Park and Downtown: Stanley Park (morning, 1,000 acres downtown, North America's largest urban park after Central Park, seawall trail 10 km by bike flat and accessible — Vancouver's iconic experience, Mobi Bikes rental CAD 12/day or Spokes Bicycle Rentals CAD 12-15/hour at park entrance, 1h30 by bike full tour — Pacific and North Shore Mountains view, Pacific coast Indigenous totems, Lions Gate Bridge, Siwash Rock, English Bay). Downtown (afternoon, Robson Street shopping, Pacific Centre, Vancouver Art Gallery CAD 24 for Pacific northwest collection). English Bay (sunset at sunset on beaches, A-maze-ing Laughter laughing statues). Dinner Hawksworth (Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Michelin star gastronomy, tasting menu CAD 195).

Day 2 — Granville Island and Yaletown: Granville Island Public Market (morning, access via Aquabus CAD 4 from Yaletown or Hornby Street, picturesque mini-ferry), Public Market with exceptional Pacific seafood (Fanny Bay oysters, wild salmon, Dungeness crab, chowder), Granville Island Brewing breweries, theatres, Eagle Spirit Gallery Indigenous art galleries. Lunch on site (Edible Canada bistro CAD 35-55 or Granville Island Public Market food court CAD 15-25). Yaletown (afternoon, former railway neighbourhood restored, modern skyscrapers, Robson Street, Yaletown Brewing Company breweries, Revolver cafés, fashion boutiques). Evening dim sum at Sun Sui Wah (Chinatown, Cantonese dim sum CAD 25-50/person) or sushi at Tojo's (chef Hidekazu Tojo, inventor of the California Roll, omakase CAD 200/person — world institution).

Day 3 — North Vancouver and North Shore: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (morning, in North Vancouver, free shuttle from Canada Place Downtown 30 min, 137 m bridge at 70 m above Capilano canyon, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, CAD 70). Grouse Mountain (afternoon, 5 min by bus from Capilano, Skyride cable car to 1,250 m, CAD 75, panoramic Vancouver and Pacific Ocean view, Grinder and Coola bears in enclosure, lumberjack show in summer, skiing in winter). Lynn Canyon Park (free alternative to Capilano if you have time, more authentic). Return Downtown via SeaBus (15 min ferry from Lonsdale Quay, CAD 3.20-4.90 with Compass card). Dinner ramen at Marutama (Robson Street, CAD 15-22) or Indian at Vij's (modernist institution, CAD 50-100).

Day 4 — Kitsilano and UBC: Kitsilano ("Kits") (morning, trendy seaside neighbourhood west of False Creek, accessible by bus 22 from Burrard Street), Kits Beach (urban beach, summer swimming 18-22 °C), brunch at Sophie's Cosmic Cafe (CAD 15-25), West 4th Avenue shops, Lululemon yoga studios (the brand was born in Vancouver). Museum of Anthropology (UBC) (afternoon, on University of British Columbia campus, 25 min from centre, one of the world's best anthropology museums, exceptional Pacific coast Indigenous collection with monumental Haida totems, Arthur Erickson 1976 architecture, CAD 18). Queen Elizabeth Park (city's highest point at 152 m, free panoramic view of Vancouver and North Shore Mountains, Bloedel plant conservatory CAD 7). Dinner St. Lawrence (Quebec gastronomy in Vancouver, CAD 90-150) or Hapa Izakaya (modern Japanese, CAD 50-90).

Optional excursions: Whistler return (day, 2h by Sea-to-Sky Highway, scenic route, car or excursion CAD 100-150/person), Victoria (1h35 by ferry from Tsawwassen, 35 min by seaplane from Downtown CAD 200-300, Butchart Gardens, Inner Harbour, Fairmont Empress afternoon tea), Bowen Island (ferry 20 min from Horseshoe Bay, peaceful island, hiking, kayaking), Okanagan Valley (4-5h, vineyards, Kelowna lake beaches), Tofino and Pacific Rim (5-6h via Nanaimo, surfing, storm watching, orcas May-October).

Winter (December-March): Grouse Mountain skiing (30 min from centre, lift pass CAD 80-110/day, night skiing Friday-Saturday, family atmosphere), Cypress Mountain (2010 Olympics freestyle skiing host, CAD 100-130), Mount Seymour (CAD 80-100), VanDusen Festival of Lights (December 1-January 3, 1 million lights), Stanley Park Bright Nights (illuminated train mid-November-early January), free skating Robson Square (skate rental CAD 5).