Nine ways to see one of the world’s most beautiful cities

A gateway to adventure

With its shimmering harbour and tiara of snowcapped peaks, it’s little wonder Vancouver consistently rates in lists of the world’s most attractive and liveable cities. With nature at its most heart-stirring in such abundance, Vancouver has become a magnet for adventurers, from skiers to mountain bikers, kayakers to whale watchers

The liveable city.

During cruise season, more than 300 ships dock at Canada Place en route to the Inside Passage or Alaska; while the city is just a 70-minute ferry ride from rainforest-swathed Vancouver Island as well as about 20 habited Gulf Islands and their communities of artists and biophiles that dot the Salish Sea.

The city park

Through the forest in Stanley Park.

Occupying a 400-hectare promontory north of Vancouver CBD, Stanley Park is more than one-fifth larger than New York City’s Central Park. There’s good reason why it’s so beloved by locals and visitors alike – it is a one-stop leisure and pleasure garden, with kilometres of trails through ancient cedar forests, beaches, cultural landmarks, a 3-par pitch and putt golf course, 17 tennis courts, a world-class aquarium (vanaqua.org) and great places to eat, including Teahouse for excellent West Coast cuisine. Keep an eye out for the eponymous beavers and other wildlife as you wander around the central lake; or absorb a First Nations’ perspective of the park as a bread- and medicine-box on a Talaysay Talking Trees tour (talaysay.com).

On your bike

With more than 300 kilometres of bike trails, a bike-share system and an online map showing bikeways and greenways, Vancouver is one of the most bike-friendly cities in Canada. For visitors keen to get an orientation of the city, join a guided cycling tour with Cycle City Tours (cyclecitytours.com) following the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront pathway from the Vancouver Convention Centre, along the Stanley Park seawall, and beyond to English Bay and Granville Island. The nine-kilometre section around Stanley Park is the most popular; and you can also detour through unpaved trails through old-growth forest and around Beaver Lake.

Enjoy sakura season

Vancouver’s cherry blossom scene rivals Japan.

Visit Vancouver in spring to discover canopies of delicate pink blossoms, with more than 40,000 ornamental cherry trees creating beautiful Instagrammable moments to rival Japan. Running from the end of March until mid-April, the annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (vcbf.ca) offers a calendar of events, tours and festivities, including the Big Picnic in David Lam Park, where 100 Akebono cherry trees in full bloom form the backdrop to live music, a haiku exhibition and an immersive communal dance.

Breakfast bounty

Seafood in Vancouver is plentiful and affordable, with fish such as salmon and Pacific halibut seasonally featured in top-end dining menus. For an indulgent breakfast without breaking the bank, however, try the Lobster Benedict CAD$35 ($38.70) at Dahlia, the in-house restaurant at AZUR Legacy Collection Hotel (azurhotelvancouver.com) in the heart of the CBD. Dahlia’s elevated, yet approachable take on cuisine mirrors its host hotel’s bold aesthetic, with marble and gilded art deco accents drawing design inspiration from the French and Italian Riviera.

Day at the beach

The city beach at English Bay.

While lacking direct ocean access, Vancouver’s proximity to a tangle of waterways lends itself to a healthy, coastal lifestyle, with locals flocking to bayside beaches to swim, promenade and watch the sunset. English Bay, just beyond Stanley Park, is reminiscent of Bondi or St Kilda, a bustling neighbourhood of waterfront cafes, lifestyle shopping and a youthful vibe. Don’t miss the beloved Laughing Men statues and the six-metre Inukshuk monument, dramatically silhouetted as the sun descends over the water.

The float plane taxi

Book a scenic seaplane flight for the ultimate views of this truly spectacular city.

In Vancouver, travelling in seaplanes is a way of life, providing a quick commute for residents of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and remote mountain and seaside communities further north. The float plane terminal in Vancouver Harbour allows users direct access to Downtown, and makes for fascinating viewing as the busy little buzzards land and take off on the water, with a floating fuel station a further curiosity. But why let the locals have all the fun? Book a scenic seaplane flight for the ultimate views of this truly spectacular city and its glorious natural surrounds.

Dine with the stars

Vancouver joined the Michelin stable in 2022, and now boasts nine one-star restaurants, 17 Bib Gourmand awards and 51 recommended restaurants. Bucking any assumptions that recognised restaurants should be for special occasions only, Miku (mikurestaurant.com), sensationally located on the waterfront next to Canada Place, blends traditional Japanese flavours and techniques with local, fresh west-coast produce, with a Signature lunch Shokai selection of 10 Aburi Oshi sushi, rolls and nigiri abbreviating the menu to an affordable taste-test.

Island time

Many cities offer something similar: a former industrial site transformed into a public market and arts precinct – but somehow, Granville Island (granvilleisland.com) has elevated the concept, creating a place of timeless wonder appreciated by tourists and locals alike. In fact, many of its 10.5 million annual visitors are Vancouverites on a weekly shopping expedition for the freshest of farm-grown produce, seafood, gourmet cheeses and freshly baked bread. Catch the cute little Aquabus ferry to spend a lazy afternoon on the island, grazing on dishes from the market’s multicultural food court before browsing the backlot studios of talented artisans.

One more thing

In 2026, Canada will co-host the FIFA World Cup along with the US and Mexico, the first time that hosting rights are shared between three countries. Vancouver’s BC Place stadium in the heart of the city will be one of the 16 venues, with the city gearing up for the expected influx of more than a million soccer-mad visitors.

The writer was a guest of Destination Vancouver (destinationvancouver.com) and Destination Canada (destinationcanada.com/en).