Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Vancouver tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
Vancouver is the cultural capital of Canada’s West and the gateway to the country for many visitors arriving from Oz.
With the North Shore Mountains as its backdrop, the city is a spellbinding blend of outdoor beauty, urban life, and cultural diversity. To make matters even better, Vancouverites are some of the friendliest people around. Expect a warm welcome (and a great coffee!) on arrival.
Vancouver is a city of many layers and half the fun is peeling them back to find out what’s hidden underneath. They will continue to surprise and amaze you long after your visit to Canada comes to an end.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Vancouver on a first visit.
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Watch our video of ten great things to do on a Canadian Rockies road trip:
Ten Top Things to Do on a Canadian Rockies Road Trip | Victoria, Whistler, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver
Related | https://topoztours.com.au/ten-top-things-to-do-in-canada/Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide’s YouTube channel. In this video, we bring you…
1. Explore Chinatown
Vancouver is home to cultural groups from all over the world. Spend some time soaking up the buzz in the Chinatown district, which is located on the eastern side of the city. It’s the third largest Chinatown in North America and one of the oldest. Here you’ll find amazing architecture, a concentration of well-priced restaurants, plenty of tasty street food, and no end of market-style shopping. Drop by The Chinese Tea Shop for a tasting, and to browse their incredible range of teas and teaware.
Take a break from the hubbub by visiting the beautiful Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. It’s a haven of tranquility laid out with covered walkways, tiny pavilions, glistening ponds, and lots of secret nooks and crannies.
2. Go to a gallery
The city has a robust arts scene and there are upwards of one hundred galleries and exhibition spaces across Greater Vancouver. With its focus on British Columbian artists, the Vancouver Art Gallery is a must-see. The collection has more than 10,000 works, although only a small percentage is on display at any one time. Photography features prominently.
To experience the culture of the First Nations people of Vancouver, head for the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. Admire traditional carvings and jewellery, along with contemporary artworks.
3. Learn about the First People
First Nations people settled in this region some 10,000 years ago. Visit the Museum of Anthropology to delve into that extraordinary history and gain a better understanding of their creative and spiritual lives. While it has an emphasis on Canadian Northwest Coast First Nations heritage, the museum’s 50,000-piece collection encompasses ethnographic artefacts from around the world.
4. Face the Capilano Suspension Bridge
The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is one of the city’s most popular attractions and it’s the spot to learn the early history of the West’s biggest city. There are historic displays to take in, along with North America’s largest collection of totem and story poles. The original suspension bridge over the swirling Capilano River was erected in 1889. The current version was built in the 1950s, but it sways just like the original!
5. Get a great latte
During a Vancouver winter, there’s nothing like hunkering down in one of the city’s many excellent (and warm!) cafes. Coffee shops are also the perfect place to go if you need access to free Wi-Fi while travelling. If you’re a licensed coffee snob, Revolver tops pretty much every list for the city’s best brew and offers a range of speciality beans from all over the world. It’s also worth seeking out Pallet Coffee Roasters and Nemesis (which was previously named best cafe in Canada by The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops.
6. Tuck into a plate of poutine
No visit to Canada would be complete without blowing your daily calorie count on a plate of poutine at least once. Traditional poutine consists of French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds, but in Vancouver you can try lots of other tasty takes on this popular snack. ‘Hot dog poutine’ springs to mind.
7. Shop fresh at Granville Island Public Market
Vancouver offers shopaholics everything from pricey high-end boutiques to shopping malls and outlet stores. For food-focussed retail, drop by the hugely popular Granville Island Public Market. This is the spot to shop for gourmet goodies and supplies for a picnic. Pick up tips from a local for the best stalls to visit by booking a guided food tour.
8. Revel in the great outdoors
Vancouverites love outdoor recreation, and exploring the natural landscapes around their city is a joy. One of the most popular spots is Stanley Park, which attracts vast numbers of visitors every year. However, at 1,000 acres, there’s plenty of space. Activities on offer in the park include hiking, biking, swimming, skating. and even a miniature train to ride. The park is also home to Vancouver Aquarium.
While it’s a hot spot for winter sports, Grouse Mountain is a wonderful place to escape to no matter what the season. Ride the gondola up to the top, then try a range of energetic activities (hiking, skating, snowboarding, and skiing) or simply relax and enjoy the views.
9. Hit the beach
Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach is possibly unlike any other strip of sand you’ve parked yourself on in the past. Instead of swaying palms and views to the horizon, you’ll get a panoramic vista of the city set against a background of mountain peaks. There’s a heated seawater pool if you’re up for a dip, but it’s a genuinely lovely place to just sit for a spell or wander along the shoreline.
10. Fly high (virtually!) over Canada
And finally, you may not have time to see all of Canada on your visit (after all, it is the second largest country in the world), but Fly Over Canada is the next best thing! This high-tech attraction will take you on a journey across the country without even leaving your seat. Strap in and get ready for adventure as you’re suspended over a special spherical screen, which comes alive with projections of life-like landscapes and amazing special effects. What a way to travel!
For more travel inspiration, visit www.destinationvancouver.com.
Browse our range of Vancouver tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the top things to do in Vancouver on a first visit? We would love to hear from you. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Cover image: Cliffwalk, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Image: Canadian Tourism Commission. Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Julietta Henderson is a Melbourne-based travel writer and author. Originally planning to visit London for six months, she ended up staying for ten years and now divides her time between her home in Australia and several months of the year in the UK, Italy, and France. Julietta has travelled extensively through Europe, North America, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, and Russia, and believes the keys to a great travel experience are an open heart, an open mind, and an open-ended ticket. Her first two novels — The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman and Sincerely, Me — are now available in bookstores.
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