My Vancouver Experience

Vancouver is a city built around nature. I’ve never been to a city that reminds me more of the outdoors than this one. The buildings in this city feel tiny compared to the giant mountains that surround this city. The best part of Vancouver isn’t Vancouver itself, if you drive just 1 hour away, your mind will be absolutely blown.

About Vancouver

The actual city of Vancouver is located on a peninsula and it was founded in 1886. The city is on the west coast but Vancouver Island separates it from the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver is the largest city by population on Canada’s west coast and the third largest in the nation. Vancouver is located in British Columbia, one of 10 provinces in the country. I originally wanted to go to Vancouver as a day trip from Seattle, but I soon realized that there is way more to Vancouver than a day trip could ever fulfill. Even after 7 days around this city, I felt like I hadn’t fully seen this place. Without any more waiting, I’m excited to share with you my full experience of Vancouver.

What I Noticed About Vancouver

We already know that Vancouver is unlike any other city, and I don’t mean that lightly. Stanley Park is a 1,000-acre park that sits directly next to Vancouver and is larger than the whole of downtown Vancouver. Some of the suburbs in Vancouver could be called cities of their own. Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver is constructing a building taller than any other building in Vancouver. Surrey, another suburb of Vancouver is expected to outgrow Vancouver and take the spot of British Columbia’s largest city. Lastly, Coquitlam is over 20 miles (32 km) west of Vancouver but still hosts a range of tall buildings. For reference, go 20 miles north and you could be skiing down the slopes of Grouse Mountain, or taking in the fjord-like views at Tunnel Point. It was pretty difficult to only pick 5 things in Vancouver that were my favorite because I liked pretty much everything about this city, but I am pretty happy with the list I made. So without further waiting, here are my top 5 must-see things to do around Vancouver!

1. Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a highlight of Vancouver, it takes central park to the next level. Just like Central Park, the downtown area sits directly next to Stanley Park, and you can see the whole of downtown when on the south side of the park. What’s photographed above is the Vancouver Seawall, there is a path that runs the perimeter of Stanley Park and the seawall was created to prevent flooding on that path. You can even rent bikes and bike around the park which is cool and convenient. You can also find the famous Totem Poles at Stanley Park, I would recommend checking those out while in the park. Lions Gate Bridge is another must visit when in Stanley Park as you get bridge and mountain views. The north side of Stanley Park is just 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from downtown Vancouver but here, you feel like you’re far from the city and close to nature, a surreal experience.

Stanley Park Vs Central Park

Stanley Park is very similar to Central Park in the way that the park sits right next to downtown. Vancouver’s skyline is visible from much of the park, making for an unreal experience. Stanley Park is also larger than Central Park, with over 1,000 acres of public space to hang out. Even with this impressive size, Stanley Park receives less than a 5th of the visitors per year compared to Central Park.

2. Whistler

Whether you come to Vancouver in summer or winter, Whistler is a place you have to visit. I came to Whistler in the summer and even though I couldn’t ski, I still had a blast. Whistler is located around 2 hours from Vancouver but if transportation is a problem, just take a tour like I did. The Olympic Village is the heart of Whistler as the city was part of the 2010 Olympics. From there, you can go up the gondolas that go to the top of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain. If you go here in winter, you’re in luck cause Whistler-Blackcomb is the largest ski resort in North America. If you go here in summer, you’ll need to bring some warm clothes as the top of these mountains still had feet of snow when I visited in July. By far the highlight of Whistler was the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, it’s a 2.7 mile (4.4 km) gondola that connects Blackcomb Mountain to Whistler Mountain. Journey 1,400 feet (425 meters) over the valley floor as you take in spectacular views of the snow-capped mountains and greenery of the valley below.

3. Cypress Provincial Park

I’ve talked so much about the tall mountains that surround the city of Vancouver, so this list wouldn’t be complete without a journey to one of those tall mountains. No need to hike, there is a road that goes right to the top of Cypress Mountain. There are several lookout points that you’ll pass as you drive up the mountain, Cypress Lookout was my favorite lookout spot as you can see all of downtown Vancouver, Stanley Island, and much more. As you get to the top of Cypress Mountain and park your car, you’ll notice Olympic Rings. That’s because Cypress Mountain hosted freestyle skiing and snowboarding events in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. If you visit here in summer as I did, there is a wide range of activities to do, the most popular one being hiking. There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails and tons of lookout points. The photograph shown above is of Bowen Lookout and it was my favorite lookout as you could see Bowen Island and the fjords in the distance.

4. Top Of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant

This was my first experience in a revolving restaurant and it was one of the coolest places that I’ve ever been to. Every time you look up, there is a different view waiting for you, and that’s what I found so cool. On top of that, the restaurant sits 553 feet (167m) in the air giving you unobstructed views of the city. You can also see the beautiful mountains that lie north of Vancouver including Grouse Mountain and Cypress Mountain. The Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant isn’t cheap but worth it in my opinion.

5. Granville Island

Granville Island is a small peninsula located just across downtown Vancouver. It’s a great place to go if you want good food and an awesome vibe. People flock to this part of town to visit the Granville Island Public Market. Here, you can get all sorts of food such as baked goods, restaurant-style meals, and even some desserts. If you plan to visit Granville Island, I recommend taking the Granville Island ferry as it’s an inexpensive and cool way to get to the peninsula. Granville Island felt like the Pike Place Market of Vancouver because of its popularity, atmosphere, and vibe.

Wrap Up

There it is, my experience of Vancouver at its fullest summarized into one short blog post. Vancouver is an extremely unique city nestled in beautiful nature, the city is definitely underrated and more people need to see how incredible this city is. Have you been to Vancouver or do you want to visit? Comment your thoughts down below!