If you’re looking for a list of things to do in Vancouver during summer, you’ve come to the right place! Summer is a bustling, beautiful, and exciting time to visit Vancouver.
After the dreary and rainy winters, the city sees a revival in the summertime: three months of sunny and warm bliss. There are a wide variety of exciting summer attractions to enjoy, so keep reading to learn the best things to do in Vancouver in summer!
Need a bit more convincing on why you even need to visit Vancouver in the first place? Read these Top 5 Reasons to Visit Vancouver.
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Bike Around Stanley Park
One of the best things to do in Vancouver is biking the seawall, particularly around Stanley Park. The seawall is a 17 mile paved biking and pedestrian path that wraps around the perimeter of Vancouver, directly next to the sea. However, one of the best sections is the 5.5-mile loop around Stanley Park.
Rent a bike at Spokes (prices range depending on how many hours you choose to rent) and give yourself a few hours to explore Vancouver from a different perspective. Don’t forget most of the path is one-way, so be aware you are peddling in the right direction as people will yell at you! Overall, this is an amazing bike path. I promise this is a must on your list of things to do in Vancouver.
Explore Granville Island
Granville Island is a small shopping, art, and theater district located on (as the name would suggest) an island! A quirky and fun way to get here is arriving via Aquabus (a water taxi) from downtown. Bring cash to purchase a ticket on board and hop on the tiny boat that brings you across False Creek over to Granville Island. Once on the island, I suggest starting your visit at the Granville Public Market. This huge, indoor market offers a fresh selection of produce, seafood, meat, cheeses, and more! There are also smaller boutique stalls throughout the market as well, making it a great spot to pick up a gift.
Walk around the rest of the island to other art vendors and galleries. For beer lovers, take a quick tour of the Granville Brewery and then stay for a flight. For something a bit stiffer, wander to the Artisan Sakemaker. The owner makes his own sake (my favorite is the sparkling), which is absolutely delicious.
Throughout the evening, many of the stores will shut down and the theaters start to open. These theaters produce anything from plays to improv shows to stand-up, so be sure to check what acts are ongoing here.
Drink at a Yaletown Patio
Yaletown is a trendy, popular neighborhood in Vancouver. To better understand each of the Vancouver neighborhoods check out My Honest Guide to Vancouver Neighborhoods.
During the summer in Vancouver, Yaletown’s patios become bustling as the city flocks here to eat and drink in the sun. Yaletown has two main streets, Mainland and Hamilton, with a large variety of patio options. They are a great place to enjoy some yummy outdoor dining and people-watch.
Are you looking to eat or drink in Yaletown? Read up below:
Wander the Seawall
As mentioned above, the seawall is a 17 mile paved biking and pedestrian path that wraps around the perimeter of Vancouver, directly next to the sea. It’s a relaxing path that connects you to the city beaches, a shortcut to different neighborhoods, and so on. It’s popular for runners and dog-walkers, so on a nice day expect to the path to be packed.
Go to Richmond Night Market
The Richmond Night Market is a popular Vancouver summer activity. Each summer, Vancouver hosts North America’s largest night market. You’ll find 500+ food items (mainly Asian) from over 50 vendors – try anything from barbecue squid to a rice burger to mochi. You can also enjoy shopping, performances, and games. The Richmond Night Market is open spring through fall on weekends for $6 entry.
Do a Make-Your-Own Brewery Crawl
One of the best summer activities in Vancouver is to design your own brewery crawl. East Vancouver has a handful of craft breweries and it seems more keep popping up every few years. During the summer months, many locals either bike or walk brewery to brewery and spend an afternoon sampling a variety of local beer.
Try to hit up some of the favorites including: Andalina Brewing, Storm Brewing, and Callister Brewing.
Relax on the Beach
Vancouverites know they need to take full advantage of the few sunny months, so the beaches can get extremely popular on a clear day. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to choose from! The downtown core has beach access to English Bay, Second Beach, and Third Beach.
If you want to get a bit further out of the downtown core, you are rewarded with some very special views of the city and the mountains. Try Kitsilano Beach, Jericho Beach, or Spanish Banks for the awesome views.
Kayak or Paddleboard
Kayaking and paddleboarding are extremely popular in Vancouver. The wide range of nearby lakes and creeks (and even the sea!), allows for plenty of options to get some exercise and explore. There are a variety of spots to rent paddle boards and kayaks or go on guided tours. Deep Cove, Jericho Beach, and Kitsilano Beach are some of the city’s most popular spots to venture out. My personal favorite is Deep Cove. Here are some of the best spots to paddle board in Vancouver.
Visit the Local Mountains
Did you know Vancouver has quick and easy access to three local mountains? Just north of the city sits Grouse, Cypress, and Seymour. Each one offers something unique and they are extremely popular to visit during the summer in Vancouver.
Grouse Mountain
There are only two ways to reach the top of Grouse: the gondola or the Grouse Grind. Workout junkies may want to conquer the Grouse Grind, nicknamed Nature’s Stair Climber. Head up the 2,800-something stairs for 1.5 miles (2.5 km) to the summit. It’s not an easy task, but it is a popular hike to try at least once. Once at the top, you have a variety of attractions to choose from: zip-lining, seeing the grizzly bear habitat, a lumberjack show, disc golf, and more! Of the three mountains, Grouse tends to cater to tourists the most.
Cypress Mountain
While Cypress is well-known for being the largest ski mountain in Vancouver, it still offers some amazing attractions in the summer months. You’ll find very popular hiking trails, world-class bird-watching, and their new Eagle Coaster. It’s the longest mountain coaster in Canada! Sounds epic! In terms of hiking, the trails are usually heavily-trafficked so arrive early and prepare yourself for some jaw-dropping views.
Mt. Seymour
The most popular summer activity at Seymour is undoubtedly hiking. Their most popular trail, Dog Mountain, is a popular 3.5 mile out-and-back trek. Families may also enjoy the Goldie Lake Interpretive Trail, which takes you through the forest and provides plenty of nature-viewing opportunities.
Walk Across a Suspension Bridge
Head into the local forests and get in touch with nature! The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is an extremely popular place to visit in Vancouver, located just north of the city. You can access the park for $60, but the ticket includes the treetop adventure (various viewing platforms and suspension bridges high up in fir trees), the cliff walk (a narrow look out over the river), and the adrenaline-pumping suspension bridge.
You’ll find crowds here rain or shine, so book tickets in advance and try to arrive early in the morning, especially if you want to attempt to snap a cool suspension bridge pic without the crowd!
For a slightly smaller (and free!) version, head to Lynn Canyon Park. You can explore the various hiking trails and swimming holes throughout the park. You also can find the 160 ft (18.2 m) Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, which tends to have fewer crowds than Capilano. While the suspension bridge is a tad smaller, locals find all of the swimming holes a bonus here.
Go on a Whale Watching Tour
Many people don’t realize Vancouver is a great spot for whale watching. Whale watching season in Vancouver typically runs from April through October. Of course, while it can’t be guaranteed that you’ll see humpbacks or orcas, the tour itself is a great way to get out of the city for a few hours and enjoy the ocean and views. Vancouver Whale Watch is a popular company that has successfully run tours for decades. Bon voyage!
Take a Seaplane
One incredible thing to do in Vancouver in the summer is take a seaplane tour. You’ll take off from Coal Harbour and enjoy 20-minutes of pure bliss in the sky. Enjoy a bird’s eye view as you soar over Stanley Park, the Lions Gate Bridge, and Vancouver’s 3 local mountains. It is 100% worth the price and the memories!
Enjoy the City Gardens
Vancouver is so successful at intertwining its urban dwellings with nature. Just south of the downtown core sits Queen Elizabeth Park. The 130-acre park offers plenty to see and do! Wander through gardens of various flowers and trees. For the visitor seeking something more active, you can find tennis courts, basketball courts, and pitch and putt.
Don’t let rain dampen your visit. Head to the Bloedel Conservatory (an indoor tropical garden) for an alternative indoor option. Besides being a beautiful park, Queen Elizabeth Park is also considered a great vantage-point of the city. Since it sits 400 ft (125 m) you gain awesome views of the downtown skyline.
There is also an incredible Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden located in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighborhood. This tranquil garden has a variety of events and exhibitions and is a great way to learn more about Chinese history and its historical ties to Vancouver. The garden is open Wednesday – Sunday (10am – 3pm) for $16 admission.
Get Cultured With Shakespeare
Bard on the Beach is an annual Shakespeare Festival held in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighborhood. This incredible Vancouver summer attraction gathers about 100,000 visitors each year. Head here to see a variety of well-known Shakespeare productions, each having a unique spin. Once I saw The Taming of the Shrew here with a Wild West spin – get the idea? If you love theater or Shakespeare this is a great option to see a creative performance.
That concludes my list of 14 amazing things to do in Vancouver in summer. Have a fabulous time touring this incredible city.
You may also be interested in my other posts about Vancouver: