Vancouver Travel Guide

Thinking of paying a visit to Vancouver? Our Travel Expert, Paul Kelly, enjoyed a trip to Vancover recently and we just had to share.

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Canada’s Activity Capital!

This major city on Canada’s West coast is known for its variety – where else can you ski on a snow-topped mountain and relax on the beach in the same day? From its bustling Downtown to its cultural cool, there are so many things to see and do here.

The City:

Vancouver in general surpassed all expectations and was truly amazing. It offers you the ability to experience not only wonderful city break but unlimited choices from activity, beach, fitness and we would happily go back with our partners or families.

It is an easy city to get around either walking or cycling once you get your initial bearings. The choices of food is really unlimited, from local to Asian cuisine and everything in-between.

Perfect for:

Firstly, Vancouver is perfect for city lovers. Downtown is full of things to do and great dining options and there are plenty of other neighbourhoods to explore, too. This is also a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts with Skiing, hiking and so much more. And, it’s great for families.

Things To Do:

• Stanley Park

You can rent bikes on every corner to cycle through Stanley Park and we couldn’t recommend this enough – it is a great day out and can take as little as 2 hours or stop off along the way and make it as long as you want. This city is set up for cyclists with a dedicated track through and around the city. The Stanley Park cycle brings you around Canada Place, under Arthur bridge, around the harbour and through the park – passing the 3 beaches and heated outdoor pool along the way.

• Flyover Vancouver

Great fun and a must do! I really enjoyed this. This makes you feel like you're flying over the whole of Canada - the seats are suspended over a spherical screen with effects like wind, scents and mist to make it feel real. I thought it was a fun way to experience all Canada has to offer, from Niagara Falls to the Northern Lights. Sit back and enjoy the ride!

• Hop-on Hop-off Tour

A Hop-on Hop-off bus tour is the classic way to experience a new city. It's a great activity for your first few days in a city as it helps you to locate the major landmarks and find your bearings in an unfamiliar place. The company I used offered two separate routes that really helped you to see the whole city from end to end.

• Vancouver Aquarium & Vancouver Lookout

Our group did both of these on the first day, they're simple and enjoyable things to do. Vancouver Aquarium is easy to get to, either on foot or by taxi. You'll find it right in Stanley Park. You can walk around and enjoy it within 1.5-2 hours max and would be ideal for families on the last day of their trip while waiting to depart to the airport.

Vancouver Lookout point offers unrestricted views of the city, 169m above ground. Take a glass elevator up to the observation deck for amazing views of the city. It's easy to get to, close to downtown and takes about 40 minutes to complete.

• Grouse Mountain

​Grouse Mountain is just a 25 Minute drive from Central Vancouver. It's got really great views over the city, gondola rides and great for walking/hiking holidays – you also get pretty close to the local bears!

• Granville Island

A 2 minute ferry which is included in the hop-on hop-off pass brings you to Granville Island. If you're not taking the bus tour, you can also pay $3 entry on board. The main thing to do on Granville Island is visiting the markets. There is a huge food market that's open every day. There are also a lot of locally-made items for sale in smaller market stalls around the island. This in my opinion is a must see!

• Whistler

This charming resort town is about a 2 hour drive away from Vancouver. We went on a day trip and had 4 hours free time up there. For someone looking to do a quick sightseeing tour outside of the city, this is perfect. But I would recommend extending your trip and staying a minimum of 2-3 nights here to really experience it. Whistler has so many activities to do in both dry and snow season, and each activity will take approx. 3 hours to complete. We went for the zip line experience and it was absolutely amazing and great fun. Other activities I liked include mountain biking, ATC experiences, walking tours, gondola rides and more.

The resort itself is huge. It's like a big Hollywood film set with luxurious hotels, chalets and high end shops throughout. Options for eating varied from quick and easy street food to gourmet dining.

Don’t forget to check out our site for more inspiration! Simply browse deals on holidays to Vancouver on our site.

Thinking of booking your next holiday? Check out the Cassidy Travel website for great deals on flights and hotels, or call us on 0818-332500 for expert travel advice!

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