Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver is one of the largest cities on the west coast of North America. A popular spot for filming both movies and tv series, the city has a little something for everyone. Situated on the Strait of Georgia, the city and its famous Stanley Park provide nature lovers with an escape just minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown. The gold rush years as well as the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway brought people from all walks of life to this city as evident in the cultural diversity.

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Most Recent Visit

April 2018

How to Get Here

Flying into Vancouver is likely the most practical way for most people unless you live in the Pacific Northwest. From Seattle, it’s an easy drive straight up I-5 to the Canadian Border. The drive takes approximately 2.5 hours but can vary significantly depending on how busy the border crossing is. One recommendation would be to bring your Global Entry card if you have one. There is a separate lane for NEXUS coming back into the US that you can use to help expedite the process.

Trip Length

As always, it will depend on what you’d like to do as to how many days you spend in Vancouver. We spent a 3-day holiday weekend here. While there are a few things we would do if we visited again, we felt this was a good amount of time for us. For anyone taking a cruise to Alaska, you could easily depart from here and spend a few days before or after your cruise. It’s also easy to combine this with a trip to Whistler.

Where to Stay

Vancouver is a large city so finding accommodations will not be a problem. AirBnb, VRBO, and hotel chains are all available. We stayed at a B&B called English Bay Inn which appears to no longer be available.

What to Do

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a large urban park within the city of Vancouver. It has something to offer to everyone. We spent the majority of one of our days here. We started out by walking a portion of the seawall. Total distance is a good 5-mile walk. You’ll have great views of downtown Vancouver as well as West Vancouver.

Vancouver Aquarium – located within Stanley Park, this aquarium is a great option for families visiting the area. Lots of educational opportunities as well as wildlife encounters. Entrance fees start at $42 CAD (2025).

Walking Tour – we took a walking tour of downtown Vancouver. We love walking tours, especially within the first day or two we are in a city. It’s a great way to get a local perspective on the history as well as familiarizing ourselves with the layout of the city. We learned a lot about the early history of the city, including the major influence of the immigrants on the city’s culture.