Itineraries for Your Trip to Vancouver
2 Days in Vancouver for First Timers
Vancouver is one of my favorite destinations for a weekend road trip. If I time it right (and if there’s not too much of a wait at the border), I can get to the heart of the city from my home in Portland, Oregon, in around five hours, spend a day or two enjoying Vancouver’s highlights, and then make it back home in time for work on Monday.
Although Vancouver is a big city by any definition, key attractions are close enough together that you can easily hit up the highlights in just one weekend. Here’s one way to go about it.
If you only have time for one thing, make it the Granville Island Public Market.
Always be prepared for rain, no matter when you visit Vancouver. Trust me.
Get familiar with Vancouver on your first day by joining a sightseeing tour. Visit key highlights, such as Stanley Park, Chinatown, and Granville Island with a guide by your side who can provide commentary and answer questions. For added convenience, opt for a tour that includes pickup at your hotel.
In the afternoon, head to historic Gastown, a charming neighborhood characterized by historical buildings that house cafes, boutiques, and restaurants. Visit on your own to do a bit of shopping and eating, or elevate your experience by joining a food tour that showcases some of the best spots to eat in the neighborhood.
Stick around Gastown for the evening to learn about the seedier side of Vancouver’s past. Join a guide-led walking tour and visit different structures around town that were hangouts for people of ill repute during the Victorian era. Some spots are even believed to be haunted by ghosts from Gastown’s sordid past.
Spend your second morning out in nature with a visit to Stanley Park, known for its beautiful trees, plants, ponds, and wildlife. It's a great place for a hike or a run (just watch out for resident owls—they’re known to steal joggers’ hats). To learn more about the park and the flora within it, join a guided tour that focuses on its trees.
In the afternoon, head out on a flightseeing tour of Vancouver for great views of the city and the forest that surrounds it. Options include helicopter tours that fly over the city and the nearby wilderness as well as seaplane tours that make it easy to see (and photograph) local landmarks from your perch in the sky.
Spend your final evening in Vancouver checking out its celebrated beer scene. Visit local craft breweries to try out locally produced IPA, lager, and more, or join a brewery tour that gets you behind the scenes at local breweries—and includes plenty of tastings. Vancouver breweries typically have great food menus, so stick around after your tour for a hearty dinner.
