11 must do’s in Vancouver | Canada

Vancouver is the city where we’ll start & end our 3-week tour in Canada. Here are my 11 must do’s for when in Vancouver!

1) English Bay Beach

Our hotel is located next to English Bay Beach, also known as First Beach. This beach is the most popular beach in Vancouver where you can enjoy a beautiful sunset and a refreshing swim. The Honda Celebration of Light festival is also located on this beach (see n°9).

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2) Granville island

Make sure to go to Granville Island. This place is a must-do (must eat) for food lovers! There are a lot of restaurants on this island, including the Granville Public Market where you can buy food but also clothing, fruit, and souvenirs.

» Toilets available

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After your meal, make sure to take a walk along Granville Street. The boutiques are too expensive for students but the wall graffiti is worth the walk!

3) Chinatown Vancouver

Vancouver has one of the largest Chinatowns in Northern America. We passed Chinatown when leaving for Penticton. On our way out, we drove through the Chinatown Millennium Gate. But if you have the time, you can also check out the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, and the Sam Kee Building.

4) Gastown

Gastown is one of the oldest districts in Vancouver. Head down to Water Street to check out the old Steam Clock. The clock will go off every 15 minutes with a small symphony. Gastown also has a lot of boutique shops, souvenir shops, and restaurants.

Food Tip: Eat in the Old Spaghetti Factory or in MeeT (Beyond meat dishes, aka veggie friendly).

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5) Vancouver Lookout Tower

If you want to see Vancouver from a bird’s perspective, go check out the Vancouver Lookout Tower! You can see Gastown, BC Place, Canada Place, …

» Entrance fee: $18 and you can visit the tower 2 times with your ticket (sunset for sure).

» Toilets available

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6) Canada place

Canada Place is the main cruise ship terminal of Vancouver. We saw Disney Cruise anchored there!

Fun Fact: The rooftop resembles sails.

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7) Olympic flame

The Olympic Flame that’s used during the Olympic games in 2010 can be seen next to the convention center. The flame isn’t lit but is quite beautiful to behold.

8) Stanley Park

Stanley Park is THE park in Vancouver. It is even larger than Central Park, New York. From Stanley Park, you’ll have the best skyline of Vancouver.

You’ll also find Vancouver’s own little mermaid statue! “Girl in a Wetsuit” resembles the statue from Denmark, the only difference is that there is no nudity (the reason why there is no plagiarism). The statue represents Vancouver’s dependence on the sea.

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9) Capilano Suspension Bridge

This bridge is located in Northern Vancouver. My brother did this bridge but didn’t recommend it to us. There was a waiting line for the bridge, and once you’re on the bridge you can’t stop to take a photo. So we decided to not spent our money on this bridge. But if you’d like to, this can be an option!

10) Celebration of Light: fireworks in English Bay Vancouver

Our last day in Canada was the first day of the Celebration of Light. This festival has 3 dates on which concerts are given in Stanley Park, Food Trucks are present in English Bay and where a fireworks show will be set up in the evening! We were lucky to be present on one of those nights!

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A post shared by Laure Passchyn – Travel blogger (@lifeofapassion)

11) Pride Parade Vancouver

When in Vancouver in August, you’ll be able to join the Pride Parade. We were in Vancouver 1 week prior and we could see the city preparing herself for the parade! There were several spots in the city where people joined and partied together and we also saw streets turning into rainbows. The only Street where you can see the Pride Parade all year long is Davie Street: bus stops are pink, crosswalks are rainbows and rainbow flags rule the street.

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Life of a Passion