Vancouver // 3 Day Itinerary and Guide From A Local
Welcome and thanks for checking out my guide to Vancouver! 🇨🇦
• Overview
3.5 days, 4 nights in Vancouver
• Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
• Time zone
Pacific Standard Time GMT-8. (or Pacific Daylight Saving Time depending on what time of year you're there). Canada shifts its clock by one hour back in the fall and one hour forward in the spring
• Best time to visit
Definitely summer! The driest season of the year but due to the increased forest fires in the pacific west coast, I would recommend July. August is usually forest fire season and even though the forests never make it into the city proper, this can greatly affect air quality and the amount of light in the city. Smoke can diffuse the sunlight into a super fun pink glow. Also, most of the festivals and street fairs are during the summer months.Â
Fall or Spring. If you can handle a bit of rain, (i.e. have a sturdy rain jacket and don't mind carrying an umbrella) the city and parks are lovely to wander through on rainy days as it doesn't get that cold in Vancouver. It also makes for less crowds and clear, fresh air. Vancouver is built for rain so there are loads of cozy coffee shops, restaurants and cafes to experience. In the more forested areas the trees block out a lot of the rain, so I for one, enjoy a rainy hike!Â
• Getting Around
Vancouver has an excellent public transit system. From a train (aka "The Sky Train". It used to only be above ground and was first built in the 80s... hence the name) that goes straight to the airport to frequent bus services. Any transit app, including google maps will have real time updates on what to catch and where. You can purchase a Compass Card (a reloadable transit card which you tap on and off) at any Sky Train station or London Drugs.
Bikes!
Vancouver is one of the most bike-able cities in North America. With a huge network of dedicated bike lanes equipped with traffic lights specifically for bikes, you can rent bikes on a daily bases at a number of locations. If biking is for you, you can replace all the walking in this guide with biking instead.
**It's illegal to ride a bike without a helmet. So make sure to bring one or rent one.
Here's a location I have rented from before and highly recommend
• Where to stay
For accessibility to the rest of the city as well as beautiful streets, I would recommend staying in the Riley Park or Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.
// Day 1 // Arrival Day
Today you land in Vancouver! Get settled at your way to your airbnb or hotel and go for a wander down (or up) Main Street, Vancouver's hippest area. With loads of local shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, I would head to either Match Stick Coffee at 33rd or JJ Bean at 12th (depending on which direction you're starting in) to grab some fuel and a bite.Â
**Vancouver has had a thriving coffee shop scene since Starbucks first arrived in 1987**
Vancouver has a vibrant and well established craft brewery scene that started in the mid 90s. There are many to choose from but on the Main Street strip, my favourite is:
For dinner check out one of the eclectic restaurants on Main St. There are many to choose from but here are my top picks:
There are loads of murals to check out along Main street as well as along the side streets in the area. Depending on what time of year you're there, the annual Mural Festival might be taking place. You might catch some murals in the making! Either way, this site below has a guide on where to find them:
// Day 2 //
Pack your swim suit, your walking shoes and something to wear to dinner!
Start at Pure Bread for a light breakfast and coffee before walking south to the Olympic Village. Vancouver hosted the winter olympics in 2010.
From there, either take an Aquabus (they're the slow but fun passenger ferries that take you to various locations in False creek) or walk along the seawall west towards Granville Island.
Stop for lunch at The Public Market with many options to choose from in the food court area.
**If you decide to sit outside, beware of the seagulls. They are the biggest seagulls I've ever seen and they will ambush you for your sandwich!**
If you're not tired of waking yet, keep going west on the seawall to Kitsilano Beach (locals call it "Kits beach"). Set up at one of the logs on the beach and go for a swim!Â
**If beach-ing isn't your thing, there's great shopping in Kitsilano along 4th Avenue
After your time at the beach, head into Kitsilano for dinner (Don't worry, they won't mind the sand). There are many good options for dinner in the area but I would recommend:
// Day 3 //
Time to check out some giant trees! Grab a coffee and some breakfast at a cafe and then jump on a bus to Stanley Park.
After looking at some trees and totems, head to Third Beach to relax or go for a swim! There's a concession stand there with a great view looking west into the harbour. Â
After a couple hours in Stanley Park, catch a bus into downtown Vancouver for lunch.
Since Vancouver barely has a winter, it's the only Canadian city with a thriving food truck scene. Many of the food trucks are only in certain areas for a certain days so I would recommend using this app to find out where they are:
Vancouver does excellent tacos!! Here are some options:
If you're craving something sweet, artisanal donuts are definitely required. Cartems, hands down, does them the best in the city 🍩
After lunch, head back to south Main Street to start on East Van brewery tour! East Van is considered anywhere in Vancouver that is east of Main St. and is different than the Downtown Eastside.Â
**Downtown Vancouver is going through some hard times right now. The pandemic exacerbate the unhoused and addiction situation which mostly resides in the area called "The Downtown Eastside". I would avoid that area and even avoid Gastown all together. Gastown has typically been a very touristy area but there really isn't much to see there at the moment, except for an old clock that pumps out steam.
It's a horrible situation that the Downtown Eastside even exists but addiction and mental health issues are a nation wide, and global, issue. I could go on and on about this but either way, please treat the unhoused with dignity and respect. They are simply trying to live their lives and dealing the best way they can.**
East Van Breweries
There are also some downloadable tour maps that you can follow with more details and options of breweries. But these are some of my favourites:
**Many breweries now offer non-alcoholic versions and great food
These next breweries are off Clark Drive so they're not exactly walkable from Main Street. There are transit options to get there or hop in an Uber or Lyft.
// Day 4 // Departure day
Today you leave for the airport. The Sky Train is a quick, direct and affordable option to YVR.Â
That's the end of your 3 days in Vancouver! I hope this gives you a great introduction and encourages you to come back and explore more of the pacific north west. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or updates you feel need to be made to this guide.
If you have more time...
If you have more days in Vancouver and have rented a car, here are options for day trips:
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That's it! I hope you enjoyed my guide to Vancouver! Please message me if you any questions or updates that should be made to this guide!
Happy Travels 🫶
Lee
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