Choose from 84 Fun Things to Do in British Columbia
Victoria Inner Harbour
Though it's hard to top the bay's natural beauty, the dramatic coastline is aptly framed with more delightful Victorian homes, watched over by winsome Craigdarroch Castle, completed in 1890 by a Scottish coal billionaire with a taste for luxury. There's plenty of culture (and even more tourist claptrap, including a wax museum, aquarium, IMAX theater…you get the idea) to keep you busy. Consider strolling vividly landscaped Buchart Gardens, or taking a whale watching (April through October) cruise, then finishing your day with a meal in Victoria's vibrant Chinatown.
Practical Info
Though the Pacific Northwest is notably rainy, Victoria is generally sunny and dry, in summer at least. It gets chilly and wet in winter, but temperatures rarely drop below freezing.
There's a useful tourist bureau InfoCentre with maps and brochures galore on the inner harbor; you can download a free phone app with maps and information at their official website.
Whistler-Blackcomb Mountains
North America’s major ski resort focuses on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, attracting up to two million winter and summertime visitors a year.
Linked by the groundbreaking Peak 2 Peak Gondola, the two mountains peer over the pretty alpine town of Whistler Village.
The official skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic winter games, the Whistler and Blackcomb resorts merged in 1997 and together have a total of 38 ski lifts and more than 200 ski runs.
In summer the ski runs transform into mountain-bike trails for nail-biting thrills, and the alpine meadows are crossed by hikers and nature lovers.Practical Info
The Whistler-Blackcomb resort is a two-hour drive north from Vancouver, a distance of 115 km (70 miles).
One of the most scenic ways to travel to Whistler is aboard the Sea to Sky Climb train, a stupendous three-hour rail journey from Vancouver.
Whistler Mountain measures 2,182 meters (7,160 feet), while Blackcomb is 2,284 meters (7,349 feet). The longest ski run zooms for 11 km (7 miles).Thompson River
Practical Info
Callaghan Valley
Practical Info
Stanley Park
- A free shuttle bus travels around the park, though many bike or walk to get around.
- Old-fashioned horse-drawn carriages offer one-hour tours and are a great—and romantic—way to get an overview of the area.
- Restaurants and cafés are scattered throughout the park.
Callaghan Lake Provincial Park
Practical Info
Sidney
Practical Info
Sea to Sky Gondola
- The Sea to Sky Gondola offers easy access to a summit with spectacular views.
- Food and drinks are available at the Summit Lodge Restaurant and the Summit Tea House.
- Each gondola car can hold up to eight passengers.
- The gondola is wheelchair accessible.
Victoria Chinatown
Practical Info
Science World
Practical Info
Victoria Beacon Hill Park
- Beacon Hill Park is perfect for families with kids, gardening enthusiasts, and anyone who loves the outdoors.
- The park is generally accessible for wheelchair users, with paved pathways and accessible bathrooms.
- Pack swimsuits for the kids—if it’s hot they’ll want to splash in the water parks.
Seawall Promenade
One of the highlights on a visit to bucolic Stanley Park, as well as Vancouver itself, is a walk or bike ride along the famous Seawall Promenade. The 9km/5.5mi stone wall hugs the waterside edge, following the entire perimeter of Stanley Park and beyond, offering cyclists, pedestrians, joggers, and inline skaters scenic vistas of forest, sea, and sky.
Starting from Coal Harbour, it winds eastward toward Brockton Point, then curves northwest along the Burrard Inlet, with views of the North Shore mountains across the water. Spaced at regular intervals along the walk are information panels that go into various aspects of Vancouver’s past. It’s education, exercise and eye-candy at the same time. After you pass Lions Gate Bridge, snake down the west side of the park, a perfect spot to watch the sun sink into the Pacific.
After circling the park, the Seawall Promenade continues along Sunset Beach, on the southeast side of downtown, around False Creek, past the Burrard Street Bridge, through Vanier Park, and finishing off at Kitsilano Beach Park.
Practical Info
The Seawall Promenade is easily accessible from many points along its route. Keep in mind that cyclists and skaters, like vehicles, must travel counterclockwise around the park. Weekdays are the best if you want to avoid the crowds.
Whistler Village
Practical Info
Shannon Falls
Practical Info
Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Fluttering butterflies and moths flit amid a rainforest environment at the popular Victoria Butterfly Gardens.
The indoor butterfly house is a tranquil tropical retreat for butterflies and visitors alike, with a waterfall and stream, exotic plants and warm humid atmosphere.
Around 75 species of butterflies and moths live here, and you can even see the young butterflies fluttering into life in the nursery.
The tropical orchid gardens here are also justifiably famous, with ponds filled with golden carp and tropical birds like parrots and flamingos in residence.
Practical Info
The Victoria Butterfly Gardens are 20 km (14 miles) north of downtown Victoria, on the Saanich Peninsula. The Butchart Gardens are just five minutes away.
It’s a 30-minute drive from Victoria if you’re driving. Buses run here from downtown Victoria, as well as from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal.
Why not combine two of Victoria’s major highlights on an organized tour taking in both the Butterfly Gardens and the Butchart Gardens?Victoria Cruise Port
- Tours generally depart from downtown Victoria, not the cruise port.
- Dockside you will find gift shops, a currency exchange, and pay phones.
- The climate in Victoria is mild but tends to be rainy. Bring an umbrella or rain jacket.
- Butchart Gardens, a Victoria highlight, requires a tour or taxi to get there, as it is about a 20-minute drive.
Yaletown
Pedestrian-friendly Yaletown is Vancouver’s "little SoHo", a former red-brick rail terminal turned into a warehouse district lined with swanky New York-style lofts and chichi boutiques. The focal point of the modern-day yuppie enclave exudes a hip and inviting atmosphere - especially at night, when its sophisticated drink and dine spots are packed to the rafters with the city’s beautiful people checking each other out.
Walking along Yaletown streets provides a bounty of attractions. The neighborhood has plenty of pricey boutiques to window shops, art galleries to linger in, and lots of places to stop for lunch, coffee or a splurge-worth dinner. Some of the best seafood restaurants are here, as is Yaletown Brewing Company, where you can sample its home-brewed beer.
If you’re curious about the area’s almost-forgotten rough-and-ready past, follow the old rail lines embedded in many of the streets and amble over to the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre. You’ll find a mothballed steam train that recalls the area’s original raison d’etre.
Practical Info
Yaletown, located on the east end of downtown Vancouver, is roughly bordered by Nelson Street, Homer Street, Drake Street, and Pacific Boulevard. Hamilton and Mainland streets are the trendiest arteries through the neighborhood. Yaletown is easily accessible via public transportation and within walking distance to downtown attractions.