Vancouver, BC, Adventures: A Season-by-Season Travel Guide

Visiting Vancouver

No matter the time of year, Vancouver, BC, has plenty to keep you busy

written by Michelle Hopkins

VANCOUVER IS A world-class urban city of dramatic, mountainous landscapes, surrounded by creeks and inlets and colorful neighborhoods. It’s no wonder Vancouver ranked #21 in the Big 7 Travel’s Top 50 Bucket List Destinations In The World: 2019 (the only Canadian city to make the list).

Whatever season you choose to visit Hollywood North, there is plenty to see and do. Outdoor enthusiasts have long visited for the adrenaline-rush adventure sports—sailing, scuba diving, sea kayaking, rafting, mountain biking and rock climbing are all big hits in the summer. During the colder months, visitors head to the slopes, as well as to cross country ski, ice skate and snowshoe.

If you are planning your itinerary, however, make sure to time your trip to coincide with some of the best events in Vancouver and surrounding neighborhoods. For a place that once held the “No Fun City” moniker back in 2012, OnTrak is here to debunk that nickname with an insider’s guide to some of the best events and festivals Vancouver has to offer.

Cherry blossoms abound in Vancouver and its suburbs.

Grant Harder

SPRING

This season signifies a time of renewal and the cycle of life, and with that comes the promise of cherry blossoms. While Japan is considered the world’s top cherry blossom destination, a suburb of Vancouver is a close second. Every April, the Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival showcases 255 Akebono cherry blossom trees at Garry Point Park, at the mouth of the Fraser River. The grove of trees is the backdrop for a day of traditional Japanese music and dance performances, delicious food options and fun activities celebrated in Japan. While here, take in the many food stations serving bento boxes, yakitori skewers and Japanese-inspired hot dogs.

There is plenty of opportunity to keep your kids happy at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival. There are live performances, acrobats, LED glow-in-the-dark puppets, while the activity stage will keep your kids entertained with a magical mystery maze, circus arts, waterworks, canoeing, games, crafts, face painting and origami. After, head to Granville Island Public Market where everyone’s palate will be satisfied.

The Vancouver International Children's Festival.

Vancouver International Children's Festival

If you consider yourself a bit of a cowboy or cowgirl, you will want to venture into the Fraser Valley for one of the best rodeos the West has ever seen. The Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair is a four-day rodeo that pits world-class cowboys and cowgirls competing in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding and barrel racing for $300,000 in prizes. Worthy of the hourdrive from Vancouver, the fair is celebrating its seventy-fourth year and promises four days of buckin’ broncos, mutton bustin’, barrel racing and more.

SUMMER

Vancouverites embrace summer with absolute abandon. Mingle with locals in July when English Bay lights up the skies for the annual Honda Celebration of Light. Dubbed the world’s longest-running offshore fireworks competition, the family-friendly pyrotechnic displays attract hundreds of thousands of spectators to catch three competing countries on each of three days. A little planning and you can get a reservation at Granville Island’s iconic Bridges Restaurant, where you’ll have front-row seats to all of the excitement and some of the best seafood dishes. If you love Shakespeare, book a night at Bard on the Beach—famous for staging Shakespeare with a twist. This annual festival is set off the shores of Kitsilano Beach under white tents in Vanier Park.

A short drive from Vancouver, Richmond is home to the Richmond Night Market. This annual summer night market features more than 120 food vendors, showcasing international cuisine—everything from Afghan bolani to Korean drumsticks and everything in between.

The Richmond Night Market features tons of international cuisine vendors.

FALL

Although fall might be considered the shoulder season in Whistler, it’s actually a great time to visit because Whistler plays host to one of the best culinary events in BC. Like its moniker implies, Cornucopia draws nearly 20,000 guests each year over eleven days. This celebration of food and drink brings together local and international restaurants and acclaimed chefs while highlighting the exceptional wines, beers and spirits from Canada and beyond. Make sure to make a reservation at Bearfoot Bistro, one of Whistler’s iconic restaurants, where you will dine on masterfully prepared cuisine.

As you head back to Vancouver, don’t miss EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival— the ultimate foodie binge-worthy festival. Touted as one of Canada’s most anticipated world-class culinary festivals, EAT! offers everything from tasting events to star-studded intimate dinners, and more. Afterward, dine at Cactus Club Cafe’s Coal Harbour, where the food is only rivaled by the spectacular ocean and mountain views.

Cornucopia is a first-class culinary event in Whistler.

Mike Crane/Tourism Whistler

WINTER

There is lots to do in Vancouver this wintry season. First off, who doesn’t love Santa and his elves? What about scuba diving in a tank at the Vancouver Aquarium? Your children (and you too), will not only revel in watching Santa swim among sea life, but also marvel at the glow of an eel-powered tree. Then, check out the thousands of ocean species and aquatic life. When the kids get hungry, the Aquarium’s Courtyard Café offers delicious burgers with killer fries.

Celebrate the winter season at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Vancouver Aquarium

When the sun starts setting, it’s time to drive to North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge Park for its Canyon Lights. Named one of the nine most spectacular holiday light displays in the world by CNN Travel in 2017, you will be in awe of this dazzling West Coast winter wonderland. A short drive from the Canyon Lights display, warm up on some rustic Italian cuisine at Bufala Edgemont. I suggest the bone marrow pizza, ravioli or rigatoni—all delicious.

Then, get ready for a mind-blowing experience. A mere hour and a half from Vancouver via the Sea to Sky Highway, Whistler’s award-winning Vallea Lumina will astound you as it transports you on a multimedia night journey through luminous visions and hidden wonders in the forest of Cougar Mountain. Reserve your table at Araxi Restaurant & Oyster Bar for a farm-to-table dining experience.

Vallea Lumina lights up the woods each winter.