Travel to Vancouver, Canada - Vancouver Travel Guide

Our Editorial team's advice

Vancouver stands out above all for the quality of life it affords: in spite of its size (with 600,000 inhabitants, it is the third biggest city in Canada), the city manages to preserve a pleasant atmosphere, not to mention a mild climate, that many other cities envy. The city has a very modern aspect since its rather confined area led to the appearance of many skyscrapers in order to optimise space. Wide avenues make it easy to circulate and the locals like to use their bicycles for leisure.
Nicknamed "Lotusland", the city is surrounded by mountains and nature that has remained perfectly preserved; it is the ideal place for hiking and sport activities. If that weren't enough, the ocean right next to it provides plenty of opportunities for excursions on the water and in discovery of an environment that is quasi-unique in the world. The city's museums, meanwhile, are a great place for a cultural stroll. This city is a real little gem combining nature and urbanity, which visitors enjoy discovering again and again.

To see

The whales while on an offshore excursion. You can even dock on some of Vancouver's islands.
To admire the underwater fauna up close, go to the Vancouver Aquarium! Dolphins and seals swim next to more exotic species like piranhas.
You just can't miss the numerous museums in the city. Among them is the Museum of Vancouver, focusing on the city's history, the Museum of Fine Arts, the University of British Columbia, and the Museum of Anthropology, which offers several exhibitions on ancient civilisations.

To do

In winter, the surrounding mountains offer up their slopes for skiing!
In summer, these are used for hiking. Covering almost 1,000 acres, there is no way to avoid Stanley Park in the city centre! Nearly eight million visitors stroll along its 124 mi of paths every year! It is a genuine little nature reserve.
The sea stretches out before you and sailing and so yachting enthusiasts will be in their element, especially on the large Vancouver Island facing the city.

To think about

It rains rather often here, especially in winter. Make sure to bring along a good umbrella!

To avoid

Getting around on foot. Vancouver is a big city nevertheless and to really take advantage of the surroundings, you will need to hire a car.

To try

Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city and its cuisine only benefits from this fact! The large Asian community here means there is an excellent offering of Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese and Thai restaurants.
The proximity of the sea means that fans of shellfish will be able to indulge themselves, but we recommend finding out the best places to go beforehand.
Keep in mind that the food on Granville Island is known for being expensive and not of the best quality.

To bring back

At the Granville Market you will be able to find numerous souvenirs (obviously try to opt for foods that won't go off).
In the district of Gastown, the number of souvenir shops doubles!
Metrotown is a huge shopping centre with nearly 450 stores where you will inevitably find what you are looking for!

Weather Vancouver

These indicators are used as a set of criteria to predict overall weather conditions in Vancouver . The different indicators are there to help you prepare for your trip to Vancouver so you can make plans based on the weather forecast, whether it be a trip to the beach, walking, visiting attractions and museums or winter sports... Here you'll find a precise, overall weather score for each week in Vancouver , which takes into account temperature indicators, bad weather predictions, sunshine levels and wind speeds.

Weather February

Overall rating 23/100

Temperature indicators 0% Very cold
Maximum temperature not to exceed 16°C, the perceived temperature is <30°.
Bad weather indicators 46% Showers
Showers - averaging between 2.5mm and 3.5mm per day.
Sunbathing indicators 34% Cloudy
Overcast 60% to 80% cloud cover.
Swimming indicators 36% Chilly
Sea temperature between 18°C and 20°C. Wind speed between 7 mph and 18 mph.
Wind indicators 70% Light wind
Light winds (between 6mph and 12mph).
Humidity indicators 60% Normal
Slight feeling of discomfort due air humidity registering higher than 65%.