Vancouver
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Vancouver - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sort by:
5 Recommendations
{{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }}
0 Recommendations
Loading...
-
1. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
The first authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden outside China, this small garden was built in 1986 by 52 Chinese artisans from Suzhou. No power tools, screws, or nails were used in the construction. It incorporates design elements and traditional materials from several of Suzhou's centuries-old private gardens. Guided tours (45 minutes long), included in the ticket price, are conducted at 11 am and 2 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; these are valuable for understanding the philosophy and symbolism that are central to the garden's design. Covered walkways make this a good rainy-day choice. A concert series, including classical, Asian, world, jazz, and sacred music, plays on Thursday evenings in July and August. The free public park next door is a pleasant place to sit, but lacks the context that you get with a tour of the Sun Yat-Sen garden.
578 Carrall St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 5K2, Canada604-662–3207Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$16, Closed Mon. and Tues., Oct.–Apr. -
2. VanDusen Botanical Garden
An Elizabethan maze, a formal rose garden, a meditation garden, and a collection of Canadian heritage plants are among the many displays at this 55-acre site. The collections include flora from every continent and many rare and endangered species. The Phyllis Bentall Garden area features hybrid water lilies and carnivorous plants (a hit with kids). From mid-May to early June, the Laburnum Walk forms a canopy of gold. In August and September, the wildflower meadow is in bloom. The garden is also home to five lakes, a garden shop, a library, and The Garden Café (serving breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea) and Shaughnessy Restaurant. Special events throughout the year include the spectacular Christmas-theme Festival of Lights every December. From Downtown, catch the Oak Bus 17 directly to the garden entrance. Alternatively, ride the Canada Line to Oakridge/41st Street, then take the UBC Bus 41 to Oak Street, and walk four blocks north to the garden. Queen Elizabeth Park is a 1-km (½-mile) walk away, along West 37th Avenue. Because this was once a golf course, pathways make this garden extremely wheelchair accessible.
View Tours and Activities5251 Oak St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6M 4H1, Canada604-257--8335-gardenSight Details
Rate Includes: C$12 Apr.–Sept.; C$9 Oct.–Mar. -
3. Nitobe Memorial Garden
Opened in 1960 in memory of Japanese scholar and diplomat Dr. Inazo Nitobe (1862–1933), this 2½-acre walled garden, which includes a pond, a stream with a small waterfall, and a ceremonial teahouse, is considered one of the most authentic Japanese tea and strolling gardens outside Japan. Designed by Professor Kannosuke Mori of Japan's Chiba University, the garden incorporates many native British Columbia trees and shrubs, pruned and trained Japanese-style, and interplanted with Japanese maples and flowering shrubs. The circular path around the park symbolizes the cycle of life and provides a tranquil view from every direction. Cherry blossoms are the highlight in April and May, and in June the irises are magnificent. Because the garden is so exotic, it's worth renting an audio guide. Or take a free drop-in tour Thursday at 11 am between May and September. Japanese tea ceremonies, offered through the Urasenke Foundation, are held the last Saturday of every month, May through September. For reservations, email [email protected] (C$10). If you're planning to visit several attractions at UBC, a UBC Attractions Pass will save you money.
1895 Lower Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada604-822--6038Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$7, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
4. Queen Elizabeth Park
Lavish sunken gardens (in a former stone quarry), a rose garden, and an abundance of grassy picnicking spots are just a few of the highlights at this 52-hectare (130-acre) park. Poised at the highest point in the city, there are 360-degree views of Downtown. Other park facilities include 18 tennis courts, pitch and putt (an 18-hole putting green), and a restaurant. In the Bloedel Conservatory, you can see tropical and desert plants and 100 species of free-flying tropical birds in a glass geodesic dome—the perfect place to be on a rainy day. To reach the park by public transportation, take the Canada Line to King Edward station. From there, it's a six-block walk to the edge of the park (and a hike up the hill to appreciate the views). Cambie Bus 15, which runs south along Cambie Street from the Olympic Village SkyTrain station, will drop you a little closer, at the corner of 33rd and Cambie. Park activities make for a great family excursion, and unlike Stanley Park with its acres of rainforest, Queen Elizabeth Park is all about the flowers.
View Tours and ActivitiesCambie St. at 33rd Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 2Z1, Canada604-873--7000Sight Details
Rate Includes: Conservatory C$7 -
5. University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
Ten thousand trees, shrubs, and rare plants from around the world thrive on this 70-acre research site on the university campus, which abuts Pacific Spirit Park. The complex feels as far away from the city as you can get, with forested walkways through an Asian garden, a garden of medicinal plants, and an alpine garden with some of the world's rarest plants. A Walk in the Woods is a 20-minute loop that takes you through more than 1,000 species of coastal plant life. The garden gift store is one of the best of its kind. One-hour guided tours, free with garden admission, are offered on certain days; call or check the website for a schedule. If you're planning to visit several attractions at UBC, a UBC Museums and Gardens Pass will save you money. The 308-meter-long (1,010-foot-long) Greenheart TreeWalk Canopy Walkway, a swaying network of suspended bridges weaving a trail between huge cedars and hemlocks, is a thrilling way to explore the garden. Along the way, you stop off on eight platforms in the trees, each more than 15 meters (49 feet) high, while an additional two-story viewing platform tops a freestanding tower more than 22 meters (72 feet) in the air. Visits to the walkway are at your own pace or by a 45-minute guided tour, where you learn about the forest, local wildlife, environmental issues, and First Nations traditions; call or check the website for seasonal tour schedules. The walkway is a great adventure for kids. Just note that small children must either be able to walk on their own or be carried in a child backpack or other carrier (strollers aren't permitted).
6804 S.W. Marine Dr., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada604-822--4208Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$10; C$26 includes Nitobe Memorial Garden and Greenheart TreeWalk, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
{{ (numCurrentPage-1)*numPageLimit+index+1 }}.
{{ item.neighborhood }} | {{ item.first_keyword }}{{ item.review }}
{{ item.address }}{{ item.phone[0] }}{{ item.details.title }} Details
{{ item.details.content.toString() }}View Tours and Activities -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
No sights Results
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName }} Sights in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
