Trip highlights
- 1Stanley Park seawall cycle — 22km of ocean views
- 2Whistler day trip — ski or hike
- 3Granville Island Public Market
- 4Capilano Suspension Bridge and rainforest
- 5Richmond Night Market — world's best Asian food court
Daily spend
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Gastown
Thursday, July 1
Est. spend
$150
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Vancouver International Airport, Richmond, BC
YVR is 15km from downtown. Canada Line SkyTrain to Waterfront Station takes 26 minutes (CAD$4.75/$3.50). Uber to downtown: CAD$35–45 ($26–33). The Compass card (transit card, CAD$6 deposit) covers all SkyTrain, buses, and SeaBus.
Get a Compass card at the airport station — load CAD$25 for the full week's transit.
☀️ Afternoon
Gastown and the steam clock
Gastown, Vancouver, BC
Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood — cobblestone streets, Victorian red-brick buildings, the famous steam clock (1977, chimes every 15 minutes), and the best independent restaurants in the city. The street art on the alleys off Blood Alley is excellent.
The Gastown steam clock is photographed by every tourist — it's actually a newer replica (1977) powered by city steam. Still charming.
🍽️ Meals
Hawksworth, Rosewood Hotel Georgia
Modern Canadian · $80 · David Hawksworth's flagship is consistently Vancouver's best restaurant. The dry-aged beef and BC spot prawns are the seasonal highlights.
Stanley Park & Granville Island
Friday, July 2
Est. spend
$180
per person
🌅 Morning
Stanley Park seawall cycle
Stanley Park Seawall, Vancouver, BC
The 22km seawall around Stanley Park — ocean on one side, old-growth forest on the other, mountains across the water, and the Lions Gate Bridge as the northern turnaround. Rent bikes at the park entrance from Spokes (CAD$10/hour or $28/half-day).
The seawall is counter-clockwise for cyclists. The Third Beach section (west side) has the best view of English Bay and the downtown skyline. The totem poles at Brockton Point are free and extraordinary.
☀️ Afternoon
Granville Island Public Market
Granville Island Public Market, Johnston St, Vancouver
The most celebrated urban market in Canada — fresh BC seafood, artisan bread, local cheese, and the False Creek waterfront. The False Creek Ferries (miniature ferries, CAD$6 one-way) connect Granville Island to the Aquatic Centre and Yaletown.
The Lee's Donuts stall inside the market (since 1979) has the best glazed donuts in Vancouver. The lineup extends outside on weekends.
🍽️ Meals
Miku, Coal Harbour
Japanese · $65 · The best sushi in Vancouver — aburi (flame-seared) style from the Aburi group. The salmon oshi sushi (pressed and seared) is the signature.
Whistler Day Trip
Saturday, July 3
Est. spend
$280
per person
🌅 Morning
Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler
Whistler, BC, Canada
The 120km drive from Vancouver to Whistler on Highway 99 (the Sea-to-Sky) is one of the world's great coastal mountain drives — Howe Sound fjord on one side, coastal mountains on the other. Shannon Falls, Stawamus Chief (North America's largest granite monolith), and Brandywine Falls are all on the route.
Rent a car at YVR for the Whistler day trip (CAD$60–80/$44–59) or take the Epic Rides bus from Vancouver (CAD$45 return). The drive itself is 2 hours of extraordinary coastal scenery.
☀️ Afternoon
Whistler PEAK 2 PEAK gondola
Whistler Gondola, Whistler, BC
The world's longest unsupported gondola span (3.024km) between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains at 436m above the valley. Summer: hiking from the summit; winter: skiing. The gondola ride gives 360° coastal mountain views.
Book online at whistlerblackcomb.com for slight discounts. The PEAK 2 PEAK glass-floor gondola car (one in every 28) has a see-through floor — extra cost but extraordinary.
🍽️ Meals
Araxi Restaurant, Whistler Village
Modern Canadian · $80 · The best restaurant in Whistler. BC spot prawns (in season May–June), Pemberton potatoes, and the local farm produce tasting menu.
North Shore — Capilano & Grouse
Sunday, July 4
Est. spend
$220
per person
🌅 Morning
Capilano Suspension Bridge
3735 Capilano Rd, North Vancouver, BC
The 137m suspension bridge across the Capilano River gorge (70m above the river) — plus the Cliffwalk (narrow steel walkways cantilevered over the cliff face) and the Treetops Adventure (7 suspension bridges through old-growth Douglas fir canopy). Entry CAD$58 ($43) adult.
The Bridge is touristy but genuinely good — the Cliffwalk section is the highlight. The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge nearby is FREE and equally dramatic (though shorter) — worth it if budget is tight.
☀️ Afternoon
Grouse Mountain — Skyride and bears
Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver, BC
Grouse Mountain is 15 minutes from downtown by SkyTrain + bus. The gondola to the summit (1,231m) gives the best view of Vancouver — the city, the harbour, and Vancouver Island across the water. The resident grizzly bears (Grinder and Coola) are in an enclosure on the summit. Entry CAD$69 ($51).
The Grouse Grind — the Skyride hike (2.9km, 853m elevation, 1.5 hours up) is the hardest casual hike in metro Vancouver. Free to hike up, Skyride required ($15) to come down.
🍽️ Meals
Miku, Vancouver (return visit) or Vij's
Indian-Canadian · $45 · Vij's on Cambie Street — Vikram Vij's innovative Indian-Canadian cuisine. The lamb popsicles in fenugreek curry are the most famous dish in Vancouver.
Richmond Night Market & Kayaking
Monday, July 5
Est. spend
$165
per person
🌅 Morning
Deep Cove kayaking
Deep Cove Kayak Centre, 2156 Banbury Rd, North Vancouver
Deep Cove in North Vancouver is the most beautiful urban kayak launch in Canada — paddle into Indian Arm (a 23km fjord) past cliff walls and forested shorelines. Half-day double kayak rental: CAD$68 ($50).
The paddle to Racoon Island (2km) gives the full fjord experience. Bald eagles are common along the shoreline.
☀️ Afternoon
Richmond Steveston fishing village
Steveston, Richmond, BC
Steveston (a neighbourhood of Richmond) is a preserved 19th-century fishing village — the historic Gulf of Georgia Cannery, fresh fish straight off the dock (buy sockeye salmon directly from fishermen), and the best fish and chips in Metro Vancouver.
Pajo's on the dock (seasonal) has the best halibut fish and chips in BC — eat at outdoor tables watching the fishing boats.
🌙 Evening
Richmond Night Market
8351 River Rd, Richmond, BC
The largest night market in North America — 10pm to 3am on weekends, 400+ food stalls with Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese street food. One of the great food experiences in Canada.
The Richmond Night Market is seasonal (May–October). The General Tsao chicken, stinky tofu, and the beef skewers are the standards. Entry: CAD$2.
🍽️ Meals
Pajo's, Steveston Wharf
Canadian seafood · $20 · The best fish and chips in Metro Vancouver.
Gulf Islands — Salt Spring
Tuesday, July 6
Est. spend
$130
per person
🌅 Morning
Ferry to Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada
BC Ferries from Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver) to Long Harbour, Salt Spring Island takes 2 hours. Salt Spring is the most populated of the Southern Gulf Islands — a community of artists, organic farmers, and back-to-landers producing the best artisan food in BC.
The Saturday Ganges Market (year-round, 9am–3pm) is the best farmers market in BC — artisan cheeses, Salt Spring lamb, fresh oysters, pottery, and locally grown lavender.
☀️ Afternoon
Mt Maxwell summit and island beaches
Mt Maxwell Provincial Park, Salt Spring Island
The drive to Mt Maxwell summit (589m) gives the single most beautiful view of the Southern Gulf Islands — the sea channels between the islands, the ferries below, and Washington State's mountains behind. St Mary Lake beach for afternoon swimming.
🍽️ Meals
Tree House Café, Ganges
West Coast Canadian · $25 · Live folk music outdoor café in a pear tree. The best casual lunch on Salt Spring.
Kitsilano & Departure
Wednesday, July 7
Est. spend
$90
per person
🌅 Morning
Kitsilano Beach pool and neighbourhood
Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, BC
Kits Beach has the largest outdoor seawater pool in Canada (137m, heated). The Kitsilano neighbourhood behind it — 4th Avenue with coffee shops, yoga studios, and the best independent bookshop in Vancouver (Kidsbooks, Barbara-Jo's Books). Morning coffee culture.
The Vancouver Museum and H.R. MacMillan Space Centre are adjacent to Kits Beach — the Space Centre's planetarium shows are excellent.
☀️ Afternoon
Airport transfer
Vancouver International Airport
Canada Line SkyTrain from Waterfront or Broadway-City Hall to YVR: 26 minutes. Allow 3 hours before international departure.
🍽️ Meals
Café Bica, Kitsilano
Portuguese café · $18 · The best pastéis de nata in Vancouver. Good espresso in a low-key neighbourhood café.
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
June–September for hiking, kayaking, and outdoor activities. December–March for skiing at Whistler and Grouse Mountain. April–May has cherry blossoms throughout the city (spectacular). Rainy season is November–March — bring good rain gear.
🛂 Visas
Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) required for most nationalities except US citizens — apply at canada.ca/eta ($7 CAD). Approved in minutes to days. Valid 5 years.
💱 Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD). 1.36 CAD per USD. Vancouver is expensive by Canadian standards — restaurant meals cost CAD$20–35/person minimum. The outdoor activities are excellent value.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 911
ambulance: 911
coast guard: 1-800-567-5111
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Vancouver has a serious homelessness and drug issue visible in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) — walking around Hastings Street is sobering. The rest of the city is extremely safe.
- BC wild salmon (sockeye, chinook) is the best in the world — eat it as sashimi, grilled, or smoked at every opportunity. Buy directly from Granville Island or Steveston dock fishermen for the freshest.
One thing worth not skipping
A 7-day trip to Vancouver, Canada without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
Comprehensive cover for 150+ adventure activities, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Recommended for most travellers.
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