Here you’ll find the 100 best places and attractions to visit in Vancouver and the surrounding area including parks, museums and other places of interest.

Top 100 Vancouver Places

Vancouver is home to dozens of world-class attractions, parks, festivals, events and places you’ll want to visit. The following alphabetical list highlights the 100 top places that both tourists and locals should know about and experience. Click on a place to learn more.

(For information on festivals, click Vancouver’s Top Festivals and Events as they aren’t included in the list below).

1. Alouette Lake – one of the region’s nicest provincial parks and best places for camping (in Maple Ridge).
2. Ambleside – the best beach on the North Shore, and one of the region’s finest places for walks along the ocean.
3. Atchelitz Pioneer Village – a museum and historic site with heritage buildings in Chilliwack.
4. Baden Powell Trail – a wonderful route for hiking with over 40 kilometres of trails stretching from West Vancouver to North Vancouver along the North Shore Mountains.
5. Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival – one of the finest and most celebrated Shakespearean theatre venues in North America, taking place in Vanier Park from mid-June until late September every year.

6. Barnet Marine Park – a waterfront park just below and north of Burnaby Mountain.
7. BC Place Stadium – home field to the BC Lions football team and Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team, so the best place to see major events and professional sports other than hockey. It’s also where you’ll find the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. 
8. BC Sports Hall of Fame – a “best place to be” if you’re a sports history enthusiast.
9. Bear Creek Park – a great city park and one of the top attractions in Surrey, especially for children with its outdoor pool and miniature train.
10. Belcarra Regional Park – a beautiful park near Port Moody that’s home to Sasamat Lake.
11. Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art – showcasing work by one of Canada’s most famous artists, Haida First Nation master carver Bill Reid.
12. Bloedel Conservatory – a glass-domed garden at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park.
13. Bowen Island – a small rural island a short ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver.
14. Bridal Veil Falls – a natural park with beautiful waterfalls in the Fraser Valley.
15. Britannia Mine – a historical copper mine museum and educational place located up the Sea to Sky Highway 45 minutes from Vancouver.
16. Burnaby Mountain – one of the best parks in Burnaby with great views of Vancouver and the North Shore.
17. Burnaby Village Museum – a reconstructed historical village and museum that’s usually free.
18. Canada Place – a scenic waterfront building to walk around in the heart of the city and location of some of the city’s best views.
19. Capilano River Regional Park – stunning views, hiking trails and home to the Cleveland Dam and Capilano River Hatchery, which is an especially interesting place in the fall during the salmon runs.
20. Capilano Suspension Bridge – one of Metro Vancouver’s most visited tourist attractions, located in North Vancouver not far from the base of Grouse Mountain.
21. Cates Park – an ocean-side park in North Vancouver with an amazing kids’ play area, live music on the weekends in the summer and kayak rentals.
22. Chinatown – one of the largest Chinatowns in North America and home to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
23. Chinese Canadian Museum – an interesting museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
24. Clip ‘n Climb Vancouver – a unique and colourful indoor climbing venue in Richmond.
25. Coal Harbour Seawall – a best place to walk and ride a bike with some of Vancouver’s most spectacular views.
26. Crescent Beach – one of Metro Vancouver’s best beaches, and definitely the best one in Surrey.
27. Cultus Lake – home to one of the Lower Mainland’s top campgrounds, provincial parks, water slides and adventure parks.
28. Cultus Lake Adventure Park – an amusement park with a dozen rides that’s open in the summer at Cultus Lake.
29. Cultus Lake Waterpark – the largest and best water slides in the Lower Mainland.
30. Cypress Mountain – the highest ski hill with the most terrain, lifts and vertical drop in Metro Vancouver (so one of the very best places for snow sports in winter).
31. Deep Cove – a picturesque seaside village and a perfect place to kayak, paddle board and admire the scenery.

32. Deer Lake Park – a beautiful city park in Burnaby and home to the Shadbolt Centre and Burnaby Village Museum.
33. Elgin Heritage Park – a popular spot in Surrey and home to historic Stewart Farm.
34. English Bay – Vancouver’s premier urban beach and site of the annual Celebration of Light fireworks displays every summer.
35. False Creek – an exceptional region to walk and cycle around, and home to some of Vancouver’s top attractions.
36. FlyOver Canada – an exciting 30-minute film experience located at Canada Place.
37. Forbidden Vancouver – guided walking tours in Gastown, Stanley Park, the West End and other parts of downtown Vancouver. (Note: The tours aren’t a “place.” They take place in some of the city’s most interesting neighbourhoods, however, and are some of the region’s most enjoyable activities.)
38. Fort Langley – a rebuilt replica of the original Hudson’s Bay Company fort.
39. Fraser River Discovery Centre – a good place for young families to learn about the environment and Fraser River region.
40. Gastown – the historic old quarter of downtown Vancouver with excellent bars, restaurants and touristy souvenir stores.
41. Golden Ears Provincial Park – one of the best venues for camping and experiencing nature (near Maple Ridge).
42. Granville Island – one of Vancouver’s most popular places to visit with art studios, an indoor public market and theatres.
43. Greater Vancouver Zoo – located in Aldergrove, it’s a recommended attraction with its lions, tigers and bears.
44. Grouse Mountain – the best year-round mountain attraction with its winter skiing,  gondola rides up the hill, movie theatre, restaurants, grizzly bear habitat and summer Lumberjack and Birds in Motion shows. It’s also home to the world-famous but gruelling Grouse Grind hiking trail.
45. Gulf of Georgia Cannery – a museum at a former salmon cannery in Richmond’s Steveston Village.
46. Harrison Hot Springs – one of the region’s top places to get away and relax.
47. Horseshoe Bay – a picturesque seaside community and location for one of BC Ferries’ terminals to Vancouver Island.
48. H.R. MacMillan Space Centre – host of Vancouver’s planetarium and a good place for families with children.
49. The Improv Centre – a theatre on Granville Island that specializes in comedy and theatresports-style improv shows.
50. Jericho Beach – one of Vancouver’s most beautiful sandy beaches and home to the annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival.
51. Kitsilano Beach – an exceptional beach with a giant outdoor pool, plus views of the city and North Shore Mountains.

52. Lighthouse Park – a rugged, spectacular and lesser-known waterfront park in West Vancouver.
53. Locarno Beach – a beautiful beach in the Point Grey neighbourhood of Vancouver.
54. Lonsdale Quay – home to a vibrant and colourful public market and North Shore SeaBus Terminus.
55. Lynn Canyon Park – location of incredible hiking trails and the world-famous (and free) Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge.
56. Lynn Headwaters Regional Park – home to some of the North Shore’s best hiking trails.
57. Maplewood Farm – the best place to see farm animals, and a fun attraction to take very young children in North Vancouver.
58. Metrotown – the region’s largest mall and a best place for shopping, with close to 400 stores.
59. MONOVA: The Museum of North Vancouver – a venue in the Shipyards District where you can learn about the history of Vancouver’s North Shore.
60. Mount Seymour – the best North Shore ski hill for beginners, very young families, people who love free snowshoeing trails, and (not free) tubing in winter.
61. Museum of Anthropology – a great anthropological museum at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
62. Museum of Surrey – a museum in Cloverdale that has free admission.
63. Museum of Vancouver – the best place to learn about Vancouver history.
64. The Orpheum – billed as one of the most beautiful concert halls in North America and designated a National Heritage Site.
65. Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) – Vancouverites’ favourite fair that takes place the last three weeks of the summer.

66. Playland – the city’s older yet still thrilling amusement park with roller coasters and other rides.
67. Queen Elizabeth Park – a beautiful park on a hill overlooking the city that’s home to the Bloedel Conservatory.
68. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary – a best place for nature and bird watching in Delta.
69. Rice Lake – one of the most peaceful and picturesque lakes to walk around, and a popular place for fishing.
70. Richmond Night Market – one of Richmond’s best summer attractions and a top place for shopping and Asian street-vendor-type food.
71. Robson Street – one of Vancouver’s trendiest, most vibrant and best shopping districts.
72. Roedde House Museum – a heritage site in Vancouver’s West End.
73. Rolley Lake Provincial Park – one of the Lower Mainland’s best campgrounds (in Mission).
74. Science World – one of Vancouver’s most recognizable buildings with a great OMNIMAX Theatre and lots of cool science stuff to see, making it a “best educational” and entertaining place for young children.
75. Sea to Sky Gondola – a new gondola-ride attraction near Squamish.
76. Second Beach – a beautiful beach with a large outdoor swimming pool in Stanley Park.
77. Seymour Demonstration Forest – paved trails through the forest in North Vancouver – a best place for cycling with the family.
78. Shannon Falls – a fantastic natural, forested park with a spectacular waterfall 45 minutes north of Vancouver.
79. Spanish Banks – one of Vancouver’s best sandy beaches, and the most amazing one at low tide.
80. Stanley Park – one of the largest and most famous public parks in the world, surrounded by a beautiful 10-kilometre seawall with stunning views. If not the number one best place in Vancouver, it’s one of them.
81. Stave Falls – an interesting BC Hydro powerhouse and educational centre near Rolley Lake in Mission.
82. Stawamus Chief – the best mountain for climbing and hiking, located in Squamish 45 minutes north of Vancouver.
83. Steveston Village – one of Metro Vancouver’s most picturesque seaside resort towns and a “best place” for a stroll or cycle along the waterfront.
84. Stewart Farm – one of Surrey’s most interesting historical sites, located at Elgin Heritage Park.
85. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden – a beautiful Chinese garden downtown in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
86. Third Beach – one of Vancouver’s most beautiful beaches, located in Stanley Park.
87. Vancouver Aquarium – one of the city’s top year-round attractions that’s home to beluga whales, sea otters, a million fish and a 4D theatre.
88. Vancouver Art Gallery – the city’s best place to admire art, located downtown beside the Hotel Vancouver.
89. Vancouver Lookout – a skyscraper with 360-degree views from its observation deck, making it a top place for photos and admiring the region on sunny days.

90. Vancouver Maritime Museum – a great museum and the best place to learn about the Pacific Northwest and Arctic’s maritime history.
91. Vancouver Mysteries – outdoor adventure games in downtown Vancouver. It’s not a “place,” it’s an activity and an experience. It’s still, however, in our opinion, one of the region’s top things to do!
92. Vancouver Police Museum – an interesting museum showcasing the city’s police and criminal pasts.
93. VanDusen Botanical Garden – beautiful manicured gardens operated by the city.
94. West Coast Railway Heritage Park – an interesting attraction in Squamish with trains, railway artifacts and all things railroad-ish.
95. West Vancouver Aquatic Centre – a great place for indoor swimming and other water activities.
96. White Rock – one of the region’s most popular seaside resort towns and a great place for a summer day trip.
97. WildPlay Element Park – an adventure-style park with ziplines and ropes courses in Maple Ridge.
98. Whytecliff Park – a relatively well-kept secret with rugged shorelines, world-class scuba diving and hiking trails in West Vancouver near Horseshoe Bay.
99. Wreck Beach – Vancouver’s world-famous clothing-optional beach – Vancouver’s best place to get a full-body suntan (or burn) out in nature.
100. Zero Latency – a virtual reality game centre with locations in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood and Willowbrook Mall in Langley.

Honorable Mentions:

The following is a list of Vancouver places that don’t make our top 100 list, but deserve special mention for various reasons:

1. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – one of the best airports in the world and the top route for getting in and out of Metro Vancouver from afar.
2. Vancouver Symphony Orchestra – wherever it happens to be playing makes it a best place to be in Vancouver (provided that you like orchestra music).
3. Whistler-Blackcomb – Canada’s best and most famous world-class ski resort (located not in Metro Vancouver, but two hours away up the Sea to Sky Highway).
4. Harbour Air Seaplanes – the world’s largest seaplane airline and one of the best ways to get in and out of Vancouver (as well as above it for spectacular views and photos).
5. Yaletown – a trendy and popular urban area of downtown close to False Creek with restaurants and dozens of skyscrapers.