North Vancouver has some of the Lower Mainland’s most spectacular attractions and places to visit including mountains, numerous parks and miles of nature.
One event happening soon is Trail of Coffee by Latincouver. It’s a trade show for coffee lovers at the Pipe Shop in Lower Lonsdale. The event features coffee-themed exhibits, presentations and tastings on April 20th, 2024. Another event is Koningsdag: King’s Day which is a Dutch cultural event at the Shipyards on April 27th.
This article contains information about the following North Vancouver-related topics:
Top Attractions | Best Places in Nature | North Van Festivals and Events | Hotels | Other Information
North Vancouver’s Best Places
There are few cities anywhere with as many world-class outdoor recreational venues and as much natural beauty as North Vancouver.
Based at the foot of the North Shore Mountains, the area is home to ski hills and some of the most spectacular (and extreme) mountain biking and hiking trails to enjoy. The region also has stunning views along its waterfront.
North Vancouver (North Van to the locals) has some of the Lower Mainland’s most spectacular attractions and places to visit. North Van’s highlights are listed below.
In this article, first we list the region’s top attractions. Then we list the area’s top places in nature followed by its best festivals. At the end of this article we provide additional information about both the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver (which are two separate municipalities but collectively, and very commonly, just called North Van).
Tourist Attractions and Places of Interest in North Vancouver
The following are North Vancouver tourist attractions and other places of interest. (Note: North Van parks and places in nature are listed in their own section further below.)
- Burrard Dry Dock Pier – the large pier at the waterfront in Lower Lonsdale.
- Capilano Mall – the shopping centre is where you’ll find the North Shore Bike Park which is the largest indoor attraction of its kind in the region.
- Capilano Suspension Bridge – one of Metro Vancouver’s most famous attractions within the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
- Cates Deck – a plaza area on the waterfront in Lower Lonsdale where events sometimes take place (and where people can drink alcohol at other times).
- Grouse Grind – a renowned hiking/stair-climbing trail that pushes fitness levels.
- Lonsdale Quay – where you’ll find the Lonsdale Quay Public Market and the North Shore’s SeaBus terminal.
- Lonsdale Quay Public Market – one of Metro Vancouver’s two best and most famous year-round indoor public markets
- Lower Lonsdale – home to the Polygon Gallery, Lonsdale Quay and Shipyards.
- Maplewood Farm – a former dairy farm that now features pigs, chickens, horses and hundreds of birds and other farm animals.
- Museum of North Vancouver (MONOVA) – a fairly new museum near the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue. It’s a great place to learn about the region’s history. The museum also hosts walking tours called Shipyard Pals in the summer.
- Polygon Gallery – an art museum located at 101 Carrie Cates Court in Lower Lonsdale.
- Shipyards – an area in Lower Lonsdale that features a public plaza, a 700-foot Pier, free ice skating in winter and community events throughout the year. Shipbuilders’ Square and Cates Deck by the Polygon Gallery are also two out of several Places You Can Drink Alcohol in Public.
- Waterfront Park – it’s not a “tourist attraction” per se. It’s a nice place though, and a park where you can drink alcohol in public.
North Vancouver Ski Hills and Golf Courses
Other tourist attractions and places of interest include the following:
- Northlands Golf Course – one of Metro Vancouver’s best public golf courses.
- Grouse Mountain – Vancouver’s most accessible ski hill and home to ziplining and other year-round activities.
- Mt. Seymour – Metro Vancouver’s favourite ski hill for young families and snowshoeing enthusiasts.
In addition to the above, North Vancouver also has a few theatre venues. They include Centennial Theatre, Presentation House and Deep Cove Theatre.
If you love nature and outdoor recreation, then you’ll love North Vancouver. This part of the Lower Mainland has the most of everything, including rain, snow, mountain bikes and wait times at the hospital’s emergency room (due to all the extreme sports activities in the region)!
Check out North Vancouver’s Best Bars and Restaurants for places to eat and drink on the North Shore. Some of the places we have articles about include The Lobby, Pier 7, JOEY and Tap & Barrel.
Did you know that you can drink alcohol in six parks and two public plazas between 11:00 am and dusk? For details and locations click North Vancouver Parks Where You Can Drink Alcohol.
North Vancouver Places in Nature
- Baden Powell Trail – an amazing hiking route through the forests and across the North Shore mountains.
- Capilano River Regional Park – stunning views, hiking trails and the source of a third of Metro Vancouver’s pristine drinking water. Also home to the Capilano River Hatchery.
- Cates Park – a great park for young children and from which to kayak in the summer.
- Cleveland Dam – a site to visit at the Capilano River Regional Park with beautiful views of the mountains and nearby walking trails.
- Deep Cove – a picturesque seaside village that’s perfect for kayaking and paddle boarding. It’s also great for hiking, with excellent trails leading to a lookout at Quarry Rock.
- Grouse Grind – the North Shore’s most famous hiking trail. Locals dub the “Grind” as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.”
- Inter River Park – a park with walking trails, off-leash dog areas, sports fields and a BMX bike park.
- Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve – a park that’s home to beautiful Rice Lake and the Seymour Demonstration Forest.
- Lynn Canyon Park – a first-class park with trails through the forest and a free suspension bridge.
- Lynn Headwaters Regional Park – exceptional hiking trails for both beginners and experts.
- Maplewood Flats Conservation Area – a nature preserve that’s home to a large number of birds.
- Mount Seymour Park – the provincial park where Mt. Seymour Ski Hill is located. It’s full of trails for hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing.
- Princess Park – a lesser-known medium-sized park that’s full of forested trails and popular with dog owners.
- Rice Lake – a beautiful lake that’s great for fishing and walking around.
- Seymour Demonstration Forest – one of the best places to take the family for a bike ride with its paved cycling trails through the woods.
- Trans Canada Trail – the longest hiking trail in the world passes through some of North Vancouver’s finest natural splendours.
Lynn Canyon Video
To give you an idea of what nature looks like in North Vancouver, check out the following video. It’s of a scene at Lynn Canyon Park. The park is famous for its suspension bridge, but also for its beautiful hiking trails. The suspension bridge is free to walk across unlike its sister bridge in North Vancouver, the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park that requires an admission fee to enter and walk the bridge. The spot featured in the video is of a giant rock which is located not far from the 30-Foot Pool which is an especially popular spot in the summer.
For more information about the park, and to see a couple of other videos about its hiking trails, see our article about Lynn Canyon.
North Van Festivals & Events
North Vancouver hosts a number of festivals and events throughout the year. Some are small and community-focused, while others are major events that attract people from all across the Lower Mainland.
Below are North Vancouver events of special interest that usually occur in years without pandemics.
Music Events
The following are music-focused events with free admission at various times of the year in North Vancouver:
- North Vancouver Summer Concert Series – free outdoor concerts in July and August in Lynn Valley, Edgemont Village and Deep Cove.
- Shipyards Summer Sessions Concerts – free concerts on Saturday evenings in July and August at Shipbuilders’ Square.
Events On National Holidays
- Canada Day – North Vancouver’s Canada Day celebrations on July 1st. They used to happen at Waterfront Park. More recently, however, they have happened at the Shipyards.
- Remembrance Day – the City of North Vancouver’s main Remembrance Day event includes a small parade through the streets and a ceremony at Victory Park each year on November 11th.
RECKLESS SHIPYARDS
If you’re looking for a place to rent or buy e-bikes, a great place to check out is Reckless Shipyards. That’s where we got one of our e-bikes. We’ve been impressed with their customer service and love the bike!
Cultural Festivals and Other Events
The following events take place at various times of the year. Some have a cultural theme, some are community-focused and some are just fun or interesting in other ways.
- Bastille Day – a French festival celebrated on a weekend close to July 14th.
- Brewhalla North Vancouver – a craft beer and music festival at the Shipyards in the fall.
- Canyon Frights – Halloween-themed displays and lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in October.
- Deep Cove Daze – a small community festival with music, food and family activities in North Vancouver’s Deep Cove on the last Sunday in August. (Note: This event hasn’t happened for a few years and might not ever happen again.)
- Koningsdag: King’s Day – a Dutch-themed cultural event that celebrates the birthday of the King of the Netherlands at the Shipyards on April 27th.
- Love Lights – a Valentine’s-themed event at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
- Lynn Valley Days – a community festival in Lynn Valley.
- North Shore Artisan Market – a market where you can buy local artisan products at the Pipe Shop in Lower Lonsdale. It happens on various dates a few times each year.
- Osprey Festival – a small event celebrating nature and Indigenous culture at the Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in July.
- Persian New Year – the Persian New Year takes place around March 19th or 20th each year. A week before there is sometimes a free event at the Shipyards.
- Polish Festival – a small Polish festival at either Lynn Valley Village or the Shipyards in early September.
- Philippine Days – a Filipino cultural event at North Vancouver’s Waterfront Park near Lonsdale Quay in June.
- Shipyards Festival – a music festival and street party at the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue in September.
- Vancouver’s North Shore Craft Beer Week – a beer-themed series of events involving North Vancouver craft breweries in November. The week begins with its biggest event which is its Launch Party in the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards.
- Trail of Coffee – presented by Latincouver, this event is all about coffee. It takes place in April at the Pipe Shop. The event features exhibits and presentations about the process of making coffee. There are also tastings to enjoy.
Christmas-Related Activities
Below are Christmas holiday-themed events that happen in winter. The list also includes a fun (but crazy) New Year’s Day activity.
- Canyon Lights – Christmas lights and family-friendly things to do at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park from late November until January.
- Carol Ships Shoreline Celebration – a community event with a giant bonfire, music, family-friendly activities and a procession of boats with Christmas lights in December.
- Deep Cove Penguin Plunge – a New Year’s Day event involving live music, a community bonfire and a mass polar bear-style swim in the ocean at Panorama Park.
- Holiday Hi-Light Festival – Christmas light displays at Park & Tilford garden in December.
- Peak of Christmas – ice skating, sleigh rides and holiday decorations at Grouse Mountain in December.
- Shipyards Christmas Festival – Christmas celebrations at Shipbuilders’ Square on the first Saturday in December.
North Vancouver Hotels
North Vancouver doesn’t have a lot of hotels, but it does have a few. Some of the most prominent include the Holiday Inn, Pinnacle at the Pier, Seaside Hotel and the Lonsdale Quay Hotel.
To learn more about these and other places to stay on the North Shore see our article about North Vancouver Hotels. For information about accommodations on the other side of Burrard Inlet, see our article about Downtown Vancouver Hotels.
About North Vancouver
Located across from Vancouver via either the Lions Gate Bridge or Iron Workers’ Memorial Bridge (the latter Second Narrows as the locals call it), North Vancouver is actually made up of two separate municipalities: the City of North Vancouver (population ~48,000) and the District of North Vancouver (population ~83,000).
The City of North Vancouver is the municipality that is more or less bordered by the waters of Burrard Inlet (to the south), MacKay Road (in the west), 29th Street (to the north) and parts of the North Shore east of Lynn Creek. It’s the more urban of the two municipalities. The much larger District of North Vancouver, meanwhile, is pretty much everything else between West Vancouver and both Deep Cove and the waters of Indian Arm.
The more urban City is in the middle and it’s surrounded by the slightly more rural District. Except for political purposes and taxation, most people simply refer to both places collectively as just North Vancouver (or North Van for short).
When you look across Burrard Inlet at the North Shore Mountains from Canada Place or Coal Harbour, the beautiful community you see at the base of the hills is North Vancouver, or just North Van.
North Vancouver is on the traditional unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Reserve lands for both the Squamish Nation (or Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) and Tsleil-Waututh (which means People of the Inlet) are spread out across the area including near Lions Gate Bridge and Cates Park.
OHM ELECTRIC BIKES
OHM Electric Bikes is the oldest e-bike manufacturer in Canada. Their products are designed and assembled on the North Shore. We are very happy with the e-bike we got from them and are also glad to support a local business.
Other Information
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- West Vancouver
- City of Vancouver
- Vancouver’s North Shore
- Metro Vancouver
- North Vancouver Hotels
- North Vancouver Restaurants
To learn more about the community see the City of North Vancouver and District of North Vancouver‘s websites. Also, for information about local businesses, and for general facts and statistics about the region, see the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce‘s website.
NORTH VAN SIGN COMPANY
Looking for a North Shore-based company to do some sign printing for you? Vancouver’s Best Places has used Jensen Signs for some of our printing needs and have been very happy with the results. They do interior signs, exterior signs, vehicle wrapping, tradeshow booths, boat lettering, reception signs and more.
