Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Must See When You're in Metro Vancouver 😲
20
items The third largest metropolitan area in Canada boasts a wonderful number of things to do or attractions and places to visit. Some can be seen throughout the year; others are seasonal and weather dependent.
Note: This list may contain affiliate links,...
Sections
2
Seasonal
Year Round
Seasonal
You don't want to miss these events and festivals!
If you're a big Bard of Avon buff, you'll want to check out this annual homage to Shakespeare, which has been going strong for more than 30 years! As for myself, I have read everything Will has written (with the exception of his histories). :)
Bard on the Beach (Vanier Park, Vancouver, June - early autumn)
Enjoy a magical wonderland of 3-million-plus lights on cold winter nights from late November through to early January. For more than a quarter of a century, this event has raised millions of dollars for the BC Professional Firefighters' Burn Fund, wh...
Bright Nights in Stanley Park (November-January in Vancouver)
Get a glimpse into Burnaby's past, and see what life was like in the 1920s, with full-size pioneer buildings (some are heritage buildings; others are replicas) on 10 acres of land, with crafts and trades of the day demonstrated by staff attired in pe...
Burnaby Village Museum (Burnaby; open seasonally throughout the year)
A beautiful family-run farm that's a great place to visit in the summer (for the berries, ice cream, baked goods, homemade honey, candles, and more!) and in the fall (for the pumpkins).
Emma Lea Farms (Westham Island, Ladner - seasonal)
Celebrate garlic, enjoy the fresh locally grown produce of farmer's markets and tasty takeouts of food trucks, and experience raptors up close in this annual festival. Admission by donation.
Richmond Garlic & Raptor Festivals (Richmond, mid-August)
Explore Richmond's rich maritime history through informative exhibits and visits to its heritage canneries, shipyards, and fishing villages during the Richmond Maritime Festival, a 2-day annual celebration in late August. Admission is free.
Richmond Maritime Festival (Richmond, August 23-24)
Watch the dragon boats race in Steveston, enjoy live musical performances and cultural festivities, and great food.
Steveston Dragon Boat Festival (Richmond, late August)
Summer is the best time to take stage plays out into the night air!
Theatre Under the Stars (Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park, Vancouver)
One of the best (free) and largest classic car shows in Metro Vancouver in the summer! See vintage automobiles from the ‘40s, ’50s, ‘60s, ’70s, ‘80s, and ’90s for three days in early August!
Plenty of food trucks, bouncy castles, vendor exhibits, and activities for young and old, one and all!
Complete with a parade down the main street of Tsawwassen!
Plenty of food trucks, bouncy castles, vendor exhibits, and activities for young and old, one and all!
Complete with a parade down the main street of Tsawwassen!
Tsawwassen Sun Festival Classic Car Show (Tsawwassen, early August)
Vancouver is home to 43,000 cherry trees, so a 2-week festival to celebrate them (and the much-anticipated arrival of spring) for their ability to awaken the artistic muse and a sense of wonder about the seasons only seems logical. From nighttime dis...
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (Vancouver, March 27 - April 12)
Watch the dragon boats race in False Creek, enjoy live music, festivities, and great food.
Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival (Vancouver, third week of June)
Fancy mulled wine and stollen? The open-air Vancouver German Christmas market (Vancouver's one and only) with European drinks, cakes, crafts, lights, and giant Christmas trees is a great year-end must see!
Vancouver German Christmas Market (Vancouver, late November - Christmas Eve)
Here's to 40 years of smooth, soothing, and sensational music! There are plenty of free outdoor concerts in the summer. Check out https://www.coastaljazz.ca/events/category/festival/ to learn more.
Vancouver Jazz Festival (Vancouver, June - July)
Year Round
Here are popular spots to visit, almost every day of the year.
Located on the grounds of the UBC campus, Vancouver's only natural history museum lets curious minds of all ages as well as budding young scientists explore thousands of well-preserved wildlife specimens and hundreds of exhibits from prehistoric time...
I was exploring for hours!!
Open Tuesdays through Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Mondays and statutory holidays.
I was exploring for hours!!
Open Tuesdays through Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Mondays and statutory holidays.
Beaty Biodiversity Museum (Vancouver)
A tropical ecosystem in the heart and highest point of Metro Vancouver that's open all year round, the Bloedel Conservatory is home to thousands of trees, hundreds of exotic and colorful birds, and even mason bees, all housed under one magnificent tr...
I was privileged to visit several years ago when (as an added bonus) the corpse lily flowered for the first time!
Open every day of the year (from 10am to 4pm), except Christmas Day.
I was privileged to visit several years ago when (as an added bonus) the corpse lily flowered for the first time!
Open every day of the year (from 10am to 4pm), except Christmas Day.
Bloedel Conservatory (Vancouver)
Not that I needed any encouragement to visit a library--as I was quite the bookworm in my youth--but in case you need convincing, the architecture of this one should be a big motivator!
Drop any conceptions that you may have of what a library should look like with this Vancouver Public Library. No musty books, no dark corners. This striking Colosseum-style built VPL boasts coffee shops and eateries on the bottom floor, multiple floo...
Open year round (check the website for hours of operation).
Drop any conceptions that you may have of what a library should look like with this Vancouver Public Library. No musty books, no dark corners. This striking Colosseum-style built VPL boasts coffee shops and eateries on the bottom floor, multiple floo...
Open year round (check the website for hours of operation).
Central Library on Library Square (Vancouver)
Granville Island is open year round, and features top-notch seafood restaurants like The Keg and The Sandbar, fresh produce from the Granville Island Market (which is open every day of the week, 9am to 6pm), and is home to the bustling theatre scene ...
Granville Island (Vancouver)
A beautiful place to wander and check out (even if you're just window shopping), especially in the summer months. Enjoy a rich variety of cuisines, fresh seafood and produce, weekly farmers markets (June - October), plus unique boutiques and artisan ...
Open year round.
Open year round.
Lonsdale Quay Market (North Vancouver)
This geodesic dome (formerly of Expo 86 fame) is home to many exhibits and events that encourage your child's curiosity about our world. Get immersed in films on the massive OMNIMAX theatre, and interactive with the Ken Spencer Science Park outdoor e...
Open year round, Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Open year round, Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Science World (False Creek, Vancouver)
Vancouver's largest aquarium is still one of my personal favorites for its Pacific sea nettles (which mesmerize me like large, living lava lamps!), otherworldly blooms of moon jellies, and lively assortment of anemones, caimans, cephalopods, corals, ...
Vancouver Aquarium (Vancouver)
5