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Vancouver Visitor Guide: Where to Stay, Eat & Explore!
60
items Where to eat, what to do, and how to pack for Vancouver (plus places to AVOID!)
Map
Sections
6
Activities
Where To Stay in Vancouver
AMAZING Restaurants
Still Very Good Restaurants
Things to pack
Places to AVOID!
Activities
I recommend this day trip! Visit Whistler and Squamish on this no-hassle day-trip with transportation to some of the most beautiful spots in BC! Get incredible photos, ride the Sea to Sky Gondola, and enjoy a day outside of the city. The price is rea...
Whistler and Sea to Sky Gondola Tour
A cool place to visit for the day if you aren't afraid of heights! There is a free shuttle from Canada Place that takes you directly to the park, too! The park has a series of suspension bridges and “cliff walks” that allow you to enjoy Canada's natu...
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park Ticket
2
Grab a fish and chips or one of the many other cuisine options available at the market! Plenty of outdoor seating, accompanied by live music all around and great views. Accessible by bike, ferry, walk or car! We went here multiple times to get fresh ...
Granville Island Public Market
A gorgeous park to bike, rollerblade, run or walk! So much to do and see. You could easily spend a day here. Make sure to bring water and wear your walking shoes and sunscreen!
Stanley Park
Hundreds of food vendors featuring delicacies from all over the world! Open at night Friday-Sunday and entry fee is $8 CAD. It is accessible by public transport (Canada Line). Honestly we thought it was overrated and overpriced, but check it out if i...
Richmond Night Market
I love thrifting and this was the best thrift store I visited while in Vancouver! There are a few other thrift shops on Main street, too, so you can definitely make a day out of it :)
Front & Company
I love to hang out in bookstores while I travel (and I usually read a lot, too) and I went to indigo weekly just to chill. It's so easy to spend hours in here (and they have a public bathroom too)
Indigo
Where To Stay in Vancouver
We stayed in Yaletown, which is very close to Olympic Village, and LOVED our location. The entire city is very walkable. We would walk/bike from our place to Robson Street, Stanley Park, Canada Place, Gastown, Chinatown, etc every day. If you stay in...
In Olympic Village, which is a great area near the waterfront, restaurants, cafes, and outdoor walking/biking trails!
Stylish 1BD condo in Olympic Village
Yaletown condo with a view! We stayed in Yaletown and thought it was the PERFECT location
Downtown Vancouver Condo- Yaletown
Yaletown condo with a view and minutes away from a Skytrain station and waterfront
Beautiful Yaletown Condo
Area with great restaurants, Chinatown, and Costco lol
One Bed in DT Vancouver Close to Chinatown & Skytrain
In downtown close to Robson Street (shopping street) and the waterfront
The Charlie Suite by COMFYSUITES
Spacious condo with a great view in downtown near Robson St (shopping street)
Modern DT Vancouver Loft In The Heart Of The City
We met here for tour groups and it was always very clean and the staff is friendly. If you're planning on booking any tours, chances are, if you stay here, the bus will arrive right at your hotel to pick you up!
Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown, an IHG Hotel
Fairmont hotels are always a 5 star experience and this one is in a great location in downtown close to the waterfront. You'll be in proximity to the main shopping street, tons of great restaurants, activities, Stanley Park, and more.
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
AMAZING Restaurants
All are “hole in the wall” joints that will run you less than $20 CAD per person :)
One of the best Taiwanese beef noodle soups I've had. The menu is big, but if you want something classic and delicious, order the original beef noodle soup.
RedBeef Noodle Kitchen (Chinatown)
This unassuming Indonesian restaurant is located in the food court of the International Village Mall near Chinatown. Order the Beef Rendang and eggplant with the tumeric rice… you won't be disappointed! The portion sizes are a bit small, but soooo de...
Bali Thai
GO HERE!!! Their OG coffee caramel bun is AMAZING! You don't need to get it with any toppings, it's perfect on it's own! Great for breakfast or a snack. They also have ice cream stuffed buns if you're looking for something sweeter. One bun is $4.50 C...
Papparoti
This Vietnamese/Cambodian restaurant is SO cute (the interior is pink with big chandeliers) and offers nice portion sizes of classic Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes. We enjoyed the Laksa beef noodle soup and Vermicelli bowl with pork and an egg roll....
Pho Khanh Express
The BEST pad thai I've ever had and very affordable lunch specials! Only $13 CAD!
Thai Away Home
This is REAL gelato! They make it fresh in house and you can TELL! I got Mango in a cone and I'd recommend it if you're craving a fruit flavor! They have a good amount of flavors, like tiramisu, salted caramel, dark chocolate, pistachio, passion frui...
Passione Gelato
Order the steamed pork bun! It is so flavorful and quite big! We also enjoyed the egg tarts. Cash and debit card only!
New Town Bakery & Restaurant
I'm not usually a huge fan of a chicken sandwich, but I'd eat this over and over again! You can tell it is thoughtfully made because the toppings and flavors are in perfect proportion and work together so well. I got the Sweet and Spicy Sandwich, whi...
The Frying Pan: Fried Chicken Sandwich Food Truck
If you have time to go to Richmond, this is the place to eat! (Even if it's just for dessert!) The tofu goreng, roti canai, and beef nasi lemak were AMAZING (beef so tender) but they are actually more known for their desserts! We ordered the kuay, pa...
Malaysia St
We were told to only order the chicken rice here so we took that advice and it was delish! Best of all, it was BONELESS! We got a half a chicken to share and ended up ordering another plate to share because we loved it so much. HAHA! We left so full....
Mamalee
This place is so cute and their stuffed croissants and coffee are very good. Great for breakfast or a mid-day stop. We went multiple times. They have a great cappuccino and hot matcha latte. We had the raspberry yuzu (my fav!) and tiramisu croissants...
Le Doux Ciel (悦来）
This place is more 'fancy' (and expensive) than the typical Vietnamese restaurant and I was honestly thinking “the food cant be thaaaat much better” but it was very very good and a different taste than you get at most Vietnamese restaurants. We got t...
Anh and Chi
They have the best Portuguese egg tarts I've ever tasted, go here just to get one (or 2 hehe)
T&T
This place is popular because it has a really good happy hour, so get there right at 2pm when they open to sit down right away. Fresh oysters if you're into that, but I got the fish and chips which was very good and flakey. The lobster rolls and lobs...
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
The place for coffee snobs. The cappuccino is delish
Revolver
Amazing happy hour and food. They're known for their wide selection of sake. Great place for a date night or to catch up with friends! You can have your table for about 2 hours :)
HASHIGO Izakaya
I'm a sucker for soft serve and I wish I had the chance to go here more than once! We got the tiramisu and it was yummy! I'd also be interested in trying the matcha :D
Soft Peaks Ice Cream
Get the mad mango drink and thank me later
BaBa Tang
Still Very Good Restaurants
A really good, affordable and fresh burger. Much better than anything I've ever had in the States. $12 CAD for a hamburger, $14 CAD for a cheeseburger. A GOOD size and filling! I'll definitely return when I'm craving a burger!
Hundy
This is a Japanese-inspired hot dog shop that is also unassuming but REALLY GOOD! I'd love to try everything on their menu lol. I got #1 and #3. Both are delicious! It's a high-quality hot dog/meat. They have locations and food stands all over Vancou...
JAPADOG
Cute spot for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet treat throughout the day! Though they also have a good selection of savory waffles that are unique with toppings and flavors. We got the ham waffle and brie waffle. I'd recommend the ham one over the brie. ...
Nero Waffles
You gotta try Poutine while in Canada! This spot specializes in poutine and fritz (french fries in a cone) and it was a good stop for a quick snack/lunch. They also have vegan options and lots of add ons/sauces to try (but all at an additional cost)....
Fritz European Fry House
I've never had a ramen with creamy broth like this, it's very different than anything I've had in Japan but it was still good! Worth checking out for a quick and affordable lunch as long as there is no line!
Maruhachi Ramen
One of the best places in Vancouver for quality BBQ! We shared the crispy BBQ pork and Roast Duck with rice plate along with the recommended Gai Lan with garlic oil. The Gai Lan was the star!!! The tea they serve here is also surprisingly flavorful a...
Chinatown BBQ
They have multiple locations around Vancouver (there is one in Las Vegas, too). Not the best Malaysian food you can get in the city, but if you're looking for something a little more upscale, then this is your place. The chicken rice, tofu goreng, an...
BANANA LEAF
Another unassuming shop that will leave you feeling FULL and make your taste buds really really happy. :) The portion sizes are BIG and flavorful. We ordered the Minced Pork Noodle Soup and the Pork Ribs Noodle Soup. Surprisingly, both were very diff...
Happy Noodle House
If you're in the mood for Japanese curry while in Vancouver, this is the place to go! The portion size is modest for the price, would have loved more curry sauce on the dish, but the taste and pork katsu was cooked to perfection. I'd eat here again!
WA! CURRY
A fun spot for breakfast, brunch, or lunch! Lots of variety on their menu and plenty of vegan options. I ordered the avocado craffle and it was light and fluffy, and the balsamic glaze was the perfect bit of sweetness! The service wasn't overly frien...
Craffles
Very affordable and tons of different flavors! We got the mango coconut in a waffle cone for only $5.50 CAD! A great place to stop and visit while at or after visiting Olympic Village/Science World.
Amato Gelato Cafe
This place was cute and the drinks were GOOD! We got the mango coconut and matcha mango…I preferred the mango coconut :) The freshly made banana thing is a light snack (the whole place smells like banana bread) and is funny for a photo op :)
Tea Thyme Cafe
The flavor is really good but idk if its worth $24 for a bowl of noodles… they also don't serve the broth very hot so overall I didn't really enjoy it but it had potential to be delish and it's always busy (they have 2 locations)
Fat Mao Noodles (Thai Soup Noodles)-Chinatown
Things to pack
Our airbnb had an awesome view, but the curtains were NOT black out! If you value your beauty sleep, bring an eye mask just in case! I also use this on all my flights
LitBear Sleep Eye Mask Light Blocking & Soft
Plastic bags are BANNED in Vancouver and you have to pay for a bag anywhere you go so bring your own!
Eco Right, Reusable Canvas Tote Bag
Always great to have on hand to protect yourself from the rain and sun!
COMPACT Travel Umbrella - Windproof
Comfy to walk around the city in the summer! Don't forget a comfy pair on walking shoes, too!
$15 Women's Slide Sandals
A compact, travel-friendly jacket. The temperature can change A LOT from city to mountains! It's so compact so it won't take up a lot of space in your bag, but also warm. I don't travel without it! From Uniqlo (they're basically famous for this jacke...
Ultra Light Down Jacket, Perfect for traveling to cold/cool places
SPF setting powder that matches your skin tone. I see so many people walking around the city getting absolutely sunburnt. Dont let that be you! I ALWAYS have this in my makeup bag and purse!
Supergoop (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder Sunscreen SPF 35
Sooo much easier to use than sun lotion. Perfect to carry with you throughout the day to prevent sunburn. I see so many people walking around the city getting sunburned. DONT let that be you!
Korean Sunscreen Stick 22g SPF50+ PA++++
My every day SPF moisturizer. Been using it for 3 years as a base before makeup. I've tried other face sunscreens (even others from Paulas choice) and I keep coming back to this one! Don't let your face get burnt on your trip!
Paula's Choice DEFENSE SPF 30 Glow Moisturizer
The only thing that works to tame flyaways. The humidity is sneaky here, so this is great to have!
R+Co Dart Pomade Stick | Tames Flyaways
A dry shampoo that works and isn't aerosol or stinky!!! (aerosol dry shampoos are linked to cancer and contain so much bad stuff that gets absorbed by your body!) This dry shampoo has a light essential oil smell that isn't overpowering and it helps m...
Organic Dry Shampoo Powder, Dark Hair, 2.5 oz
2 pumps before blow drying for frizz-free hair! The humidity is sneaky here so using a product that curbs frizz is a must for frizzy/curly haired girls like me!
JVN Complete Blowout Styling Milk | Blow Dry ...
Places to AVOID!
Just a block or two from the main street of Chinatown, you'll hit the Eastside which is home to the drug addicted and homeless. I'd recommend avoiding this area at all costs, ESPECIALLY at night!
Downtown Eastside
There is no need to go or eat here. Prices still start at $14+ CAD and you can get MUCH better food elsewhere. Many fast food chains.
Waterfront Centre Food Court
Everyone recommends this place but it was one of the WORST meals we ate in Vancouver. The lobster was overcooked and chewy. The roll was basically unedible. Other people returned their rolls for the same reason, I wish we had, too! The workers seemed...
The Lobster Man