Vancouver/Whistler/Victoria, Canada

What to do in Vancouver/Whistler/Victoria, Canada

Trolley Tour

Enjoy a narrated tour that lets you hop on and off at will along the 16 stops to visit attractions, dine, and shop. Hop back on the next passing trolley and proceed to the next place, like the Vancouver Aquarium, Art Gallery, Rose Garden, and more!.

Lookout Tower

Your adventure begins the moment you step aboard the glass skylift elevators and shoot up just 40 scenic seconds to the Lookout Observatory on British Columbia's tallest building for a spectacular 360°F view. Don't miss the view at sunset!.

Vancouver Aquarium

Experience the richness of the Canadian Arctic and the treasures of Canada's rugged West Coast. Uncover the secrets of the steamy tropical Amazon and immerse yourself in a living rainbow of color amid the coral reefs of the South Pacific!.

Harbor Cruise

Take a gorgeous boat ride along Canada's "Gateway to the Pacific," the Burrad Inlet, and see Stanley Park, Lions Gate Bridge, and more. Sunset cruises include dinner and entertainment.

Whale Watching

The resident population of orcas travels in pods and sub-pods, and can be found near Victoria from April through October. A major whale migration occurs in mid-winter off the west coast of Vancouver Island, when approximately 20,000 Pacific grey whales leave the Baja Peninsula heading for Alaska, cruising past Vancouver Island en route. Migration is at its peak in March and April, when the whales come very close to shore and can be observed from Pacific Rim National Park. Several pods spend the summer months in Clayoquot Sound and can be seen on daily boat tours.

Daytrip to Whistler Ski Resort

Go skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and mountain biking at Whistler or the 3 other nearby ski mountains you can see out of your downtown hotel window. Grouse Mountain offers shuttles to the base, where you catch an aerial tram to the top. Hemlock Valley and Manning Provincial Park have many choices including challenging downhill runs and 60 miles of cross-country trails through some very pretty backcountry. When the snow melts, go right back and hike or bike along the same trails transformed into a summer playground!.

Museum of Anthropology

A classic long house recreated with modern elements houses the world's finest collection of West Coast Native art. When you walk in, you feel as if you've entered the grand ceremonial hall of the leading tribe in the region with towering totem poles flanking you on either side and artifacts from potlatch ceremonies surrounding you. Creation myths are depicted in huge carvings and more than 15,000 artifacts including beaded jewelry and ceremonial masks are arranged by culture. Truly memorable!.

Day Trip to Victoria

The capital of British Columbia is a sophisticated seaside city that combines a little slice of England with the bravado of the New World. Take on airs with a traditional formal afternoon tea, then chart a course for adventure on a whale-watching cruise. Saunter through carefully manicured rose gardens, then hike along the rugged splendor of the Pacific Coast. British, Native American, and Asian heritages show their many faces in the museums, galleries, 19th-century shops, markets, and cafés of Canada's westernmost city.

Stanley Park

It is a rare treasure indeed to find 1,000 acres of wilderness bordering a bustling downtown, but Vancouver has just that in its cherished Stanley Park. Cormorants build their seaweed nests along the cliff ledges of Prospect Point, and a sprawling forest harbors countless other wild creatures. Hiking and biking trails take you on easy but stupendous journeys through the park. If you're not the get-lost-in-the-wilderness sort, you still have plenty to enjoy with visits to the Vancouver Aquarium, Second Beach, the Miniature Railway, and Children's Farmyard.

Kayaking

Few big cities are nestled into the border of a vast wilderness like Vancouver is, and getting to it is easy. One popular way is to kayak on the gorgeous Indian Arm, a finger-shaped fjord which bends northward for 18.8 miles deep into the heart of the Coast Range mountains. On the way, stop to marvel at old-growth forests and lacy waterfalls while gulls, ravens, and bald eagles soar overhead.

Golf

You've honed that swing through the winter, indulged a few fairway fantasies watching Tiger and company on TV, now you're ready to hit the greens. Thanks to the golf boom and some savvy park boards, you can have fun and frustration at more than 60 beautiful courses in the Lower Mainland.