There are so many sites to see in and around Vancouver, you could easily spend a few weeks exploring the city and nearby parks. But where I’m from, in Calgary, Vancouver is often also a common weekend trip or destination for conferences, concerts, and other events that may not be held elsewhere in Western Canada.
While I grew up going to Vancouver to visit family, compete in dance or music competitions, and as a stop on the way to Vancouver Island, my most recent stay in the city was for a brief trip over Labour Day weekend. We toured some of the popular sites, walked through significant portions of downtown and North Van, and relied entirely on public transit for a budget-friendly trip. Our budget consisted of a maximum of one paid experience per day, relying primarily of walking as both a form of transportation and sightseeing.
Use my itinerary as inspiration for your next weekend away and save the map at the end to make planning simple.
Day 1: North Van and Suspension Bridges
On our first day in Vancouver, we arrived at the airport in the early afternoon. We took the SkyTrain from the Vancouver Airport to Downtown Vancouver via the Canada Line (Waterfront direction). This is the most economic way to get from the airport into central Vancouver, and depending on the traffic it may also be the fastest.
From the Vancouver City Centre station, we took a bus to our accommodations in North Van, but depending on where you’re staying, this may look different. The City of Vancouver has a great guide to public transit on their website.
After settling in to our home for the weekend, we walked over to the Capilano Cafe on the corner of Capilano Road and Fullerton Avenue. This cute cafe and deli serves breakfast, soups, salads, and paninis in addition to a full beverage menu with coffees, teas, and smoothies. We ordered a mid-afternoon snack to tide us over until dinner as our flight had been right over lunch time.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
We had tickets booked to the Capilano Suspension Bridge for 5 pm, as they have a discounted “Twilight Rate”. For 2026, this rate is 25% regular priced tickets, or $58.50 for general admission and less for students, seniors, and youth. Children 5 and under receive free admission.
The park has more than just the iconic suspension bridge. It also offers a canopy walk in the trees, a cliffwalk, long sections of boardwalk within the rainforest with interpretive signage, and amenities like food, a gift shop, and restrooms. Your ticketed admission time dictates the window in which you can enter the park. Once inside, you can stay as long as you’d like.
After our snack, we decided to walk to the Capilano Suspension Bridge. There is also a couple of bus routes (the 246 from downtown and the 236 from Marine Drive in North Van) available to the park, but the cheapest option is the free shuttle from downtown to the park for anyone staying in the city centre.
We stayed at the park for a couple hours, then decided it was time for dinner. Our theme for this trip was local breweries, so we picked the Angry Otter Tap and Forno on Marine Drive in North Van. We opted for the 40 minute walk over the bus, but the route 236 can get you here in only 16 minutes.
Angry Otter closed in March 2026, but there are plenty of other great options around Marine Drive and Pemberton Avenue.
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
A more budget-friendly alternative to Capilano is Lynn Canyon. The park is a public park, so admission is free, but it is not quite as accessible. The suspension bridge is only about a 2-minute walk from the main parking lot.
The journey from Downtown Vancouver to Lynn Canyon takes around 1-1.5 hours by public transit. The bus route that brings you closest to the park is the 228, which you can connect to from the SeaBus at Lonsdale Quay terminal or bus 240 at Grand Boulevard East.
Day 2: Stanley Park and the Vancouver Aquarium
On our second day in Vancouver, we decided to centre our plans around Stanley Park. After getting a late breakfast at Capilano Cafe, we took the bus and got off at Georgia and Denman Streets, as there are no stops from North Van routes in Stanley Park.
Vancouver Aquarium
From there, we walked to the Vancouver Aquarium, which took about 20 minutes. Tickets to the Vancouver Aquarium are around $50 per person, with discounts for students, seniors, and children.
The aquarium is Canada’s largest, and focuses on marine science, animal care, and ocean conservation. At the aquarium, we toured their indoor exhibits, including the Amazon Gallery, Canada’s Arctic, the Tropics, and the outdoor exhibits of Steller’s Bay and BC Wild Coast, which hosts their rescued marine mammals.
Walking Tour of Stanley Park
After a few hours at the aquarium, we continued our walking tour of Stanley Park. We followed the seawall around past the Nine O’Clock Gun to the Brockton Point Lighthouse. On our way, we stopped to see the Totem Poles.
The totem poles are a popular Vancouver attraction that were originated in 1920, when the Vancouver Park Board purchased 4 totems from Alert Bay. Other totems came from the Haida Gwaii and Rivers Inlet. Most of the totems have been either returned to their nation or sent to museums for preservation. The Parks Board loaned and commissioned replacement totems, with the most recent totem carved by Robert Yelton of the Squamish Nation, and added in 2009.
On our way through the forest between the aquarium and the totem poles, we came across a barred owl sitting in the trees. It was sitting with its back to us, but swiveled its head around to watch the people gathering to take its picture. Owls are not common daytime sights, so this was very exciting! Everyone was very quiet and respectful of the owl’s space.
Once we arrived at the lighthouse, we were started to get hungry. We decided to make our way to the Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant, but we walked leisurely, taking in the park as we went. Our route passed the Rose Gardens and Stanley’s Bar and Grill, where I had eaten on another trip a few years prior. We walked along the north side of Lost Lagoon before reaching the brewery, taking about an hour from Brockton Point.
Following our meal, we walked out to English Bay Beach. We stopped at Bella Gelateria for some gelato, then made our way back to North Van via bus for the evening.
Day 3: Granville Island, Gastown, and Chinatown
Our final day in Vancouver was filled with on and off rain (as to be expected). While summers and early September can be very warm and sunny, Vancouver is prone to rain all year round. It is a good idea to be prepared for rain no matter when you visit.
Chinese Gardens and Steam Clocks
Our day consisted of exploring during breaks from the rain and ducking into shops when it returned. We started with a visit to Chinatown where we visited the beautiful Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The garden is meticulously cultivated and very peaceful to walk through. The garden also has a gift shop and sits next to the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum, which offers free admission (donations encouraged).
After wandering around the garden and museum, we walked into Gastown. This trendy area of Downtown Vancouver is filled with shops, restaurants, and cafes. We stopped in Straight Brooklyn Pizza on Water Street for a couple slices before continuing to browse some of the shops on the street.
At the corner of Water Street and Cambie Street stands the infamous Gastown Steam Clock. The clock lets out a whistle and a puff of steam every 15 minutes, with a larger display on the hour. It is meticulously cared for by the city and checked to make sure the time is accurate.
Granville Island
Later in the afternoon, when the rain had subsided, we made our way over to Granville Island. We caught the Canada line from Waterfront Station to Yaletown-Roundhouse, then walked to the Hornby Aquabus Ferry Dock where we caught a water taxi to Granville Island. Tickets art $8.50 round-trip from Hornby to Granville.
Granville Island is a hub for arts, culture, and local businesses. The area was transformed from an industrial region to a beloved public space starting in the 1970s. Here we browsed the Public Market, a food hall with more than 50 vendors, the Net Loft, an indoor market with artisans and local vendors selling various items from hand-made paper and stationary items at Paper-Ya to the multilingual books at Nooroongji Books or the The U.E.L. Store which offers items from local Black B.C. entrepreneurs and small businesses.
There are also many interesting shops in the Artisan District, with goldsmiths, blacksmiths, jewellers, carvers, and all manners of artists working and selling their wares on Granville Island. There are also frequent events on the island, so be sure to check what’s running during your trip.
Once we’d exhausted ourselves wandering through the island, we stopped for dinner at the Granville Island Brewing Co., Canada’s first microbrewery which opened in 1984. When we’d finished dinner, we made our way back to the Aquabus to begin our transit journey back to North Van for the night. Our flight left early the following morning.
My Map of Vancouver Sites to Visit
Save this map to your Google account by clicking on the star. You’ll be able to access it under “Saved” > “Maps” in your own account.