Itching to get out of town, Seattleites? Skip those pesky airport security lines and jump in your car for a road trip to Vancouver, BC instead. From Granville Island to bison burgers at Salmon n’ Bannock — we’re spilling all the details on how to have an unforgettable time in Rain City.
📍 Essential info
Drive time: ~3 hours
Year city was established: 1886
Est. population: 675,218
🎟️ Experience
Granville Island
You might find yourself getting flashbacks to Pike Place Market here. This little island is one giant public market where the aisles are lined with colorful fruits, dried meats, local artists’ works, freshly baked bread, and other treats.
Stanley Park
If it’s a nice day out, we recommend renting a bike and cruising around this 400-hectacre park. There are beaches, mountain views, well-kept gardens, lagoons, and the Vancouver Seawall.
Gastown
One of the most Instagrammable neighborhoods in the city, Gastown sports beautifully bricked roadways, incredible restaurants, and art galleries. Plus, you’ll have to check out the steam clock, which whistles and shoots off steam every 15 minutes.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Visitors can wind through the rainforest canopy and across a big canyon that will give those with even the sturdiest of nerves a bit of butterflies.
Talk about some serious comfort food.
Photo by @foodiehipster of Maruhachi Ra-men
🍔 Eat
Pidgin
If you’re looking for a fancy meal to enjoy in Gastown, this will certainly satisfy your appetite. Expect dishes like sturgeon with prosciutto and duck breast with sweet potato gnocchi. Complex flavors also earned the restaurant a Michelin star.
Maruhachi Ra-men
If the bowl’s delectable presentation doesn’t win you over, its creamy chicken broth definitely will. Chow down on gyoza while you’re at it.
Salmon n’ Bannock
This restaurant is owned and operated by members of the First Nations. Fill up on bison pot roast, bannock tacos, and smoked sablefish.
Pro tip: If you don’t mind traveling outside of Vancouver a bit, Richmond is chockfull of incredible restaurants.
🏨 Stay
The Skydeck Penthouse
Uh, there’s not more to say other than “it’s got a private rooftop hot tub.” Have fun with that.
The Burrard
When this hotel originally opened in 1956, it did so during the rising car culture of the time. The Burrard leans into that history with its retro styling while offering new amenities like a community fire pit, ping pong tables, free bike and e-bike rentals, and restaurant.
OPUS Vancouver
Artsy and colorful, this hotel uses the whole rainbow to decorate its rooms and public spaces. It’s also especially close to attractions like Granville Island and several waterfront parks.
