How To Spend 10 Days in Vancouver
Vancouver is the best kept secret in North America. We’ve spent 4 months here total in our time on the road, and it is at the top of our list for places to visit.
Vancouver has it all. It’s one of the cleanest big cities I’ve ever seen, but it’s also surrounded by both mountains AND ocean – could you ask for anything else?
We’ve now spent two long stays here and I hope to spend many more summers in Vancouver in my lifetime. Whether you’re traveling alone, as a couple or as a family – Vancouver has something for you.
Allow me to plan your 10-day summer trip to Vancouver and the surrounding areas! If you need any other links, feel free to reach out. I love talking about this city.
The seawall near Yaletown, Vancouver. Anywhere you walk in Vancouver is beautiful, but the seawall is such a great part of the city.
STOP ONE: Fly into Vancouver and spend 4 days exploring the city
The city itself is beautiful. You could put on your walking shoes and explore for hours. I’d start out in Vancouver and then explore the other cities I mention below!
Where to stay in Vancouver:
I always felt safe in Vancouver. Besides some slightly sketchy streets in the Gastown district, there’s really not a bad place to stay downtown. Yaletown is our favorite area to stay in, though a high rise with a view would be great anywhere (hotel or rental!). Coal Harbor is also a great area.
Things to do in Vancouver:
· Walk around downtown – bring your walking shoes and spend a day exploring. Walk the sea wall around the city and stop at the amazing parks along the way. Your kiddos could park hop all day long.
· Visit Stanley Park to walk, check out the aquarium, bike or just hang
· Take the sea bus to North Vancouver to explore
· Take a ferry to Granville Island for a breezy, lovely day of shopping and food
· Visit Kitsilano Beach Park for a relaxing afternoon
· Go to Gastown and see the steam lamp every hour
· Take a seaplane tour
· We love walking over by the cruise docks and dreaming of the cruises we’re about to jump on!
We kept going back to Cafe Medina because it was amazing. I still think about it
Places to eat in Vancouver:
· CAFÉ MEDINA. We are obsessed. Best breakfast around, make sure to get there early and consider trying out the breakfast charcuterie board for two
· Brix & Mortar for a nice dinner and great place to walk around
· Visit the adorable Starbucks Reserve
· Eat at the food court on Granville Island for a casual lunch
· Try out Japadog – the Japanese hot dog spot
STOP TWO: Take a drive up to Whistler for 2 days
The drive alone is a fun excursion - it’s beautiful. Whistler is an amazing ski town in the winter, but in the summer it’s great for hiking, walking, eating and going to the best spa ever.
Casual walk around Whistler
Things to do in Whistler:
· Stop at the Sea to Sky Gondola on your drive out for epic views
· Splurge at the Spa Scandinave – this is a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life. It’s epic and worth the cost. Honestly, I’d drive up to Whistler just to do this again
· Visit the Whistler ski village to walk the shops and eat downtown
· Hike anywhere!
I still think about my spa day at Spa Scandinave in Whistler. It’s worth the trip just for that.
STOP THREE: Leave your car in Vancouver and take a seaplane to Tofino for 3 days
You don’t need a car in Tofino, so you can take a seaplane there for an amazing day of views and quick travel.
Where to stay in Tofino:
We loved The MAQ hotel – and it’s a very quick walk from the sea planes!
We took a water taxi and hiked through the rainforest. Fern Gulley, anyone?
Things to do in Tofino:
· Walk around and shop – on summer Saturdays, there is often a market in the park
· Take a water taxi to Meares Island for a great hike
· Go on a whale or bear tour
· Visit all the amazing beaches and hiking trails
· Learn to surf! It is a surfers heaven.
Places to eat in Tofino:
· Rhino Coffee is the obvious – we had breakfast there both mornings because it was so good!
· The Schooner – one of the best meals I’ve ever had. It’s been there for decades and there’s a good reason
· Tacofino – the original of these famous taco trucks
After Tofino, you can head back to Vancouver to fly home and start booking your next trip back!
Tofino is a mini paradise. Just the cutest little surf town you’ve ever seen… surrounded by epic mountains.
Additional Ideas and Vancouver Tips:
· If you would rather spend a few extra days on Vancouver Island, you can take the car ferry over from Vancouver. In addition to Tofino, you should check out Victoria and spend a few quiet days on the beach of Ladysmith. A whale tour from any of these cities would be amazing!
· Make sure you pack light layers – from a swimsuit to a light jacket. Summer can be warm, but it’s mostly very mild and can even get chilly at night. We found this especially true in Tofino and Whistler.
· A lot of rentals don’t have AC – you hardly ever need it. But it does mean sleeping with the windows open. I find that to be magical, but you may want a white noise loop on your phone to drown out noise at night if you’re not used to city life.
· You may want a rental car for the Vancouver/Whistler part of this trip. You could certainly get around without it in the city (and you could take a ferry/sea plane to a lot of the great locations around), but some of the hikes and scenery would be a lot simpler with a rental car.
