Weekend in Vancouver (3-Day Vancouver Itinerary!)
Want to plan a fun weekend in Vancouver? Looking for all of the best things to do in Vancouver?
Awesome, we recently went to this area of Britsh Columbia and had an amazing time! I have lots of great options for a 3-day itinerary in Vancouver.
In this post, we will create a day-by-day Vancouver BC itinerary! We will include the most popular tourist attractions, great tour options, and some amazing food options you have to try when you visit Vancouver!
You can easily adjust these suggestions to make your own perfect weekend in Vavounver.
Let’s explore all of the best options for a perfect Vancouver weekend trip!
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Best Places to Stay in Vancouver
I really like downtown Vancouver. It is a walkable city! Staying in Downtown is a great option! There are a lot of fantastic options.
Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre
We stayed at the Vancouver Wall Sheraton Hotel. It was a great price and it was super convenient to Downtown Vancouver.
The rooms were nice and we loved the club level option. This provided breakfast and dinner with lots of snacks throughout the day. It was a great deal!
Other Hotel Accommodation Recommendations
Map of Vancouver Top Attractions
Day 1 - Stanley Park and Granville Island
Get ready because day 1 of your weekend in Vancouver is going to be awesome.
We are going to include two major attractions: Granville Island and Stanley Park.
There are guided tours that explore both areas. If you are nervous about exploring on your own, or just want a guide, tours are a great option.
First Stop: Granville Island
The most common way to get to Granville Island Public Market is by Ferry. It is located at the west end of downtown Vancouver. The ferry leaves about every 5 minutes.
If you have a car, you can drive, but parking is limited. We were lucky enough to find a spot without problems, but that was total luck.
What is Granville Island?
Granville Island is a food market. It is a super popular tourist site. You have to go if you are in Vancouver!
The market has some amazing food options. It also has some shops and a kids’ market.
If you are going to Vancouver with kids, the kids’ market is a fun place they will love. There are video games, a jungle gym, and lots of cool toy shops.
It will probably take about 1-2 hours should be enough time to explore the area. There are food tours available that allow you to sample up to 20 items! You can also buy items a la carte.
If you decide to explore on your own, I would go in with the intent to buy a picnic lunch you could bring to our next stop, Stanley Park.
I also wanted to mention that there are whale watching tours located on Granville Island, If that interest you.
Next Stop: Stanley Park
Stanley Park is one of the best outdoor activities in Vancouver. There are lots of things to do in Stanley Park.
Most people book a bicycle tour around the park. These tours take about 2-3 hours. Stanley Park is pretty big.
It was raining on the day we went, so we opted to drive around Stanley Park and stop at all the cool things to see.
Things to do in Stanley Park
- Bike
- Horse Carriage Ride
- VancouverAquarium
- Lighthouse
- Totem Poles
- Hiking Trails
- Gardens
- Playgrounds
- Picnic
You can easily spend a few hours walking around and enjoying all of the sights. Some of the activities have a fee.
We loved visiting Stanley Park!
These two activities will take up most of your day!
After you explore these two locations, take a little break at the hotel and then go out for dinner. There are so many amazing restaurants in Vancouver.
I suggest The Parlour for some amazing pizza. This will be a fantastic first day in Vancouver.
Best Tours To Consider for Day 1
There are so many amazing tours in Vancouver. Here are the best options for both Stanley Park and Granville Island. These tours will take extra time but are worth it!
Top Tours to Book
Day 2 - Calipano Bridge and Downtown Vancouver
One of the things you might now know is that Vancouver is known for their brunch places.
Brunch
On Day 2, you will start your day off with brunch. I suggest Cafe Medina. It is unique and amazing.
Shopping in Vancouver
After brunch, take some time to explore the downtown area. If you like shopping, the CF Pacific Mall is the perfect place to go next. It is within walking distnace from the cafe.
You can explore some of the awesome shops along Robinson Street and also explore the mall. If you love shopping, plan a few hours here.
If shopping isn’t your thing then the next stop is the Calipano Suspension Bridge.
Calipano Suspension Bridge
If you want to enjoy the great outdoors, there are lots of outdoor activities in Vancouver. The Calipano Suspension Bridge is one of the best.It is a fun outdoor activity everyone will love.
It will not take too long to walk across the suspension bridge, maybe 15-20 minutes but you can explore the Calipano Suspension Bridge park.
After the bridge, you can hike Grouse Grind. It is a beautiful hike with panoramic views.
Sky Gondola
If hiking isn’t your thing, you can also take the sky gondola up Grouse Mountain for spectacular views. During the summer months, this is especially pretty.
Salmon Hatchery
There is a salmon hatchery where you can learn about the life cycle of a salmon.
You can easily spend the rest of your day in this area. The park closes at 6:00 pm in the winter and 8:00 pm in the summer. You will have the best time exploring this area.
After a long full day, enjoy another restaurant in downtown Vancouver.
Best Tours for Day 2
If you do not have a car you probably will want to book a Calipano Suspension Bridge Tour.
Best Tours of Calipano Suspension Bridge
Day 3 - Canada Place Gas Town and Musuems or Gardens
On Day 3, you will start by trying another amazing brunch location.
After breakfast, head to Canada Place. This is near the Vancouver cruise port. This area is a great place to walk around.
Canada Place
There are some fun things to do at Canada Place. You can do a Flyover Canada experience, walk along the Canadian trail, go on a bus or boat tour, or visit the welcome center.
Gastown
After you explore a little, take a walk along the cobblestone streets of Gastown. This is where you will see the famous Gastown Steam Clock. There are some unique shops and some of the best restaurants near this area you can try out.
Chinatown
This will get you to about lunch. If you want, you can take a 20-minute walk to Chinatown and see the Millennium Gate and check out the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
Vancouver Museums
If that doesn’t sound interesting, I would suggest going to one of the many amazing museums in Vancouver.
There are lots of options. We were able to go to the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park. It was nice, but it can be done in less than 15 minutes.
There are lots of interactive exhibits. Museums are always a good idea if it is raining!
Popular Museums in Vancouver
- Science World
- Museum of Anthropology
- Aquarium
- Bloedel Conservatory
- Museum of Vancouver
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Beaty Biodiversity Museum
- Vancouver Maritime Museum
- Vancouver Police Museum and Archives
- Bill Reid Museum of Northwest Art
- H.R. MacMillian Space Center
- VanDusen Botanical Garden
Museums will take about 1-2 hours to explore.
I would recommend enjoying your last night in Vancouver with a nice dinner and enjoying some of the famous Earnest Ice cream.
Are you ready for your Weekend in Vanvouver?
Are you ready to explore Vancouver? I hope this 3-day Vancouver itinerary will help you plan the perfect weekend in Vancouver.
Vancouver is such a fun place with so much to do and see! Have so much fun planning and visiting Vancouver.
If you have any more questions, ask me in the Facebook Group.
Facebook Group
If you have any questions, be sure to join my Planningaway Travel Community on Facebook. This is a place where I post travel deals, and you can ask any questions about your upcoming trips!
