Your End of Summer Vancouver Bucket List
It’s almost time to go back to work, school, or just back to normal, but you still have time to get a few more summer experiences in. Here’s your end of summer Vancouver bucket list–how many adventures will get a check-mark?
Go for an epic hike
Get your step on and take in the sea-to-sky views. With the North Shore mountains and Squamish only short distances away from the city, hiking is very accessible from Vancouver. Popular hikes include the Grouse Grind, Stawamus Chief, Dog Mountain (Mt. Seymour), Quarry Rock, Capilano Canyon–and if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, The Lions is an incredible feat. For more hikes and trails to explore, click here.
Take an outdoor yoga class
Roll out your mat and find your end of summer zen at any of these outdoor yoga class options:
- lululemon Summer Yoga Series (FREE – various dates/times)
- Mat Collective (FREE – various locations/dates/times around Vancouver)
- Peak Yoga at Grouse Mountain (Saturday mornings)
Walk or bike the Stanley Park Seawall
At 22 kilometres (13.5 miles), the Vancouver Seawall is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront space. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can do it all in a day (I’ve done this a few times) with picnics in our many parks along the way, or you can break it up into more manageable chunks with a water taxi ride or do one bit every day.
Surrounding one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world, the Stanley Park stretch of the Seawall is the longest and gives the most variety in its views.
Have a unique gastronomic experience
Indulge in the fine local offerings of Vancouver’s incredible restaurant and beverage scene! Whether it’s choosing a fancy dinner any of the city’s highly rated fine dining establishments, taking a food tour or checking out September 8th’s Feast of Fields to taste a little bit of everything, or checking out the craft beer scene, be sure to let your taste buds explore what the West Coast has to offer!
Go for a whale watching tour
Of all the things I have experienced in my own travels and living in Vancouver, going on a whale-watching tour has been one of the most magical. You will usually see one-to-two pods who wave, puff, and glide up and through the water, and views around the islands and on the horizon are second-to-none. Click here for whale watching tour options.
Take a day trip to Whistler
An very accessible 1.5-2 hour drive away from Vancouver, Whistler is the perfect day trip. Take a spa day at Scandinave Spa Whistler, go shopping and eat incredible food in Whistler Village, or enjoy hiking or zip-lining surrounded by the lush mountain forest. And to get some Instagram- and frame-worthy photos, the PEAK 2 PEAK gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb is an adventure not to be missed. (Try to get the car with the glass bottom for an extra rush of adrenaline and bird’s eye view.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Share your #VeryVancouver end of summer adventures with us by tagging @inside_vancouver on Instagram.[/perfectpullquote]