Kayakers paddle in False Creek at Sunset. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Kindred & Scout
Vancouver is a beautiful place to paddle a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard. But you can take your trip to the next level by paddling during the full moon, kayaking with seals, and more unique paddling options.
Paddle By the Light of the Full Moon
One of the best ways to see the splendour of the full moon is from the water. Enjoy the shimmer of the moonlight on the water as you paddle. Both Bowen Island Sea Kayaking and Jericho Beach Kayak offer memorable full-moon kayak tours. Since the full moon only happens once a month, be sure to book in advance.
Paddling during the full moon. Photo: Bowen Island Sea Kayaking
Get Out on the Water as a Family
Spend some time in kayaks with your kids. Join other families as you explore Vancouver’s shoreline. Jericho Beach Kayak offers tours geared at beginners so family members of all ages can learn to kayak together.
Kayakers on a tour with Jericho Beach Kayak. Photo: Jericho Beach Kayak
Take a SUP Tour
Leave the Seawall crowds behind as you paddle through False Creek. See Granville Island, Olympic Village, and lots more as you pilot your own stand-up paddleboard. Your guide from Vancouver Water Adventures can give you paddling pointers and tell fascinating stories about local history.
Stand up paddle boarding in False Creek. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Tanya Goehring
Experience an Indigenous Cultural Canoe Tour
Sign-up for an adventure with Takaya Tours. Help paddle a replica ocean-going canoe through the waters of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm as your Coast Salish guides sing songs and tell stories.
Paddlers in a First Nations Canoe. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Vision Event Photography Inc.
Snorkel and Kayak with Seals
You don’t have to be a scuba diver to get up close and personal with seals. Sign up for Sea Dragon Charters’ Seal Adventure then sit back for the cruise to a seal colony in Howe Sound. Once you arrive, you’ll put on wetsuits to snorkel with these amazing creatures. Later, the boat will take you to another island where you can hop into kayaks and paddle alongside more seals.
Photo: Keith Luke/Unsplash
Sign Up for a Kayak Tour in Mandarin
Jericho Beach Kayak offers several different kayak tours for Mandarin speakers. You can sign up for a sunset paddling tour, a family tour, or a beginner kayaking course.
Photo: Tourism Vancouver / Rishad Daroowala
Paddle Under the Setting Sun
Enjoy the pink and purple glow of the sky as the sun sets. The best views are from the water, so why not try a sunset kayaking tour with Bowen Island Sea Kayaking, Deep Cove Kayak, Jericho Beach Kayak, Sea Dragon Charters, or Vancouver Water Adventures?
False Creek kayakers at sunset. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic
Join a Paddling Meet-up or Club
Get together with other members of the paddling community for weekly kayak trips and races. Deep Cove Kayak hosts weekly races and women’s social paddling events. Jericho Beach Kayak plans lots of community-oriented paddling meet-ups including events for women, LGBTQ+ folks, and BIPOC paddlers. Vancouver Water Adventures organizes a Paddle Club for kayakers and SUPers every Wednesday night.
A group of kayakers paddle down False Creek. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Kindred & Scout
