The Perfect 3 Days in Vancouver Itinerary

The rumors are true—Vancouver, Canada, is an AWESOME city! After first-hand experience, we can truly say that Vancouver is amazing, and we highly recommend that everyone visit asap.

We were surprised to find that just 3 days in Vancouver is enough to truly experience the city. To help you make the most of your time, I’ve created the ultimate 3-day Vancouver itinerary.

My itinerary covers the best things to do, how to get around, where to stay, and where to eat. From offshore whale-watching excursions and brewery tours to relaxing afternoon tea experiences, trust me—this Vancouver itinerary is packed with unforgettable “sweet adventures”!

How to Get Around Vancouver

Most of the major attractions in Vancouver can be easily accessed without a car. You can walk and bike in Downtown Vancouver and taxi, rideshare or use public transportation to other areas of the city.

Walking in Downtown Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver is one of the most pedestrian-friendly areas, just as walkable as New York City, making it perfect for exploring on foot. From our hotel, we could easily walk to all our meals and visit most of the city’s top attractions.

Bike Share in Downtown Vancouver

Another popular transportation option for both locals and visitors is bike-sharing—easily accessible bikes for short-term use. In downtown Vancouver, you can use Mobi by Shaw Go.

Using Mobi by Shaw Go is easy. Register on their website, select your bike, pick it up from any station, ride to your destination, and end your ride when you’re done. You pay by the minute, making it a flexible and affordable way to get around the city whenever you need it.

Public Transportation in Vancouver

Vancouver’s public transportation system may not be as expansive as cities like Washington, D.C., or New York, but it’s reliable and does the job. During our 3 days in the city, we used it often.

The public transportation system in Vancouver includes buses, the SkyTrain (metro), and the SeaBus. I recommend purchasing the all-day Compass Card, which provides unlimited access to public transportation for one day, making it the most convenient way to explore the city.

Pro Tip

From Vancouver International Airport, the Canada Line (metro) offers the most budget-friendly and fastest route to downtown Vancouver, getting you there in under 30 minutes!

Taxi and Rideshares in Vancouver

One of the best ways to get around Vancouver is by taking a taxi or rideshare. We took taxis countless times to get around the city when we needed the fastest mode of transportation. However, sometimes it wasn’t easy to find taxis at certain times and in parts of the city.

If you are familiar with Uber or Lyft, it can be a better option since you can hire a driver from the app and get real-time updates.

The Best Time to Visit Vancouver

Vancouver is the perfect destination whether you are visiting for a warm or wintery vacation. My favorite time to visit Vancouver is from March through May and September through October. During these months, you can avoid the larger crowds and higher hotel prices while enjoying the pleasant weather.

Like Seattle, you can expect Vancouver to have similar weather patterns. Moments of rain but still some sunny days. During these months, the temperatures are as low as 37°F and as high as 65°F.

When we visited Vancouver in late fall, we found the temperature quite pleasant as long as we layered properly. It was only chilly (to us Texans) early in the morning and late in the evening.

3 Days in Vancouver Itinerary Overview

You may think 3 days in Vancouver is not enough time with ample activities to enjoy, but it is perfect as long as you have 3 FULL days. If you cannot arrive in Vancouver early in the morning, I would suggest flying in the night before and starting fresh and early the following day to make this Vancouver itinerary work.

Day 1: Arrive in the city, visit Grouse Mountain, and go on a brewery tour.

Day 2: Explore Granville Island Public Market, go whale watching, and go to a hockey game.

Day 3: Explore the Capilano Suspension Bridge, bike along Stanley Park Seawall, and enjoy an afternoon tea experience. Then, leave that evening or the next morning.

Day 1

As briefly stated before, Vancouver is known for its beautiful outdoor adventures and craft breweries. So your first day is all about enjoying the great outdoors and some local craft beer.

Enjoy Breathtaking Views from Grouse Mountain

Whether you visit in the spring, summer, fall, or winter – Grouse Mountain is one of the most unique things to do in Vancouver. Moreover, you will need several hours to enjoy everything Grouse Mountain has to offer. That is why I recommend visiting first thing in the morning.

Grouse Mountain is located in North Vancouver – a 30-minute drive from Downtown Vancouver. You can either take public transit or the free Grouse Mountain shuttle (only available in the summer).

The most popular thing to do on Grouse Mountain year-round is simply taking the scenic gondola ride up. Once you reach the top of Grouse Mountain, you will be taken away by the unbelievable views.

From the top, you can see almost all of Vancouver, the ocean, and its surrounding areas. The view is so breathtaking, you will never want to come back down.

So, stay for a few hours and enjoy the ample activities and dining options at Grouse Mountain. During the summer months, you can hike trails, go ziplining, play mountain disc golf, watch Lumberjack shows, and more.

Whereas, in the winter months, you can go ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and more. Needless to say, no matter what time of the year you visit Grouse Mountain, it is always full of activities with scenic views.

Go on an Epic Brewery Tour

One of our favorite activities we enjoyed during our 3 days in Vancouver was this epic brewery tour with Vancouver Brewery Tours. So if you are 19 years and older, I highly recommend you include this tour in your Vancouver itinerary.

Vancouver has at least 30 craft breweries in the city. With so many breweries and so little time, the best way to enjoy and learn about Vancouver’s craft breweries is by booking this tour! On the classic brewery tour, guests get to visit three different craft breweries in three hours. All you have to do is bring a valid ID, and your tour guide will take care of the rest.

The three-hour tour includes a local guide, a shuttle to every brewery, a one-on-one lesson on the brewing process, flights of beer tastings, a beer-tasting journal, and a behind-the-scenes look at each brewery.

To say we had a blast on our tour would be an understatement. We learned so much about the beer history of Vancouver and the process of making beer. More importantly, we just had FUN! Each brewery we visited was so unique and different from the last.

Depending on the day and time you enjoy your brewery tour will dictate the breweries you visit. For us, we went on a Saturday at 4 pm and went to Strange Fellows, Bridge Brewing and Storm Brewing. We highly recommend all of these breweries, but our favorite brewery is Storm Brewing. So try to make sure this brewery is included in your tour. They truly brew some of the most incredible flavors of beer we have ever tasted!

Day 2

Now that your feet are wet from the day before, they will really get wet today! On day two, you are going to check off an epic bucket list item – going whale watching! Depending on the time of the year will dictate which whales you will be able to see.

Moreover, most whale watching excursions pick up from Granville Island, so this is the perfect day during your 3 days in Vancouver to explore Granville Island Public Market. Then to finish your adventurous day, enjoy Canada’s favorite sport by going to a hockey game!

Explore Granville Island Public Market

Words and photos do not do Granville Island Public Market justice. This market was one of our favorite things to do in Vancouver. As foodies, Granville Island Public Market is heaven – plain and simple. I literally felt like I was floating on air because this public market made me so happy.

Granville Island Public Market has everything you can ever imagine under one roof. From fresh pastries and bread to fresh local fruit and vegetables, a variety of cheese, charcuterie, olives, seafood, and so much more! Granville Island Public Market is THE place for foodies.

In addition to finding fresh local produce, visitors can also enjoy meals at Granville Island Public Market. This is why I recommend visiting the island before (and even after) your whale-watching excursion. You can also enjoy a guided food tour of Granville Island Public Market.

The dining options at Granville Island Public Market include homemade pies, fish and chips, pizza, soup, a variety of comfort foods, lots of smoked entrees, and more. There are also plenty of boutique shops to find the perfect souvenir to bring home. Whether it’s homemade fudge, olive oil, chocolates, candy, or tea.

With that said, here are a few items you CANNOT MISS when you explore Granville Island Public Market. You must order ALL the salmon. Moreover, fresh smoked salmon, candy smoked salmon, and my personal favorite -smoked maple glazed salmon from Longliner Seafoods.

Then the salmon puff pastry from Laurelle’s Fine Foods is divine – make sure you order it warm. Lastly, finish your meal at the Granville Island Public Market with two local desserts – maple shortbread cookies and Nanaimo bar. And do not forget to order donuts from the famous Lee’s Donuts.

Read next: The Best Maple Leaf Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Go Whale Watching

You MUST include whale watching in your 3 days in Vancouver itinerary. Moreover, if this is an important activity (as it was for me), I recommend planning your trip to Vancouver accordingly. The whale watching season is from mid-April through October. If you are lucky, sometimes it goes through a few days into November.

With that said, depending on the time of the year you go whale watching will dictate what whales you will see. The best time to see orca whales in Vancouver is from May to early October because there are at least 100 resident pods in the area. Furthermore, you can also see humpback whales, grey whales, sea lions, seals, and dolphins during your excursion.

Just remember, these are wild animals so you never know what you will see. For example, my DREAM is to see orca whales in the wild but during our whale watching excursion, we only saw 8 humpback whales, sea lions, and seals. Do not get me wrong, the experience was absolutely incredible! We saw humpback whales “wave” to use countless times with their tales and even saw a momma and her calf.

Since whale watching is a very popular activity in Vancouver, there are a lot of different companies to choose from. The whale watching excursion I recommend booking with is Prince of Whales. They are known to be one of the first and last running companies in the water, have very knowledgable guides, and are just hands down the best in the industry. Moreover, they guarantee a whale sighting or you get your money back!

Go to a Hockey Game

To finish your second day in Vancouver, enjoy Canada’s beloved sport – hockey! We have watched a lot of hockey in our time, but going to a game in Canada is the real icing on the cake. The atmosphere is very energetic and they have the most friendly fans.

Since hockey is Canada’s favorite sport, you can find tickets as low as $40 (USD). And to be honest, this stadium is one of the best we’ve ever seen. So there is no such thing as a bad seat in the house at Rogers Place Stadium.

If hockey does not strike your interest, Vancouver has other professional sports teams to watch such as the Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS soccer), the BS Lions (Canadian football league), and the Vancouver Canadiens (Canadian baseball).

Day 3

On your last day in Vancouver, make it count! In my Vancouver itinerary for the last day, I have kept it full of fun activities in the great outdoors followed by a luxurious afternoon tea experience. This day is truly one of the best and quite possibly our favorite during our 3 days in Vancouver.

Have Fun at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

To get the most of your experience at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, I highly recommend waking up early to arrive at the park as soon as it opens. Check with the website, to see what time the park opens because the hours change depending on the time of the year. Furthermore, when you buy a ticket, you receive a complimentary round trip shuttle. So, I suggest trying to ride the earliest shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

When you arrive at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park as soon as it opens, you will be gifted with very few people on the suspension bridge. Trust me, it is worth it! We shared the famous suspension bridge with only a handful of people when we arrived and when we left the park, there were countless people.

In addition to walking across the iconic Capilano Suspension Bridge, there are plenty of more fun activities to enjoy at the park. One is a wonderful treetop adventure with several small suspension bridges. Walking across each one made all my childhood treehouse dreams come true. The park also has a very peaceful trail around a small pond and along the river. When we walked near the river, we spotted three bald eagles!

The last activity to enjoy is the Cliff Walk. At this point, I would assume you are not afraid of heights, but the Cliff Walk takes it to the next level. Visitors literally walk on planks along the cliffside. This walk is not only fun and thrilling but it also provides more spectacular views of the Capilano Suspension Bridge and its surrounding natural scenery.

Tip: If you plan to continue my Vancouver Itinerary, the Capilano Suspension Bridge shuttle can drop you off at Stanley Park. Just let the driver know when you hop on the bus!

If you are renting a car in Vancouver, you can also visit Lynn Canyon Park for free! It is also located in Northern Vancouver and only 30 minutes from Downtown Vancouver.

Bike along the Stanley Park Seawall

We love biking in different cities around the world, so biking along the Stanley Park Seawall was a real treat. Which is why I recommend everyone include this experience in their Vancouver itinerary. Even if you are not an avid biker, the trail around Stanley Park is easy to moderate level. You can either rent a bike near Stanley Park (off Denman Street) or take a guided bike tour.

Stanley Park has two marked trails – one for biking and one for walking. For the most part, the trails are both one-way making it very easy to follow. It also only takes one hour to bike the entire trail. So just follow the marked trail and you will be good to go!

While you enjoy the scenic views along the Stanley Park Seawall, make sure you stop and visit these viewpoints – Prospect Point, Third Beach, Ferguson Point, Brockton Point, and of course, the iconic Totem Poles. Each viewpoint is stunning with dramatic landscapes of North Vancouver, the ocean, and its surrounding areas. If you need a lunch break, you can enjoy a luxurious lunch at the well-known restaurant, Teahouse in Stanley Park.

Enjoy a Luxurious Afternoon Tea Experience

One of the more surprisingly favorite activities to enjoy during your 3 days in Vancouver is an afternoon tea experience. It became popular from the luxurious Fairmont hotel brand and is now a special treat to be enjoyed throughout the city. Though there are several great tea boutique shops and hotels to enjoy an afternoon tea experience, I highly recommend adding the Neverland Tea Salon to your Vancouver itinerary.

Neverland Tea Salon is THE most charming tea boutique shop in Vancouver. The shop pays a token to Peter Pan. So when you enter through the doors, you truly feel like you have flown away to Neverland. The shop has cute quotes on the wall, whimsical antique decorations, and a touch of luxury.

Neverland Tea Salon is well known for its never-ending afternoon tea experience! Yes, you can enjoy a long list of different teas as many times as you want. The never-ending afternoon tea experience also includes scrumptious finger sandwiches, decadent mini desserts, and freshly baked scones.

What I love about Neverland Tea Salon is that they cater to everyone. Guests can find vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-friendly items on the menu. With that said, there are three different menus for adults to choose from, in addition to a kid-friendly menu too. So whether you want to enjoy this afternoon tea experience with your family, loved ones, or friends – it is the perfect and most special way to end your 3 days in Vancouver.

Places to Eat

Vancouver is a foodie destination! It felt like a blend between two of the best foodie destinations—Paris and New York City.

What I loved most about Vancouver was the abundance of charming patisseries on nearly every block, offering decadent chocolates, freshly baked bread, and stunning entremets. Of course, there’s no shortage of comforting Canadian dishes alongside a vibrant mix of Asian cuisine and world-class fine dining. Vancouver truly has something for every palate!

• Breka Bakery & Cafe – a beloved Vancouver spot offering a European-inspired selection of sandwiches, savory pies, cakes, pastries, and freshly baked bread.
• Thomas Haas – is renowned for its exceptional pastries, savory sandwiches, and stunning displays of macarons, chocolates, cakes, and fruit tarts.
• Japadog – a Vancouver eatery that creatively blends Japanese flavors with classic hot dogs.
• Ramen Danbo – serves award-winning Fukuoka-style ramen that you can fully customize.
• Rodney’s Oyster House – a must-visit for oyster lovers, offering over 20 varieties of local and international oysters.

Breka Bakery & Cafe

A European-influenced bakery filled with a beautiful display of ready-to-eat sandwiches, pockets, savory pies, cakes by the whole and slice, cookies, muffins, donuts, and more. It’s the perfect place to start a morning in Vancouver or fuel up after a fun-filled morning of activities.

Thomas Haas

Thomas Haas is renowned as one of Vancouver’s top pastry chefs, and for good reason. If you’re craving a divine pastry experience or a perfect savory sandwich, this is the place.

Indulge in handmade croissants, danishes, puff pastries, brioche, scones, and sandwiches. The patisserie boasts a showstopping display of delicate macarons, decadent chocolates, colorful macarons, layered cakes, and fruit tarts—ensuring there’s something to satisfy every craving.

Japadog

Japadog is a unique Vancouver eatery that combines Japanese flavors with classic hot dogs. They offer a variety of sausages topped with common flavors such as seaweed, miso, and teriyaki—in addition to other ingredients you might have never heard of.

There are several locations around Vancouver. Similar to New York City, you can find Japadog food stalls and brick-and-mortar stores.

Ramen Danbo

As briefly mentioned, Vancouver has a large mix of Asian influence. One of the biggest Asian cuisine favorites is a bowl of hot ramen. In fact, you can find a ramen shop on almost every block in Vancouver, but the very best is Ramen Danbo!

Ramen Danbo has Fukuoka-style ramen—a pork bone-based broth that is very light yet packed with rich flavor. The best part of Ramen Danbo is that you can customize your ramen.

You can choose the thickness, the richness, and the amount of sauce of your broth. Additionally, you can choose the thickness and firmness of the noodles. So, every bowl of ramen is 100% to your liking.

Rodney’s Oyster House

Visiting Rodney’s Oyster House in Vancouver is a must for anyone craving the freshest local oysters from British Columbia. Known for its extensive oyster menu, this beloved spot offers over 20 varieties, including a selection of a dozen oysters sourced from the BC coast, including Vancouver Island.

My favorite time to go is during “Low Tide” happy hour. You can enjoy these fresh oysters at a lower price and shareable favorites.

If You Have More Than 3 Days in Vancouver

If you have more than 3 days in Vancouver, you are very lucky because there is so much more you can see and do. A few options would be to take some day trips from Vancouver. Two popular day trips from Vancouver include Victoria and Whistler.

Victoria has some of the best whale-watching tours, a luxurious afternoon tea experience at the Fairmont, the famous Butchart Gardens, and majestic castles.

In Whistler, you can enjoy the great outdoors by going zip-lining, biking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and more.

I hope you have enjoyed my 3 days in Vancouver itinerary. As you can see, it is packed with great food and drinks, outdoor adventures, and fun activities to have the best trip possible! If you follow my guide, I guarantee you will fall in love with Vancouver as much as we have.

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