Why are you into it?
Worth the hype, but only if you do it right.
About
Vancouver delivers on its reputation, but only if you skip the tourist traps. The Seawall isn't just a bike path, it's 28 kilometers of waterfront that connects Stanley Park to False Creek without a single traffic light. Rent something decent from Cycle City Tours and ride it counterclockwise. The views hit different when you're not fighting crowds at the Lions Gate Bridge lookout.
Granville Island is where locals actually go, not Gastown. The public market opens at 9 AM sharp. Get there by 9:30 for the best selection at Oyama Sausage Company and Terra Breads. The artisan vendors matter more than the Instagram shots. Emily Carr University students sell work that costs a fraction of what you'd pay in Yaletown.
Queen Elizabeth Park sits 167 meters above sea level, higher than any other point in the city. The Bloedel Conservatory at the summit houses 120 free-flying tropical birds in a climate-controlled dome. It's worth the $6.75 admission when the weather turns. The quarry gardens below used to be a rock pit. Now they're some of the most photographed landscapes in British Columbia.
North Vancouver requires commitment but pays dividends. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is overpriced theater for cruise ship passengers. Lynn Canyon Park offers the same suspension bridge experience for free, plus hiking trails that connect to Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. The Grouse Mountain Skyride costs $65 round trip, but the view from 1,231 meters up spans from Mount Baker to Vancouver Island.
Two days is enough if you move with purpose. Three days if you want to eat well at places like Vij's or Ask for Luigi. The city works because it doesn't try too hard. Neither should you.
Fun fact
Vancouver's downtown peninsula sits on 200 feet of sawdust from 19th-century lumber mills that was dumped into the harbor as landfill.