When travelling with children, Vancouver comes into its own. From being out in nature, to exploring indoors, to rides and attractions, there really is something for everyone!
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is nestled on the edge of downtown Vancouver, and is a lush 1,000-acre urban oasis that blends natural beauty with cultural history. Encircled by the famous Seawall—a scenic path ideal for cycling (Paradise Falls Family did this for a cost of $36 per adult or $24 for a junior bike for a half day rental) and strolling—the park offers breathtaking views of the city skyline, North Shore mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. It’s also rich in Indigenous heritage, with landmarks such as the famous totem poles, which made me really emotional seeing. There are trails to explore, beaches, parks to play in, and even a miniature steam railway to ride on in the summer. Just a 30-minute walk from the harbour, or a quick uber ride from downtown and you are in a tranquil oasis that is a must visit to anyone visiting Vancouver.
Vancouver Aquarium
Located in the heart of Stanley Park is VAncouver Aquarium, one of Canada's premier marine science centers and a beloved attraction for visitors of all ages. It is home to thousands of marine species—from playful sea otters and jellyfish to vibrant tropical fish—it offers an immersive glimpse into the wonders of the underwater world. The aquarium is deeply involved in ocean conservation, research, and animal rescue efforts and has multiple interactive displays, educational programs, and up-close animal encounters. Get in line about 15 minutes before the hands-on experiences (times will be displayed on the day) for a chance to touch some of these marine species - the girls loved ‘meeting’ starfish, sea cucumbers and anemone. There was also a really cute 4D turtle show in the cinema which was a must-do! Tickets on the door are around CAD$190, or £110, which is pricey but worth it. Get there a little before opening as it does get busy.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
A highlight for both families in the city was Capilano Suspension Bridge. With free shuttles from Canada Place it is also really accessible and a really nice touch to make your day just that bit easier. At Capilano the main attraction here is of course the suspension bridge, which is brilliant, if a little (a lot) unnerving when you step out onto it and it’s bouncing around but you quickly get used to it. There are brilliant views in all directions, a roaring river underneath and we saw a fair few eagles while we were here. The other side of the river is the treetops adventure – a series of platforms, walkways and bridges up in the trees that we had a great time exploring, with the kids filling in an activity book as they went. Then there’s also the cliff-walk, a nerve wracking walk on a narrow walkway off the side of a cliff above the canyon. It’s all perfectly safe and it was a great thrill that we all enjoyed. You can also meet birds of prey at Raptors Ridge and the visitor centre has information on the history of the park, there are also talks available and guides and a brilliant shop where we picked up all our souvenirs. We also had time to stop and warm up with a hot chocolate which was lovely. Highly recommend and we would for sure go again next time we are in the city. It is one of the pricier activities, but when you factor in transport being included it helps the affordability a lot! The current pricing as of writing this in April 2025 is CAD$71.95 for adults, CAD$66.96 for seniors, CAD$42.95 for under 18’s, and under 5’s are free.
Granville Island
Granville Island, tucked beneath Vancouver’s Granville Street Bridge, is a vibrant cultural and culinary hub. It used to be an industrial site that has transformed into a lively hotspot featuring artisan shops, galleries, theaters, and the iconic Granville Island Public Market. The market bursts with fresh produce, gourmet treats (don’t skip on the macarons), and local crafts. With its waterfront views, street performers, and eclectic energy, Granville Island captures the artistic soul and coastal charm of Vancouver. The kids loved the sweet shops and toy shops in the dedicated Children’s Market. We hopped in an uber to get there for around CAD$10-15, and then used the Aquabus to get back across the water. This was a 3-minute ride but cost around CAD$15 so we would maybe use uber again to get back next time!
Vancouver Lookout
The Vancouver Lookout is perched atop the Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver, and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the city’s landscape. From 168 meters above the ground, you can see the skyline, mountains, ocean, and landmarks like Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge. It is accessed by a 40-second ride in a glass elevator ride that’s so fun for the kids,. We held off for good weather so we could appreciate the full view, and are so glad we did! It costs CAD$21.09 for adults and CAD$15 for children, and is open daily from 10am-6pm (last elevator 30 minutes before closing)
FlyOver Canada
FlyOver Canada is located at Canada Place, right by the cruise terminal, and is an attraction very similar to Soarin’ at Epcot in Walt Disney World – an 8 minute 3D flight over the sights of Canada. It was truly breathtaking, and a little emotional, and all of us really loved it and are so glad that we added it on to the end of our trip. As I am writing this, pricing is around CAD$29 per adult or CAD$19 per child so fairly reasonable and a really fun option for families.
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is an attraction that we (Adventures by Knapp) really wanted to do, but unfortunately we just didn’t have the weather to make it worthwhile on the days we had free in our itinerary. Paradise Falls Family, however, have done it and loved it! It offers a blend of outdoor adventure, wildlife encounters, and panoramic city views just 15 minutes from downtown. It cost CAD$200 for a family of 4.
Access to the mountain is via Skyride or the new Blue Grouse Gondola, the cable car gets really busy so doesn’t offer the best views but is a really quick ride to the top. At the summit, activities in Winter involve skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and the enchanting Light Walk; and in summer, options include ziplining, hiking, and the world-famous Grouse Grind. The Sutton’s did a high ropes course which cost CAD$50pp for around 2 hours on the course. They had lots of fun, but the courses were quite strenuous even for an 11 and 8 year old.
The mountain is also home to the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, where there are 2 resident grizzly bears Grinder and Coola, as well as other native species. These are kept in an enclosure here and are brilliant to see up close. They’re absolutely massive and given these were the first bears they’d seen all trip, all the more exciting. There is also a bird show nearby which you can just walk up and enjoy. This was really interesting showing several birds of prey and is worth catching if you’re up here.
With dining options like The Observatory and Altitudes Bistro, plus gift shops and a Starbuck’s, there are plenty of dining and refreshment options too!
Other Bits!
A few other areas worth mentioning are the Olympic Cauldron and the Digital Orca Statue, both at Canada Place but just a little bit over from the Cruise Terminal. These are great little photo ops and good to say “I’ve seen that!”. If you are downtown, you need to have a wander by the Gastown Steam Clock, one of Vancouver’s most iconic landmarks, that whistles and releases steam every fifteen minutes
Something that always pops up on travel blogs about Vancouver is Science World, however neither of us managed to fit this in on our trips, and we had just done something very similar back home so skipped this this time. If shopping is your thing, there are plenty of places to do this in Vancouver including Robson Street, Granville Street and the Pacific Center Mall.
There are many opportunities to go on a Whale Watching excursion from the city, something that feels like a right of passage when in this part of the world, but we had booked this as a cruise excursion so were holding off until then. For something a little further afield there is also the Olympic Village, although not as much to do there anymore, there are some parks and cafes if you wanted to pay it a little visit.
