Insider Itinerary – Autumn Adventure

Begin your fall visit to Vancouver with a horse-drawn carriage ride through Stanley Park. Listen to the clacking of Clydesdale hooves while cozying up under a warm blanket on a one-hour tour through Vancouver’s first and largest urban park. Riding through the 400-hectare park showcases all the reasons why people fall in love with the city – the mountain and ocean views combined with beautiful trees and trails are spectacular.

Following a morning in the crisp, cool air take a step into the warm indoors among the tropical flora and fauna at the Bloedel Conservatory. The eye-catching geodesic dome is home to over 100 free-flying birds including parrots, exotic finches and Chinese pheasants, as well as more than 500 exotic plants and flowers. The heritage building sits at the highest point in the city, Queen Elizabeth Park – another venue perfect for enjoying the fall leaves during your autumn visit to the city. Skip the line-up by booking your tickets online.

After a long day enjoying the mist and mountain views, warm up with a big bowl of soup noodles at Fat Mao. They have two central locations in the city: one in Chinatown and the other very conveniently right across the street from The Burrard! We love a hearty bowl of braised duck noodles in aromatic soy broth, but the vegetarian cauliflower and tofu khao soi curry is an equally good way of keeping and chilly fall weather at bay.

Hearty locals know that just because there’s rain overhead it shouldn’t stop them from enjoying a day out on the water. Tour operators like Prince of Whales offer half day whale watching tours departing from Granville Island on vessels with heated indoor cabins, with tours running through until the first week of November. Remember your hat, gloves, and jackets because it can get chilly out on the open-air decks! They also provide complimentary coffee and tea to help you warm up afterwards. Whale watching guarantees mean that if you don’t see whales when you head out, you can come back any time for a free tour.

Grouse Mountain is a popular destination no matter the season. In the summer, visitors can hike the famous Grouse Grind, known as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster,” while in the winter, skiing or snowboarding is the game. But the fall months are still a lovely time on the mountain: take advantage of smaller crowds and enjoy the forested canopy with either their Mountain Ziplines or Mountain Ropes Adventure, owl interpretive sessions, visit the resident grizzly bear, or catch the lumberjack show and the spectacular views that dazzle every day of the year. At sunset, unwind with dinner and a glass of wine as you take in the twinkling lights of the city below.