What Can You Do in Vancouver Right Now?
Wendy Underwood
Was there ever a time when we were more in need of a vacation? The last three months have been stressful for all of us, and while we might not be able to travel too far this summer, we can explore our own backyard with a local staycation, and later road trips within our own province, and eventually trips within Canada. If you’re planning a trip to Vancouver, you might be asking, “What can I do there right now?”
The Burrard is open (in fact, we never closed – read more about our partnership with Providence Health Care here), complete with new protocols and procedures to keep you safe. But what about restaurants, attractions and other activities? The good news is that every day, we’re seeing more and more businesses cautiously reopening their doors to welcome visitors, and they couldn’t be more in need of your support. With that in mind, we’ve put together a quick list of ideas for building your Vancouver itinerary this summer!
Dining Options
Many Vancouver restaurants are ready to welcome diners once again, including our downstairs neighbours Burgoo, and some of our all-time favourites such as The Parlour, Café Medina, Blue Water, and Maenam. And you might be surprised to know that we’ve even seen some new restaurants open over the past few months. Downtown, check out Palate Kitchen on West Hastings, or Cold Tea – just a couple of blocks behind the hotel on Granville Street. And a new location of popular plant-based Vietnamese restaurant, Do Chay, is coming to Yaletown very soon!
A great resource for finding restaurants that are open for dine-in service is Breaking Bread, where you can even search for those with outdoor seating, and filter by the type of cuisine you’re hungry for. If you’re not quite ready to sit down in a restaurant, use the same website to find places offering take-out or delivery, and enjoy dinner at a table in our hotel’s inner courtyard!
Attractions
Vancouver’s attractions are also beginning to reopen to the public with new health and safety protocols. Before visiting, make sure that you visit the website for information on new hours and any entrance requirements. Vancouver Art Gallery is now open, and is also offering free admission at certain times for British Columbian frontline workers. Also downtown, the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art has two current exhibitions along with their permanent collection. Over on the North Shore, the Polygon Gallery has opened its ground floor space, with the rest of the gallery opening in September.
FlyOver Canada is now open and offering two shows: their classic Canadian 4D “flight” experience, and a special “FlyOver Iceland” show. Over in Kitsilano, make a day of it by visiting the Museum of Vancouver and Vancouver Maritime Museum – both are open!
Outdoor Adventures
Of course, there’s still plenty to see and do outside. Take one of our bikes (they’re free for our guests to borrow, and are disinfected between uses) and explore Vancouver’s bike routes. One of our favourites is to head down to the seawall and head east around to False Creek and then along the south side of Burrard Inlet, complete with a stop at Granville Island to pick up picnic provisions. Or head west and pedal into Stanley Park!
Vancouver’s parks and beaches are all open for you to enjoy some fresh air and socially-distanced meet-ups with friends. Or take a hike in Pacific Spirit Regional Park out by UBC, at Capilano River Regional Park in North Vancouver, or through Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. Capilano Suspension Bridge Park once again has visitors swaying across the canyon. A little further up the road, Grouse Mountain has started opening up again — first just to annual pass holders and those that have come up via the Grouse Grind (which is also open again), with other guests being welcomed during subsequent phases.
Ready to book your Vancouver summer getaway? Check out our great rates online.
Photo Credits
Feature Image: Martin Tessler
Maenam – Tourism Vancouver / Scott Brammer Photography
Courtyard at The Burrard – Martin Tessler
Bill Reid Gallery – Sama Jim Canzian / Bill Reid Gallery
Museum of Vancouver – Sama Jim Canzian / Bill Reid Gallery
Granville Island – Tourism Vancouver / Clayton Perry
Grouse Grind – Mike Seehagel
