11 Fun Things to Do In Vancouver This Summer

I’ve lived in Vancouver my whole life and I just recently realized I don’t have a great Vancouver section on the blog! Well starting now, that is going to change! Let’s start with sharing fun things to do in Vancouver this summer, including free and paid activities. The beauty of this city is it does offer a lot of free and inexpensive things to do in the summer.

Summer is when Vancouver comes alive, there’s so much to do, outside and in that, you can do by yourself, with a partner or family. A lot of these activities you can do into the fall, like visiting a beach and going to Granville Island.

11 Things to Do in Vancouver in the Summer

1. Visit A Beach

Ok, this is an obvious one with all the local beaches in Vancouver, but it’s something you must do! They are pretty accessible, have scenic views and really make you forget you are in the city.

Cost: FREE

2. Explore Stanley Park

Located right in the city, you can easily walk there from a Skytrain station, catch a bus or drive into the park. There’s an amazing seawall that goes all the way around the park with fantastic views, beaches, an outdoor pool, the aquarium, cricket fields, small trails to hike or bike, a spectacular rose garden and so much more. You can spend a whole day in the park and spend no money. But there is a brewery and a few restaurants inside you can eat at.

Cost: FREE (unless you go to the pool or eateries)

3. Go for a Hike

If you love the outdoors, heights and want to see great views, check out a local hike on a nearby mountain. There are a few surrounding the city you can hike at any level, or even head up to Squamish (a 1hr drive). You get amazing views, fresh air and a little exercise, and when you come down grab a drink on a patio!

Cost: FREE

4. Hit up an outdoor pool

Vancouver has a handful of outdoor pools, a few are even located right on beaches in the city. They are fairly inexpensive, you have a chance to cool off and take in the views from the water. Kitsilano Pool is my personal favourite, with its white bottom and turquoise water and its spectacular views—of the ocean, the mountains, Kits Beach, and the Vancouver skyline glittering across English Bay.

Cost: $7-$12

5. Go to Happy Hour

With the addition of hundreds of patios around the city, you can enjoy a happy hour on one. Sip a cold glass of your drink choice, people watch your heart out and catch up with friends. I love these patios:
Tableau Bar
H2 Tasting Lounge
Dachi
Local
Ancora

Cost: $6-$14 per drink

6. Spend a morning on Granville Island

My favourite time to go to Granville Island is in the morning before it gets busy. You can browse the indoor market, grab groceries, lunch at a vendor and do a little shopping at the local artisans located on the island. A bit of the False Creek Seawall goes around the island and you can take in some incredible views of the Vancouver skyline. When you are done, catch an Aquabus and head back into the city.

Cost: FREE to minimal

7. Celebrate Vancouver Pride Festival

Vancouver’s Pride Parade is a magnificent display of diversity, spirit, creativity, and unity, and one of Vancouver’s biggest summer events. There are also a variety of events that happen around the city, people from all over come into town and celebrate. It’s amazing and anyone can celebrate.

Cost: FREE to watch the parade

8. Visit the Fair at the PNE

If there’s one summer tradition that can bring out the kid in anyone, it’s the annual Fair at the PNE. Cotton candy, mini doughnuts, Playland rides, farm animals, live performers like Superdogs, and the nightly concert series make this end-of-summer extravaganza one of the best family events of the season.

Cost: $29.50 to $39.50, Children 3 and under free.

9. Do a Beer Crawl

Grab a bike, a designated driver or plan on taking an Uber, and head on down to the Brewery District. If you are looking for food, R&B Brewery makes great pizza, Tacofino Ocho is right down there for tacos, 33 Acres serves up a good menu plus experimental beers and Olympic Village is just a few minutes walk where there are many restaurants like Flying Pig and Nook.

You have a few breweries to walk to around this area, my personal favourites are Electric Bicycle, R&B Brewery and Brassneck. It’s a fun, easy night out with friends, many of these Vancouver breweries feature up to a dozen or more unique brews, and most of them have tasting rooms where visitors can stop in for a taster tray, a pint or a pitcher, and even a bite to eat.

Cost: $5-$8 a beer

10. Visit Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver’s Chinatown is a Ming Dynasty-style garden-home museum and is the first among its kind to have been built outside of China. Go for a peaceful stroll while discovering culture and community. You forget you are right downtown Vancouver while exploring the serene grounds. You might even spot a turtle or two wandering around if you are lucky.

Cost: $12-$16 or $32 for family

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11. Vancouver Mural Festival

The city’s largest public art festival, the Vancouver Mural Fest (VMF) features over 100 massive artworks and live events to enjoy from August 4 to 22. Over 60 new murals will be painted and unveiled in 11 different neighbourhoods. VMF will also host daily mural tours, in-person and online public talks, and over 40 live performances at an open-air, pop-up patio in the festival’s original home of Mount Pleasant.

Cost: Free and ticketed events

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