10 Free Things to Do in Vancouver

You can plan a day out on this island or even make it the hub of your stay. There’s plenty to see and do on Granville Island alone, especially sightseeing, shopping, and adventurous dining. Start out at the dockside or Ron Basford Park for scenic views over False Creek. If you have kids in tow, they can splash and play at the free waterpark nearby. A stroll through the famous farmers’ market, Granville Island Public Market, lets you see and sample fresh goods at cheap prices.

For free recreation and a good sampling of Vancouver’s great outdoors, you can make your way to Stanley Park, Vancouver’s most beautiful and feature-filled urban park. This green refuge has around 400 hectares that’s mostly covered in cedar forests, with pathways and hiking trails that lead you to various discovery spots. Among these are Brockton Point with its lighthouse and a totem pole garden that honours First Nations heritage art. The 13-mile Seawall is popular among cyclists, joggers, and for taking in the beautiful seascapes. 

Sharing grounds with Vancouver’s space centre, the Gordon Macmillan Southam (GMS) Observatory offers you a “tour” of the moon, planets, and stars on Saturday evenings. It’s hard to miss with its large dome roof, which usually split open during observations. There are staff at hand who can assist you to look through the telescopes and help you understand how their computer-aided star tracking works. The main telescope is a classical Cassegrain reflector, mounted in the centre of the observation room. Admission is by donation.

This village museum is one of the best places to spend a day out with family in Vancouver without spending much money. Burnaby Village Museum harks back to the 1920s, with period costumed townsfolk greeting you in each of their homes’. You can sense the furnace heat as blacksmith works his metalworks or smell the ground coffee at the village’s general store. Entry to the village is free. There’s the 1912 CW Parker Carousel that offers rides at around $2.65 per child.

Whether you’re up for hunting some of Vancouver’s best sceneries or wish to work up a sweat, the hilltop Queen Elizabeth Park offers you and your family a fun and free escape from the city streets. There’s plenty of fun to be had, like lawn bowling, tennis, and disc golf, along with simply enjoying a scenic stroll along its flower gardens at this highest point over the city. Picnicking near the west-facing slopes can be spectacular around April when cherry blossom trees burst into full bloom.

The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge spans 160 ft high over the scenic and fir-forested Lynn Creek in North Vancouver. It’s free to access and connects to nature trails. At one point in history, you’d have to spare 10¢ to walk the bridge. These days, it might be outshined in popularity by the Capilano Suspension Bridge nearby, but with free access and stunning, 160-ft-high views, Lynn’s is your best budget choice.

The Capilano River Regional Park is home to a salmon hatchery where you can enjoy a stop between your forest hike to learn about the interesting life of salmon and trout. It’s free to visit and is worth spending a couple of hours. Besides learning about how fish develop from eggs until their release into the river, you can also witness a salmon run in the right season as they climb the salmon ladder. March through November are usually the best months to visit. 

If you’re in reasonable shape, looking for an adventure, and are up for a real challenge, you can consider hiking up the Grouse Grind Trail. This 1.8-mile free forest trail leads you up the face of Vancouver’s popular Grouse Mountain. The hike, on average, takes between 90 minutes to 2 hours to complete. Mind you, upon reaching the peak, the cost to take the Skyride back down is around $15. For average hiking, Grouse Mountain does offer various other moderate nature trails. 

This is a striking, Gothic landmark in the heart of the high-rise cityscape of Downtown Vancouver. Despite having undergone refurbishments in the past, Vancouver’s Christ Church Cathedral on Burrard Street retains much of its antique charm, with its stone walls and stained-glass windows – in contrast to the modern skyscrapers surrounding it. It’s worth stepping inside just to hear the heavenly sounds of their award-winning choir. The church’s 4 magnificent bronze bells chime every 8am, noon, and 6pm.

Even if you’re on a tight budget and don’t wish to buy anything, Lonsdale Quay Market is a good go-to simply for taking in Vancouver’s waterfront views. You can browse through the market where several dozen shops sell fresh seafood, snacks and a good variety of local products. In the summer months, usually from June to September, you can expect live bands performing, charity barbecues, and the kids can enjoy fun and games.