Top 10 Kid Friendly Things To Do and Attractions in Downtown Vancouver

"The tours stop at many of Vancouver’s most popular sites, including Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium and Granville Island, as well as neighbourhoods like Chinatown and Gastown. Continue your orientation of the city with a Sea Vancouver tour of the city’s harbour by Zodiac, or head to FlyOver Canada, a 4D flight simulation that will have you soaring above our country’s astounding natural landscape. Spend the rest of the afternoon on the city’s famous shopping strip, Robson Street, or familiarize yourself with the works of British Columbia’s best known artist, Emily Carr, at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Finish off the day with dinner at a restaurant with a view of Vancouver’s majestic mountains."

"We could write a stand alone article just on the best spots to take photographs in Stanley Park, Canada’s first, largest, and most iconic urban park. It’s size rivals that of the Vancouver downtown core and offers a much needed path into nature in the bustling city. Whether you have a quick moment to drive around the perimeter, or if you get a half day to wander the trails in the interior, you’ll soon realize why they don’t call it the jewel of Vancouver for nothing."

"Stanley Park is a glorious 1,000 acre (400ha) public park at the northernmost tip of downtown Vancouver. As well as views of the beautiful Burrard Inlet and English Bay, you can find beaches, walking trails, local wildlife, and Canada’s largest aquarium. Walk or cycle the 3.4mi (8.8km) sea wall that loops around the coastline, soaking up incredible views of the northern mountains and the Lions Gate Bridge."

"The Dr. Sun yat-sen classical Chinese garden is the heart of Vancouver. This place reflects the cultural heritage and histories of Chinatown. The garden is at the heart of Chinatown."

"Situated in the heart of Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Park is also the highest point in the city, boasting spectacular views of the downtown skyline. It's one of the best parks in Vancouver for gardens, and the free quarry gardens are in bloom virtually year-round and are truly spectacular. The park is also home to the "dancing fountains" (at its top), the Queen Elizabeth Pitch & Putt, and lots of open, green spaces for playing ball or just laying on the soft grass."

"Having the highest point in the city, it is worth the trip to enjoy the view of both the mountains and the Vancouver skyline. Queen Elizabeth Park, a former quarry, has dancing fountains that delight spectators both day and night, plenty of green spaces, tennis courts, the Queen Elizabeth Pitch and Putt , and an off-leash dog area. Queen Elizabeth Park is also home to The Bloedel Conservatory, which has 500 tropical plants and over one hundred exotic birds."

"Queen Elizabeth Park is Vancouver’s highest point, clocking in at 410ft (125m) above sea level. Thanks to its central location, the park has some of the best views of the city’s impressive skyline, with a stunning backdrop of the North Vancouver mountains. The park is a popular picnic spot, with plenty of green space to relax with family or friends."

"Located around the corner from the Museum of Vancouver, Kitsilano Beach is one of Vancouver’s most popular beaches. Walk from Kitsilano Beach to Vanier Park to enjoy the greenery and skyline views. If you search enough, you’ll be able to find the Kitsilano Beach Swing (we couldn’t find it), and you can feel like you’re in Hawaii."

"Known to locals as Kits or Kits Beach, Kitsilano Beach is where you will find a lot of residents in the summertime. There’s ample park space around the beach for picnics, plus volleyball nets and Kitsilano Pool. The 137m (450ft) outdoor pool is Vancouver’s only saltwater swimming pool, open from mid-May to mid-September."

"Kitsilano Beach is one of Vancouver's favorite summertime hangouts. The wide, sandy expanse attracts buff Frisbee tossers, giggling volleyball players and those who just like to preen while catching the rays. The ocean is fine for a dip."

"Robson Square is one of the landmark public plazas and civic centres in Vancouver. Home to Vancouver’s provincial court, Robson Square is also the location of the only outdoor ice-skating rink in downtown Vancouver!. Covered by a steel and glass dome, the ice rink becomes a skating rink in the winter season."

"Ok, back to some truly classic options, at least in production style. These folks specialize in a French-style ice cream that uses a creme Anglaise base (custard made of egg yolks and heavy cream). It’s decadent and smooth; a veritable labour of love and a sleeper hit for ice cream in Vancouver."

"Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing. The products of this ice cream store are made with a thick custard that uses egg yolks and heavy cream. The end product has less air, and so the ice cream is lush, rich, and indulgent."

"French-style ice cream that uses a creme Anglaise base, which is a thick custard composed of egg yolks and heavy cream. It’s decadent and smooth; a veritable labour of love and a sleeper hit for ice cream in Vancouver."

"Built in 1975 on a former golf course, VanDusen Botanical Garden is spread over 55 acres in Vancouver’s exclusive Shaughnessy neighborhood, about a ten-minute drive from the city’s downtown core. The sheer variety of plant life on display is incredible, and as you meander the garden’s paths you’ll encounter over 7,500 plants and trees from seven separate geographic regions. But it’s more than just another “plant museum,” so to speak: from the meditation garden and Elizabethan maze to the bubbling streams that cascade from the park’s waterfall, this is one of the more stunning and serene spots in Vancouver."

"The vast and verdant VanDusen Botanical Garden is just ten minutes’ drive to the south of the center. It has lots of pretty paths and ponds and stunning scenery wherever you look. First opened to the public in 1975, the gorgeous garden now has countless different sections, including a maze, meditation garden, Rhododendron Walk, Korean Pavilion and sino-Himalayan area."

"This massive 874 hectares park is located in the University Endowment Lands, on Point Grey to the west of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. It surrounds the endowment lands of the University of British Columbia on the shores of Georgia Strait in the Pacific Ocean. Located on the west side of the city of Vancouver, the Pacific Spirit Regional Park offers a network of trails popular with locals and tourists alike and accessible year-round."

"This 750-hectare haven, the only GVRD park in city limits, is well-known to many and is a wonderful alternative to the trails of Stanley Park. It only takes a few steps in to feel far away from urban existence. The forested trails pass through land blanketed by ferns and shaded by towering cedars."

"This gallery, in the heart of downtown Vancouver is dedicated to contemporary Indigenous Northwest Coast Art and honours Haida artist, Bill Reid and his contribution to the art world. Bill Reid was a master goldsmith, carver, sculptor and acclaimed writer. The Bill Reid Gallery is a small, intimate museum with exhibits presented with video interviews and insights."

"Photo courtesy of Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (Facebook). Bill Reid is a national treasure and is known as a very talented Haida master goldsmith, sculptor, writer, carver and spokesman. Though his life ended in 1998, his legacy lives on in the small gallery in downtown Vancouver."

"Check out the First Nations art galleries for something beautiful to take home Find the Steam Clock and the statue of 'Gassy' Jack Deighton"

"A favorite among Vancouverites for sublime cuisine, fine wines and impeccable service, Les Faux Bourgeois is a popular restaurant with couples looking for an intimate, romantic spot for dinner. The French-inspired menu features signature starters of escargots de Bourgogne, country-style pork paté with homemade bread, and a variety of sweetbreads, along with entrées of mussels in white wine, canard confit, and coq au vin. The cuisine is accompanied by a range of fine wines from around the world, craft beers and local microbrews, high-end spirits, and classic cocktails."

"Les Faux Bourgeois is a quintessential French bistro where you’ll find steak frites, escargot, and servers with French accents who might silently judge you for eating your food so fast. Come here when you want some reliable and reasonably-priced classic French food and don’t want to spend forever trying to get a table. Though if you encounter a short wait, you can kill some time over a few beers at Bells and Whistles a block over before consuming a whole bunch of red wine and creme brulee."

"Head to the adored Les Faux Bourgeois, tucked-away near Fraser and Kingsway, for fine comfort food like their Alsacienne tarte flambée with caramelized onions, smoked bacon and crème fraîche ricotta, and a wine list focused on France and western North America. Location: 663 East 15th Ave."

"Drawing inspiration from the bounty of the Pacific Northwest and seamlessly blending that with French techniques and Asian influences, Pidgin’s cuisine unerringly reflects the blurring of the line between East and West in Vancouver. Although perfect for bar snacks — the gochujang chicken wings are the best in the city — and genuinely thrilling for the creative cocktails with ingredients such as toasted rice rum and gunpowder tea gomme, Pidgin’s prix fixe is an exceptional value with eight mini courses of pure inventive delight for 69 Canadian dollars per person. Whisky and sake fans will love the selection, and the wine list offers global gems too."

"Pidgin is a Gastown spot that feels sort of like a basement, but one with windows that you would want to live in. You’ll find food that’s more creative than anywhere else, and it’s good for a special occasion (especially if you opt for their tasting menu) or a night spent staring into someone’s eyes. Share things like their kombu risotto, short ribs with kimchi, and pork belly rice bowl, just make sure you start with the oysters that come in shot glasses with apple granite - they’re like a briny slushie, in a somehow not weird way."

"Located in historic Gastown, we are a Vancouver restaurant paying homage to the unique cultures that make up the tapestry of this great city by seamlessly using Asian and Pacific Northwest ingredients with current techniques. We recommend the pork"

"A post shared by LIFT BAR GRILL VIEW (@liftbarandgrill) on Jul 18, 2019 at 1:13pm PDT. Located in scenic Coal Harbour, Lift has an elevated patio that’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already. The bi-level patio has ample seating but if you can, head to the rooftop, and enjoy the views and the city skyline."

"A post shared by Meghan Page (@meghanpage) on Jul 16, 2019 at 12:15pm PDT. Located in scenic Coal Harbour, Lift has an elevated patio that’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already. The bi-level patio has ample seating, but if you can, head to the rooftop, and enjoy the views and the city skyline."

"McDonald's est une des plus grandes chaine de restauration rapide au Canada. McDonald's vend principalement des burgers de bœuf,. McDonald's Value Picks Menu"

"But locals sometimes grumble about high prices at the more upmarket stands – which makes cash-only Hamburger 2.85 (corner of Granville Street and West Pender Street) a breath of meaty, fresh air. Named after the price of its staple offering, expect peak-time line-ups for its teriyaki-sauced patties, crispy lettuce, thick tomato slices and toasted buns – the kind of burgers that put rubbery fast-food versions to shame."

"Burger $2.85--which rebranded a couple of years ago as Wakwak Burger--is definitely a Vancouver street food gem. From classic burgers with their special sauce to things like crispy chicken burgers and their sides of fries, it’s no wonder Wakwak Burger always ends up on many a local’s guide for the best cheap eats."

"A post shared by Josh Tan (@jkyletan) on Jul 22, 2015 at 6:12pm PDT. Wakwak burger sells not one, not two, but several of the burgers on their menu for $2.85. And we’re not talking about a sad burger that’s a bun and done, no, it’s got all the size, toppings, and flavour to be a serious contender."