How to Spend 2 days in Vancouver, Canada

Are you planning a trip to Vancouver, Canada? Here is a guide on where to stay, what to eat and how to spend your time during two days in Vancouver.

Vancouver, located in Western Canada, is a major city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. It boasts natural scenic beauty, thanks to the city’s proximity to mountains, forests, and the ocean. Vancouver is a popular destination for adventure seekers and foodies alike, with its multiculturalism.

From Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, filled with charming cobblestone streets and historic Victorian architecture, to its vast collection of restaurants catering to a multitude of tastes and preferences, to the vibrant culture of Granville Island, the city is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse in Canada.

If you are looking to immerse yourself in an adventurous, multicultural and easy-to-get-to destination, Vancouver, Canada should be the next place you visit.

Here’s a quick overview of how to spend 2 days in Vancouver:

Where to Stay in Vancouver

Accommodations are plentiful in Vancouver. Whether looking to bunk in a hostel, stay in a hotel or find an apartment to spend two nights or a week, Vancouver has what you need in its bustling, walkable downtown.

Related read: Trendy Historic Stay at Moda Hotel in Vancouver

Blue Horizon Hotel

Vancouver is known for its compact urban form and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure consisting of extensive sidewalk networks, and Blue Horizon Hotel is within footsteps of shopping, dining and daily excursions in the heart of the city. The independent boutique hotel, family-owned and woman-run, has been offering travelers a spacious and perfect location since July 1, 1967.

All rooms are bright corner rooms offering balconies to take in the scenic view of the English Bay, North Shore Mountains or the city. The layout of the rooms allows for either a king bed or two queens with a separate sitting area and desk to relax and take in the views or get some work done. Each room includes wifi, Nespresso coffee, a kettle, bathrobes and an in-room safe.

The 3-Green Key certified hotel also features a pool, fitness center, parking garage, and on-site restaurant.

ADOBE Restaurant is a hot spot for brunch, offering different fresh and seasonal dishes to enjoy on the sunny patio, weather permitting, overlooking Robson Street to watch the day begin in the city. Including eggs Benedict, bagel and lox, featuring in-house smoked salmon, and homemade blueberry chia seed pudding with a sprinkle of hearty granola and seasonal fruit, ADOBE has so many options to please everyone’s tastebuds. Make your own omelet or choose one from the menu. They are served with freshly roasted potatoes or a fresh salad with pumpkin seeds and spiraled beets, along with your choice of toast, for a filling start to your day. Coffee, smoothies and juices are also offered to enjoy alone or paired with your favorite breakfast dish.

If your plan is a day in Stanley Park, to grab the ferry to Granville Island, or a road trip to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Blue Horizon Hotel is the perfect starting point.

• Address: 1225 Robson Street, Downtown Vancouver

Where to Eat in Vancouver

From Asian and European influences to food trucks and Michelin-Starred restaurants, Vancouver is a renowned foodie Mecca offering a dynamic and exciting dining experience for all. Since it’s know for having a wide array of global cuisines, here are a few that top the list when visiting Vancouver.

The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant, Granville Island

For a taste of Vancouver’s Pacific Northwest cuisine, including salmon, Dungeness crab and spot prawns, The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant is your go-to culinary experience, especially when visiting Granville Island. The menu offers a large array of fresh seafood with international flavors, locally sourced ingredients and notable dishes.

The three-floor, spacious restaurant offers a beautiful outdoor patio with stunning views from under the Granville Street Bridge, overlooking False Creek and downtown Vancouver. Within its warm, sophisticated atmosphere, fresh oysters are served perfectly chilled with all the fixings, whole Dungeness crabs come out perfectly steamed with sweet drawn butter and fresh sashimi is plated at the Hoshi Sushi bar.

There are a number of different entrees to choose from for a more filling dish, and the Alderwood Grilled Sablefish entree is highly recommended. The entree includes a large fillet of black cod grilled to perfection with a miso soy marinade paired with coconut jasmine rice and market vegetables.

Linguine Vongole is also a popular dish with fresh manila clams in a mild white wine sauce with cherry tomatoes, chili flakes and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Offering many shared plates and fresh seafood platters, Sandbar offers a distinct dining experience to delight all the senses.

• Address: 1535 Johnston Street Greek House #102, Granville Island

Hydra Estiatorio & Wine Bar, Downtown Vancouver

Hydra Estiatorio & Wine Bar, this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, named after a Greek Island in the Aegean Sea, offers delightful ingredients and traditional Greek cooking styles that leave you wanting to come back for more.

From a fresh array of spreads, hummus, tzatziki, melitzana and tarama, served with a side of vegetables and pita bread and chips to perfectly grilled octopus brushed with full-bodied olive oil, flat parsley and fresh garlic on a bed of hummus, Hydra’s focus is to serve quality Mediterranean dishes within a beautiful, glass-walled second-floor dining room inside Exchange Hotel.

Hydra platters, including whole-grilled fish, roasted chicken, and marinated steak kabobs, are served family-style with perfectly grilled vegetables to share, transporting diners to the old country. Any of these dishes pairs nicely with the variety of tasty wines from Greece Hydra offers on their vast wine list. Ask your waiter for the best pairing for each dish you order.

Dessert is a must at Hydra. Traditional baklava, consisting of unleavened flatbreads arranged in layers with chopped nuts baked between them, is paired with creamy pistachio ice cream for a satisfying conclusion to the Mediterranean culinary experience in Hydra.

• Address: 475 Howe Street, Downtown Vancouver

COAST Restaurant, Downtown Vancouver

When you enter COAST Restaurant, you are transformed into a lively ambience and modern atmosphere, making it a fun spot to stop for a drink, Happy Hour or unforgettable dining experience.

The craft cocktails served from the circular bar in the center of the restaurant are as beautiful to look at as they are to drink. The Citrus Bonsai 16, consisting of sake, vodka, simple syrup, shies, nori and yuzu citrus, pairs well with the sushi freshly prepared at O Lounge where diners can experience a live-action sushi station. If sushi is what you are going for, California Roll 19 is the one roll you must order.

Made with fresh Dungeness crab, black tobiko and chili thread, this California roll is unlike any other California roll you ever tasted. The fresh crab makes this a sweet sushi experience in downtown Vancouver. The menu also offers an array of seafood, meat and pasta dishes, but if you are looking to experience Pacific Northwest smoked salmon in a different way, the Smoked Salmon Flatbread is a delicious and filling meal. Covered in honey mascarpone cheese topped with smoked salmon, arugula and capers and baked to perfection, this chewy flatbread is sure to satisfy your pallet.

• Address: 1054 Alberni Street, Downtown Vancouver

How to Spend Your Time During 2 Days in Vancouver

Granville Island

Granville Island is a short 3-minute boat ride across False Creek aboard Aquabus, a 9-minute drive or a longer walk also the Seawall route if coming in from the north. The peninsula boasts shops, boutiques, restaurants, a brewery, a whisky distillery, galleries, theaters, courtyards and decks to spend the day taking in all that Granville Island has to offer.

The Granville Island Public Market is the main attraction of the island. It has 50 vendors selling anything from fresh produce to candy to homemade pasta. Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., a few vendors to check out while there include Lee’s Donuts for a handmade, warm donut, Oyama Sausage for small-batch fine meats and Olde World Fudge for a selection of fudge flavors.

Other things to do while visiting the island is to walk through the many art studios and artisan shops and see a performance at one of the many theaters. The Improv Center is a 186-seat theater known to be the best improv comedy in all of Vancouver.

Whether it’s a quick trip through the Public Market, a family-friendly picnic at Splash Park or a day of exploring the shops, performances and waterfront views, Granville Island is a perfect day trip when visiting Vancouver.

Gastown

This historic area of Vancouver is lined with cobblestone streets, shops and restaurants. Designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 2009, Gastown is a popular day trip because of the preservation of the Victorian architecture that is home to many of the shops and restaurants.

Some attractions to see in Gastown include the Gastown Steam Clock, which was designed and built by Raymond Saunders and is still fully functional, Maple Tree Square, where many people believe Vancouver originated, and a walking tour to learn the history and art of the city.

There is a variety of tasty eats while walking through Gastown, but a historic one that can’t be missed is the Old Spaghetti Factory. The chain restaurant’s first-ever location to serve up American-Italian style entrees was in Gastown and is a staple in the city. Stop in Vinyl Records Vancouver to find the largest selection in Vancouver and over to Hudson House Trading Company for some Canadian souvenirs to take with you.

Related read: Things to Do in Vancouver on a Rainy Day

Stanley Park

Vancouver’s 988-acre park is known as one of the world’s best parks. With both mountain and ocean views, the six-mile Seawall trail attracts the most visitors. There are beaches, a seaside swimming pool, playgrounds and many walking trails through the fir and cedar forests.

Some fun things to do when visiting the park include renting a bike to tour the park yourself, hopping on a horse-drawn carriage tour (March through October), or hopping on and off the narrated shuttle tour (summer months only). A few must-visit stops within the park should be the totem poles, Siwash Rock and Third Beach.

Related read: Best Things to do in Vancouver, Canada

From its rich history to its many restaurants, artisan shops, and outdoor adventures, Vancouver has something for everyone!