Exciting Things to do in Downtown Vancouver from a Montrealer’s Perspective

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Are you planning a family vacation soon? How about visiting Vancouver and enjoying some fun things to do in this beautiful city. I fell in love with this city 2 weeks ago while I was traveling for a conference. Even though time was tight, I made sure to tour downtown Vancouver. Coming from the East coast (Montreal), I am not sure I will be visiting Vancouver again anytime soon. Fortunately enough the conference organizers were wise enough to provide us with free time that allowed me to snap some pictures.

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View of the beautiful rocky mountains from the plane on the way to Vancouver

Let me start form the beginning. I landed in Vancouver International airport around 10 am Local time. (It was 1 pm EST) and took the train to downtown Vancouver.  It is a 20 minutes ride and costs around $9. The train is adjacent to the airport and it is easy to take. The Four Seasons Hotel where I stayed was only 2 minutes walk from the train station.  Once I checked in, I starting touring the city. It was raining hard (Which is not unusual in this city, they even had an umbrella bag box in the mall!).

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Take a bag for your umbrella! It’s rainy in Vancouver!

So here are the things I did in downtown Vancouver during my weekend stay that I would recommend for your family vacation itinerary on a trip to downtown Vancouver.

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Things to do in downtown Vancouver on a family vacation

Robson Street

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Robson Street: Vancouver Family Vacation

It is a look like modern European street where stylish boutiques, cozy cafés, stunning chocolate shops are mingling together. We don’t have this kind of vibe in Montreal. We have the European style but we don’t have this mixture of chocolate shops, cafes and boutiques in one street.

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The street is crowded but not too crowded. Perfect for a Sunday morning walk. While I was walking alone, I felt a lot of warmth while crossing this street.

Granville Island

I did not have the chance to visit it but those who did found it stunning. Activity is centered around the Granville Island Public Market, with its bevy of merchants selling seafood, fresh produce, cheese and breads. It’s probably one of the best spots in the city for lunch, according to Tourism Vancouver.

Gastown

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Historical Gastown

It is their traditional historical town of Downtown Vancouver. It scrolled it through this town and enjoyed the display at the art galleries. It is full of souvenir shops. I grabbed few souvenirs for my family and for my house. The street has a nice vibe and lots of cafes where you can have a delicious maple dessert.

Visiting the Harbour or Place Canada

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This was by far my favorite thing to do in downtown Vancouver. I enjoyed walking to the harbor.

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It was a 10 minutes walk from the hotel. Nothing like breathing fresh air, enjoying the wonderful fall view and seeing boats. See for yourself.

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 Simply Enjoy the  Downtown Sites

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You don’t even have to choose a specific destination to enjoy Vancouver on a family vacation. Simply walk in the downtown and enjoy the mix of Skyscrapers and European style buildings. Then indulge in yummy treats. (That picture of the treat is upside down. No matter how much I rotate it, it stays this way. I apologize for that)

Yummy treats in downton vancouver

Whatever you do, don’t miss your chance to get a great view of downtown Vancouver at night! Isn’t it gorgeous?

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There are so many things to do in Vancouver on a family vacation. I hope I get a chance to visit again one day!

Have you ever been to downtown Vancouver? What are your must-see spots for a family vacation?

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15 thoughts on “Exciting Things to do in Downtown Vancouver from a Montrealer’s Perspective”

  1. I’m sharing this post with my mom because she is going to Vancouver. I’m so jealous of her trip – I want to visit too, especially after reading all of the cool stuff to do here.

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