Trip Report: Our Day Exploring the Many Charms of Vancouver
When you're planning a ski holiday, it's incredibly tempting to just touch down at the airport and head straight for the snow. But Vancouver is too good to miss, and if you're skiing in Western Canada then we always recommend spending some time in this fantastic city as you pass through.
And that's exactly what we did, spending a whirlwind 24 hours exploring Vancouver before hitting the slopes of Whistler and Sun Peaks as part of our Whistler Peaks Ski Safari. For me personally, this transatlantic trip was my first ever visit to Canada, and Vancouver proved to be the perfect gateway to the country. It effortlessly backed up every glowing comment I'd heard about Canada; the friendly locals, the blend of vibrant city life and stunning scenery, and the sheer ease of getting around. It all made an incredible first impression.
Vancouver gave us the most wonderful taste of British Columbia before we even stepped into our ski boots. The contrast of standing right by the ocean while staring up at snow-capped peaks in the distance really took my breath away.
If you're wondering whether a Vancouver city add-on is right for your trip, or how to pack a short city break into your itinerary, here's exactly what we got up to on our research trip in March 2026.
A natural stopover
After landing in Vancouver in the evening, we were glad to check into the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre for a well-deserved night's rest.
The following morning, the team - myself, Abbie from Sales, and Karla, Ophelia, Claire and Amy from Operations - woke up excited to explore. Our transfer to Whistler was booked for 3pm, giving us a grand total of just seven hours to squeeze in the very best of the city!
Initially, we were worried we'd be racing around the city to fit in our activities before our transfer, but we couldn't have been more wrong! Thanks to the beautifully quiet morning streets and how incredibly easy it is to navigate the city, we managed to cross off everything on our bucket list without ever feeling rushed.
Here's what we managed to see and do...
Granville Island
Aqua Bus to the island
Hungry and eager to get going, we decided to head to the popular food market on Granville Island for breakfast.
Just a 15-minute walk from our hotel, Granville Island is easily accessed by Aqua Bus from Hornby St Dock, on the banks of False Creek. These pay-as-you-go pedestrian ferries are the best way to access the island as a tourist.
The colourful, rainbow-decorated ferry was a cheery sight, and the whole journey took less than 15 minutes. Nice and easy! My top tip: catch an early ferry if you want it all to yourself!
Gliding across the water in the gorgeous morning sunshine, looking up at the city skyline and the massive iron bridge overhead, was the perfect way to spend our first sunny morning in Canada.
Breakfast at the Public Market
The boat drops you off right at the Granville Island Public Market. Walking in, it’s immediately a hub for the senses, including stalls overflowing with bright flowers, fresh fruits, and local treats. Our favourites were the maple syrup lollipops!
I picked up a fresh, cold-pressed watermelon juice and a massive slice of blueberry bread pastry from one of the bakeries, then we feasted on our produce in a sunny spot along the water.
Pro-tip: Granville Island has great free Wi-Fi, so it’s the perfect spot to send a few photos to family back home, or to map out what you want to do for the rest of the day.
Stanley Park
The weather was so sunny and beautiful that we decided to head to Vancouver's famous Stanley Park.
This 1,000-acre park features a 9km path that circles the perimeter, and it makes up part of the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path, stretching a total of 28km! Keen to experience a section of this path, a few of our group opted for renting bikes and pedalling along the smooth cycleways.
A quick tip: download the local bike rental app (called Mobi by Rogers) on your phone before you head out. It took us a little while to get our accounts sorted at the station, so doing it ahead of time means you can just scan, unlock, and go.
The ride is spectacular and incredibly easy. Within just minutes, you cruise past sandy beaches, peaceful lagoons, and dense forest. Around 11am, the path was full of local runners, walkers, and (our personal favourite) dogs being wheeled along in bags! It was clear to us that Stanley Park was the heart of Vancouver on a warm, sunny weekend.
As you cycle along the harbour, it genuinely feels like you’re out in the countryside rather than in Canada's third largest city. Standing on the banks of where the land meets the sea, we faced the serene North Shore Mountains. Vancouver is a truly nature-oriented city, where you can watch seaplanes landing on the water with those snow-capped mountains waiting for you in the distance.
Horse-drawn carriage tour
One of my absolute highlights of the day was taking a horse-drawn carriage tour through Stanley Park. March mornings can still have a bit of a nip in the air, but they had us all wrapped up in cosy blankets while we sat back and listened to the horses' hooves.
Our guide was absolutely brilliant and shared loads of stories about Vancouver's history. We rolled past the Rose Garden, the historic lighthouse with its famous mermaid statue out on the rocks, and learned about the spooky history of Deadman’s Island. The carriage even stops at Brockton Point so you can get out and see the towering First Nations Totem Poles up close.
Walk along the harbour
On the way back to our hotel, we walked along the waterfront towards Coal Harbour. This 20-minute stroll was gorgeous in the sunshine, and an easy way to loop back round from Stanley Park towards Downtown Vancouver. There were dozens of impressive yachts to admire and plenty of places to eat and drink along the waterside.
By this point in the day, it was nearly time for us to meet our transfer to Whistler. We opted for a 3pm transfer that picked us up right outside the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel, but you could easily catch a later transfer and enjoy a few more hours in Vancouver.
Pro-tip: if you're transferring to Whistler from Vancouver, sit on the left side of the bus (behind the driver) for the best views along the Sea-to-Sky Highway. This famous stretch of road weaves in between the dramatic fjords and the Coast Mountains, and was genuinely a highlight of our whole Whistler Peaks Ski Safari. You can see the huge expanse of water for miles, and you're always in eyesight of the snowy peaks leading to Whistler.
Why stay in Vancouver?
Spending a few nights in Vancouver before or after your ski holiday is, in our opinion, a no-brainer. This cultural hub makes for a wonderful stop en route to Whistler, or before catching an internal flight to Sun Peaks, Big White or Silver Star. Being such an easy destination to tag on at the beginning or end of your ski holiday, Vancouver is just asking to be explored and it would be a shame to skip such a colourful city!
Vancouver can also be added to your Canadian ski holiday as part of our Okanagan Explorer Ski Safari, which combines Big White, Sun Peaks and Silver Star. Or if you like the idea of mooching around Vancouver before skiing in Whistler and Sun Peaks, I couldn't recommend our Whistler Peaks Ski Safari highly enough!
At what point in the ski season should I visit Vancouver?
The magic of Vancouver is that it's great all season long!
For spring skiers, Vancouver is superb. We visited mid-March and it was blissfully quiet, meaning we could wander the colourful streets and enjoy beautiful outdoor spaces without any of the early season or peak summer crowds. I personally recommend March for its milder temperatures; we enjoyed walking around the city in the sunshine in just a jumper, and photographing the gentle pink hue of blossom growing in Stanley Park was a highlight for me!
Skiing in Western Canada at another point during the ski season? Don't worry! There's still plenty to do outside of the spring months. Read North America Product Manager Rupert's blog, Winter in Vancouver, for some extra ideas on how to spend your time in one of Canada's most vibrant cities.
Where should I stay in Vancouver?
As you'd expect in a major city, Vancouver has an excellent range of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets.
We checked into the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre which boasts fantastic views over the whole city (and an impressive 48 storeys!).
Waking up bright and early there had us raring to go. The views outside the room are insane - huge glassy skyscrapers framed by the mountains in the distance. We met downstairs, grabbed a quick morning brew from the lobby Starbucks, and stepped out into the crisp March air.
Speak to our Canada experts
For more ideas on how to spend a city break in Vancouver, call us on 01273 224060 (Monday to Friday) to chat to one of our Canada experts. Plenty of our team members have been to Vancouver, so we can recommend a wide variety of activities that we have experienced first-hand to cater for all interests.
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