Vancouver how long to visit

Vancouver has limited daylight in the winter months. In December, for example, the sun rises around a. Yes, it is full, nighttime dark by 5 p. This continues through January and February. If you're dining and shopping and going clubbing, the p. But if you want to see Vancouver's best viewpoints or visit Vancouver's most Instagrammed landmarks or do anything that involves daylight after 5 p.

There will be shorter wait times at U. Top Vancouver attractions are open year-round, and you can enjoy them in any weather especially the indoor ones , but note that there will be more crowds in summertime, so for popular attractions, plan further ahead and book reservations or buy tickets in advance if possible. Off-season is the ideal time to visit Vancouver museums and galleries and to enjoy Vancouver theatre, shopping , nightlife , and dining , since you can do all of those things regardless of the weather and crowds will be minimal.

A warm May or September will provide all the benefits of summer's peak season while hotel and flight costs will be at least a little lower, and there will be fewer crowds. There are many cost benefits to off-season travel in Vancouver. Lower occupancy rates at hotels means more options and lower prices. The same pricing trends hold true for sharing economy accommodations like Airbnb and VRBO, which means more options for longer stays or for staying in Downtown Vancouver.

Airfare into Vancouver may also cost less in the off-season. Vancouver hotels and spas often offer special deals and packages to attract off-season travelers. This is especially true in February, around Valentine's Day; see below.

April is typically cool and rainy, but has whale-watching and spring gardens. May is a wonderful time to visit for foodies : there are the annual BC Spot Prawn and BC Halibut festivals, which inspire restaurants to create fresh spot prawn and halibut dishes, and the famous Asian-style night markets in Richmond open in mid-May.

June is relatively rainy, but generally, July and August are hot and dry with plenty of events and holidays, such as Canada Day, Vancouver International Jazz Festival , Celebration of Light fireworks and Bard on the Beach. Early September is often still warm, so it's ideal for outdoor activities while late September is perfect for touring fall foliage. In October, Vancouver goes all-out with a month of Halloween attractions and events, including "haunted" Vancouver tours and ghost tours.

It's fun for pop culture geeks, too—the annual Vancouver Halloween Parade is all about cosplay. Late November and early-December offer snow sports weather permitting and ice skating , plus Christmas attractions that open early. Vancouver's Chinatown is the third largest in North America. February is ideal for foodies: Tourism Vancouver hosts almost a month long Dine Out Vancouver food festival , with multiple restaurant events, food tastings, and food tours.

February is also perfect for a romantic getaway to Vancouver for Valentine's Day many hotels and spas offer special Valentine's Day packages , or for combining a trip to Vancouver with a romantic getaway to Vancouver Island where you can curl up together and watch winter storms. Because of the warm and sunny weather, summer is the best time to visit Vancouver, but there will be more crowds. Visit the exhibits about B. Another day trip from Vancouver would take you by ferry to the Sunshine Coast , to wander along quiet beaches, check out local microbreweries, or hike to Skookumchuck Narrows , known for its dramatic tides.

A second option for a week-long British Columbia trip is to pair Vancouver with the Okanagan , traveling over the coast mountains into this fertile agricultural valley. The Okanagan has several large lakes for swimming or paddleboarding, and more than wineries to sample. With five to seven days, a third option is to tour the Canadian Rockies , starting and ending your trip in Calgary.

Check out this weeklong road trip for inspiration—you'll explore the ice-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, the backcountry wilds and mountain towns of the Kootenays, and the fruit and wine belt of the Okanagan.

With days, you have more time to dive into each destination and extend your road trip into other regions. From Revelstoke, you can adventure through Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks, while Nelson has an excellent art and history museum, a wide variety of restaurants, and plenty of lakes and trails to explore.

This 8-day trip plan showcases the best of Okanagan Valley's wine region. Next up, take the thrilling Cliffwalk, a cantilevered walkway that juts out over the canyon and river below. Stay on Georgia Street until you reach Bute Street. Head back to the hotel and rest before heading out for dinner in Yaletown. Home to more than 65 different restaurants , the neighbourhood has just about every kind of cuisine you can imagine.

Share on: Facebook or Twitter. Cookies are used for measurement, ads and optimization. By continuing to use our site you agree to our privacy and security policy. One Perfect Day in Vancouver If you're short on time and want to get a taste of Vancouver in just one delightful day, this easy-to- follow, one-day Vancouver itinerary offers a fun mix of some of Vancouver's top sights and things to do.