Sometimes the best sightseeing tours aren’t. That is, sometimes the most authentic way to get to know a city isn’t on a big red bus crowded with other tourists.
In Vancouver, it’s easy to sightsee through a local’s lens: just buy a TransLink day pass and hop on public transit.
These budget-friendly transit trips from downtown route through some of the city’s prettiest and most interesting areas:
#5 Robson/Davie:
- A circle tour of downtown Vancouver via Robson Street, English Bay and Davie Street.
#10 Granville:
- Take the #10 bus from Waterfront Station and travel south through some of Vancouver’s most affluent neighbourhoods to the Marine Drive Canada Line station, and then take the new light-rail train back downtown.
#44 UBC:
- This bus routes through hip Kitsilano to the University of British Columbia. (Tip: leave enough time to visit the Museum of Anthropology, the Nitobe Memorial Garden–and for the bold, clothing-optional Wreck Beach–once you get there.)
Take BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island
#250 Horseshoe Bay:
- This bus follows the scenic “low road” (Marine Drive) to the seaside village–and BC Ferries terminal–of Horseshoe Bay where you’ll find a great view of Howe Sound, North America’s southern-most fjord. From there, if you want, you can make the 20-minute crossing to Bowen Island–an easy and excellent day trip.
- A 20-minute (return-trip) mini-cruise across Burrard Inlet to Vancouver’s North Shore. Grab lunch at the Lonsdale Quay or walk a few minutes up Lonsdale Street for a wider choice of restaurants.
- Note: use TransLink’s trip planning tool to plan other transit trips throughout Vancouver.
>>Related post: Transportation in Vancouver
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Lovely article. I’m traveling through Vancouver on a layover in a few months and attempting to plan an outing instead of waiting at the airport for 7 hours. Which of these routes would you say are a must under a time constraint? Any suggestions of great nearby restaurants?
Hi Liz,
If you have a layover of four hours or longer, it’s easy to see a little of Vancouver, even if all you do is take the Canada Line from YVR to downtown Vancouver–it only takes 24 minutes!
We will be in Vancouver for a brief two days in early December. Any advice on getting as much of an overview of the city as possible most appreciated.
Hi Len,
Here’s a link to my post on how to spend 48 hours in Vancouver:
http://www.whygocanada.com/itinerary-2-3-days-in-vancouver.html
Hope you find it helpful!
Thanks for Sharing!!
Really its make our trip a memorable experience of fun, thrills, and excitement.
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