Steveston Village is a historic part of the Steveston area of Richmond BC…read more The ever popular Canada Day Salmon Festival on July 01 draws thousands here every year! Salmon canning was once the major industry for this area. Today tourists flood into here throughout the year for a step back in time & to catch a glimpse of site locations throughout the village for many movie & TV productions! The hugely popular TV show - Once Upon a Time, was shot in Steveston Village! The Fishermans Wharf on the Fraser River draws many a crowd through the summer who come to buy fresh fish right off the docked boats. There are many cool & popular shops & restaurants in Steveston Village! It's worth a trip or two here & plan to spend at least a few hours slowly wondering around & taking a walk about Garry Point Park. This evening I came across the Christmas set production of a Hallmark TV holiday movie. Come to SV & be ready to take lots of pictures!

Always a good place. Summer is a bit packed with people. Lots of good places to eat but read the…read morereviews first because a lot of them are also tourist traps.

One of three bridges that joins Vancouver with Richmond or Granville, this is a very tall one. I…read moreknow that because I initially walked down thinking that I'd take the ferry but there was a super long queue and I decided to just walk it. That was a mistake. TAKE THE FERRY even if it means a 20 minute wait. Though if I'd not taken the bridge, I'd have missed the amazing view of False Creek and English Bay. Despite being under major construction, there was a nice wide bicycle lane, a raised pedestrian walkway and enough room for automobiles, too. The bridge is a steel truss style, built between 1930 and 1932. It is marked with the coat of arms of Vancouver, "by sea and land we prosper". I think that's cool.

I love this bridge!…read more I daily walk along the seawall from Cooper's Park toStanley Park (usually way beyond Prospect Point), and in Yaletown/Beach area, I always walk under three bridges: the Cambie, the Granville and the Burrard. And the Burrard is my favorite by far! It's like the grand dame of the three, for sure! The bridge is stately, of cream-colored concrete, and has a lot of Art Deco flourishes. There are galleries on high for viewing and various architectural embellishments. Underneath the bridge are potted plantings by local gardeners.. What I most enjoy is the view! As soon as I cross under the bridge, I am greeted by the most spectacular view of Kits' Jerico Beach across False Creek, Sunset Beach straight ahead, and water opening up to the ocean, with mountains serving as a majestic backdrop. It's just breathtaking. My goal is to walk the Burrard Bridge sometime in the next month. My family and I walked the Granville Bridge, and the views from on high were stunning. I'm sure those from the Burrard are, too!

While passing by this behemoth one night in December, the males I was walking with mistook the…read moreknees held against the sculpture's chest for a pair of boobs. Perhaps that has soured my experience with said behemoth, though only slightly, as I can now gaze upon it and smile at what could have been if only the artist were more boobily inclined. But really, it's intended to showcase the diversity of Vancouver with all its different letters and number making up a person. It's also fun to walk around in it.

This is one of those quirky attractions at the edge of Chinatown right at the Millennium Gate, that…read moredefinitely deserve its own star on the Yelp walk of fame. At six feet two inches deep, it is said by Guiness and Ripley to be the world's narrowest freestanding office building. Apparently the owner of this successful import export company sold the building to the city of Vancouver at the beginning of the 20 th century for the construction and widening of the western stretch of Pender Street. In 1912, the owner hired architects who designed a steel structure with a second story of bay windows. The building was busy, public baths and barber shop were located in the basement and offices on the second floor and shops on the main floor. The Sam Kee Building is now home to Jack Chow insurance.

My favorite attraction of all time. "Spectacular synchronized stair light show" every hour you can…read moresee from the sidewalk. We were the only ones there at 9:00pm. Reminded me of going to Ripley's Believe it or Not in San Francisco as a kid.

Love this quaint area with plenty of public parking, cobble stone streets, and great shops and…read morerestaurants to walk around and try! If you need souvenirs, this is the place to go! I have gotten a shirt here before and this time I found a nice sea green hat. There are many other things I was tempted to buy but had to hold myself back! Kitsune is a great restaurant cafe to stop by!

Cute little historic area in downtown Vancouver with cobblestone streets, restaurants, and souvenir…read moreshops. It reminded me of a cross between Boston and Greenwich Village in New York. It's worth visiting if it's your first time in Vancouver, but it's not a place I'd come again and again.

The lookout is fun here in Vancouver. I love the scenery of the Battle Ships, Oil fields, and…read morebeach and all. Such a beautiful view and hangout of the city. It was something for us to enjoy.

I visited the Vancouver Lookout and left pretty underwhelmed…read more First issue was finding it. It's inside a building, but signage outside is small and not very clear, so it took a bit of wandering before I even found the line. I actually even passed the building up while walking. I needed to use the restroom before going up and saw signage for the one near the food court. Honestly, it was absolutely disgusting and didn't have paper towels. I ended up walking completely out. When I asked the lookout staff about a restroom, I was initially told there wasn't one. Then once they asked if I was intending on buying a ticket, it suddenly appeared that there all of a sudden was a restroom available upstairs. Hmmm but at any rate, it was a completely different experience from the first restroom. Thank goodness. The lookout itself feels dated. You do get a full bird's-eye view of the city, but there wasn't anything especially exciting or memorable about it. They also charged more than what was posted on the signage, so it looks like a recent price increase, $24 CAD mid June. Overall, if you go in with low expectations and just want a quick view of the city, it's fine. But I wouldn't call it a must-do in Vancouver.

First of all, we took the Skytrain from Richmond on this particular Saturday because there were 4…read morecruise ships in port so I was looking forward to seeing that many in one shot! I felt like a kid again when we finally found the entrance off West Georgia. The first thing we saw was the DISCOVERY PRINCESS, which was in the process of being boarded. I couldn't believe how many levels there were, and it was so close that we could almost touch it! Right down the walkway to the next pier was the ROALD AMUNDSEN, which looked more like an oversized yacht. Then, behind it was the STAR SEEKER from Nassau, another large yacht. Last, but not least, was the KONINGSDAM, a cruise ship that comes through Honolulu throughout the year. Gorgeous views of both West and North Vancouver, despite the dark clouds. Once we had our fill of cruise ships, we went into one of the beverage shops and had some cold matcha, then walked through Canada Place, which had a gorgeous Sisaxolas pole with beautiful aboriginal designs on the floor. If I moved back here I would definitely spend lots of time at this place just for the cruise ships which are abundant during the summer months. It's close to transportation as well as the Hop On/Hop Off trolleys so there is always something to do, see and eat around here.

Wonderful center at the Vancouver Cruise Terminal. Dining, bars, walking paths, bike paths, shops…read moreand a close-up view of the ships docking and embarking. Downtown Vancouver near many hotels especially the Fairmont right across the park. All bus, train, cans and rideshare pickups can be found just steps away. Also located on the bay with views of Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge. You can watch seaplanes take off and land, helicopters, all manner of ships and boats. Great spot for locals and tourists.

This is an eight acre area right by the water that is the original location of early canning,…read morefishing, and boat building that fueled commerce in the area. The area is accessible as you stroll down a level wooden boardwalk with offshoots to the Shipyard building, Murakami house, Chinese bunkhouse, and other homes that served to house the European, Japanese, Chinese and Indigenous workers who gathered here. Be sure to check out Murakami Boatworks building, as there are boatbuilding programs and maritime demonstrations. There are a host of informational signs, and as I came here right after my visit to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, I felt like I had a broader understanding of the history of the area. If you're not into history, you can check out the waterfowl that congregate on the banks of the river.

Every time I visit Steveston, two things are guaranteed: I will get the best fish and chips at…read morePajo's and have dinner on a bench on the boardwalk, overlooking the waterway and ships; and, I will go to the "village" of historic, heritage buildings that made up this booming maritime village 100+ years ago. (Only recently have I learned that this village of old, waterfront maritime buildings is known collectively as the Britannia Shipyards. I always called it "the old village"). History nerd that I am, I'm always fascinated by historical sites where you can immerse yourself and really "see" life how it was lived in earlier times. This is such a place. I always bring out-of-towners here and, without exception, they all have loved it and learned a lot about life in this area a century ago, and the maritime history of Vancouver. And as many times as I've been here, I never get tired of it. In fact, I always learn something new, too. I could be wrong, but I think this year, they outdid themselves. I visited a few weeks ago (mid-August 2022) and it was better than ever. I think they have new signage erected. More of the buildings were open (in past visits, some buildings were closed and some were off-bounds due to school groups going through them. This time, every building was open and my kid and I were able to tour every one). Furthermore, this year, there were guided tours of the buildings (twice a day!), vintage wooden ships moored along the docks, lots of exhibits in the various maritime buildings, costumed interpreters and historical demonstrations, too. The staff were super nice and very knowledgable, and they had free activity books for the kids (or the kids at heart, like myself lol) which provided a lot of historical background of the area in a manner that kids would understand and enjoy. (I posted a few photos of this activity book with this review). This is a great place for families with young kids, as it is super engaging for young children. And older folks love it too, for its historical significance. And for folks who aren't into history, they too seem to love this area as it is SO picturesque, along a wooden trail along the water, with a beautiful old garden in one area, and picture-postcard ships along the waterway. It's just a pretty, pretty area and a lovely leisurely walk, even if you're not into the history of it all. Those of us who call Vancouver home are so lucky to have areas like this preserved, where we can see and feel how life was here in the past, so we can see where we as a city came from.

Everybody has a word or two that they dislike, for whatever reason. For me, I can't stand the word…read more"iconic". It is SO overused, and often it is used so loosely and inappropriately, that it has lost a lot of its true meaning. We've become somewhat numb to what the word is supposed to mean because it's thrown about so often in describing people and things that, while they might be really swell, they are by no means "iconic". That said, this inukshuk sculpture truly IS iconic. It is THE iconic sculpture and signature piece that, if one had to choose ONE symbol or work that represented the City of Vancouver, this would be it. Proudly standing on a grassy outpost of land overseeing the Burrard Inlet, just to the west of the seawall, halfway. between Sunset Beach and English Bay, this Inukshuk sculpture rises tall, like a monarch on her throne overseeing her realm. This massive granite piece is extremely popular with city residents and tourists alike, and I always see people taking photos of it and by it, regardless of the weather or time of day (it's particularly striking at sunrise and sunset, but at dusk, when it's illuminated by its footlights, it's spectacular! I like how it's illuminated by different colored lights at various nightly festivals during the year). One of the reasons that it's so majestic is its setting, right by the water. In my opinion, this is one of the most successful pairings of artwork to context ever, as its setting here on the water by the seawall at English Bay could not have been more perfect. I see one reviewer gave this landmark a mediocre review due to the fencing erected around the work during the annual fireworks celebration, noting he could not get up close to the sculpture due to the barrier. To this I say, get over it! I applaud the City for protecting this iconic, precious sculpture and appreciating its worth and value by preserving it as best they can. If that means putting fencing up around it a few nights out of the year, so be it. Better that then having it defaced by graffiti or climbed upon by drunken revelers during some nights when there are thousands and thousands of party-goers in this area. I applaud the City for protecting this sculpture in this way. Vancouver has a lot of wonderful artwork to showcase, and this particular work represents and pays homage to much of the City's cultural history and values. Truly not-to-be-missed!

The mighty monument that overlooks the beautiful English Bay. The Inukshuk is a symbol of Canada…read moreand Inuit culture. A tranquil and relaxing atmosphere to observe the moving ships and sunsets.

Right next to the gates of Chinatown and the World's Smallest Sam Kee Building on Pender St, the…read morelittle circular courtyard intersection of Guanzhou Alley & Shanghai Alley open on the south side of the street to a small courtyard to reveal a treasure of historic cultural information for the Chinatown community and historic district. The "Passage of Changes" Information Panels represent historic figures, photos, and conditions of Chinatown past to present in both English and Chinese characters. The large hanging bell in the center dedicates the Lillian Yap Circle to the community. Look for even more historic signage around the surrounding blocks for additional notes of Chinatown's historic past and role in Vancouver development.