Vancouver is fully decked out in FIFA World Cup colours and branding, and if you’re in town for the festivities, here’s your guide on what to do in the city.
From great places to eat and grab a drink to amazing world-class places to enjoy the stunning nature the region has to offer, there’s a lot to see and do, and so little time.
Whether it’s your first time here or you just need a reminder of what’s going on in the city, this living guide is your resource for exploring Vancouver.
Things to do in and around Vancouver
Getting around
One of the reasons Vancouver is on so many people’s lists of places to travel is the stunning sights. Vancouver is one of the only cities in the world where you can visit the beach and the mountains on the same day, within a couple of hours.
Vancouver’s transit system is also quite reliable and will get you to most of these attractions.
If you are new to the city, make sure you read up on the Compass Card so you know how to save if you take transit. Vancouver, as a city, is very walkable, and you should definitely try to explore the city on foot as much as you can. It can also quickly go from super sunny to wet and gross, so be prepared for the rain.
If you enjoy travelling on two wheels, there are plenty of places to rent a bicycle. Vancouver also has e-scooter and bikeshare services around most of the city.
You also have access to your favourite rideshare and taxi services like Uber and Lyft.
FIFA Fan Festival
FIFA
The FIFA Fan Festival takes place between June 11 and July 19, and it’s a free and accessible event for families and soccer fans.
You can learn more about the event on the official Vancouver FIFA World Cup website.
Granville FIFA World Cup Pedestrian Zone
Along with the official fan fest, a large portion of Granville Street will be completely transformed into a pedestrian zone.
For 39 days, there will be more space on Granville Street to gather, dine, and explore. Additionally, 28 existing patio spaces will be expanded.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Capilano Suspension Bridge
If you’re not afraid of heights, the Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of the region’s coolest attractions.
While there are several attractions to visit at Capilano, the suspension bridge is the highlight.
Stretching 137 metres, or 450 feet, you’ll want to hold on tight to the steel cables when you walk across. The bridge sits 70 metres above the Capilano River.
And if you’re a soccer fan, Capilano is hosting the Canyon Kick-Off, an event to celebrate the World Cup, which takes place between June 6 and July 19.
There’s even a free shuttle that will get you there from Canada Place, so the whole journey is completely transit accessible.
Playland at the PNE
Daniel Chai/Daily Hive
Considering the proximity of the FIFA Fan Fest to Vancouver’s favourite theme park, it would be a shame to miss out on the rides and other activities at the Playland at the PNE.
Due to event schedules, you’ll want to make sure you check out what dates Playland is actually accessible, but the park is home to Canada’s fastest roller coaster of its kind, the ThunderVolt.
If you do visit Playland, don’t miss out on the iconic mini donuts. Check out the Playland website for more info.
Vancouver Lookout
Vancouver Lookout observation deck at Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver. (Vancouver Lookout)
The Vancouver Lookout is the city’s only observation deck, offering 360-degree panoramic sights of the entire city.
It all starts with a 168 metre elevator ride, so, like Playland, it’s not for the squeamish when it comes to heights.
From the top, you can see Stanley Park and West Vancouver, downtown, and more.
Seair’s Beautiful Tour
Seair Seaplanes
Another way to experience the beauty that Vancouver has to offer is with Seair Seaplanes’ new Beautiful Tour.
“Lift off from Vancouver Harbour in the iconic de Havilland Beaver aircraft and soar above the sparkling coastline, the rugged North Shore Mountains, and the tranquil waters of Deep Cove. From the sky, take in iconic World Cup landmarks including the Fan Pavilion and BC Place, all framed by forests, mountains, and ocean vistas,” Seair says.
Harbour Air, another seaplane operator, also offers some fun excursions.
Flyover Canada
If it’s a hot day and you could use a little air conditioning, a great place to do it is Flyover Canada, also located near Canada Place.
Flyover has a bunch of different experiences on rotation, and you’ll want to visit the website to see what’s currently playing.
The Dome at Vancouver’s space centre
Dome Vancouver at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. (Kenneth Chan)
The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre is the place to be if you’re a space nerd.
Even notable American astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson stopped by earlier this year.
One of the coolest new revamped features of the space centre, which features six Christie 4k cinema projectors, is The Dome.
Like Flyover, there’s a bunch of different shows going on at a given time, so you’ll want to check out the website to see what’s playing. We’d recommend the Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon experience.
Grouse Mountain – The Peak of Vancouver
Lijuan Guo/Shutterstock
Grouse Mountain offers some of the nicest views you can find of the city.
That is, if you can make it to the top of the Grouse Grind.
The Grouse Grind is a 2.5-kilometre trail, which is sometimes referred to as Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.
You’ll be feeling the grind in your legs for days after you complete it, but the view up top is worth it. Thankfully, you can take a gondola down.
There’s also a brand-new gravity coaster at Grouse.
Walk, bike or jog around the Stanley Park Seawall
mminson/Shutterstock
The Seawall is a favourite pastime for locals and tourists alike. It provides a walking/running path as well as a cycling path if you prefer to do your sightseeing on two wheels.
It’s even been visited and experienced by celebrities like Lewis Hamilton and Alessandra Ambrosia.
The Vancouver Aquarium is also located in Stanley Park.
Stanley Park also happens to be near some of Vancouver’s best beaches, including English Bay and Sunset Beach.
Science World
Vancouver’s Science World looks more like a soccer world during the FIFA World Cup, thanks to the dome being transformed into a giant soccer ball.
Science World offers attractions and experiences for kids, families, and adults.
Head to Granville Island
Granville Island is one of the must-visit spots in Vancouver. There are plenty of cool shops, great restaurants, nice bars, and other events you can experience.
Granville Island is also home to the public market, where you can find all sorts of food, treats and other goodies.
The area is also home to a thriving improv scene if you need a comedy fix.
Take the SeaBus to North Vancouver
@TransLink/X
Vancouver has one of the coolest forms of transportation in North America: the SeaBus.
The SeaBus departs from Waterfront Station and travels to the Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, a beautiful spot with tons of places to eat, drink, shop and hang out.
Museum of Vancouver
If you want to learn more about one of the most popular 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities, head to the Museum of Vancouver.
Richmond Oval Experience
The last major event that Vancouver hosted was the 2010 Olympics. Fortunately, in Richmond, the Richmond Olympic Experience will help you re-live the 2010 games without a time machine.
A day trip to Whistler
Speaking of the 2010 Olympics, Whistler played a huge role in the winter games. If you’re spending a bit of time in Vancouver, Whistler is worth your time.
It’s about a two-hour drive from Vancouver and offers lots of places to eat, drink and sightsee. You could also hit up the small town of Squamish along the way, where you can find some nice hikes.
Escape Vancouver altogether with BC Ferries
Macklin Holloway/Shutterstock
If you’re in Vancouver and you’re just sick of the soccer festivities, there’s a solution for that, too.
You can escape to Vancouver Island relatively affordably and visit Victoria or other B.C. cities like Tofino and Nanaimo.
The trip over to Vancouver Island is renowned for how scenic and beautiful it is.
Best places to eat and grab a drink in Vancouver
@thekeeferbar/Instagram
Vancouver is a foodie dream and a culinary paradise.
Vancouver is home to some of the best sushi in North America, some of the best bars in the world, and has a thriving food scene overall. It’s no wonder that Vancouver was voted as one of the best food cities in the world last year.
Whatever type of cuisine you’re looking for, whether it’s Asian, Mediterranean, Italian, or what have you, you can find virtually every type of cuisine in the city.
Bars
Earlier this year, multiple Vancouver spots made the list of North America’s 50 Best Bars.
Among those listed was Keefer Bar, which is definitely a must-visit and was named the best in Canada. Prophecy is another bar that made the list, which is absolutely one to check out.
For a casual spot, we’d recommend Mount Pleasant Vintage and Provisions.
For bars with amazing vibes, we’d also recommend the Narrow Lounge and June.
You could also take a walk through Yaletown, which offers tons of bars with beers or cocktails. The same goes for the historic Gastown.
Sushi
The best sushi in Vancouver largely depends on what you’re looking for. There are higher-end places like Miku, where the dining room is arguably one of the nicest in Vancouver, sitting you right next to the water.
There’s also Sushi Hil and Tojo’s (which happens to be the inventor of the California roll).
Then there are more affordable spots like Sushi California or Tom Sushi. Overall, the sushi scene in Vancouver is thriving, and it’s probably harder to find a place that won’t be at least decent.
Indian
Vancouver is also home to some of the best Indian food offerings.
There are tons of places with unique experiences, like East is East. Sula has a few locations around Vancouver for amazing, tasty Indian food.
It’s also fairly likely that Nick Jonas would recommend Tasty Indian Bistro as well as Desi Indian Lounge.
Ice Cream
If you’re looking for ice cream, Dished Vancouver has a list of the 29 best shops in and around Vancouver.
Some standouts include Rain or Shine and Earnest Ice Cream. Beware: the lineups, particularly on hot days, can be quite long.
Coffee
To keep you buzzing throughout the event, Vancouver has amazing coffee shops spread throughout the city.
While it’s easy to put in a mobile order at Starbucks or stop by Tim Hortons, you’re missing out on some places that really care about coffee.
A few to get you started include Analog, Prototype (which has one of the coolest spaces on Hastings), Propaganda, and Slo Coffee.
There’s also the recently opened C Market Coffee, which is the largest cafe in Vancouver.
No list of Vancouver cafes is complete without Nemesis, which was named one of the best coffee shops in the world.
Time Out Market
At the end of May, Time Out Market Vancouver officially launched.
It’s located inside the brand-new Oakridge Park Mall, but a food court this is not. Time Out Market is a high-end food hall featuring offerings from some of the best restaurants in Vancouver under one roof.
This is literally the tip of the iceberg for Vancouver’s thriving food scene, and if none of these options work for you, there’s the iconic Cactus Club with a bunch of locations around the city.
Dished Vancouver has you covered if you’re looking for more detailed rundowns of restaurants.
Best places to shop in and around Vancouver
AlbertArt/Shutterstock
In Vancouver
If you’re looking to spend some money in and around Vancouver, there are a few places to do that.
Downtown Vancouver boasts the Robson strip, which offers plenty of places to shop. You’ll find household names like lululemon, Zara, Purdys (a Vancouver-based chocolatier) and Muji.
There’s also the Pacific Centre Mall and the newly opened Oakridge Park Mall.
If you want to see what amounts to essentially the birthplace of Vancouver, you’ll have to visit the historic Gastown. While tourists generally flock around the Gastown Steam Clock, there’s a lot more to see and experience and places to shop.
Outside of Vancouver
If you want to escape the noise in Vancouver, Metrotown is a popular mall that just celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Metrotown is located in Burnaby and is a fairly convenient SkyTrain ride from downtown Vancouver.
There’s also Richmond Centre, which you can get to really easily via the Canada Line from downtown Vancouver.
Some malls and outlets aren’t too far out from Vancouver, including the McArthur Glen Outlet or the Queensborough Landing outlet mall.
If you have any suggestions for our ultimate Vancouver FIFA World Cup Guide, let us know in the comments, and we’ll add them in.
Also, if you’re looking for a rundown of all FIFA-related activities, check out our World Cup events guide.