Visiting Vancouver with kids: Best Things to Do, Where to Stay & Family Tips
Vancouver with kids is, quite simply, one of the best family travel experiences in the world. Few cities can match what this spectacular corner of British Columbia delivers to families: ancient rainforests and snow-capped mountains as a backdrop, sandy beaches minutes from downtown, world-class museums, and a food scene so diverse it could spark a lifetime of culinary curiosity in even the pickiest eater.
I was excited to bring my toddler on her first international trip to British Columbia, Canada, and even more excited to explore the mountains of this modern city with my partner and preschooler.
This guide covers everything you need to know before you go: the best things to do in Vancouver with kids, where to stay, how to get around, what it will cost, and the rich Indigenous and multicultural history that makes this city so much more than a pretty postcard. Here is how we spent a four-day weekend trip in Vancouver with our family.
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Jump To...
- Why Visit Vancouver with Kids
- Getting there
- Quick Tips (When to visit, before you go, what to pack)
- Base Cost
- Where to Stay in Vancouver with kids
- Walk Across the Capilano Suspension Bridge
- Eat at Granville Island Public Market
- See the Bears at Grouse Mountain
- Wander through North Vancouver's Lonsdale District
- Visit the Science Museum
- Where to eat
Why Visit Vancouver with Kids
Vancouver is a wonderful family-friendly destination to:
Our Experience
- Destination: Vancouver, Canada
- age of our kids: 2 & 5 years
- Length of stay: 3 Days
- time of year: October
Quick Tips
When To Visit
July and August are the best months to visit Vancouver with kids. This is when the city is at its most reliably sunny and warm (averaging 22°C/72°F), all outdoor attractions are fully operational, the beaches are swimmable, the Richmond Night Market is running, and Stanley Park’s water park and miniature train are in full swing. The long daylight hours — often until 9pm — give families extra time to explore.
June and September are excellent runner-up months. Crowds and prices drop noticeably compared to peak summer, the weather is still generally pleasant, and most family attractions remain open. September in particular has a reputation among locals as the best month in Vancouver — warm, dry, and golden.
We travelled to Vancouver in October – a perfect fall period with cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, and beautiful fall leaves.
Vancouver can be rainy from September to May – just pack waterproof layers and embrace it!
Before You go
- Possess valid passports
- Check the State Department’s travel advisories
- Plan to walk a lot. Bring a stroller or child carrier for little ones, and lots of snacks to keep your kids motivated along the journey.
- Bookmark sites in Google Maps or Wanderlog and download offline maps
- Buy an e-sim to save on cellphone roaming costs
- Book popular attractions like Capilano and Science World online in advance to save money and ensure you get a ticket
What To Pack
- Passports
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Plane ride essentials
- Travel carseat
- Umbrella stroller, if needed
- Ergobaby or soft baby carrier, if needed
- Bring clothes for the outdoors. If you plan to go into the mountains in North Vancouver, dress for a day in the wilderness, with hats, layers, and comfortable shoes.
- Waterproof layers - Vancouver is known to be rainy
Costs
| Item | base cost |
|---|---|
| Accomodations | $150/night |
| Airfare | $100-$300/person |
| Seabus tickets | Free ages 0-12 | $4.25 ages 13+ | $10 $10 all day pass |
| Grouse Mountain | $219 for a family of 4 |
| Capilano Suspension Bridge | $190 for a family of 4 |
| Add-Ons | |
| Checked bags | $30/ bag/flight |
| Shopping and souvenirs | $50 |
Getting There
We flew into Vancouver (YVR) from Oakland, California. We have also flown into Bellingham, Washington, USA, located just a one-hour drive south of the city, and cross the border in a rental car. The border crossing was quick and easy.
We rented a car, but be aware that street parking is hard to find in Vancouver. Try to take public transportation! Like the Seabus or metro.
The Lonsdale District is located in North Vancouver, just across the water from downtown Vancouver.
travel
Stay in the Lonsdale District of North Vancouver
North Vancouver, located just across the strait from downtown Vancouver, was a calm respite from the business of the city.
Great for clean accommodations in a calm neighborhood | $$
- Kitchen
- Free street parking
- Near mountain activities
My family booked a vacation rental in North Vancouver, within walking distance of Lonsdale Ave, the main business district, and close to parks and playgrounds.
Staying in North Vancouver meant that we were closer to the outdoor activities that make Vancouver such a gorgeous city, like Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and Grouse Mountain.
History Corner
Vancouver sits on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, who never signed a treaty surrendering their lands and retain legal title to this territory today. What is now Stanley Park was once a thriving Indigenous village whose residents were forcibly displaced in 1859.
Vancouver’s identity was shaped — often against fierce resistance — by communities of color. Chinese workers built the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s. South Asian Sikh immigrants followed, only to be stripped of voting rights by 1907. In 1858, nearly 800 free Black Californians relocated to British Columbia seeking refuge from racial hostility, eventually building Hogan’s Alley in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighborhood — a vibrant hub of Black culture, music, and food. Its most famous resident was Nora Hendrix, grandmother of Jimi Hendrix. The neighborhood was demolished in the 1960s to make way for a freeway.
Today, the Hogan’s Alley Society is working to restore a cultural center on the original site — a powerful story to share with your kids before you visit.
Our Experience
We found local BIPOC families and tourists all enjoying the sunshine on the beautiful fall day we visited and felt right at home. I appreciated free entrance to some activities for visitors with tribal ID’s.
Learn More
- Find out more about the Musqueam
- Read about the Tslei-Waututh Nation
- Learn about Squamish community
- Donate to the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society
- Donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society
Antiracist Travel Considerations
Top Family-Friendly Activities in Vancouver
Traveling together creates shared experiences, deepens connections, and strengthens family bonds in a way nothing else can.
Walk Across the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Great to escape the city and experience nature
- $55+/ages 18+ | $21-36/ages 6-17 | free for ages 5 and under
- 3+ Hours
The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is home to a 450-foot long suspension bridge, a treetops adventure, a glass-bottomed walkway above a river canyon, restaurants, and miles of trails, with a kid-friendly scavenger hunt activity to tie it all together.
See the Bears at Grouse Mountain
Great for city views
- Family ticket (2 kids & 2 adults) $219
- 3+ Hours
A one-mile gondola ride will take your family up the side of Grouse Mountain, the self-proclaimed highest peak of Vancouver, to an outdoor tourist destination, complete with a tree canopy adventure, a grizzly encounter, a lumberjack show, fun hiking trails, and delicious food options.
Wander through North Vancouver's Lonsdale District
Fewer crowds, waterfront
- Free
- 3+ Hours
North Vancouver’s Lonsdale district is located just across the water from downtown Vancouver.
Walk along the water to see stunning views of the city skyline and massive cargo ships moving along the international port.
Take a short drive, train, or SeaBus ferry from downtown Vancouver to see what this up-and-coming neighborhood is all about.
Visit the Science Museum
Great indoor activity
- $33+/ages 19+ | $22-27/ages 3-18 | free for ages 0-2
- 3+ Hours
Science World is an amazing science museum for kids of all ages. It is a little overwhelming, with multiple floors of science exhibits and demonstrations, and a large outdoor space with a garden and play structure.
Getting here was challenging because parking was very hard to find. Visit this website for more transportation options to avoid the parking fiasco.
Our kids loved the science demonstrations held throughout the day, while I loved the exhibit about the Indigenous canoe journey and finding our tribe on map! I also loved that Indigenous peoples are free to enter, every day. So cool!
Extra perk – entrance is free if you have a tribal ID card
Shop at the Granville Island Public Market
Great for appeasing different tastes
- 2+ Hours
I love public markets!
Granville Island Public Market is a huge indoor market with many food and produce stores and delicious restaurants to try. Set right on the water, underneath a beautiful bridge, Granville Island Public Market offers something for everyone.
I loved my savory pie from Ala Mode, my partner enjoyed fish and chips, and my kids devoured their donuts from Lee’s Donuts. There were lots of seating options inside and out, but many seats inside were taken.
Parking was also really hard to find. We had to park about a 15-minute walk from the market, which ended up being a lot for the littles at the end of our visit. I would recommend you take public transportation if you can.
I would also recommend you avoid the Kids Market unless you want to go shopping for kids’ toys, art supplies, costumes, clothing, stuffed animals, etc.
Where to Eat in
Vancouver with Kids
Salmon n' Bannock
Salmon n’ Bannock is a First Nations’ owned restaruant in Vancouver. Try the salmon!
Ala Mode
Check out Ala Mode in the Granville Island Market. Their pot pies were warm and delicious.
La Cervecería Astilleros
La Cervecería Astilleros offers a taste of Mexican beer in BC. BIPOC-owned and operated, this brewery is a great place to bring kids and relax on an outdoor patio.
Make sure to try their sours – so yummy
Read on
Check out our children’s book recommendations that feature BIPOC voices to deepen our understanding of the experiences we share together at Bookshop.org.
Final Thoughts
I flew to Vancouver with two children under five-years-old and my partner, and felt immediately like I was at home. Something about the city felt familiar to me. The ocean, the cityscape, and mountains – all of these things are so dear to my heart and exactly what I love about the Pacific Northwest.
Vancouver was a beautiful city, full of stunning views of blue ocean and tall mountains, and family friendly activities enjoyed by families of all shapes and sizes. I met so many families from different parts of the world, some tourists and some locals, all making this city feel safe and welcoming to families like mine.
Since accessing downtown Vancouver was tricky for our family via car, I plan on using more public transportation on our next trip to the area, or maybe just staying out of downtown! We loved the low-key vibe of Northern Vancouver, so much so I could even imagine living there.
But then again, I haven’t been to Vancouver in the winter…and this California girl can only handle so much snow.
Have you ever traveled to a place and felt at home? Share in the comments below!
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