Travel Canada: Free and Cheap Things To Do In Vancouver
FREE AND CHEAP ACTIVITIES – VANCOUVER, B.C., CANADA
Travelling to Vancouver on a budget? Although Vancouver, B.C. is one of Canada’s largest and busiest cities, filled with culture and life, it is also one of Canada’s most beautiful outdoor cities. Embedded in a coastal rainforest, surrounded on two sides by mountains, and situated next to ocean waters, Vancouver is blessed with a temperate climate that supports all kinds of free and inexpensive outdoor things for the whole family to do.
Top 10 Free and Cheap Things To Do
Rollerblade the seawall. The 22 km seawall surrounds Stanley Park and extends along English Bay, False Creek, all the way to Kitsilano Beach. On a sunny day, a walk, rollerblade, or bike ride affords a gorgeous view of forest, beach, and water.
Spend the day at Granville Island. Right along the seawall, under the Granville Street bridge, is Granville Island. Come see artists at work, browse stores full of hand-made crafts, taste creations of chefs-in-training, and shop at the market. To fuel your explorations, refuel at one of the numerous cafes touting mouth-watering temptations while relaxing in the coutyard facing beautiful False Creek. For children, there is also a Kids’ Market and Adventure Zone.
Explore Stanley Park. On the other side of False Creek, past English Bay, lies an oasis of parkland within Vancouver’s downtown core. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy the numerous hiking trails, swimming at Second or Third Beach, visiting the Salmon Demonstration Stream, relaxing by Lost Lagoon, and watching wildlife. (Don’t feed the racoons!) For children, check out the farmyard, the miniature train, or the spray pool at Lumberman’s Arch. Ceperley Park near Second Beach also has two large playgrounds, a wide grassy area, a number of barbeques and picnic tables, and washrooms. Like city views? Drive or walk up to 
Prospect Point to take in the Lion’s Gate Bridge and North Vancouver across the Burrard Inlet. In between major landmarks, visitors will find beautiful gardens, permanent sculptures and art displays, and giant totem poles. No shortage of free and cheap things for your family to do in 400 hectares of parkland! Lower your costs even more by leaving the car at the hotel and hopping on the bus.
Tour the city’s outdoor art displays. Pick up a map from the Public Art Registry to the 250 public art displays all around town. Of note include eight red painted bronze statues in Coal Harbour, Inukshuk at the west end of English Bay, Brush With Illumination on the north shore of False Creek, and The Drop in Chinatown symbolizing Vancouver’s relationship with water.
Take a summer walk in the rain. Summer rain in Vancouver is neither the spectacular thunder storms of the Praries nor the torrential downpours of the tropics. Summer rain in Vancouver is more likely to be a warm sprinkle or light shower. For a couple, a walk in the rain, with or without umbrella, is incredibly romantic. For children, what better time to splash in puddles with the ducks?
Watch the sunset on English Bay. Imagine a day spent building sandcastles on the beach and frolicking in the water. A few kayaks come in and out of view. Larger ships dot the horizon. In the distance, green mountains rise out of the water to one side. The sun rides lower in the sky. Blue turns to deep reds and oranges. Faces, trees, logs become dark silhouettes. The fireball touches down onto the ocean, then sinks slowly, slowly out of sight. The day comes to a close.
Hike the Grouse Grind. Up for a physical challenge? Join the 100 000 hikers every year on “Mother’s Nature’s Stairmaster.” The Grouse Grind begins at the Valley Station of Grouse Mountain and rises 853 metres at a 30 degree slope. Time required to complete it ranges from about two hours for novices to just over 24 minutes, a record held by Johnathan Wyatt of New Zealand. And at the end of it all, your efforts are rewarded with breath-taking views of Vancouver and surroundings.
Explore Lynn Valley and its suspension bridge. Capilano Suspension Bridge is well known, but closer, just as riveting, and free is its counterpart, the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge. A bunch of wooden slats strung together with rope later, and the rest of Lynn Valley presents itself with picnic sites, hiking trails, and swimming holes. Obey the signs and all is safe for the whole family to enjoy.
Attend the Celebration of Light. Four times a year, Vancouverites gather on the beach at English Bay as the sun sets to witness the Celebration of Lights (once known as the Symphony of Fire), a fifteen minute artful display of fireworks set to music. Go early to get a good spot to view — some spend the entire day — bring a portable radio set to CKNW and enjoy! Much of downtown is closed from 5 o’clock onwards for the show so consider leaving the car at home and walking to and from Granville Street Skytrain Station, a twenty-minute walk from the beach.
Attend a free music festival such as Symphony in the Park. Gather at Burnaby’s Deer Lake to enjoy an evening with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. In few other events could toddlers and preschoolers be exposed to live orchestral music. At the last festival I attended, many young children were there singing and dancing and just having a ball.
While Vancouver may be an expensive place to live, it doesn’t need to be an expensive place to visit. Interested in more cheap ways to enjoy Vancouver? Look out for articles featuring cheap food in Vancouver, coming soon!
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Happy travelling!
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