Vancouver Must-Dos for 2 days

Vancouver, Canada… I’ve been there a few times over the years but I spent 2 days there this past September. Based on my last experience in this city, I want to share with you my Vancouver Must-Dos for 2 days. If you only have a short time to take in this vibrant Canadian city, I’ve got the right itinerary for you!

Stay in a Floating Home

I’ve stayed in different hotels each time I was visiting Vancouver, but this last time I stayed in a floating home. What’s a floating home, you ask? I was also unfamiliar with this type of accommodation, but it was fabulous! A floating home is basically a house that is permanently located on the water in a harbor.

My niece rented this place on VRBO. The house was located in North Vancouver across the Vancouver Harbour bay in Mosquito Creek Marina. The top floor of the two-story home had one bedroom, one bath, and a pull-down Murphy bed. I found it to be modern and spacious. The best part was the great view of the harbor and the Vancouver skyline.

Although this location is not in central Vancouver, we were a short 10-minute walk to the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus ferry station. This ferry runs 7 days a week every 15 minutes and only takes 12 minutes to cross the bay to the Waterfront station. From there you could access most tourist sites in downtown Vancouver.

Eat at a Revolving Restaurant with Amazing Views

One night we went to the Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant to have a wonderful dining experience. The restaurant is at the top of the Harbour Center, at a height of 553 feet (167m). We reserved well in advance to not miss this opportunity during our two days.

The best time to go is just before sunset to see the lovely views. The food and service here were excellent. The menu is considered fine dining so the prices are not low. The dress code is smart casual. You will love this unique experience!

I mentioned to our waiter that it was my birthday (in fact, it was 9 days later). They surprised me with a birthday dessert and sang “Happy Birthday” to me.

Check out the Gastown District

The Gastown District is a trendy area with many bars and restaurants. You will find here the famous antique-style steam clock built in 1977. The clock is powered by steam & whistles every 15 minutes to tell the time.

The name of Vancouver’s first neighborhood comes from a steamboat captain named “Gassy” Jack Deighton, who arrived in 1867 to open the area’s first saloon. Take the time to walk through the cobblestone streets at night and enjoy the brightly illuminated trees and buildings.

Bike around Stanley Park

I had walked to Stanley Park on previous trips, but the best way to see this area is to rent an electric bike and ride around the park. Stanley Park is a green oasis next to the urban landscape of Vancouver. The park has 405 hectares with a natural rainforest surrounded by an 8.8-kilometer sea wall.

We rented bikes near our place in Lonsdale and followed a well-marked bike path to cross the Lions Gate bridge (great views from there). Entrance to the park is free.

We enjoyed riding along the coastal path and then through the middle forest area. You could spend 1-2 hours riding around the park. If you walked around the perimeter of the park, it would take 2-3 hours. There is a public beach on the west side. We had fun and got some good exercise too!

Have Lunch at Coal Harbour

I suggested to my niece and friend that we go to a restaurant I had already been to before and liked. Cardero’s Restaurant is in Coal Harbor very close to Stanley Park. The place is very lively and the friendly waiters serve a variety of dishes for anyone’s liking. We were able to get a table outside without having a reservation. It was a beautiful warm September day for enjoying a delicious lunch!

Visit Vancouver’s Northshore

Because we were sleeping in North Vancouver, we spent some time discovering the many shops and restaurants in an area called The Shipyards. It was nice to walk around, see the views, and get a bite to eat. We checked out the Lonsdale Quay Market and rented bikes in this area. The Waterfront Park is an excellent place for a picnic and photos of the awesome Vancouver skyline!

Summary

You may wonder why I was in Vancouver for only two days. The reason was that my Alaskan cruise was departing from Vancouver. You can read all about my Alaska experience in my blog post, Alaska Cruise and Land Tour Review!

One of the other times I spent a couple of days in Vancouver was when I started from there a Western Canada tour on the Rocky Mountaineer train.

I hope you discovered something new about Vancouver Must-Dos for 2 days! There is much more to do in this delightful city if you have more time. Leave a comment if you have other ideas on what to do in Vancouver!

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!