Summer is the time of year when Vancouver sees many tourists. There is probably a good chance that you may have visitors in the next couple of months. If it’s clear and sunny, you'll have no shortage of things to do and places to take them. Between the mountains, seawall, lively neighbourhoods, and great pubs, you'll have plenty of choices
But if it rains for more than 3 or 4 days, all the city's charm may disappear in the clouds shrouding the city. You and your guests might end up wondering what you were thinking when you moved here. The following list of 13 things to do has something for everyone.
Hit the Lanes. Bowl a few games at Commodore Lanes or Grandview Lanes in downtown Vancouver. Commodore Lanes has 5 pin bowling, darts, foosball and billiards. Grandview Lanes has 5 pin, 10 pin and glow-bowling. Call to check prices or to make reservations. Commodore Lanes is a 3 minute walk from Vancouver City Centre station. Grandview Lanes is a 2 minute walk from Broadway and Commercial Drive Station.
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Visit a Museum. The Museum of Anthropology contains one of the best collections of cultural artifacts in North America and you can easily spend an afternoon there, especially if you book an artist's talk or tour. Admission is $18 per adult, or $47 per family with discounts on Tuesday evenings. If you don’t drive, you might get rained on as you have to take the bus and walk on both ends of the ride. Check the museum website for details on transportation, hours and coupons.
Play Pinball. The Lamplighter Public House has craft beer, public house, cocktails and pinball machines with free pinball tournaments every Wednesday night. Pub 340 has a pinball room stocked with 11 different pinball games and free wifi. Both places are a 5 - 6 minute walk from Waterfront Station.
Take a Hike. Hiking in the local forests is a good way to get some exercise and experience nature, even when it's raining. The trees in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Stanley Park and Lynn Canyon will keep most of the rain off you and the trails are pretty flat. Both are perfect for afternoon or morning hikes and trail runs.
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See Some Art. The Bill Reid Gallery is the only public gallery in Canada devoted to contemporary Aboriginal Art of the Northwest Coast. They run educational and public programs with permanent and featured exhibitions. Admission is $10 per adult or $25 per family. Bill Reid Gallery is a 3 minute walk from Burrard Station and a 4 minute walk from Granville Station. Combine the gallery with lunch or dinner and it sounds like a plan.
Buy Fun Things, Eat Good Food and Listen to Music. The Eastside Flea runs one weekend per month in summer months: June 17 - 19, July 15 - 17 and August 19 - 21. Friday nights include food, cocktails, and deejays. Saturdays and Sundays include over 50 booths, live music and artisan studios to explore. Check their Facebook page, linked above, for more information and event updates. The Eastside Flea is a 3 minute walk from Main St. station.
See a Movie. Aside from the first run and rep cinemas, Vancouver almost always has a film festival going on that you can volunteer for or attend. Scotiabank Theatre, Vancity Theatre (with independent, first run and foreign films), International Village (cheap Tuesdays at Cineplex - get a Scene card and pay even less), and the Rio Theatre rep cinema on 1660 E Broadway (at Commercial Drive) are all good options.
Have a Drink. The Metropole, located at 320 Abbott, donates 25% of its profits each year to charity. They feature 75 cent tacos from 4 - 8 pm daily, half priced food and $2.25 beers on Tuesdays, Booze and Bingo on Thursdays after 8 pm, great happy hours and fun events on Saturdays and Sundays. The Bourbon, open since 1937 at 50 E Cordova has cheap drinks and beers. Portside Pub, at 7 Alexander Street, has over 24 craft brews on tap, friendly and fun staff and a great atmosphere for sitting with some friends from work or your out of town guests. They also have rock, paper scissors tournaments and nice beer flights. All three pubs are a 7 - 8 minute walk from the Waterfront Skytrain station.
Go for a Climb. Visit downtown Vancouver’s rock climbing and bouldering gyms, Cliffhanger (15,000 square feet of climbing terrain, 53 top ropes and a separate level for bouldering) or The Hive, (10,000 square feet, 250 climbs and bouldering). Call ahead or check their websites to confirm hours and pricing. Both gyms are about a 15 minute walk from VCC-Clark Station on the Millennium Line. Cliffhanger: 670 Industrial Ave, $18 for a day pass. The Hive: 520 Industrial Avenue, $19 - 28 for a day pass.
Go For a Walk.Depending on how much you want to walk and how much you want to eat, drink and buy, Chinatown and Gastown are two great areas to spend time when it’s raining. There are plenty of boutiques and interesting stores, galleries, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants for you to explore and you don’t have to get very wet because they are all fairly close together. With an umbrella, you can duck in and out of places all day. If you combine the two, you have an afternoon and evening of rainy day fun.
Apple Tarts, New Town Bakery, Chinatown
Learn Swordfighting. Academie Duello located at 412 West Hastings Street offers free trials of their stage combat, rapier, swordplay, bartitsu, and longsword training programs. Each free session is 90 - 120 minutes long. You can schedule your free session and learn more about what to expect and how to dress for your training by going on their website. Academie Duello is a 4 minute walk from Waterfront Station.
Pretend You're An Olympic Athlete.. At the Richmond Olympic Experience, at the Richmond Olympic Oval, you can bobsleigh, kayak, sit-ski, racecar or ski jump with their sports simulators. You can also compete against your family and friends with interactive hockey, jumping, reaction and broadcaster challenges, Prices are $17 per adult, or $46 per family (2 adults and 2 children or youth). The ROX is about a 20 minute walk from Aberdeen Skytrain station. If it’s raining, you may want to drive.
Eat Pizza and Play Games.. Ludica Pizzeria is located at 189 Keefer Place. They have over 750 games to play before, during and after eating your pizza. The games on their website are coded and categorized to help you choose the best game for you and your group. They have party games, quick games or children’s games, light-weight, medium and heavy-weight games. You can reserve for up to 2.5 hours to eat and play. If your group is 8 people or smaller, you can book online. Ludica Pizzeria is a 3 minute walk from Stadium-Chinatown Station.
Rain is an inevitable part of Vancouver life, and it doesn't have to ruin your days off or your visitors' time here. Having a plan will make all the difference and - just maybe - make you look forward to the next stretch of wet weather.
