100 Family-Friendly Activities in Vancouver, BC

February 2, 2026
Family Fun

Vancouver is one of those rare cities where travelling with kids actually feels doable — even enjoyable. The city is compact, surrounded by nature, and packed with activities that work across different ages and energy levels.

Whether you’re visiting for a weekend, a full vacation, or you live here and need fresh ideas, this list is designed to make planning easier. Some activities are iconic, some are low-key, and many work just as well for toddlers as they do for pre-teens.

Here are 100 family-friendly things to do in Vancouver, BC.

Outdoor & Nature Activities

  1. Bike or walk the Stanley Park Seawall

  2. Visit Prospect Point for views and photos

  3. Spend time near the Stanley Park Pavilion

  4. Cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge

  5. Explore the forest trails at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

  6. Ride the Grouse Mountain Skyride

  7. Watch the grizzly bears at Grouse Mountain

  8. Walk through VanDusen Botanical Garden

  9. Visit the Bloedel Conservatory

  10. Picnic at Queen Elizabeth Park

  11. Stroll along English Bay Beach

  12. Visit Sunset Beach in the evening

  13. Walk the False Creek Seawall

  14. Take an Aquabus ride

  15. Ride a False Creek Ferry

  16. Explore Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver

  17. Walk Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

  18. Visit Lynn Canyon Park waterfalls

  19. Spend time at Jericho Beach

  20. Explore Spanish Banks at low tide

  21. Walk through Pacific Spirit Regional Park

  22. Visit Trout Lake Park and playground

  23. Explore Deer Lake Park in Burnaby

  24. Walk Ambleside Seawall

  25. Visit Cleveland Dam and Capilano River views

‍

Attractions & Experiences

  1. Visit the Vancouver Aquarium

  2. Spend time at Science World

  3. Explore Granville Island Kids Market

  4. Watch street performers on Granville Island

  5. Visit the Museum of Anthropology

  6. Explore the Vancouver Maritime Museum

  7. Visit the HR MacMillan Space Centre

  8. Take the SkyTrain just for fun to Waterfront Station

  9. Ride the SeaBus across Burrard Inlet

  10. Visit the Burnaby Village Museum

  11. Explore the Vancouver Police Museum

  12. Visit the Richmond Olympic Oval

  13. Take a whale-watching tour

  14. Visit the Vancouver Art Gallery on family days

  15. Explore Chinatown’s Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden

Easy Day Trips From Vancouver

  1. Take a day trip to Squamish at Hike the Chief

  2. Ride the Sea to Sky Gondola

  3. Walk Shannon Falls

  4. Visit Britannia Mine Museum

  5. Explore Steveston Village

  6. Visit Steveston Harbour and boardwalk

  7. Walk Crescent Beach in Surrey

  8. Visit White Rock Pier

  9. Explore Deep Cove

  10. Rent kayaks in Deep Cove

Indoor & Rainy-Day Activities

  1. Visit the Vancouver Public Library central branch

  2. Explore kids’ sections at local libraries

  3. Visit indoor climbing gyms with youth programs

  4. Go bowling as a family

  5. Visit indoor trampoline parks

  6. Explore local community centres

  7. Attend a kids’ workshop or class

  8. Visit an indoor swimming pool

  9. Go ice skating at an indoor rink

  10. Visit an indoor play café

‍

Seasonal & Special Activities

  1. Attend Canyon Lights in winter

  2. Visit cherry blossom spots in spring at Coal Harbour

  3. Watch fireworks at Celebration of Light

  4. Visit pumpkin patches in the fall in Richmond or Pitt Meadows

  5. Go apple picking nearby in Abbotsford at Taves

  6. Attend the PNE Fair

  7. Visit holiday light displays around the city

  8. Attend outdoor summer movies

  9. Visit farmers markets

  10. Explore night markets in Richmond

Simple, Low-Cost Family Fun

  1. Visit neighbourhood playgrounds like Rainbow Park

  2. Go on a scavenger hunt in Queen Elizabeth Park

  3. Watch planes land at YVR viewing areas

  4. See the Ducks at Burnaby Lake

  5. Build sandcastles at the beach in White Rock

  6. Ride bikes on quiet neighbourhood streets

  7. Walk dogs at off-leash parks

  8. Explore local murals

  9. Visit free community events

  10. Watch boats in Coal Harbour

Food & Treat Stops Kids Love

  1. Get donuts at Lee’s in Granville Island

  2. Visit an ice cream shop on a warm day at Rocky Point Ice Cream

  3. Try fish and chips near the water in Steveston or White Rock

  4. Visit food trucks around the city like Japadog

  5. Stop for hot chocolate on rainy days at The Cabin in Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

  6. Visit candy shops on Granville Island

  7. Share snacks at a café patio

  8. Visit bubble tea shops

  9. Grab pizza by the slice at AJ’s

  10. Visit bakeries with window seating like Breka

‍

Bonus Activities for Extra Time

  1. Visit UBC campus and beaches

  2. Walk the Arbutus Greenway

  3. Explore neighbourhood farmers markets

  4. Visit art studios during open house events

  5. Explore local bookshops like MacLeod’s

  6. Attend family-friendly theatre shows at the Rio

  7. Visit cultural festivals like TAIWANfest or Holi on the Waves

  8. Walk waterfront trails at dusk

  9. Explore local nature reserves

  10. Do absolutely nothing and enjoy the views from Cypress, False Creek, or Jericho Beach

Vancouver works for families because it doesn’t force you to choose between entertainment and breathing room. You can stay busy, slow things down, or mix both — often in the same day.

If you’re travelling with kids, that flexibility is the real luxury.

Mat Vogels

My name is Mat Vogels and I’m a freelance writer from Burnaby, British Columbia. After graduating college with a degree in Arts from SFU, I started writing about this incredible city.

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