Vancouver - Things To Do for Families

On another day, we ventured to the Science World at Telus World of Science, one of the most enjoyable science museums I’ve seen yet with tons of interactive displays for all ages and not to be missed. My girls explored secret treasure boxes filled with artifacts with titles like “What’s your point?” One box held a starfish, horseshoe crab shell and more, and included fun facts about the items. We all laughed at “Who dung it?,” trying to guess from what animal the encased dung samples were from.

For the outdoorsy types, in addition to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, there are whale-watching tours, nearby Grouse Mountain for skiing and skating in winter and its eco walks and wildlife refuge to enjoy in summer.

• A young boy lights up the plasma disks display at Telus World of Science.
• D'Arcy Norman

And then when a busy tourist schedule all gets a bit much, I head for a little ying and yang at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver’s Chinatown. The gardens are inspired by those of 15th century Ming scholars and are an exquisite respite amidst bustling city life. After all my comings and goings with my family out and about in Vancouver, I’m always prepared for yet one more small secret in this city full of so many.

• The family that sways together stays together on the Capilano suspension bridge.
• David Davies

Getting Around

Many attractions in Vancouver are easy to reach via Vancouver’s sky train, which I found to be a fast and accessible option for scooting around the city with my family. Cabs were easy to find from my hotel but not so easy once I wanted to return from an attraction. But in reality, everything’s fairly conveniently located in Vancouver, usually within a 15-minute radius. If you travel by cab to an attraction, consider arranging for your driver to pick you up later at a pre-arranged time, or take the sky train if nearby.

To get a good lay of the land and know where everything lies from the outset, consider visiting the Vancouver Lookout, a towering needle in the sky featuring a 360-degree panoramic view of the city and outlying areas with a self-guided tour. It’s a great introduction to the city.