It’s not a surprise that this sparkling west coast city is filled with wonderful things to see, do and experience for travellers and families. The best news is that many of these activities don’t have to cost you a cent. Vancouver can be a very expensive city to live in and visit, so we need all the free stuff we can get, right? Take note of our curated list of freebies, and head out to enjoy any and all of these 101 free things to do in Vancouver, British Columbia.
101 Free Things to do in Vancouver
- Walk or bike the six kilometres of the Arbutus Greenway from Kitsilano to Marpole
- Discover Camosun Bog near the UBC Endowment Lands
- Walk, run or bike the extensive trail network of the UBC Endowment Lands
- Pick a trail to walk along in Pacific Spirit Park
- Head down to catch some rays at Wreak Beach at UBC, and remember that clothing is optional
- Pack a picnic and people-watch at Kits Beach
- Play beach volleyball, throw a frisbee or take a walk along Spanish Banks and Jericho Beach
- Relive your student days hanging out in the Nest, UBC’s beautiful student centre
- Visit Stanley Park to see the First Nation totems
- Enjoy the views and take a selfie at Prospect Point in Stanley Park
- Walk, bike or roll all 10 kilometers of the Stanley Park seawall
- Watch a free outdoor movie in Stanley Park – every Tuesday from July 4th to August 22nd
- Pack a picnic and sit by Trout Lake in East Vancouver
- Catch the fireworks at the Honda Celebration of Light – watch in English Bay or Kits Beach for great views
- Stroll through the old quarry gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park
- Walk the dog in Everett Crowley Park
- Point the teens towards the skateboard park in Quilchena
- Shoot some hoops at the Kits Point Basketball court
- Take a free walking tour of one of four Vancouver neighbourhoods – Downtown, Gastown, Chinatown, Granville Island
- Visit a local water spray park for free summer cool down
- Play disc golf at Queen Elizabeth Park
- Visit a 2010 Olympic Winter Games site, like the Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza
- Groove to the free tunes at the Khatsahlano Music Festival along 4th Avenue in Kitsilano
- Play tennis at one Vancouver’s 18 free courts city-wide
- Wander around the shops and attractions at the Granville Island Kids Market
- Splash around at the large water park and slide on Granville Island
- Keep on the lookout for movie stars! Vancouver has the largest film industry in Canada
- Explore Sun Yat-Sen Park and its gardens full of Chinese architecture, bridges and pavilions
- Appreciate some art at the free Contemporary Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver
- Take in a free show at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival
- Visit the Vancouver Art Gallery for free on Tuesdays from 5-9 PM
- Watch the sunset from English Bay beach
- Take some epic selfies at Canada Place and wave at the cruise ships departing on weekends
- Discover Vancouver via Pokemon Go!
- Hike Dog Mountain at Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Drive up to Cypress Mountain Lookout
- Hike through wooded trails at Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver
- Picnic in Whytecliffe Park, West Vancouver
- Watch the ferries come and go in Horseshoe Bay
- Hike up to Quarry Rock in Deep Cover
- Walk or bike the Rice Lake Loop Trail in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve
- Hike Baden Powell Trail on Vancouver’s North Shore mountains
- Cross the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and walk the trails
- Visit the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, packed with historic and hands-on displays
- Walk or cycle the 50 km of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve on the North Shore
- Hike in Lynn Headwaters Park and visit the waterfall
- Walk up the 2.9 km Grouse Grind – ‘Nature’s Stairmaster’
- Drive the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway to Squamish
- Walk around Alice Lake, north of Squamish
- Hike up Black Tusk in the Garibaldi Mountain range north of Squamish
- Take at pit stop at Shannon Falls Park
- Hike the Sea to Summit trail at the base of the Sea to Sky Gondola
- Learn about spawning salmon at Capilano River Hatchery
- Hike up Mt Gardiner on Bowen Island
- Walk around Killarney Lake on Bowen Island
- Search for tumbled beach glass on Hummingbird Beach, Bowen Island
- Play in the Bowen Island School Playground
- Visit Barnet Marine Park, Burnaby’s only saltwater beach
- Walk to the Jug Island lookout from Belcarra Regional Park in Belcarra
- Talk a walk in Burnaby’s Central Park
- See the sunrise from the Tower of the Gods on Burnaby Mountain
- Go back in time at Burnaby Village Museum
- Enjoy a day trip to Harrison Lake and take a dip
- Take a self-guided Circle Farm Tour in Harrison Mills
- Walk along the oceanside trail on the Cape Roger Curtis on Bowen Island
- Tackle the entire False Creek seawall route from Vanier Park to English Bay
- Take a free guided tour of the Rennie Art Collection at Wing Sang
- Check out SFU’s Starry Nights at the Trottier Observatory and Science Plaza, and observe the night sky through powerful telescopes
- Walk the West Vancouver seawall from Ambleside to Dundarave
- Take the Circle Farm Tour in Langley
- Spend the day in Golden Ears Provincial Park – walk the trails or enjoy the waters of Alouette Lake
- Enjoy the waterfall in Bridal Veils Park
- Drive to Hope and explore the Othello Tunnels, now part of the Trans Canada Trail system
- Watch the planes take off and land at the public observation area at Vancouver International Airport
- Bird-watch at Boundary Bay Regional Park near Tsawwassen
- Check out the cool Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment in Richmond
- Fly Kites in Steveston’s Garry Point Park
- Bike or walk around the Richmond Dikes
- Walk along Iona Beach in Richmond
- Discover the peat bog habitat of Richmond Nature Park (entrance is free or by donation)
- Pick blackberries in season at MacDonald Beach
- Attend Free Drive-In Movies at Landsdowne Centre in Richmond
- Enjoy a stroll along the Fraser River Walk in Steveston, Richmond
- Spot the original beach cottages along Crescent Beach
- Let the dog off-leash in Fraser River Park in south Vancouver
- Walk along the Pier in White Rock
- Visit the Kids Gallery at the Surrey Museum (entrance is free)
- Explore Burns Bog in Surrey
- Enjoy the spring cherry blossoms on a walk in the Marpole neighborhood
- Hike to Kanaka Creek in Maple Ridge
- Explore the wetlands and bird life of Colony Farm Regional Park in Coquitlam
- View the Amazing Laughter sculptures in English Bay
- Walk from Jack Poole Plaza to Stanley Park in Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver
- Meet a new friend and enjoy some local craft brew on their backyard patio
- Watch the sunset from Crab Park on Burrard Inlet in East Vancouver
- Visit the B.C. Golf Museum
- Check out the free summer Movie Night at Connaught Park in Kitsilano
- Stargaze at Gordon MacMillan South Observatory in Vanier Park
- Channel your inner Judge Judy and take in a legal hearing at the downtown Vancouver Law Courts
- Browse through the vinyl stacks at Zulu Records on West Fourth Avenue
- Check out a Car Free Day on a summer Sunday
You’ve got to admit, this is a pretty impressive list of all the great free things to do in Vancouver!
Photo Credit: Tourism Vancouver
What are your favorite free things to do in Vancouver? Share your tips in the comments below.
Claudia Laroye is the founder and publisher of ClaudiaTravels. An award-winning writer, content creator and author, Claudia is a recognized and trusted travel expert with decades of experience in adventure, family and sustainable travel. Her family book, a Gelato a Day, was published in fall 2022.
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