I'm standing beneath a towering cedar tree in Stanley Park, in the heart of downtown Vancouver, yet the rest of the city feels distant within this 400-hectare natural rainforest. Known for its scenic trails, waterfront views and wildlife, the park draws visitors year-round for walking and cycling, but that morning I was there to experience it differently. I am on an Indigenous Talking Trees tour with Talaysay Campo, a Shíshálh (Sechelt) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation member and co-founder of Talaysay Tours.
This is not a typical guided walk. Trees and plants are introduced in practical terms, such as how branches can be used for shelter and which ones hold medicinal properties. At one point, Talaysay hands me small plant leaves to taste, noting their high vitamin C content. The information is grounded in lived knowledge, and what first appears as dense woodland begins to take on deeper meaning.
From Stanley Park, I head to Burrard Landing on the waterfront for a different perspective of the city. A skyline tour with Seair Seaplanes takes off from the harbour, rising quickly above Vancouver. From the air, the view opens out across the city, taking in Lions Gate Bridge, Howe Sound, the dense greenery of Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains.
The next day takes me above the city again, this time by elevator rather than air. If, like me, you are a fan of observation decks, the Vancouver Lookout, 168 metres above the city, is well worth a visit. A glass elevator takes just 40 seconds to reach the top, moving quickly from street level to the skyline. From the observation deck, there is a full 360-degree sweeping view of the harbour, the North Shore Mountains, downtown, and the wider city beyond.
From downtown, it takes less than 30 minutes to reach the North Shore, where Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is located. A free shuttle runs directly from Canada Place, making it an easy connection from the city centre. The bridge stretches 137 metres across the Capilano River, suspended 70 metres above the canyon floor. Originally built in 1889, it remains a defining part of the park, and as I cross, it sways slightly under my feet, with a steep drop below. Beyond the main crossing, the park extends into the forest. The Treetops Adventure moves through a series of smaller suspension bridges fixed between old-growth Douglas firs, while the Cliffwalk follows a narrow path along the granite cliff face.
Whenever I asked for recommendations on places to visit in Vancouver, including from my Uber driver, Granville Island kept coming up. Situated beneath the Granville Street Bridge, the area has a creative vibe, with street performers, musicians, and a slightly bohemian atmosphere. It centres around its independent artisan shops and public market, where vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, and ready-to-eat dishes, with views overlooking the waterfront.
On my last day, I made time to visit the city’s galleries and museums, starting with the Museum of Anthropology, situated on the edge of the University of British Columbia campus overlooking the water. It focuses on Indigenous art and culture and houses one of the most significant collections in the region. Large-scale carvings and totem poles are displayed alongside smaller, detailed works, with the surrounding landscape reinforcing the connection between culture and place. Downtown, the Vancouver Art Gallery, situated within a historic courthouse building, brings together contemporary and historical works, often with a strong focus on Canadian and Indigenous artists.
Where I stayed
To make the most of my time in the city, I wanted to be centrally located, so I checked into the AZUR Legacy Collection Hotel, a boutique hotel downtown in Vancouver’s financial district. From here, I was within walking distance of many of the city’s key areas, including the waterfront, Canada Place, and Burrard Landing, with easy access to public transport links.
My room featured a king-sized bed, a seating area, and integrated technology that allowed me to control lighting and temperature. Storage was built in and unobtrusive, keeping the layout open. Floor-to-ceiling windows brought in natural light, and the interiors followed a consistent design approach, with marble finishes and a subtle Art Deco influence. The bathroom was finished in marble, with double sinks, a walk-in shower, and a deep soaker tub. Heated floors, illuminated mirrors, and L’Occitane amenities were included as standard, along with a Nespresso machine, minibar, and in-room coffee and tea facilities.
Breakfast was served at Dahlia, the hotel’s ground-floor restaurant. Ingredients were locally sourced where possible, reflecting the wider approach to dining across the hotel. The setup was straightforward, suited to both quick mornings and more relaxed starts before heading out.
You can’t stay at AZUR without spending an evening at Lavantine Rooftop Restaurant & Skybar on the 14th floor. A destination in its own right, it incorporates greenery throughout the space and offers views across downtown Vancouver. It is one of the few rooftop dining options in the city with this kind of vantage point. The menu focuses on Levantine cuisine, a style of the Eastern Mediterranean, adapted with West Coast ingredients, with dishes designed for sharing and centred on seasonal produce.
Where I ate
Vancouver’s dining scene reflects its multicultural identity and is shaped by its coastal setting, with menus that draw on both local produce and global cuisines. Situated on Main Street, Burdock & Co, it’s as much about the experience as the food in this intimate 32-seat restaurant by chef-owner Andrea Carlson, the first female chef in Canada to earn a Michelin star. The tasting menu follows a “Moon Menu” concept, evolving with micro-seasons with a focus on organic produce and local seafood. The staff guide you through each course, explaining ingredients and origin at the table, while wine pairings are introduced in detail, often from small producers and small-batch vineyards.
Downtown, Nightingale occupies a restored heritage building where only the original façade remains. The space opens into a large, two-storey industrial dining room. I ordered roasted cauliflower, squash pizza, and a pasta dish, served at the centre of the table and designed to be shared.
For award-winning Vietnamese cuisine, Anh and Chi is a vibrant spot. The menu offers a range of dishes, from salads and soups to rice noodles, alongside cocktails made with local ingredients. Miku, on the waterfront, is known for its Aburi-style sushi, where fish is lightly seared and finished with signature sauces. The menu is innovative, and I had nigiri and seared rolls, followed by a dairy-free dessert. If sushi is not your thing, you can choose from delicate meats tenderised by Sumiyaki grilling or desserts created by a Kyoto-trained pastry chef.
Discreetly marked by a glowing sign after dark and accessed via an unmarked stairwell, AMA Raw Bar feels like a hidden speakeasy. Inside, I sipped on mocktails and small plates in a dim, atmospheric room, the space carrying a subtle neo-noir edge inspired by Blade Runner 2049.
Next door in Fraserhood, Nammos Estiatorio brings Greek flavours to the city with a lively, stylish setting. The menu focuses on elevated Greek dishes, from fresh seafood and grilled meats to generous share plates designed for a more spirited, social dining experience.
The contrast between Vancouver’s landscapes is striking. One moment, I am in the middle of a North American metropolis, with glass and steel towers shaping the skyline; the next, I am in the rainforest or looking out over water. From forest trails and waterfront markets to mountain landscapes, you do not have to choose between urban life and nature, because as I discovered, you can move between both, sometimes in the same hour.
For more information on Vancouver, visit www.destinationvancouver.com
