Having spent a weekend in Vancouver almost 10 years ago, I knew I was due for another trip to the third-largest city in Canada. The last time I had visited, I stayed with family during my brother’s hockey tournament, and we took time to explore North Vancouver and Granville Island. I instantly fell in love with the city and decreed that if I weren’t living in Europe by the time I turned 18, I would live in Vancouver. (What can I say, traveling was at the top of my priority list as a 9 year old.)
Vancouver is known for its integration of city and nature. With the mountains and old growth forests bordering the city from the East, and the sea to the West, environmentalism and an affinity for nature is easy to find amongst the locals. It’s easy to see this in the local, organic food markets, the city design –lots of bike lanes– and in the incentives in many cafes to bring your own cup and food containers. I loved the initiative that Vancouver takes in terms of environmentalism, although it is worth noting that public transit isn’t the best. I’d highly recommend renting an eco-friendly vehicle during your time there, as a 25-minute drive can turn into 2 hours on the bus.
While I really enjoyed my 3 days in Vancouver, I spent a lot of time exploring some of Vancouver’s cooler neighbourhoods to narrow down how to spend a perfect weekend in Vancouver. As I still have family living in the city, I asked them for some recommendations and input to make this 48-hour city guide as much of a local experience as possible. So, here’s your local guide on how to spend the perfect weekend in Vancouver!
How To Spend The Perfect Weekend In Vancouver
Day 1
Breakfast at Cafe Deux Soleils
Address: 2096 Commercial Drive
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 8am–11pm; Thursday & Friday 8am–Midnight; Saturday 9am–Midnight; Sunday 9am–11pm
We’ve got a big day planned, so be sure to start your weekend in Vancouver off right with a delicious breakfast at Cafe Deux Soleils! Located in the Greenwich Village of Vancouver, this cafe has plenty of gluten-free and vegan options to get your day started off right! Cafe Deux Soleils is known for its healthy comfort food, and it’s a popular spot amongst Vancouver’s vegan population!
I wasn’t able to go during my weekend in Vancouver, but the veganized Huevos Angeros sound amazing! The cafe also does Vancouver Poetry Slam events, The Fictionals Comedy shows and eclectic live music nights.
For Cafe Deux Soleils’ menu, click here.
For more gluten-free & vegan eats in Vancouver, click here.
Photo by The West End via FLICKR
Explore Granville Island’s Public Market
Directions: From Cafe Deux Soleils to Granville Island Public Market
Hours: 9 am – 7 pm
Depending on your mood (and how big your food baby is), hop the bus or walk to Granville Island. This island is what made me fall in love with Vancouver. With plenty of unique local shops, breweries, theatre shows, improv acts, and art galleries, there’s so much to do in this little (mostly) pedestrian hub!
My personal favourite shop is Opus, an art supply store that is filled to the brim with some of the most beautiful art supplies I ever did see. (What can I say, I’m an arts & crafts kind of gal.) I also loved wandering in the Granville Island Public Market, which has plenty of Canadiana finds! I’m talking my two favourite things: Pure Canadian maple syrup and stationery. It’s a miracle market!
Mosey Your Way Around Gastown
Directions: From Granville Island to Gastown
After walking around Granville Market for a little while, make your way over to Gastown to explore some of the cute local shops, book stores and marvel at the quaintness of the neighbourhood. (Something I’m sure we all love to do when we travel!) The neighbourhood itself is quite small and has a small-scale industrial/Victorian feel that few city neighbourhoods offer.
Be sure to grab a cup of coffee, as Gastown has the best brew in Vancouver! Spend some time browsing the beautiful local shops, filled with plenty of designs from local artisans. Then make your way over to the steam clock. It’s one of the few left in the world. If you catch it on the hour, it’ll let out a little steam whistle!
Once you’re ready for a little lunch break, make your way over to Indigo Age Cafe, a little gluten-free and vegan gem.
Lunch at Indigo Age Cafe
Directions: From Gastown’s steam clock to Indigo Age Cafe
Hours: Sunday – Thursday 12 – 6pm; Friday & Saturday 12 – 7pm;
I’m a sucker for Ukranian food. Although in my family, it’s our Croatian side that founded my love for pierogis, cabbage rolls, and (later) borscht. So when I saw that Indigo Age Cafe offered gluten-free and vegan versions of my favourite food, I was so excited to eat my little Verklan heart out!
Sadly, the pierogis weren’t gluten-free, but I was able to have some delicious cabbage rolls and borscht. While the cabbage rolls were different to how my family makes them, they were absolutely delicious! They had a slight pickled taste and were topped with a creamy cashew sauce and dill. I really enjoyed this variation of one of my favourite holiday foods. Their borscht was also some of the best I’ve ever had, and came topped with a cashew yoghurt with dill mixed through. The yoghurt and dill was a great touch that I wasn’t expecting (even though traditional borscht does come topped with it)!
If you’re not a big fan of Ukranian food, I’ll only judge you slightly you can call in advanced and have gluten-free and vegan high tea on your weekend in Vancouver! It’s one of the few places in the world that offers it, and you can eat finger sandwiches and pastries to your heart’s content!
To check out Indigo Age Cafe’s menu, click here.
Hike Lynn Canyon
Directions: From Indigo Age Cafe to Lynn Canyon Park
If you’re looking to get that iconic Capilano Suspension Bridge shot without blowing your whole ‘weekend in Vancouver’ budget, Lynn Canyon Park is the way to go! Surround yourself with beautiful old-growth trees and treat yourself to an incredible look-out as you cross over the canyon. It’s truly a day hike not to be missed during your weekend in Vancouver!
I went with my mom, uncle, and three cousins– the youngest under 2 years old at the time– when I was last in Vancouver well over 10 years ago, and it’s still at the top of my list! We took the Twin Falls Loop Trail, which is a relatively short and easy hike. It’s the perfect taste of immersing yourself in Vancouver’s nature, without the commitment to packing all the heavy duty hiking gear. Plus, the hike should only take about 45 minutes, giving you plenty of time to take in the scenery without needing to rush.
For more great hikes for your weekend in Vancouver, check out these 7 hikes within an hour of city limits here.
Dinner at Chau Veggie Express
Directions: From Lynn Canyon Park to Chau Veggie Express
Hours: Monday – Sunday 7 am – 9 pm
After a full day of exploring and hiking, a delicious, nutritious, filling and noodle-y soup is much needed! Cue Chau Veggie Express. This vegan Vietnamese restaurant was a delightful find, tucked away in an unexpected storefront a few blocks from Main Street. When you walk into the restaurant, you can grab a menu and order at the front before finding a seat. Their staff is incredibly helpful when it comes to allergens, and they have plenty of gluten-free items on their vegan menu.
Pictured above is the Candle Lit Lantern Pho Soup, which has star anise, cinnamon, cardamom broth, organic tofy, daikon chunks, beancurd, lotus root, mushrooms, herbs, flat rice noodles and beansprouts. This was my first time having (gluten-free & vegan) pho, and I seriously could not get enough it was so tasty! Plus, their soups come in massive portion sizes– perfect for refuelling after a hike!
As my partner and I were incredibly hungry, we split the pho and also ordered the Golden Temple Soup. I’ve never come across another vegan shop that made a soup like this before or since, and I would wholeheartedly consider relocating to Vancouver just to have another bowl. It has assorted seasonal vegetables, organic tofu, beancurd, mushrooms, taro, yam, kale, herbs and rice noodles in a light turmeric coconut curry broth. It was heaven in a bowl, seriously.
We also ordered the Namahata Fresh Rolls and the Nonla Crispy Rolls. (What can I say we were hungry!) I am a sucker for fresh rolls, and these really hit the spot. It was also the first time in years that I was able to have crispy rolls, so I indulged in every last bite.
P.S. If you bring your own container for takeaway (if you can’t eat in), you get 25¢ off your meal or you can donate it to Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary.
To see Chau Veggie Express’ full menu, click here.
Day 2
Breakfast at Heirloom Vegetarian
Address: 1509 W 12th Avenue, Vancouver
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 9 am–10 pm; Friday & Saturday 9 am–10:30 pm
One of the top recommended brunch spots I was recommended in Vancouver was Heirloom Vegetarian– and it’s no wonder why! With plenty of gluten-free and vegan options, there was a surprising amount of brunch items I could eat there! Both the Hash– hash browns, roasted summer squash, broccolini, red onions, oven roasted tomatoes, creamy cilantro, and quinoa-nut fritters or marinated tofu– and the shakshuka– moroccan spiced tomato and harissa sauce, chopped, parsley and toasted baguette– sounded incredible.
I didn’t make it to Heirloom during my weekend in Vancouver, but my local, vegan cousin highly recommended it!
Check out Heirloom Vegetarian’s Menu here.
For more gluten-free & vegan eats in Vancouver, click here.
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
Directions: From Heirloom Vegetarian to MOA
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 5 pm; CLOSED Mondays (from mid-October until mid-May)
Admission: $18 for adults
Visiting the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia was one of the biggest highlights of my trip to the province. Located in West Vancouver, this museum showcases the diversity in British Columbia and has an incredible exhibit on Indigenous culture.
The exhibit on Indigenous culture was definitely my favourite, and I learned a lot about the history of the Haida, Coast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw and Nisga’a, to name a few. I really enjoyed learning the differences between the the totems from the north of Vancouver Island and the south, and the technique used to build massive canoes. It was also incredibly interesting learning more and seeing some of the extravagant pieces used in potlachs, which are elaborate gift-giving feasts common amongst the Indigenous peoples in this part of Canada. Potlachs were banned from 1885–1951 by the Canadian government as a means to assimilate the Indigenous peoples and convert them to Christianity.
Although I shared a tidbit of the exhibit just then, I’d highly recommend following a tour guide through these exhibits, as they are incredibly knowledgeable about Indigenous culture, the architecture of the museum, and the other anthropological exhibits held at MOA. This museum is easily in my top 3 things to do for a weekend in Vancouver, and it gives visitors a great opportunity to learn more about Indigenous culture and some insight to the systemic racism in Canada.
Lunch at Virtuous Pie
Directions: From MOA to Virtuous Pie
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11 am – 10 pm; Friday 11 am – 11 pm; Saturday 10 am – 11 pm; Sunday 10 am – 10 pm
If MOA was in my top 3 things to do during a weekend in Vancouver, Virtuous Pie easily joins in on the ranking. This vegan pizza shop has incredibly innovative pizzas and some seriously delicious gluten-free crust. I went twice during my weekend in Vancouver. Thankfully, the first time was with my partner, my cousin & her partner, so we all shared our pizzas.
My two personal favourites were Superfunghi, which was topped with cashew mozzarella, herbed potato cream, truffle almond ricotta, mushrooms, and arugula, and Ultraviolet, which was topped with walnut & arugula pesto, cashew mozzarella, oven-dried tomatoes, kale, caramelized onion, and pine nuts. I also enjoyed the notoriously-popular Stranger Wings, which was topped with bianca (white) sauce, spicy buffalo cauliflower, crisp fried shallots, blue cheese drizzle, and scallion, and the classic Margherita and Grandma’s Pie (basically a 4-cheese pizza).
They also had kombucha on tap. Plus, they had happy hour where kombucha and certain pizzas were half price. Needless to say, I’d move to Vancouver just for more slices of this goodness!
To see Virtous Pie’s full menu, click here.
Explore Canada’s 3rd Oldest China Town
Directions: From Virtuous Pie to China Town
Once you’ve eaten your heart out, check out the neighbourhood just outside of Virtuous Pie’s doorstep! Vancouver’s China Town is not only the second-largest China Town in in North America, it’s also the 3rd oldest China Town in Canada (after Victoria, BC, and Montreal)! It’s also a National Historic Site of Canada thanks to its distinct buildings with murals and window art telling the stories of early Chinese pioneers.
In the 1880s, Chinese immigrants were encouraged to come to Canada to work on the Pacific Canadian Railway. The conditions were appalling, but it brought a huge influx of Chinese immigrants to the West Coast of Canada. Between 1886-1920, the first wave of Chinese immigrants settled around Carrall Street and Pender Street. One of first community centres to go up was a Chinese opera house in the 1890s. Cantonese opera was quite popular in China at the time, and attending the opera became a piece of home for many Chinese immigrants.
Today, China Town is home to some beautiful buildings and interesting street art. Take a photo at the incredibly intricate Millennium Gate. Or, venture into the dozens of souvenir shops for little trinkets to bring home. Or, if you have some extra time, walk through the beautiful Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens!
Get Your Nature Fix at Stanley Park
Directions: China Town to Stanley Park
After your hearty lunch and neighbourhood escapade, make your way over to Stanley Park for a taste of some of Vancouver’s nature at the heart of the city! With 1,000 acres of land to its name, it’s larger than NYC’s Central Park! If you’re looking to walk off your lunch, make your way over to the sea wall to walk along the 8.5 km oceanfront that surrounds the park! Along the way you’ll see incredible views of the Vancouver skyline and the “Girl In A Wetsuit” sculpture, aka the modern sea-faring mermaid of Vancouver’s harbour!
At the most easterly tip of Stanley Park is Brockton point, where you can see some Indigenous totems. Stanley Park was actually built on Indigenous land. While we were there we met Bob Neel, whose mother’s totem stood in the park. His grandparents home used to be a couple hundred metres away from where the totems currently stand. Bob said he’s there quite often to educate the people about the Kwakwaka’wakw and Squamish peoples and the significance of Stanley Park to the Indigenous peoples that once inhabited the peninsula.
There’s also the opportunity to visit Shakespeare’s Garden, which features thousands of beautiful flowers. You can also find a number of hollow cedar trees in Stanley Park, which make a great photo op! I found a few just off the beaten path near Lion’s Gate bridge. There’s a great look-out point to see the San Fransisco Golden Gate Bridge look-alike, as well.
Shop Main Street
Directions: From Stanley Park to Main Street
Just before stopping into dinner, take a little jaunt down Main Street just below 16th Avenue. There are plenty of unique, local shops and lots of thrifting opportunities to be had! According to several Vancouver blog, the best vintage clothing shops start just below West Broadway up until 27th Avenue. I also really enjoyed stopping in at the Soap Dispensary, which had plenty of zero-waste containers and refillable items such as shampoo, laundry detergent, spices, and much more!
Dinner at Chickpea
Address: 4298 Main Street
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11 am – 11 pm; Friday 11 am – midnight; Saturday 10 am – midnight; Sunday 10 am –11 pm
After a long afternoon of exploring, make your way over to Chickpea for some of the best-tasting and most innovative vegan Lebanese food in Vancouver. With plenty of gluten-free options, I was ready to feast! So we sat down in a cute corner of the restaurant, and opened up our children’s-book-cover menu. And let me say, it took a while for us to narrow down what we would have for dinner that night! We ended up compromising and split the Sabich platter with a side of falafel, as we had never had Sabich before but still wanted falafel.
Sabich is a mediterranean dish, which is a fried, crunchy eggplant topped with soft warm potatoes and chickpeas. It was absolutely delicious, and came with chickpea fries, hummus, pickled peppers and veggies, salad and pita bread (sadly not gluten-free). The food was so incredible that I can still remember the taste of their chickpea french fries to this day!
For Chickpea’s full menu, click here.
Extend your trip to British Columbia (Day 3 Options)
- Take a gluten-free & vegan restaurant tour of Vancouver!
- Check out these 7 stunning hikes that are less than 1.5 hours outside of Vancouver, as recommended by locals & top travel bloggers.
- Hop the ferry to Vancouver Island to try out 8 of these incredible outdoor activities! (Yes, kayaking with orcas is one of them!)
- Hop the ferry to Victoria to see Canada’s Portland!
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