Everything you need to know about living, working or studying in Vancouver

Museums

• The Museum of Vancouver tells the story of Vancouver’s diverse community and history. If you visit on the first Sunday of each month, you pay what you can for admission, which works out cheaper than normal adult admission if you choose to pay less.
• Science World is for science lovers of all ages.
• The Museum of Anthropology displays art and culture from around British Columbia. It notably exhibits objects made by indigenous people.
• The Space Centre includes a museum, observatory (buy a nighttime ticket to be able to stargaze in the observatory) and planetarium (one planetarium show will be included in both day and night admission tickets). The Centre also runs monthly “Ask an astronomer” live streams.
• The Vancouver Art Gallery, showcasing art from around BC and the rest of the world, offers free admission on the first Friday of every month from 4–8 PM.
• FlyOver Canada, located at the end of Canada Place, is an attraction that takes you across the magnificent landscapes of the different Canadian provinces. A 4D film (you have the image, sound, the wind in your hair and the movements of the chair) of around 10 minutes will “fly” you from one side of Canada to the other. The film changes depending on the season; you might get a special theme for a specific event or holiday.

Find the list of all art galleries and museums on the official British Columbia tourism website.

Public libraries

Public libraries can offer helpful services for free or at a low cost. As well as accessing their full range of books, magazines and newspapers, you can use the Internet via library computers or by connecting your own device to their Wi-Fi.

Libraries will also run regular events, from storytime for the kids to immigration webinars and language classes. Getting a library card is free for all people living in the municipality of Vancouver. You can find the eligibility requirements on the Vancouver Public Library website.

Movie theatres

Vancouver is recognised as one of the world’s capitals for cinema: a huge number of films and series have been filmed there (Battlestar Galactica, The Butterfly Effect, Stargate SG-1, Juno, The X-Files, etc.). You can visit the filming locations and studios on a paid or self-guided tour.

You can also simply go to the movie theatre. There are many locations and types of movie theatre, from multiplexes to local, independent cinemas.

The Rio Theatre organises screenings of old films or themed evenings year-round (for example, playing the Star Wars films on May 4, now commonly celebrated as Star Wars Day!).

Throughout the year there are also several film festivals, like the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Music

You might be interested in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) if you like classical music. Operas are performed at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and The Vancouver Opera house.

The VSO offers a free outdoor concert, Symphony in the Park, at Deer Lake Park (in Burnaby) every year in July. Bring a picnic, a comfortable seat or blanket and get there early because it will be crowded!

If you are more interested in local concerts, head to Granville Street, Commercial Drive and Granville Island. If you’re looking for bigger concerts with international stars, you’ll want to head to Rogers Arena or BC Place.

To find out more, you can visit Straight or the Tourism Vancouver website.

Festivals

There are many festivals throughout the year in Vancouver. The best known are the Vancouver International Film Festival, which takes place every year between the end of September and the beginning of October, or the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in July.

Other popular options include:

• Bard on the Beach: a Shakespeare festival where several of his plays are performed at Kitsilano beach from June to September.
• Vancouver International Jazz Festival: many artists and groups come to play the different stages set up in the city in June. Paid concerts, free open-air concerts, large or small stages; there is plenty of choice.
• Dine Out Vancouver: one for the foodies. Between January and February, many restaurants in the city offer special menus at “reduced” prices (CA$65 and under), as well as workshops, seminars, etc. It runs at the same time as the Hot Chocolate Festival where you can taste all kinds of hot chocolate, ice cream and baked goods.
• Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS): in July-August, TUTS puts on popular musical theatre shows at an open-air venue in Stanley Park.
• PuSh: in January-February, PuSh is a drama, dance, multimedia and music festival that showcases international, Canadian and local artists in the performing arts.
• Vancouver International Wine Festival: in February-March, the wine festival gives you the chance to try wines from different countries through tastings, seminars, dinners, etc.
• Khatsalano: in July, for one day, Kitsilano (and more precisely 4th Avenue) turns pedestrian-only to host a free music festival. You will find multiple stages showcasing Vancouver’s top musical performers, as well as local artisans and street performers.

This is not an exhaustive list! You can find them all on the Tourism Vancouver website.

Nightlife

Regarding nightlife, Granville Street is certainly the busiest street, considered Vancouver’s equivalent of the Las Vegas strip. Granville Street is a hub for younger people and students looking for pubs, clubs and live music.

Areas like Yaletown and Gastown offer more upmarket establishments like lounges, wine and cocktail bars.

In the heart of the West End, Davie Village is home to Vancouver’s gay bars and welcoming LGBTQIA+ scene.

In the Main Street district, you can find quirky speakeasy bars and hipster craft breweries.

Sports

Vancouver is a city for sports lovers! From events in the city to further afield in the mountains, there is always something going on.

Different sporting events

• The Vancouver Canucks hockey team is a major attraction for sports enthusiasts. You can attend home matches.
• Football fans will want to catch a BC Lions game at the BC Place stadium.
• For tennis fans, there is the Vancouver Open.
• For those who want to discover a typical North American sport, try out baseball or the roller derby!

Fitness

In addition to the many cycle paths and parks, Vancouver has no shortage of public swimming pools and sports clubs.

If you are into jogging or running, you can sign up for a marathon, half marathon or fun run.

Whatever the season, numerous hiking trails of all levels are available to walking enthusiasts. You can find descriptions, difficulty ratings, photos and reviews of various trails on the Vancouver Trails website.

You can contact your nearest Community Centre to find out more about your local sports hall, tennis court, swimming pool or other classes available (dance, fitness, etc.). There is at least one centre in each district.

Skiing, snowboarding and other mountain sports

In Vancouver, the mountains are never far away. It is therefore easy to get to the ski slopes, even for a quick day trip. The closest locations to Vancouver are the Seymour, Cypress and Grouse mountains, which are visible from Downtown.

In winter, these are very popular places, so you need to prepare and book your pass in advance. They are practical for going skiing after work but are smaller options and not the most exciting for real snow enthusiasts.

For a more demanding pace, you can head up to Whistler. It’s a two-hour drive from Vancouver and offers a bigger variety of slopes.

All the local mountains are served by public transport (SkyTrain or bus). If you don’t want to use public transport, you can look into the option of a ski shuttle.

If you don’t want to ski but still want to enjoy the snow, you can also rent snowshoes, go snowtubing or on a snowmobile!