# North Van Guide

> North Van Guide plans and books trips to North Vancouver and everywhere a day reaches from it, from downtown Vancouver to Whistler, with prices in Canadian dollars and its runs, trails and drive times measured from open data. It covers 12 regions, 23 towns and neighbourhoods, 25 places to stay, 68 places to eat and drink, 35 sights, 11 dishes and drinks, 27 tours, guides and rentals, 26 ways to get around, 32 events and seasons, 5 weather stations, 8 cycling routes, 4 ski resorts, 1 resort group, 11 backcountry zones, 8 lift passes, 8 trail networks, 37 trails, 3 bike parks, 17 hikes, 3 Nordic and snowshoe areas, 10 day trips, 21 makers, 18 markets and 16 shops and galleries for local work.

Every entry lists the sources its facts come from and the month they were checked. Prices are in Canadian dollars and US dollars, each with the year it applies to. The site earns affiliate commission on some bookings; paid links are marked, and https://northvanguide.com/disclosures explains how.

## Regions
- [Lonsdale and the Shipyards](https://northvanguide.com/regions/lonsdale)
- [Capilano and Grouse](https://northvanguide.com/regions/capilano-grouse)
- [Lynn Valley](https://northvanguide.com/regions/lynn-valley)
- [Deep Cove and Mount Seymour](https://northvanguide.com/regions/deep-cove-seymour)
- [West Vancouver and Cypress](https://northvanguide.com/regions/west-vancouver)
- [Downtown and Stanley Park](https://northvanguide.com/regions/downtown-vancouver)
- [Kitsilano and the West Side](https://northvanguide.com/regions/west-side)
- [Main Street and East Van](https://northvanguide.com/regions/east-van)
- [Richmond and YVR](https://northvanguide.com/regions/richmond)
- [Howe Sound](https://northvanguide.com/regions/howe-sound)
- [Squamish](https://northvanguide.com/regions/squamish)
- [Whistler and Pemberton](https://northvanguide.com/regions/whistler-pemberton)

## Towns and neighbourhoods
- [Ambleside](https://northvanguide.com/towns/ambleside): Ambleside is West Vancouver's beach neighbourhood near the north end of the Lions Gate Bridge, and it suits a slow day out from downtown Vancouver with a sandy beach at the foot of 13th Street and lunch a short walk up on Marine Drive. West Van has few hotel rooms, so most visitors ride the 250 bus over for the day and sleep in Vancouver.
- [Central Lonsdale](https://northvanguide.com/towns/central-lonsdale): Central Lonsdale suits visitors who want to eat and swim where North Vancouver locals do. Lonsdale Avenue here is the heart of the city's Persian community, and the new Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre opened at 23rd Street in July 2026. There is no hotel in the neighbourhood, so a stay means a registered short-term rental, and Lonsdale Quay sits about 1.6 km downhill.
- [Chinatown](https://northvanguide.com/towns/chinatown): Chinatown suits a half day of history and eating on foot. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden closes at 4 pm and the Chinatown Storytelling Centre at 5 pm, so start in the morning and stay on for dinner at Kissa Tanto or Bao Bei. Both open their doors at 5:30 pm.
- [Commercial Drive](https://northvanguide.com/towns/commercial-drive): Commercial Drive suits travellers who want Little Italy's espresso bars and a SkyTrain hub on the same East Vancouver street, and the trade-off is distance from the beaches on the city's west side.
- [Creekside](https://northvanguide.com/towns/creekside): Creekside suits skiers who want a quieter Whistler base with its own gondola up Whistler Mountain. It sits 5 km south of Whistler Village, so a night out in the Village means a car, a bus or a hotel shuttle.
- [Deep Cove](https://northvanguide.com/towns/deep-cove): Deep Cove is the District of North Vancouver's small waterfront village at the mouth of Indian Arm, and it suits anyone after a slow day on the water with a doughnut on Gallant Avenue afterwards. Its catch is summer parking, which the District says fills early and stays full all day, so take the 211 bus from downtown Vancouver, or visit between November and February when the $3 hourly parking charge is off.
- [Dundarave](https://northvanguide.com/towns/dundarave): Dundarave is West Vancouver's beach village at the foot of 25th Street, and it suits a morning on the Centennial Seawalk followed by coffee or a long lunch beside the pier. West Van has few hotel rooms, so plan Dundarave as a half day from downtown Vancouver on the 250 bus, which takes 30 minutes from Georgia Street at weekday middays.
- [Edgemont Village](https://northvanguide.com/towns/edgemont-village): Edgemont Village is the low-rise high street of Upper Capilano in the District of North Vancouver, and it suits families and couples who want Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park a short bus ride away. Beds are the trade-off, since the District's own account of the village runs to cafés and a library with no hotel among them.
- [Gastown](https://northvanguide.com/towns/gastown): Gastown suits a first night in Vancouver built around dinner and a cocktail, and the Gastown BIA puts it a five-minute walk from the cruise terminal at Canada Place. Its red-brick paving on Water Street turns slick in winter rain, so pack shoes with some grip.
- [Horseshoe Bay](https://northvanguide.com/towns/horseshoe-bay): Horseshoe Bay is the ferry village at the western tip of West Vancouver, and it suits anyone with a sailing to catch who wants fish and chips on Bay Street first. Rooms are scarce, with the Horseshoe Bay Motel a minute's walk from the terminal and a 42-room hotel approved for Bay Street in July 2026 still waiting on an opening date.
- [Kitsilano](https://northvanguide.com/towns/kitsilano): Kitsilano suits couples and families who want a beach neighbourhood on English Bay with cafés along West 4th Avenue, and the trade-off is a bus ride downtown, because the SkyTrain extension under Broadway is scheduled to reach Arbutus Street in late 2027.
- [Lower Lonsdale](https://northvanguide.com/towns/lower-lonsdale): Lower Lonsdale is the easiest base in North Vancouver for a trip without a car, because the SeaBus crosses from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay in 12 minutes and all three of the neighbourhood's hotels stand within about 400 metres of the terminal. Lonsdale Avenue climbs from the water the whole way north, and the ski hills are a bus ride away.
- [Lynn Valley](https://northvanguide.com/towns/lynn-valley): Lynn Valley is the District of North Vancouver's town centre at Lynn Valley Road and Mountain Highway, and it suits walkers and mountain bikers who want Lynn Canyon Park and Lynn Headwaters Regional Park up the road. Downtown Vancouver is the trade-off, because it sits a bus and a SeaBus away.
- [Main Street](https://northvanguide.com/towns/main-street): Main Street suits food lovers and vintage shoppers who want Michelin-listed cooking and brewery taprooms within walking distance in Mount Pleasant and Riley Park, and the trade-off is distance from the water, since downtown Vancouver and the beaches sit a bus or SkyTrain ride away.
- [Parkgate](https://northvanguide.com/towns/parkgate): Parkgate in the District of North Vancouver suits Mount Seymour skiers and Deep Cove visitors who need a supermarket run or the resort's winter shuttle, and its trade-off is a suburban shopping plaza on Mount Seymour Parkway where errands come before atmosphere. Mount Seymour Road starts at the plaza's corner, and Deep Cove village is 2.8 km east by road.
- [Pemberton](https://northvanguide.com/towns/pemberton): Pemberton suits backcountry skiers and riders who want a farm village half an hour north of Whistler, with Whistler Blackcomb 37 minutes away on the commuter bus. Getting around is the catch, because Route 99 runs ten times a day and Pemberton has no taxi service.
- [Snug Cove](https://northvanguide.com/towns/snug-cove): Snug Cove suits walkers and families who want a slow island day in Howe Sound, because the BC Ferries boat from Horseshoe Bay docks in the village after a 20-minute crossing. Beds are scarce, and the Union Steamship Marina Resort rents five heritage units beside the ferry.
- [Squamish](https://northvanguide.com/towns/squamish): Squamish suits climbers and mountain bikers who want a working town at the head of Howe Sound, and the YVR Skylynx coach gets there in an hour from downtown Vancouver. The coach stops here only on reservation, so book the Squamish stop when you book the seat.
- [Steveston](https://northvanguide.com/towns/steveston): Steveston suits families and seafood lovers who want a working fishing harbour at the mouth of the Fraser River, where boats sell their catch from the public sales float, and the trade-off is distance, because downtown Vancouver sits a Canada Line ride and a bus away.
- [Upper Lonsdale](https://northvanguide.com/towns/upper-lonsdale): Upper Lonsdale suits hikers and mountain bikers who want a residential base close to the Baden-Powell Trail and the Mount Fromme trails at the top of Lonsdale Avenue. Its shops fill two blocks between 29th Street and Kings Road, and Lonsdale Quay is about 3 km downhill on TransLink's 230 bus.
- [West End](https://northvanguide.com/towns/west-end): The West End suits a slow stay with kids or a dog, because English Bay Beach and the Stanley Park seawall sit at the end of its streets. The nearest SkyTrain stations are downtown at Burrard and Vancouver City Centre, so airport and cruise days start with a walk or a bus.
- [Whistler Village](https://northvanguide.com/towns/whistler-village): Whistler Village suits skiers and snowboarders who want to walk from bed to the gondolas and from the lifts to dinner. In the 2026/27 winter timetable, the YVR Skylynx Express takes 2 hours 15 minutes from the airport.
- [Yaletown](https://northvanguide.com/towns/yaletown): Yaletown suits a short city stay built on patio dinners and the False Creek seawall, and TransLink's table puts Yaletown–Roundhouse station 23 minutes from YVR–Airport. The stadium district sits just east, so on BC Place concert and game nights book dinner ahead.

## Places to stay
- [The Burrard](https://northvanguide.com/stays/burrard): The Burrard suits couples and cyclists on a mid-range budget who like a converted 1956 motor inn with free cruiser bikes and a courtyard fire pit. Rooms come without breakfast, so mornings start at Elysian Coffee off the lobby or at French Creek Pub in the same building.
- [Capilano River RV Park](https://northvanguide.com/stays/capilano-river-rv-park): Capilano River RV Park suits anyone touring in an RV who wants downtown Vancouver one bridge away, with winter RV sites from $73 a night for two in 2026/27 plus GST. It sits beside Park Royal on Squamish Nation land at Xwemélch'stn (Capilano IR 5). RVs must be 2014 or newer, and stays stop at 14 days in summer and for families with children all year.
- [Coast Lonsdale Quay Hotel](https://northvanguide.com/stays/coast-lonsdale-quay-hotel): Coast Lonsdale Quay Hotel takes the third floor of the Lonsdale Quay Market building beside the SeaBus, and it suits travellers who want a renovated room in North Vancouver above the market and steps from the boat. It has no pool or hot tub, and guests park in an EasyPark lot at EasyPark's rates.
- [DoubleTree by Hilton North Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/stays/doubletree-by-hilton-north-vancouver): The DoubleTree by Hilton North Vancouver is a 162-room hotel off Highway 1 in Lynnmour, and it suits drivers and families who want an indoor pool and free parking for a North Van base. The trade-off is the highway-side setting, so most days start in the car or on a bus to the SeaBus.
- [Econo Lodge Inn & Suites North Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/stays/econo-lodge-inn-and-suites-north-vancouver): The Econo Lodge Inn & Suites North Vancouver is a family-owned, 95-room hotel on Capilano Road near Marine Drive, and it suits families and sports teams who want kitchen suites and free parking. Its pool is outdoor and seasonal, and the site faces a redevelopment application.
- [Fairmont Pacific Rim](https://northvanguide.com/stays/fairmont-pacific-rim): Fairmont Pacific Rim suits couples and celebrations that want a Forbes Five-Star hotel on the Coal Harbour waterfront. The seaplane terminal is about 300 metres away and Waterfront Station about 500. Overnight parking costs $65 including taxes, so arrive without a car if you can.
- [Fairmont Vancouver Airport](https://northvanguide.com/stays/fairmont-vancouver-airport): Fairmont Vancouver Airport suits travellers with an early flight or a long layover who want to sleep inside YVR, and the trade-off is distance from the city, because downtown Vancouver sits about 25 minutes away on the Canada Line by the hotel's figure.
- [Granite Falls campground](https://northvanguide.com/stays/granite-falls-campground): Granite Falls campground suits experienced paddlers who want a night beside the 50-metre falls near the head of Indian Arm, about 20 km from Deep Cove by BC Parks' figure. Getting there means a four- to six-hour paddle with the tides to plan around, and BC Parks doesn't patrol or service the park regularly in winter.
- [HI Vancouver Downtown](https://northvanguide.com/stays/hi-vancouver-downtown): HI Vancouver Downtown suits solo travellers on a budget who want the West End on foot. Davie Village is about 200 metres away, and the hostel runs its own weekly outings to Lynn Canyon and Bowen Island. Rooms run from beds in four-bed dorms to private rooms and a two-bedroom suite for four, so book a private early for a busy week.
- [HI Vancouver Jericho Beach](https://northvanguide.com/stays/hi-vancouver-jericho-beach): HI Vancouver Jericho Beach suits backpackers and families on a budget who want a quiet base in the parkland behind Jericho Beach, and the trade-off is distance, because downtown Vancouver sits about 20 minutes away by HI Canada's count.
- [Horseshoe Bay Motel](https://northvanguide.com/stays/horseshoe-bay-motel): The Horseshoe Bay Motel suits anyone catching an early ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, with the terminal a minute's walk away and rooms for two from $168 a night in 2026 before tax. The motel calls its approach basic and quiet, and its cancellation terms are strict, with a 25% fee on every cancellation and no refund inside 96 hours.
- [Howe Sound Inn](https://northvanguide.com/stays/howe-sound-inn): Howe Sound Inn suits climbers and couples who want one of 20 rooms above a brewpub in downtown Squamish, and riders pay $25 a day plus tax to keep a mountain bike in the room.
- [Mount Seymour group campsite](https://northvanguide.com/stays/mount-seymour-group-campsite): Mount Seymour group campsite suits youth and community groups who want a winter night on the mountain with a wood-stove shelter, about 100 metres from parking lot P1 in Mount Seymour Park. The trade-off is a reservation-only site priced for groups, at $80 a night plus $5 per adult billed for at least 15 adults in 2026.
- [Nita Lake Lodge](https://northvanguide.com/stays/nita-lake-lodge): Nita Lake Lodge suits couples and families who want a spa hotel on a lake in Creekside with the Creekside Gondola close by. It sits 5 km south of Whistler Village, so nights out in the Village run on the hotel shuttle or a car.
- [North Twin Island campground](https://northvanguide.com/stays/north-twin-island-campground): North Twin Island campground in Say Nuth Khaw Yum Park suits paddlers on their first night of kayak camping, with 20 free wooden tent pads 5.5 km up Indian Arm from Deep Cove. Its catch is that you carry every drop of drinking water and take your chance on a first come, first served pad, and in winter BC Parks doesn't patrol or service the park regularly.
- [Ocean Breeze Bed and Breakfast](https://northvanguide.com/stays/ocean-breeze-bed-and-breakfast): Ocean Breeze Bed and Breakfast suits couples who want a hosted stay and a cooked breakfast in Lower Lonsdale. The house stands about 1.2 km east of Lonsdale Quay as the crow flies and has four rooms with private bathrooms. Its provincial short-term rental registration still needs confirming.
- [Opus Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/stays/opus-vancouver): Opus Vancouver suits couples and dog owners on a short city break who want Yaletown's restaurants outside the door and the Canada Line about 50 metres away. Valet parking costs $59 a day and the garage clears only 6 feet 6 inches, so a tall vehicle needs parking elsewhere.
- [Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside](https://northvanguide.com/stays/pan-pacific-whistler-mountainside): Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside suits families and groups who want a suite with a kitchen on Skier's Plaza at the foot of the gondolas. A winter booking turns non-refundable 14 days before arrival, when the hotel charges the full stay.
- [Pangea Pod Hotel](https://northvanguide.com/stays/pangea-pod-hotel): Pangea Pod Hotel suits solo skiers and groups of friends who want a private pod and a rooftop bar in the middle of Whistler Village. It takes adults only, and every guest must be 18 or older at check-in.
- [Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier](https://northvanguide.com/stays/pinnacle-hotel-at-the-pier): Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier is the full-service choice in North Vancouver's Shipyards. It has a heated 25-metre indoor pool, and the SeaBus at Lonsdale Quay is about 350 metres away. Drivers pay $42 a night for underground parking with taxes included.
- [Seaside Hotel](https://northvanguide.com/stays/seaside-hotel): Seaside Hotel suits couples who want a modern boutique room in North Vancouver's Shipyards, and the SeaBus at Lonsdale Quay is about 400 metres away. It has 71 rooms and a spa on the third floor, and the guest who books must be 21 or older.
- [Skwachays Lodge](https://northvanguide.com/stays/skwachays-lodge): Skwachàys Lodge sits where Chinatown meets Gastown and suits couples and art lovers who want each night's spend to support housing for Indigenous artists. It has no parking on site, so arrive by SkyTrain at Stadium–Chinatown, about 300 metres away.
- [SureStay by Best Western North Vancouver Capilano](https://northvanguide.com/stays/surestay-by-best-western-north-vancouver-capilano): The SureStay by Best Western North Vancouver Capilano is a low-rise hotel on Capilano Road just up from Marine Drive, and it suits drivers who want free parking near Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, which Best Western puts 2 km away. Its pool opens only in summer, and the District is weighing an application to redevelop the site.
- [Sylvia Hotel](https://northvanguide.com/stays/sylvia-hotel): The Sylvia Hotel suits couples and dog owners who want English Bay Beach across the street and a 1913 heritage building with an ocean-view lounge. Its 120 rooms run from a 210-square-foot petite queen to the 1,000-square-foot English Bay Suite, so check the room type before you book.
- [Union Steamship Marina Resort](https://northvanguide.com/stays/union-steamship-marina-resort): Union Steamship Marina Resort suits couples and families who want a heritage cottage with its own kitchen beside the Snug Cove ferry on Bowen Island. It has five units, and long weekends and holidays carry a three-night minimum all year.

## Places to eat and drink
- [All 68 places to eat and drink](https://northvanguide.com/eat): The full list is on this page, and every entry is in llms-full.txt.

## Sights
- [Audain Art Museum](https://northvanguide.com/sights/audain-art-museum): The Audain Art Museum in Whistler Village shows the art of British Columbia from historic masterpieces to new work, and it suits skiers with a storm day or a rest day to fill. It opens Thursday to Monday only, from 11 am to 6 pm, and adult admission costs $22 plus GST in 2026.
- [Bill Reid Gallery](https://northvanguide.com/sights/bill-reid-gallery): The Bill Reid Gallery suits an hour downtown with the Haida artist's sculpture and jewellery and with contemporary Northwest Coast work, and the trade-off in winter is the calendar, because from October to May it opens only Tuesday to Saturday.
- [Bloedel Conservatory](https://northvanguide.com/sights/bloedel-conservatory): The Bloedel Conservatory suits a cold, wet afternoon, since its dome on the City of Vancouver's highest point keeps more than 500 tropical plants and rescued parrots warm, and the trade-off is the winter day, which ends at 4 pm.
- [Britannia Mine Museum](https://northvanguide.com/sights/britannia-mine-museum): The Britannia Mine Museum suits families and anyone with a wet day on the Sea to Sky Highway, because it takes you by underground train into an old copper mine tunnel 10 minutes south of Squamish at Britannia Beach. Adult general admission costs $42.95 in 2026, and the train sits up 48 stairs that wheelchairs can't climb.
- [Britannia Shipyards](https://northvanguide.com/sights/britannia-shipyards): Britannia Shipyards suits a free hour on the Steveston waterfront for anyone curious about the people who fished and built boats on the Fraser River, and the trade-off this winter is the short week, with the buildings open only Friday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm until 31 December 2026.
- [Canada Place](https://northvanguide.com/sights/canada-place): Canada Place suits a free first hour on Vancouver's waterfront, with harbour and mountain views from the Canadian Trail and the North Point, and the catch is that the whole walk is outdoors, so a wet December day pushes you inside to Flyover fast.
- [Capilano River Regional Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/capilano-river-regional-park): Capilano River Regional Park in North Vancouver suits walkers who want a free canyon and forest outing with a view up Capilano Lake to the Lions from Cleveland Dam. The Capilano River Hatchery inside the park has been closed to visitors since 1 October 2026, so this winter's visit is about the canyon and the dam.
- [Capilano Suspension Bridge Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/capilano-suspension-bridge-park): Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver suits first-time visitors who want the canyon crossing and the rainforest walkways on one ticket, and its free shuttle runs from Canada Place all year. An adult pays $76.95 online in 2026 plus GST, and every ticket is a timed entry you book ahead.
- [Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden](https://northvanguide.com/sights/dr-sun-yat-sen-classical-chinese-garden): The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden suits a slow hour in Chinatown under covered walkways, and the trade-off is a short week, since it opens only Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 4 pm.
- [Eagle Run dyke](https://northvanguide.com/sights/eagle-run-dyke): The Eagle Run dyke in Brackendale is where to watch the bald eagles that winter on the Squamish River, and it suits anyone in the Sea to Sky from November to January with binoculars. BC Parks closes the eagles' own park across the river all winter, so you watch from this bank and keep your distance.
- [Flyover in Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/sights/flyover-vancouver): Flyover in Vancouver suits families and first-time visitors who want to see Canada from the air in half an hour without leaving Canada Place, and the trade-off is paying $40 at the gate in October 2026 for an adult ride that flies for 8 to 10 minutes.
- [Granville Island](https://northvanguide.com/sights/granville-island): Granville Island suits food lovers and anyone with a wet afternoon to fill, because the Public Market is indoors and open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, and the trade-off comes in January, when the market shuts every Monday for maintenance.
- [Grouse Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/sights/grouse-mountain): Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver suits visitors who want the view over Vancouver from a mountaintop without hiking, because the Blue Grouse Gondola lifts you from the bus stop to the top in five and a half minutes. A Mountain Admission Ticket costs an adult $89 in 2026, and the older Red Skyride is closed for new cabins this winter.
- [Gulf of Georgia Cannery](https://northvanguide.com/sights/gulf-of-georgia-cannery): The Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston suits families on a wet day, since youth 17 and under get in free and the old canning line tells the West Coast fishing story up close, and the trade-off is the chill, because the building stands over the water and runs colder inside than out.
- [Lighthouse Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/lighthouse-park): Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver suits walkers who want old-growth coastal forest and a view of the Point Atkinson Lighthouse on short trails, and it costs nothing to walk in. The small lot off Beacon Lane charges $5.08 an hour all year with taxes included, and it fills quickly on fine days.
- [Lonsdale Quay Market](https://northvanguide.com/sights/lonsdale-quay-market): Lonsdale Quay Market in North Vancouver suits anyone stepping off the SeaBus with an hour to spare, because the market hall stands beside the terminal and opens at 9 am every day. The ground-floor stalls close at 7 pm, and after that only the Food Hall and its bar keep going.
- [Lynn Canyon Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/lynn-canyon-park): Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver suits anyone who wants a suspension bridge over a rainforest canyon for free, since the District of North Vancouver charges nothing to cross. The pools below look tempting in summer, and the water is cold enough to bring on hypothermia quickly.
- [Maplewood Flats Conservation Area](https://northvanguide.com/sights/maplewood-flats-conservation-area): Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in North Vancouver suits birders who want a free salt marsh on Burrard Inlet about 2 km from the Second Narrows bridge. Its trails have been closed since 4 October 2026 to give foraging bears room, and the Wild Bird Trust of BC will say when they reopen.
- [MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/sights/monova): MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver suits a wet afternoon by the SeaBus, because the museum sits at 115 West Esplanade a short walk from the Lonsdale Quay terminal and tells the city's story indoors. An adult ticket costs $15 in 2026, and on Thursday evenings you pay what you can.
- [Museum of Anthropology at UBC](https://northvanguide.com/sights/museum-of-anthropology-ubc): The Museum of Anthropology at UBC suits a rainy winter day for anyone drawn to Northwest Coast art, and the trade-off is the trip, since the 4 bus takes 41 minutes between UBC Exchange and Waterfront Station by TransLink's timetable and the museum is a 15-minute walk from the exchange.
- [Peak 2 Peak Gondola](https://northvanguide.com/sights/peak-2-peak-gondola): The Peak 2 Peak Gondola links the Roundhouse on Whistler Mountain with the Rendezvous on Blackcomb across 4.4 km of open valley, and it suits non-skiers who want the alpine in winter. Pre-booked winter sightseeing costs $158 an adult for 2026/27 through Tourism Whistler, and cloud on the peaks can hide the view on the day you go.
- [The Polygon Gallery](https://northvanguide.com/sights/polygon-gallery): The Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver suits anyone who likes photography and has an hour beside the SeaBus, since admission is by donation and the building stands next to Lonsdale Quay. It opens only from Wednesday to Sunday, so a Monday or Tuesday trip finds it shut.
- [Porteau Cove Provincial Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/porteau-cove-provincial-park): Porteau Cove Provincial Park suits drivers on the Sea to Sky Highway who want a free stop on the water 38 km north of Vancouver, and it has a pebble beach and a 300 m trail to a lookout over Howe Sound. There's no drinking water while BC Parks deals with lead in the supply, so bring your own.
- [Science World](https://northvanguide.com/sights/science-world): Science World suits families with children under 13 on a rainy day, with hands-on galleries and live shows under the dome at the east end of False Creek, and the trade-off this winter is that the Dome Theatre is closed, so the giant-screen film is off.
- [Sea to Sky Gondola](https://northvanguide.com/sights/sea-to-sky-gondola): The Sea to Sky Gondola climbs from a base on Highway 99 2 km south of Squamish to a summit lodge 885 m above Howe Sound, and it suits anyone who wants a mountaintop walk and a suspension bridge without hiking up. The view needs a clear day, and the gondola shuts for maintenance from 16 to 26 November 2026.
- [Shannon Falls Provincial Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/shannon-falls-provincial-park): Shannon Falls Provincial Park suits anyone on the Sea to Sky Highway who wants a big waterfall for a short walk, because BC Parks puts the 335 m falls at the end of an easy 350 m trail that starts 2 km south of Squamish on Highway 99. Entry is free all year, and in winter the stair treads ice up and only the pit toilets stay open.
- [The Shipyards](https://northvanguide.com/sights/shipyards): The Shipyards on the North Vancouver waterfront suits families and couples who want an evening outdoors near the SeaBus, because the City of North Vancouver's Skate Plaza there is free with your own skates. The rink opens only from late November, so an October visit gets the waterfront and the restaurants around it.
- [Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre](https://northvanguide.com/sights/squamish-lilwat-cultural-centre): The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler's Upper Village suits anyone who wants to learn about the two Nations whose shared land the resort stands on, and its hourly guided tours tell that story in song. Adult admission costs $25 plus GST in 2026, and from 6 November to 31 December 2026 the centre opens only Wednesday to Sunday while its café and gift shop are renovated.
- [Stanley Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/stanley-park): Stanley Park suits anyone with half a day and good shoes, since 400 hectares of West Coast rainforest and the seawall start where downtown ends, and the catch in winter is the short day, with washrooms open only from dawn to dusk.
- [Vancouver Aquarium](https://northvanguide.com/sights/vancouver-aquarium): The Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park suits families on a wet day, with rescued sea otters and sea lions outdoors and the Dragons reptile exhibit inside through January 2027, and the trade-off is price, at $41.95 to $57.95 plus tax for an adult in October 2026.
- [Vancouver Art Gallery](https://northvanguide.com/sights/vancouver-art-gallery): The Vancouver Art Gallery suits a rainy downtown afternoon, with Emily Carr on show until 8 November 2026 and Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes arriving on 11 December, and the trade-off is a $35 ticket for visitors from outside BC, with the doors shut every Tuesday.
- [Vancouver Lookout](https://northvanguide.com/sights/vancouver-lookout): The Vancouver Lookout suits a first afternoon in the city, when a turn around its 360-degree deck on Harbour Centre lays out Stanley Park and the mountains above North Vancouver, and the trade-off is $23.88 for an adult visit that most people finish in 30 to 45 minutes.
- [VanDusen Botanical Garden](https://northvanguide.com/sights/vandusen-botanical-garden): VanDusen Botanical Garden suits gardeners and families who want a quiet winter walk and a cedar hedge maze, and the trade-off from November to February is a short day that ends at 2 pm. A winter adult ticket costs $10.23 online with the booking fee or $11.19 at the desk, plus GST.
- [Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/whey-ah-wichen-cates-park): Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park in North Vancouver suits families and walkers who want beaches and 6 km of waterfront trail on Burrard Inlet, and parking is free from November to February. Shoreline restoration continues at Little Cates and East Beach into spring 2027, so expect fencing and crews on that stretch.
- [Whytecliff Park](https://northvanguide.com/sights/whytecliff-park): Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver suits divers and anyone who wants a rocky Howe Sound shoreline just west of Horseshoe Bay, and the park costs nothing to enter. Parking costs $5.08 an hour all year with taxes included, and the District shuts the lots when they fill on fine days.

## Dishes and drinks
- [Bannock](https://northvanguide.com/food/bannock): Bannock suits anyone who wants to taste the bread Indigenous cooks across North America have made their own, and Salmon n' Bannock on West Broadway in Vancouver bakes its signature bannock to serve with butter and berry jam. Destination Vancouver says two of the area's bannock businesses keep no fixed daily spot, so follow them on social media before you set out.
- [BC craft beer](https://northvanguide.com/food/bc-craft-beer): BC craft beer suits anyone who wants a pint brewed a few blocks from where it's poured, and in North Vancouver the Shipyards Brewery District puts several taprooms within about 800 metres of the SeaBus at Lonsdale Quay. North Point and Streetcar keep their kitchens to pizza and snacks, so book dinner elsewhere if you want a full meal.
- [BC spot prawns](https://northvanguide.com/food/bc-spot-prawns): BC spot prawns suit seafood lovers who reach Vancouver in May or June, when the boats at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf and Steveston's Fisherman's Wharf sell them live. A winter trip misses them fresh, because the Steveston Harbour Authority lists spot prawns on its sales float for May and June only.
- [BC wine](https://northvanguide.com/food/bc-wine): BC wine suits anyone who wants the province's own bottles with dinner in Vancouver, and a BC VQA label means the grapes were 100% grown and the wine made in British Columbia. Read the label on 2024 bottles, because extreme cold left many vineyards without a crop that year and some wineries made Crafted in BC wine from grapes grown elsewhere.
- [California roll](https://northvanguide.com/food/california-roll): The California roll suits sushi newcomers and anyone curious about Vancouver's claim on a dish served around the world, and Tojo's on West Broadway credits its chef Hidekazu Tojo with creating it. The catch is that the claim is disputed, because many food historians trace an evolving roll to Los Angeles in the 1960s.
- [Chinese food in Richmond and Chinatown](https://northvanguide.com/food/chinese-food-richmond-chinatown): Chinese food in Richmond and Vancouver's Chinatown suits families and groups who want dim sum and Cantonese seafood, and Tourism Richmond's Dumpling Trail maps 15 dumpling kitchens in Richmond alone. Plan around the clock, because Tourism Richmond says most dim sum restaurants open at 10 am, and Jade Seafood Restaurant closes between 3 pm and 5 pm.
- [Honey doughnut](https://northvanguide.com/food/honey-doughnut): The honey doughnut at Honey Doughnuts & Goodies on Gallant Avenue in Deep Cove suits anyone coming down from the Quarry Rock hike, and the shop opens from 6 am to 5 pm every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Expect a line, since Daily Hive wrote in August 2025 that waiting seems to be a constant at Honey's.
- [Japadog](https://northvanguide.com/food/japadog): Japadog suits a hungry walker in downtown Vancouver who wants a hot dog dressed with Japanese flavours, and one of its trailers stands at Waterfront Station for a bite before the SeaBus to North Vancouver. Three of its four locations in the city of Vancouver are street trailers, so head to the Robson Street store when the winter rain sets in.
- [Nanaimo bar](https://northvanguide.com/food/nanaimo-bar): The Nanaimo bar suits anyone who wants a classic Canadian square with their coffee, and in North Vancouver BjornBar Bakery in Edgemont Village makes it among more than 30 dessert bars. Expect it to be rich, since food geographer Lenore Newman notes how much butter and sugar the bars take.
- [Sushi in Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/food/vancouver-sushi): Sushi in Vancouver suits every budget from a neighbourhood roll to a counter omakase, and four of the 11 restaurants with Michelin stars in the city's 2026 guide are sushi counters. The starred counters seat few guests at fixed times, so book before you travel.
- [Wild Pacific salmon](https://northvanguide.com/food/wild-pacific-salmon): Wild Pacific salmon suits anyone who wants the fish British Columbia is famous for, and menus from Lower Lonsdale to Steveston cook it all year. Winter visitors miss the fresh runs, because the Steveston Harbour Authority lists sockeye on its sales float from July to September and chum to November.

## Tours, guides and rentals
- [Black Tie Skis of Whistler](https://northvanguide.com/operators/black-tie-skis-of-whistler): Black Tie Skis of Whistler suits families and groups who want skis or a snowboard and boots fitted in their hotel room on arrival day, with free delivery anywhere in Whistler. Its prices appear only once you start a booking, so compare quotes before you commit.
- [Canada West Mountain School](https://northvanguide.com/operators/canada-west-mountain-school): Canada West Mountain School suits Vancouver skiers and snowshoers who want an AST 1 on Mount Seymour, with courses every weekend from late November to late March at $335 plus GST in 2026/27. When Seymour lacks snow the field day moves to Whistler Blackcomb, and students buy their own lift pass there.
- [Canoe Cultures](https://northvanguide.com/operators/canoe-cultures): Canoe Cultures suits visitors who want to travel False Creek in a canoe with an Indigenous skipper and hear Coast Salish canoe history, and it runs only from mid-May to mid-October. Adults pay $129 and anyone 18 and under $59 for a session of up to two hours from Concord Pacific Community Park, between Stadium–Chinatown and Main Street–Science World stations.
- [CIBC Grouse Snow School](https://northvanguide.com/operators/cibc-grouse-snow-school): CIBC Grouse Snow School suits families who want kids' ski and snowboard programs on the North Vancouver mountain closest to downtown, starting at $136 plus GST for a half-day Ski Wee session on the 2026/27 early-bird sale. The catch for grown-ups is timing, because Grouse still listed its adult and private lessons as coming soon on 16 October 2026.
- [Corsa Cycles](https://northvanguide.com/operators/corsa-cycles): Corsa Cycles suits Squamish riders and visitors who need a suspension service or a new bike from a shop that has served the town since 1982, and it opens every day from 10 am to 6 pm. Its shared site with Dunbar Cycles lists no rentals, so renters go to a rental shop such as Dialed In Cycling.
- [Cove Bike Shop](https://northvanguide.com/operators/cove-bike-shop): Cove Bike Shop suits riders who want a piece of North Vancouver freeride history, since Cove Bikes says it released the world's first North Shore freeride bike in 1992. The shop sits at 1395 Main Street in Lower Lynn and opens from 10 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday and 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday in winter.
- [Cypress Snow School](https://northvanguide.com/operators/cypress-snow-school): Cypress Snow School in West Van suits families and adult first-timers who want group or multi-week lessons on more than 600 acres of terrain, which Cypress says is the most on Vancouver's North Shore, with a 2.5-hour group lesson at $139 plus GST in 2026/27. Car-free visitors should book afternoon lessons, because Cypress says the Cypress Coach Lines shuttle arrives too late for the morning ones.
- [Deep Cove Kayak](https://northvanguide.com/operators/deep-cove-kayak): Deep Cove Kayak suits anyone who wants to paddle Indian Arm from Deep Cove in North Vancouver, and in winter you go with a guide on its three-hour Winter Explorer Tour, because rentals turn weather-dependent after Thanksgiving. The tour runs daily from 1 to 4 pm for paddlers aged 12 and up and costs $90 plus GST with the $1 transaction fee included.
- [Dialed In Cycling](https://northvanguide.com/operators/dialed-in-cycling): Dialed In Cycling suits visiting riders who want a Squamish guide or an eMTB rental at the trailhead near Alice Lake, with guided rides from $179 for one rider and Marin eMTBs at $140 a day in 2026. The shop sits at MTN Fun Basecamp on Depot Road north of downtown, and its fall hours run Thursday to Monday only.
- [Endless Biking](https://northvanguide.com/operators/endless-biking): Endless Biking suits riders who want a guide on North Vancouver's Mount Fromme trails or a premium rental by the Second Narrows bridge, with guided trail tours from $335 for one rider in 2026. In winter the week is short, because the shop closes Tuesday to Thursday from November to April.
- [Evolution Whistler](https://northvanguide.com/operators/evolution-whistler): Evolution Whistler suits snowboarders who want to choose the exact board they ride and mountain bikers after a Santa Cruz downhill or trail bike, from a shop in Whistler Village across from the conference centre. Its winter fleet is snowboards and splitboards, so skiers in the group rent somewhere else.
- [Extremely Canadian](https://northvanguide.com/operators/extremely-canadian): Extremely Canadian suits strong skiers and snowboarders who want an AST 1 or a first guided tour in Whistler Blackcomb's backcountry. Its 2.5-day AST 1 is posted at $392 a person for 2026/27, before taxes and a fee it doesn't price. Its groups expect riders who handle ungroomed black diamond runs, and lift tickets cost extra on every program.
- [Gulf Island Seaplanes](https://northvanguide.com/operators/gulf-island-seaplanes): Gulf Island Seaplanes suits travellers who want an Indigenous-owned airline for a seaplane hop from YVR to Gabriola Island, and its Vancouver scenic flights have no published price yet. It flies all year from the floatplane terminal at 4640 Inglis Drive near YVR's South Terminal, with one-way adult fares to Silva Bay from $147.66 including taxes and fees.
- [Harbour Air seaplane tours](https://northvanguide.com/operators/harbour-air-flightseeing): Harbour Air's Vancouver Classic Panorama suits anyone who wants to see downtown Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains from a seaplane, and it flies daily all year from Coal Harbour. Adult fares start at $149 in 2026 with GST and fees included, and the 30-minute experience counts boarding and taxiing as well as about 20 minutes in the air.
- [Harbour Cruises](https://northvanguide.com/operators/harbour-cruises): Harbour Cruises suits anyone who wants to see Vancouver Harbour from a paddlewheeler, and in winter that means a holiday dinner cruise, since its one-hour harbour tour ran only from 21 April to 11 October in 2026. The Festive Dinner Cruise sails from 501 Denman Street on Fridays and Sundays from 20 November to 20 December 2026. Its adult fare is posted at $179, and checkout adds an 18% gratuity, taxes and a fee the site doesn't price.
- [Mount Seymour Snow School](https://northvanguide.com/operators/mount-seymour-snow-school): Mount Seymour Snow School suits families and adult first-timers who want short camps without a car, because every lesson booking includes the Mt Seymour shuttle bus from Parkgate or Rupert for the student and one more person. Weekend single-day group lessons include no parking, so plan on the bus for those.
- [Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures](https://northvanguide.com/operators/mountain-skills-academy-and-adventures): Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures suits Vancouver skiers and splitboarders who want an AST 1 without two days in Whistler, since its AST 1 Online holds the field day at Cypress Mountain from $249 in 2026/27. The longer courses and the hut-based AST 2 run out of its Whistler office, so anything past the first level means the Sea to Sky drive.
- [Obsession Bikes](https://northvanguide.com/operators/obsession-bikes): Obsession Bikes suits riders who need a quick repair or want to try a high-end eMTB in Lower Lonsdale, with a 24-hour service turnaround posted in October 2026. It sells and services bikes and lends a small demo fleet for a $140 fee, so visitors after a rental day go to a rental shop instead.
- [Prince of Whales](https://northvanguide.com/operators/prince-of-whales): Prince of Whales suits visitors who want a three- to five-hour search for orcas and humpbacks from Granville Island, and winter visitors miss it because the Vancouver tour runs from March to November. The half-day tour is posted from $229 an adult, and checkout adds taxes and a fee the site doesn't price. A trip with no whales earns you another one free.
- [Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre tours and workshops](https://northvanguide.com/operators/squamish-lilwat-cultural-centre-tours): The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre's tours suit Whistler visitors who want to hear the Squamish and Líl̓wat Nations' stories from their own Cultural Ambassadors, and the hourly tour comes with admission. Groups of 15 or more can book longer tours at $23 a person plus GST and add craft workshops from $15 a person, while the outdoor tours take bookings for spring 2027.
- [Squamish Shred Shuttle](https://northvanguide.com/operators/squamish-shred-shuttle): The Squamish Shred Shuttle suits mountain bikers who want laps on the Diamond Head trails above Quest University without a second car, at $20 a ride with tax included in 2026. In winter it runs a reserved-seat ski bus to Whistler, and its page still showed the 2024/25 schedule in October 2026, so check the booking calendar before you count on it.
- [Summit Sport](https://northvanguide.com/operators/summit-sport): Summit Sport suits Whistler visitors who want to pick up rentals a few steps from the Whistler Gondola, with skis and snowboards in winter and bike park bikes in summer. Whistler Blackcomb runs the shop in the Hilton Whistler Resort and Spa, and its rental system handles prices and bookings, with up to 20% off for booking online ahead.
- [Swallow Tail Culinary Adventures](https://northvanguide.com/operators/swallow-tail-culinary-adventures): Swallow Tail suits food lovers who want to learn wild mushrooms in the woods near Vancouver with a specialist, and its season is short: the two-hour Vancouver field trips run on weekends from 17 October to 29 November 2026. The adult ticket costs $77.28 with fees and tax, and the meeting point in West Van arrives by email the week before.
- [Takaya Tours](https://northvanguide.com/operators/takaya-tours): Takaya Tours suits groups who want to paddle Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm with Tsleil-Waututh guides in a 35-foot ocean-going canoe, and you'll need to call ahead because its cultural tours post no 2026 schedule or price. Its Cates Park Paddling Centre in North Vancouver is closed for the winter and plans to reopen in May 2027.
- [Talaysay Tours](https://northvanguide.com/operators/talaysay-tours): Talaysay Tours suits anyone who wants to walk Stanley Park's forest with an Indigenous guide for 60 to 90 minutes, and it goes out in the rain. Talking Trees costs $80 an adult plus GST in its 2026 booking calendar, and the company warns that a tour showing no time slots may not be scheduled.
- [Vancouver Foodie Tours](https://northvanguide.com/operators/vancouver-foodie-tours): Vancouver Foodie Tours suits first-time visitors who want to taste their way round Granville Island Public Market with a guide in two hours, and through December 2026 its public tours run only from Friday to Sunday. The market tour costs $129 a person in 2026, and the guide's gratuity is extra.
- [Wild Whales Vancouver](https://northvanguide.com/operators/wild-whales-vancouver): Wild Whales Vancouver suits families who want to pick their boat for a three- to five-hour whale watching trip from Granville Island, and it sails only from 1 April to 31 October. Adults pay $199 plus 5% GST in 2026, children aged 3 to 12 pay $125, and the company guarantees whales or your next trip free.

## Ways to get around
- [Amtrak Cascades (Vancouver to Seattle)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/amtrak-cascades): Amtrak Cascades suits a car-free trip from Vancouver to Seattle: two trains a day run each way from Pacific Central Station, and the southbound run takes 4 hours 15 minutes. Since 8 June 2026 you clear US preclearance in the station before boarding, so arrive an hour early.
- [Aquabus](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/aquabus): The Aquabus runs the rainbow-painted ferries across False Creek, with a boat every 5 minutes between Hornby Street in downtown Vancouver and Granville Island, and it suits cyclists and anyone travelling with a wheelchair or a stroller that won't fold. An adult crossing costs $5 one way in 2026, plus $1 for a bike. Its tickets don't work on the blue False Creek Ferries boats.
- [BC Ferries Connector](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/bc-ferries-connector): The BC Ferries Connector suits a car-free trip from Vancouver to Victoria on one ticket, with Wilson's Group coaches leaving Pacific Central Station four times a day from 1 October 2026 to 13 May 2027 and reaching Crystal Garden on Douglas Street 4 hours later by way of the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay ferry. No coach picks up in North Vancouver, so riders from North Van start with the SeaBus and the Expo Line to Main Street–Science World station near Pacific Central.
- [BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/bc-ferries-horseshoe-bay-departure-bay): BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay crossing takes 1 hour 40 minutes from West Van to Nanaimo, and 8 sailings ran each way on Friday 16 October 2026. Anyone driving from Horseshoe Bay has to book and pay in advance, because BC Ferries has dropped the drive-up vehicle fare on that leg.
- [BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay to Langdale (Sunshine Coast)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/bc-ferries-horseshoe-bay-langdale): BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay to Langdale crossing takes 40 minutes and suits a day in Gibsons or a drive up the Sunshine Coast from North Vancouver. On Friday 16 October 2026 the 8:25 pm from Horseshoe Bay ran full, so book a busy evening sailing ahead.
- [BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island (Snug Cove)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/bc-ferries-horseshoe-bay-snug-cove): BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island crossing suits a day on Bowen from North Vancouver: the Queen of Capilano takes 20 minutes each way, and on the schedule from 3 June 2026 to 31 March 2027 the last sailing home leaves Snug Cove at 11:30 pm every night. The route takes no bookings, so drivers wait in line for deck space.
- [BC Ferries Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (Victoria)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/bc-ferries-tsawwassen-swartz-bay): BC Ferries' Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay crossing takes 1 hour 35 minutes and suits a trip to Victoria with a car, and 12 sailings ran each way on Friday 16 October 2026. From a North Vancouver base, the trade-off is the drive south past Richmond to Tsawwassen in Delta.
- [Bus 236 to Grouse Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/bus-236-grouse-mountain): Bus 236 runs from Lonsdale Quay up Capilano Road past Capilano Suspension Bridge Park to the Grouse Mountain Skyride in about 25 minutes, and with the SeaBus for the first leg it is the car-free way to both from downtown Vancouver. It runs all year, every 15 minutes through weekend days and every 10 to 20 minutes on weekday afternoons. In the evening it drops to one bus an hour.
- [Buses to Lynn Canyon and Deep Cove](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/buses-to-lynn-canyon-and-deep-cove): TransLink buses reach Lynn Canyon Park and Deep Cove from the SeaBus and from Phibbs Exchange, and they suit visitors who would rather skip the summer parking scramble in the District of North Vancouver. For Lynn Canyon the 228 from Lonsdale Quay stops a 15-minute walk from the park and the 227 from Phibbs stops five minutes away. Deep Cove village is 16 minutes from Phibbs on the 212, and the 211 adds daytime trips from Burrard Station in downtown Vancouver.
- [Canada Line](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/canada-line): The Canada Line is the SkyTrain line from Vancouver International Airport to Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver, and it is the car-free start of the trip to North Vancouver, with a change at Waterfront for the SeaBus. The ride takes 27 minutes by TransLink's table. A $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare in 2026 lands on every trip that starts at the airport.
- [Canada Place cruise terminal](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/canada-place-cruise-terminal): Canada Place is Vancouver's main cruise terminal, and it suits cruise passengers from late February to mid-October: the 2026 season brought 358 ship calls and about 1.4 million passengers. The season ended on 13 October 2026, and the port's preliminary calendar puts the next ship in on 24 March 2027, so a winter trip sees no cruise ships.
- [Compass fares](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/compass-fares): Compass fares are what TransLink charges on Metro Vancouver transit, and most visitors can tap a contactless credit card or phone and pay the 2026 adult single fare of $3.50 for one zone. A Compass Card loaded with Stored Value brings that down to $2.85 for a $6 refundable deposit. Buses always cost one zone, and zones only come into play on SkyTrain and the SeaBus on weekdays before 6:30 pm.
- [Epic Rides](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/epic-rides): Epic Rides suits skiers staying in downtown Vancouver: its coaches run direct from Burrard Station to Whistler's Gateway Loop in 1 hour 45 minutes for $33.50 one way or $44 return. None of its stops is at YVR, so airport arrivals start with the SkyTrain into town.
- [False Creek Ferries](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/false-creek-ferries): False Creek Ferries has run its little blue boats between Granville Island and stops around False Creek since 1982, and they suit anyone in downtown Vancouver or Kitsilano heading for the Public Market without a car. The hop from Sunset Beach costs $4.25 one way for an adult in 2026. The boats take 12 passengers and no bikes.
- [Harbour Air](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/harbour-air): Harbour Air suits a downtown-to-downtown trip from Vancouver to Victoria: its seaplanes take 35 minutes from the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre on Coal Harbour to Victoria Harbour, and fares start at $99 one way when booked 45 days ahead. Winter shortens the flying day, and on a January 2026 weekday the last flight left at 3:30 pm.
- [Highway 99 (Sea to Sky Highway)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/highway-99-sea-to-sky): Highway 99 is the drive from Vancouver to Squamish and Whistler, and from 1 October to 31 March the province signs it from Horseshoe Bay to Pemberton as a winter tire route. A passenger vehicle without legal winter tires faces a $121 fine and can be turned back.
- [Mobi bike share](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/mobi-bike-share): Mobi by Rogers is the City of Vancouver's docked bike share, with classic bikes and e-bikes available around the clock, and it suits short hops around downtown Vancouver on the days you stay south of the inlet. Pay-per-ride starts at a $1.25 unlock plus $0.29 a minute on a classic bike in 2026. Long rides add up quickly on the minute rate.
- [North Shore E-bike Share](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/north-shore-e-bike-share): The North Shore E-bike Share puts up to 300 Evolve e-bikes across North Vancouver and West Vancouver, and it suits anyone who wants to climb North Vancouver's hills from Lonsdale Quay without a car. You unlock in the Evo app for $1.25 and pay $0.35 a minute plus GST. Riders must be over 18.
- [Pacific Central Station](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/pacific-central-station): Pacific Central Station is Vancouver's train station for VIA Rail's Canadian to Toronto and Amtrak Cascades to Seattle, and it sits near Main Street–Science World SkyTrain station. The building opens 4:30 am to midnight, and VIA's ticket counter works only from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm, so plan late arrivals around those hours.
- [Parking at the big sights](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/parking-at-the-big-sights): Parking at North Vancouver's big sights costs $9 to $12 at the private attractions and $3 an hour at the District of North Vancouver's busiest parks in 2026, and in summer the Deep Cove lots fill early in the day. From November to February the District's pay parking is off. Mount Seymour asks for an 'Arriving by car' ticket on winter weekends, and both ski roads require winter tires.
- [R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/rapidbus-r2): The R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus runs along the waterfront of Vancouver's North Shore from Park Royal in West Vancouver through Lonsdale Quay to Phibbs Exchange, then over the Second Narrows to Metrotown in Burnaby, and it suits anyone crossing North Vancouver east to west without a car. Buses come every 6 to 12 minutes for most of the day, and like every TransLink bus the R2 costs a 1-zone fare at all hours. The whole run from Park Royal to Metrotown takes 68 minutes at midday on the fall 2026 timetable.
- [SeaBus](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/seabus): The SeaBus is TransLink's passenger ferry between Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver and Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver, and it is the car-free way onto Vancouver's North Shore for anyone heading to the Quay or to the buses up to Grouse Mountain and Capilano. The crossing takes 12 minutes with a boat every 10 to 15 minutes for most of the day. Before 6:30 pm on a weekday it counts as a 2-zone fare.
- [Squamish Connector](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/squamish-connector): The Squamish Connector suits a car-free day in Squamish or at the Sea to Sky Gondola from downtown Vancouver, with walk-on buses from 660 West Cordova Street at Waterfront Station and a one-way fare of $37 with tax included. On the winter timetable from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 the last weekday bus south leaves the Squamish Adventure Centre at 2:45 pm, so a weekday visit stays short.
- [Taxis and ride-hailing](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/taxis-and-ride-hailing): Taxis and ride-hailing cover all of North Vancouver and suit late arrivals and anyone carrying skis or a pile of luggage. Metro Vancouver taxi meters start at a $3.75 flag and $2.18 a kilometre with GST included, under the Passenger Transportation Board's 2026 rules, and Uber and Lyft both operate, including at YVR. A cab from YVR to North Vancouver runs on the meter, since the airport's flat zone fares stop at the inlet.
- [VIA Rail Canadian (Vancouver to Toronto)](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/via-rail-canadian): VIA Rail's Canadian leaves Pacific Central Station for Toronto at 3:00 pm every Monday and Friday through winter 2026/27, and VIA averages the 4,406 km trip at four nights and four days. With two departures a week, the train sets your dates for you.
- [YVR Skylynx](https://northvanguide.com/getting-around/yvr-skylynx): YVR Skylynx is the coach from YVR straight to Whistler, and its Express buses reach the village in 2 hours 15 minutes for $65 one way in winter 2026/27. The cheaper Standard bus costs $55 and takes 3 hours, because it stops downtown and in Squamish.

## Events and seasons
- [BC school spring break](https://northvanguide.com/events/bc-spring-break): Spring break in the North Vancouver School District runs from Monday 15 March to Easter Monday 29 March 2027, so families on Vancouver's North Shore have two full weeks off. Book ski lessons and camps early for that fortnight.
- [BMO Vancouver Marathon](https://northvanguide.com/events/bmo-vancouver-marathon): The BMO Vancouver Marathon runs on Sunday 2 May 2027 from Queen Elizabeth Park to West Pender Street downtown, and it suits runners who want a point-to-point course past the beaches and around the Stanley Park seawall. Every event has a capacity limit, and registration for 2027 was open on 16 October 2026.
- [Bald eagles at Brackendale](https://northvanguide.com/events/brackendale-eagles): Bald eagles gather on the Squamish River at Brackendale from November to January and peak in November and December. The season suits anyone with binoculars and a dry jacket on the drive to Squamish, and you watch from the Eagle Run dyke on Government Road because Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park closes to recreation from 1 October to 31 March.
- [Calgary Board of Education spring break](https://northvanguide.com/events/calgary-spring-break): The Calgary Board of Education's spring break runs from Saturday 20 March to Monday 29 March 2027. It overlaps the second week of BC's spring break and the Easter weekend. Expect more Alberta families at Whistler and on the hills of Vancouver's North Shore that week.
- [Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park](https://northvanguide.com/events/canyon-lights): Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver suits families and couples who want to cross a lit rainforest canyon after dark, and it runs from 20 November 2026 to 10 January 2027 with the park open 11 am to 9 pm daily except Christmas Day. Parking at the park is limited, so take the free shuttle on peak nights.
- [Salmon returns on the Capilano River](https://northvanguide.com/events/capilano-salmon-run): Adult salmon return up the Capilano River in North Vancouver from June to November, and chinook join the coho in October and November. The run suits walkers on the river trails of Capilano River Regional Park, and the Capilano River Hatchery is closed to visitors from 1 October 2026 for construction.
- [Carol Ships Parade of Lights](https://northvanguide.com/events/carol-ships-parade-of-lights): The Carol Ships Parade of Lights sends lit-up boats past English Bay and Deep Cove on December evenings, and it suits anyone happy to stand on a cold shoreline for a free show. The 2026 route schedule was unpublished on 16 October 2026, and fog or rough weather keeps the boats in.
- [Chinatown Spring Festival Parade](https://northvanguide.com/events/chinatown-spring-festival-parade): The Chinatown Spring Festival Parade marks Lunar New Year in Vancouver's Chinatown, and it suits families willing to stand on a cold kerb for a three-hour Sunday parade. The 2027 parade is projected for Sunday 7 February because Lunar New Year's Day falls on Saturday 6 February, and nobody had announced it by 16 October 2026.
- [Crankworx Whistler](https://northvanguide.com/events/crankworx-whistler): Crankworx Whistler fills the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and the village with ten days of mountain bike racing each summer, and it suits riders and fans who can live with crowds and trail closures in the bike park. The 2026 festival ran from 24 July to 2 August, and the 2027 festival runs from 16 to 25 July.
- [Cypress Mountain opening day](https://northvanguide.com/events/cypress-mountain-opening): OnTheSnow projects Saturday 28 November 2026 as Cypress Mountain's opening day in West Vancouver. That is the earliest date projected for any of the three ski hills on Vancouver's North Shore, and it stays a projection until Cypress posts a date of its own.
- [Dine Out Vancouver Festival](https://northvanguide.com/events/dine-out-vancouver): The Dine Out Vancouver Festival suits food lovers planning a winter trip to Vancouver. More than 350 restaurants served set menus from $25 when the 2026 edition ran from 21 January to 8 February, and the 2027 dates were unannounced on 16 October 2026.
- [Easter long weekend](https://northvanguide.com/events/easter-long-weekend): Easter comes early in 2027. Good Friday falls on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March, so the long weekend lands inside BC's school spring break. British Columbia's statutory holiday list includes Good Friday and leaves out Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
- [Eleven Painters Start a War at the Audain Art Museum](https://northvanguide.com/events/eleven-painters-start-a-war): Eleven Painters Start a War at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler runs from 20 November 2026 to 3 May 2027 and suits anyone curious about how abstract painting forced its way into galleries against the art establishment. The Beaverbrook Art Gallery organized the touring show with Tom Smart as curator, and the museum closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- [Family Day and Presidents' Day weekend](https://northvanguide.com/events/family-day-presidents-day): Family Day in British Columbia and Presidents' Day in the United States both fall on Monday 15 February 2027, so the weekend of 13 to 15 February brings families from both sides of the border to the ski hills. Seattle Public Schools stay closed through 19 February for mid-winter break.
- [Grouse Mountain ski opening](https://northvanguide.com/events/grouse-mountain-opening): OnTheSnow projects Friday 18 December 2026 as Grouse Mountain's ski and snowboard opening day in North Vancouver, and Grouse had posted no date of its own by 16 October 2026. Last winter the lifts started turning on 19 December 2025.
- [Lights of Hope at St. Paul's Hospital](https://northvanguide.com/events/lights-of-hope): Lights of Hope at St. Paul's Hospital switches on with fireworks on Thursday 12 November 2026 for the last time on Burrard Street, and the launch suits anyone in downtown Vancouver that evening. The foundation's page gives no start time, so check it on the day.
- [Mount Seymour opening day](https://northvanguide.com/events/mount-seymour-opening): Mount Seymour anticipates opening for the 2026/27 season on Friday 11 December 2026 and closing on 4 April 2027, and it is the only one of the three hills on Vancouver's North Shore to post its own date so far. Snow decides both dates, and last winter the hill opened on 20 December 2025.
- [Ore & Orcas at the Britannia Mine Museum](https://northvanguide.com/events/ore-and-orcas): Ore & Orcas at the Britannia Mine Museum on Howe Sound puts a real killer whale skeleton at the centre of a temporary exhibit from 2 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, and it suits families on a winter drive up Highway 99. Museum admission covers it, so there's no extra ticket to buy.
- [Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/events/peak-of-christmas): Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver puts Santa's Workshop and a skating pond at the top of the mountain from 20 November to 24 December 2026, and it suits families with young children. Sleigh rides need a proper snow base, so they run only when conditions allow.
- [PNE Fair](https://northvanguide.com/events/pne-fair): The PNE Fair runs at Hastings Park in East Vancouver for the last two and a half weeks of summer up to Labour Day, and it suits families who want rides and fair food in one long day out. The PNE had posted no 2027 dates by 16 October 2026, and the 2026 fair ran from 22 August to 7 September.
- [Vancouver Polar Bear Swim](https://northvanguide.com/events/polar-bear-swim): The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim fills English Bay Beach every New Year's Day, and it suits anyone who wants to start 2027 in water around 7°C with thousands of other swimmers. The City of Vancouver had not posted 2027 details by 16 October 2026, and the 2026 swim went in at 2:30 pm.
- [PuSh International Performing Arts Festival](https://northvanguide.com/events/push-festival): The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival brings experimental theatre and dance to Vancouver each winter, and it suits travellers who plan a late-January trip around the stage. PuSh had not posted its 2027 programme by 16 October 2026, and Festival Seekers lists the festival from 20 January to 7 February 2027.
- [Winter skating at the Shipyards Skate Plaza](https://northvanguide.com/events/shipyards-skate-plaza): The Shipyards Skate Plaza in Lower Lonsdale suits families and anyone off the SeaBus who wants to skate by the harbour for free in their own skates. The City of North Vancouver reopens the rink in late November 2026, and it had not named the exact day by 16 October 2026.
- [Solstice: Through Storm & Stillness at the Audain Art Museum](https://northvanguide.com/events/solstice-through-storm-and-stillness): Solstice: Through Storm & Stillness at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler runs from 2 October 2026 to 12 April 2027 and suits skiers looking for a storm-day plan. Gordon Smith and Gathie Falk are among its artists, and the museum closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- [Spirit of the Season Festival](https://northvanguide.com/events/spirit-of-the-season-festival): The Spirit of the Season Festival at the Shipyards in North Vancouver suits families who want Santa and a tree lighting on one free evening by the harbour. The City of North Vancouver had not set the 2026 date by 16 October 2026, and the 2025 festival ran on Saturday 29 November from 4 pm to 8 pm.
- [US Thanksgiving weekend](https://northvanguide.com/events/us-thanksgiving): US Thanksgiving weekend runs from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November 2026, and visitors driving up from Washington should plan for busier border crossings and a busier Highway 99. Whistler Blackcomb lists 27 and 28 November among its peak-price days.
- [Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival](https://northvanguide.com/events/vancouver-cherry-blossom-festival): The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March to April 2027 and suits walkers and photographers who want the city's cherry trees with a few evening events around them. The festival had not posted exact 2027 dates by 16 October 2026, and its 2026 headline events fell on 27 and 28 March and 4 April.
- [Vancouver International Wine Festival](https://northvanguide.com/events/vancouver-international-wine-festival): The Vancouver International Wine Festival runs from 6 to 13 March 2027 and suits wine lovers planning a March trip to Vancouver. Festival headquarters is the Vancouver Convention Centre East, and the 2027 programme and ticket prices had not been posted by 16 October 2026.
- [Vancouver Pride Parade](https://northvanguide.com/events/vancouver-pride-parade): The Vancouver Pride Parade fills Pacific Boulevard downtown on the Sunday of the BC Day long weekend, and it suits anyone happy to claim a kerbside spot early for a two-and-a-half-hour parade. The 2027 parade is projected for Sunday 1 August, and the 2026 parade ran on Sunday 2 August from 1 pm to 3:30 pm.
- [VanDusen Festival of Lights](https://northvanguide.com/events/vandusen-festival-of-lights): The VanDusen Festival of Lights runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 and suits families and couples who want a winter evening walk through more than 1 million lights across 15 acres of VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver. Tickets go on sale online on 4 November 2026 for set entry times, and an adult pays $32.36 with the booking fee, plus GST.
- [Whistler Blackcomb opening day](https://northvanguide.com/events/whistler-blackcomb-opening): Whistler Blackcomb plans to open Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain on Friday 20 November 2026, conditions permitting. That is the earliest date posted or projected for any big ski hill near Vancouver this winter, and the resort had not posted its winter lift hours by 16 October 2026.
- [Whistler Pride and Ski Festival](https://northvanguide.com/events/whistler-pride-and-ski-festival): The Whistler Pride and Ski Festival runs from 24 to 31 January 2027 and suits LGBTQ+ skiers and their friends who want guided ski groups by day and queer-focused après by night. Restaurants in the village fill up that week, and the festival tells guests to book dinners ahead.

## Weather stations
- [Grouse Mountain Resort](https://northvanguide.com/climate/grouse-mountain-resort)
- [Squamish Airport](https://northvanguide.com/climate/squamish-airport)
- [Vancouver Harbour](https://northvanguide.com/climate/vancouver-harbour)
- [Vancouver International Airport](https://northvanguide.com/climate/vancouver-international-airport)
- [Whistler](https://northvanguide.com/climate/whistler-nesters)

## Cycling routes
- [Cypress Bowl Road climb](https://northvanguide.com/routes/cypress-bowl-road-climb): The Cypress Bowl Road climb runs from Highway 1 in West Vancouver up a ladder of switchbacks to the Cypress Mountain ski area, and it suits fit road riders who want a long climb with Vancouver below them; the catch in October 2026 is a BC Parks closure to cyclists while crews repave the road.
- [Marine Drive to Horseshoe Bay](https://northvanguide.com/routes/marine-drive-horseshoe-bay): Marine Drive to Horseshoe Bay is West Vancouver's shoreline road ride, out from Ambleside through Dundarave and past Lighthouse Park to the ferry village and back, and it suits road riders who want a coastal ride close to the city; the catch is traffic, since cars and TransLink's 250 bus share the road with you.
- [Mount Seymour Road climb](https://northvanguide.com/routes/mount-seymour-road-climb): The Mount Seymour Road climb rises from Parkgate in the District of North Vancouver up a long run of switchbacks to the Mt Seymour ski area, and it suits strong road riders who want a mountain climb that starts in town; the catch from November to April is the gate, which Mt Seymour shuts between 10 pm and 7 am every day.
- [North Shore Spirit Trail](https://northvanguide.com/routes/north-shore-spirit-trail): The North Shore Spirit Trail through the City of North Vancouver is a separated waterfront greenway from West 1st Street and MacKay Road past Lonsdale Quay and the Shipyards to Lynn Creek, and it suits families and anyone stepping off the SeaBus with a bike; the catch is the zigzag through Lonsdale Quay and the street crossings further east.
- [Seaside Vancouver bike route](https://northvanguide.com/routes/seaside-vancouver-bike-route): The Seaside Vancouver bike route is the City of Vancouver's loop from Olympic Village along the south shore of False Creek and past Kitsilano to Spanish Banks, then back over the Burrard Bridge and around the north side of False Creek, and it suits riders who want Vancouver's beaches and skyline on separated paths; the City rates it Medium and warns of gravel paths and short climbs.
- [Seymour Valley Trailway](https://northvanguide.com/routes/seymour-valley-trailway): The Seymour Valley Trailway is Metro Vancouver's paved path up the Seymour River valley from the Rice Lake Gate in the District of North Vancouver to the Seymour Falls Dam and back, and it suits families and anyone who wants a car-free ride through the forest; the catch in winter is the short day, since the reserve opens only from 6 am to 5 pm from November to February.
- [Stanley Park Seawall](https://northvanguide.com/routes/stanley-park-seawall): The Stanley Park Seawall is the one-way bike path around Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver, ridden counter-clockwise from Coal Harbour past Brockton Point and under the Lions Gate Bridge to Second Beach, and it suits anyone who wants the harbour and the mountains of Vancouver's North Shore in view without riding in traffic; the catch is the crowd on sunny summer weekends.
- [Valley Trail from Whistler Village to Cheakamus Crossing](https://northvanguide.com/routes/valley-trail): The Valley Trail from Whistler Village to Cheakamus Crossing follows Whistler's paved shared-use path south past Alta Lake and Creekside and back, and it suits families and anyone who wants to see the valley between ski days; in winter the catch is snow, so check the municipality's winter map of maintained sections before you ride.

## Resorts
- [Cypress Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/resorts/cypress-mountain): Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver suits a skier who wants a full day close to the city. Its 61 runs spread over Black Mountain and Mount Strachan, and the resort says its 610 m of vertical is the most on Vancouver's North Shore. Getting there means 15 km of Cypress Bowl Road on winter tires or a seat on the Cypress Coach Lines shuttle.
- [Grouse Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/resorts/grouse-mountain): Grouse Mountain in the District of North Vancouver suits a visitor staying downtown without a car, because the SeaBus and bus 236 reach its base and the Blue Grouse Gondola carries you up to 33 runs. Grouse lights 15 of them for night skiing above the city. Four chairs serve the whole ski area below the 1,231 m summit, so a strong skier covers most of it in one evening.
- [Mount Seymour](https://northvanguide.com/resorts/mount-seymour): Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver suits families and people learning to ski. The resort rates 40% of its terrain novice and runs its own winter shuttle from Parkgate and Rupert SkyTrain Station. Its 330 m of vertical runs out quickly for a strong skier.
- [Whistler Blackcomb](https://northvanguide.com/resorts/whistler-blackcomb): Whistler Blackcomb links two big mountains above Whistler Village and sits about 2 hours up Highway 99 from Vancouver, so it suits skiers from North Vancouver who can stay a few nights. Its adult window ticket for 2026/27 runs from $238 on opening day on 20 November 2026 to $367 on peak dates, plus GST, which makes a single day a big spend.

## Resort groups
- [Vancouver's North Shore Mountains](https://northvanguide.com/resort-groups/north-shore-mountains): Vancouver's North Shore has three ski hills within half an hour of downtown Vancouver, and all of them light runs for night skiing. Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver has the most vertical. Pick Grouse Mountain if you have no car, because bus 236 runs to its gondola, or Mount Seymour if someone in your group is learning.

## Backcountry
- [Black Mountain and Bowen Lookout](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/black-mountain-and-bowen-lookout): Black Mountain and Bowen Lookout in West Vancouver's Cypress Provincial Park suit a first snowshoe or ski tour on Vancouver's North Shore, because Avalanche Canada rates both marked BC Parks trails simple, and the price of entry is a free tag and a walk through a busy ski area on the backcountry access corridor.
- [Brandywine and Brew Hut](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/brandywine-brew-hut): Brandywine and Brew Hut, south of Whistler off Highway 99, suit ski tourers who want a deep-snow hut trip, because the VOC's first-come hut sleeps up to 16 above mellow slopes around Brew Lake, and the trade-off is a long approach on cat-skiing roads and a whiteout-prone final climb with no markers.
- [Diamond Head and Elfin Lakes](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/diamond-head-elfin-lakes): Diamond Head and Elfin Lakes, above Squamish in Garibaldi Park, suit a first hut trip on skis or snowshoes, because BC Parks poles the 11 km route to a heated, bookable 33-bunk shelter, and the trade-off is an open ridge where whiteouts make the route hard to find.
- [Duffey Lake Road](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/duffey-lake-road): The Duffey Lake Road east of Pemberton suits experienced ski tourers who want a hut base under Joffre Peak, because Keith's Hut sits at 1,650 m at the foot of the Anniversary Glacier, and the trade-off is a landslide-scarred approach up Cerise Creek with avalanche paths overhead and no cell service.
- [Garibaldi Neve Traverse](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/garibaldi-neve-traverse): The Garibaldi Neve Traverse crosses the glaciers of Garibaldi Park from the Diamond Head area above Squamish to Garibaldi Lake in 2 to 3 days, so it suits ski parties with glacier travel and crevasse rescue skills, and the trade-off is a heavily crevassed névé where a whiteout can pin you in your tent.
- [Hollyburn Peak](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/hollyburn-peak): Hollyburn Peak in West Vancouver's Cypress Provincial Park gives snowshoers and new ski tourers a BC Parks winter trail from the Nordic area to a 1,325 m summit, and the catch comes near the top, where Avalanche Canada maps the last slopes as challenging avalanche terrain.
- [Mount Seymour backcountry](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/mount-seymour-backcountry): The Mount Seymour backcountry in North Vancouver suits a first ski tour or snowshoe on Vancouver's North Shore, because BC Parks poles a winter route from the P4 kiosk to the saddle below Second Pump, and the trade-off is how quickly the ridge past the poles turns into complex avalanche terrain.
- [Mount Strachan](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/mount-strachan): Mount Strachan sits at the edge of the Cypress Mountain ski area in West Vancouver, and its slopes put riders straight into complex avalanche terrain with no marked BC Parks winter route, so it suits experienced, fully equipped parties or a guided group.
- [Sea to Sky Gondola backcountry and Sky Pilot](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/sea-to-sky-gondola-sky-pilot): The Sea to Sky Gondola near Squamish lifts ski tourers and splitboarders to the edge of more than 1,300 hectares of complex, uncontrolled avalanche terrain around Sky Pilot, so it suits trained, self-sufficient parties, and the operator says it is no place to learn on your own.
- [Spearhead Traverse](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/spearhead-traverse): The Spearhead Traverse links Blackcomb and Whistler mountains across 35 km and 13 glaciers of Garibaldi Park, so it suits fit, glacier-trained ski parties with a stable spring forecast, and the trade-off is complex alpine terrain with no good escape from the Spearhead Range side.
- [Whistler Blackcomb backcountry access](https://northvanguide.com/backcountry/whistler-blackcomb-backcountry): Whistler Blackcomb's lifts and signed uphill routes put ski tourers and splitboarders at the edge of unpatrolled backcountry in Garibaldi Park, so they suit trained parties who want short approaches to Singing Pass and the Blackcomb peaks, and the trade-off is a strict set of ticket and gear rules on top of complex avalanche terrain.

## Lift passes
- [Boyne Passport](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/boyne-passport): The 2026/27 Boyne Passport gives unlimited days with no blackouts at Cypress Mountain and nine other Boyne Resorts mountains for CA$4,250 an adult before tax, and it covers Big Sky's Lone Peak Tram too. It suits a Cypress regular who will also ski Big Sky or the Summit at Snoqualmie. For Cypress days alone, Cypress's own Gold season pass covers every day of the winter.
- [Epic Day Pass](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/epic-day-pass): The Epic Day Pass suits a short Whistler Blackcomb trip booked before the season: on 16 October 2026 a four-day pass on the All Resorts tier cost US$481 for anyone 13 or older, or US$568 with holiday peak dates. Whistler sits on the All Resorts tier alone, and Vail stops selling the pass later in the winter.
- [Epic Pass](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/epic-pass): The 2026/27 Epic Pass gives unlimited days at Whistler Blackcomb with no blackout dates, and on 16 October 2026 it cost US$1,169 for an adult aged 31 or over. It suits skiers planning a long Whistler season or a trip to Vail's other resorts. None of the three ski hills on Vancouver's North Shore takes it, so Grouse, Cypress and Seymour each need a ticket of their own.
- [Ikon Base Pass](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/ikon-base-pass): The 2026/27 Ikon Base Pass gives five days at Cypress Mountain and access to most of Ikon's 70+ destinations for CA$1,479 (US$1,099) an adult on 16 October 2026. It suits skiers planning a couple of BC road trips who can skip 26–30 December and two winter weekends, when the pass is blacked out. Grouse Mountain's Bonus Mountain days go to full Ikon Pass holders alone.
- [Ikon Pass](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/ikon-pass): The 2026/27 Ikon Pass gives seven days at Cypress Mountain and two Bonus Mountain days at Grouse Mountain on top of access at 70+ destinations worldwide, for CA$2,059 (US$1,529) an adult on 16 October 2026. It suits North Vancouver skiers who also travel to Revelstoke or Sun Peaks. Seven Cypress days is the limit, so a weekly local skier needs Cypress's own season pass as well.
- [Ikon Session Pass](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/ikon-session-pass): The 2026/27 Ikon Session Pass suits a short trip: on 16 October 2026 an adult paid CA$499 for two days, CA$669 for three or CA$809 for four, to use at Cypress Mountain or any of the other Session Pass destinations. Blackout dates apply and most Ikon perks are left off, so a skier planning five days or more should price the Ikon Base Pass.
- [Mountain Interchange Program](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/mountain-interchange): Grouse Mountain's Mountain Interchange Program gives its winter season pass holders 25% to 50% off regular full-day lift tickets at the 50 partner hills on its 2025/26 list. They run from Mount Washington on Vancouver Island to Whitewater near Nelson. It suits a Grouse regular planning a BC road trip. Grouse had not posted its 2026/27 partner list by 16 October 2026, so the partners and blackouts here come from 2025/26.
- [Mt Seymour Reciprocal Mountain Deals](https://northvanguide.com/lift-passes/seymour-reciprocals): Mt Seymour's reciprocal deals give its Full and Value season pass holders free lift tickets at a handful of BC resorts and up to 50% off day tickets at dozens more across Western Canada. They suit a Seymour regular who also plans trips to Mount Washington or the Okanagan. Mt Seymour had not posted its 2026/27 partners by 16 October 2026, so the partners and blackouts here come from 2025/26.

## Trail networks
- [Cypress and Black Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/cypress-black-mountain): Cypress and Black Mountain suit mountain bikers after West Vancouver's first sanctioned trails and hikers heading up to the Black Mountain plateau. Bikes stop at the provincial park boundary, because BC Parks keeps them to park roads inside Cypress Provincial Park.
- [Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/lower-seymour-conservation-reserve): The Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve suits families and riders on Class 1 e-bikes, with Metro Vancouver's 10 km paved Seymour Valley Trailway and over 55 km of cycling trails in a water-supply forest. The gate sets your day, because every car must be out of the lower gate on Lillooet Road by 5 pm from November to February.
- [Mount Fromme](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/mount-fromme): Mount Fromme suits intermediate and stronger mountain bikers who want the District of North Vancouver's rated network of roots and wooden features above Upper Lynn Valley, with a District lot at the trailhead and a bus nearby. Winter daylight is the catch, because that lot closes at 6 pm from October to February.
- [Mount Seymour](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/mount-seymour): Mount Seymour's lower mountain suits confident riders who want BC Parks' designated mountain bike trails above the Old Buck lot, with one multi-use climb and a bus at the bottom of the road. Its descents carry no published difficulty rating from BC Parks or the District, so you choose lines without a grade to go on.
- [Pemberton](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/pemberton): Pemberton suits riders who want a multi-use valley network shared by mountain bikers, dirt bikers, horse riders and hikers, all looked after by the Pemberton Valley Trails Association on Líl̓wat land. The July 2026 Signal Hill wildfire is out, and the Village of Pemberton keeps Bob's Loop above One Mile Lake closed while its slopes are assessed.
- [Squamish](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/squamish): Squamish suits riders of every level who want SORCA's mix of hand-built and machine-made trails, from family-friendly Brackendale to Diamond Head, where a shuttle runs from spring to fall. The network crosses private, Crown, BC Parks, District of Squamish and Squamish Nation land, so the rules change as you ride.
- [Whistler Alpine](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/whistler-alpine): Whistler's alpine trails on Mount Sproatt suit fit riders and hikers who want a long climb to open alpine terrain and a moderate descent home, from June to October only. The RMOW closes the network from November to May, and e-bikes and dogs stay below the Flank Trail all year.
- [Whistler Valley](https://northvanguide.com/trail-networks/whistler-valley): Whistler's valley trails suit riders of every level, from Easy doubletrack at Lost Lake to Comfortably Numb, which the RMOW rates Difficult. Lost Lake belongs to Nordic skiers from mid-December to late March, when the RMOW closes its trails to everyone else.

## Trails
- [A River Runs Through It](https://northvanguide.com/trails/a-river-runs-through-it): A River Runs Through It suits intermediate riders ready for harder sections on Whistler's west side, and its south end sits by Rainbow Park on Alta Lake. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) rates two of its three segments Difficult and the third Moderate, so the hardest stretch sets the level you need.
- [Black Mountain Loop](https://northvanguide.com/trails/black-mountain-loop): Black Mountain Loop suits hikers who want subalpine lakes and Black Mountain's South Summit on a short outing from the Cypress ski area in West Vancouver, and BC Parks gives the loop as 2.5 km and just over 90 minutes. The steep switchbacks up to the Black Mountain Plateau come first and hold most of the climbing.
- [Bobsled](https://northvanguide.com/trails/bobsled): Bobsled on Mount Fromme in North Vancouver is an Intermediate-rated mountain bike trail that starts and ends on the Mountain Highway road, so it suits riders stepping up from Beginner trails. The trade-off is rain, because the North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA) asks riders to stay off heavy-dirt flow trails like Bobsled in a downpour to save the dirt.
- [Bottle Top](https://northvanguide.com/trails/bottle-top): Bottle Top is a mountain bike trail in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver that Metro Vancouver marks More Difficult, and it suits intermediate riders who want a step up from Fisherman's Trail. The trade-off in winter is daylight, because the reserve closes at 5 pm from November to February.
- [Cabin Trail](https://northvanguide.com/trails/cabin-trail): Cabin Trail is a Very Difficult mountain bike trail on the Seymour side of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits experienced riders linking the upper reserve trails down to Dale's. The winter gate cuts the day short, because Metro Vancouver closes the reserve at 5 pm from November to February.
- [CBC Trail](https://northvanguide.com/trails/cbc-trail): CBC Trail is a Very Difficult mountain bike trail high in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits experienced riders starting from Mount Seymour Road. Its start sits on a road that Metro Vancouver says closes from 10 pm to 7 am in the winter months.
- [Comfortably Numb](https://northvanguide.com/trails/comfortably-numb): Comfortably Numb suits fit cross-country riders who want a long day of forest singletrack north of Whistler Village. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) rates every segment Difficult and marks the whole trail two-way, so expect riders coming toward you on the climbs and the descents.
- [Corkscrew](https://northvanguide.com/trails/corkscrew): Corkscrew is a short Very Difficult mountain bike descent on the lower slopes of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver, and it suits riders who handle black-diamond terrain on the North Shore. Metro Vancouver gives it the hardest grade on its Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve map, so newer riders should pick another line.
- [Credit Line](https://northvanguide.com/trails/credit-line): Credit Line suits confident riders who want a technical Alice Lake classic with a view, and Tourism Squamish rates it Difficult. It mixes descending with technical climbing, so it asks for fitness on top of bike handling.
- [Dale's Trail](https://northvanguide.com/trails/dales-trail): Dale's Trail is a Very Difficult mountain bike descent in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits experienced riders coming off Mount Seymour Road. Metro Vancouver closes the reserve at 5 pm from November to February, which leaves short winter afternoons for it.
- [Dreamweaver](https://northvanguide.com/trails/dreamweaver): Dreamweaver on the west side of Mount Fromme in North Vancouver is a multi-use trail that the District of North Vancouver rates Intermediate for riders and hikers alike, so it suits a mixed group. The trade-off for riders is sharing it, since the North Shore Mountain Bike Association's etiquette gives hikers and trail runners the right of way on multi-use trails.
- [Empress Bypass](https://northvanguide.com/trails/empress-bypass): Empress Bypass on the lower slopes of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver is a downhill-only mountain bike trail that BC Parks says was built mainly for adaptive mountain bike riders, so its tread stays wide. The trade-off is the climb, because BC Parks allows no uphill traffic on it and sends riders up Lower Old Buck instead.
- [Expresso](https://northvanguide.com/trails/expresso): Expresso on Mount Fromme in North Vancouver is an Advanced-rated dirt descent with drops and bridges, and it suits riders at the District of North Vancouver's Advanced grade on a dry day. The trade-off is wet weather, since the North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA) asks riders to avoid Expresso in heavy rain to keep its dirt on the trail.
- [Fisherman's Trail](https://northvanguide.com/trails/fishermans-trail): Fisherman's Trail follows the Seymour River through the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and Metro Vancouver marks it Easy, so it suits families and new riders on a riverside ride or walk. The trade-off for dog owners is that Metro Vancouver bars dogs from the trail north of the Homestead Trail junction.
- [Forever After](https://northvanguide.com/trails/forever-after): Forever After is a Very Difficult mountain bike descent in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits experienced riders heading from the Powerlines down toward High School League. The trade-off for winter riders is the reserve's 5 pm closing from November to February.
- [Half Nelson](https://northvanguide.com/trails/half-nelson): Half Nelson suits intermediate riders who want one of Squamish's classic trails in the Diamond Head zone, and Tourism Squamish rates it Intermediate. Tourism Squamish also counts it among the town's most popular trails, so expect company on a fine weekend.
- [Into the Mystic](https://northvanguide.com/trails/into-the-mystic): Into the Mystic is the main climb into the alpine on Mount Sproatt above Whistler, and it suits fit riders and hikers with a long summer day. The RMOW rates it Moderate and tells riders to allow at least 2 to 3 hours to reach the top.
- [John Deer](https://northvanguide.com/trails/john-deer): John Deer is a well-used mountain bike descent on District of North Vancouver land on Mount Seymour's lower slopes, and it suits riders who know Seymour's ungraded trails. No land manager publishes a difficulty for it, so you have to read the trail yourself.
- [Kirkford](https://northvanguide.com/trails/kirkford): Kirkford is an Advanced-rated mountain bike trail on the Lynn Valley side of Mount Fromme in North Vancouver, and it suits riders who want one of the first trails Fromme's riders built, by nsmb.com's history. The trade-off is the finish, because Kirkford comes out low on the east flank on the Beginner-rated Cedar Tree Trail and leaves the Mountain Highway road behind.
- [Lord of the Squirrels](https://northvanguide.com/trails/lord-of-the-squirrels): Lord of the Squirrels suits strong riders who will climb for hours to earn an alpine descent on Mount Sproatt above Whistler, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) closes it from November to May. The RMOW rates the descent Moderate and tells riders to allow at least 2 to 3 hours for the Into the Mystic climb that reaches it.
- [Lower Old Buck](https://northvanguide.com/trails/lower-old-buck): Lower Old Buck is the multi-use climb from the Old Buck trailhead on Mount Seymour Road into the lower trails of Mount Seymour Provincial Park in North Vancouver, and it suits anyone heading up the mountain on foot or on a bike. The trade-off is company, because BC Parks says mountain bike use on Old Buck runs high.
- [Lumpy's Epic](https://northvanguide.com/trails/lumpys-epic): Lumpy's Epic suits strong cross-country riders and trail runners who want challenging climbs and big views from the One Mile Lake side of Pemberton, and Recreation Sites and Trails BC rates it black. Its exit can flood after heavy rain, so pick a dry spell.
- [Mackenzie Basin Loop](https://northvanguide.com/trails/mackenzie-basin-loop): Mackenzie Basin Loop suits families and new riders who want an easy year-round trail north of the Village of Pemberton, and Recreation Sites and Trails BC rates it Easy/Green. Dirt bikes and horses share it, so keep your speed down and listen for traffic.
- [Meat Sweats](https://northvanguide.com/trails/meat-sweats): Meat Sweats suits riders at home on the rooty descents of Vancouver's North Shore who want a freshly maintained trail on Cypress Mountain's lower slopes in West Vancouver. No land manager publishes a difficulty rating for it, so ride it first with someone who knows it.
- [Mushroom](https://northvanguide.com/trails/mushroom): Mushroom is a short More Difficult link in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits intermediate riders heading between the top of Dale's Trail and Corkscrew. It's a short connector, so plan it as one piece of a longer descent.
- [Ned's Atomic Dustbin](https://northvanguide.com/trails/neds-atomic-dustbin): Ned's Atomic Dustbin is a Very Difficult mountain bike descent in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits experienced riders who want the reserve's top grade. The trade-off is the way back, since it ends low in the reserve on Bottle Top and you ride out from there.
- [Oil Can](https://northvanguide.com/trails/oil-can): Oil Can on Mount Fromme in North Vancouver is an Advanced-rated mountain bike descent with a rock roll near the end and a jump, and it suits riders at the District of North Vancouver's Advanced grade. The trade-off is the top, because the District grades Upper Oil Can Expert, so Advanced riders join Oil Can where it leaves the Mountain Highway road.
- [Pangor](https://northvanguide.com/trails/pangor): Pangor is a mountain bike descent on District of North Vancouver land below Mount Seymour Park, and it suits riders who already know Seymour's lower mountain. The trade-off is the missing grade, because neither the District nor BC Parks publishes a difficulty for it.
- [Pingu](https://northvanguide.com/trails/pingu): Pingu on the lower slopes of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver is a mountain bike trail built around four jumps and a large step-down, and it suits riders who want to work on their jumping. The trade-off is that no land manager grades it, so look at each feature before you commit to it.
- [Pipeline](https://northvanguide.com/trails/pipeline): Pipeline on Mount Fromme in North Vancouver is an Advanced-rated mountain bike descent from the gravel Mountain Highway road to the Baden-Powell Trail, and it suits riders who want one of the trails from Fromme's early building years. The trade-off is a shared name, because Capilano River Regional Park has its own Pipeline Trail, so check which one a closure notice means.
- [Pseudo-Tsugas](https://northvanguide.com/trails/pseudo-tsugas): Pseudo-Tsugas suits intermediate riders who want a fast, flowing lap in Squamish's Diamond Head zone, and Tourism Squamish rates it Intermediate. It's short at 2.2 km, so plan it as one lap of a longer ride.
- [Richard Juryn](https://northvanguide.com/trails/richard-juryn): Richard Juryn is a More Difficult pair of trails in the southwest corner of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits intermediate riders and walkers between Camp Brick and Pipeline Bridge. Expect horses on the west branch, where Metro Vancouver permits horseback riding.
- [Roadside Attraction](https://northvanguide.com/trails/roadside-attraction): Roadside Attraction is a Beginner-rated multi-use trail beside the gravel Mountain Highway road on Mount Fromme in North Vancouver, and it suits new riders and families on bikes or on foot. The trade-off is one narrow gap between two rocks where pedal strikes had started to show, which youth crews built up with fresh soil this fall.
- [Seventh Secret](https://northvanguide.com/trails/seventh-secret): Seventh Secret is an Advanced-rated mountain bike descent on Mount Fromme in North Vancouver, and it suits riders who already handle the District of North Vancouver's Advanced trails. The trade-off is the climb, because the trail starts high on the gravel Mountain Highway road above the District's Fromme parking lot.
- [Twin Bridges Trail](https://northvanguide.com/trails/twin-bridges-trail): Twin Bridges Trail is an Easy multi-use trail near the Lillooet Road entrance of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, and it suits families on foot and newer riders. You share it with horses, since Metro Vancouver allows horseback riding here.
- [Wonderland](https://northvanguide.com/trails/wonderland): Wonderland suits riders new to mountain biking who want a gentle forest ride near Alice Lake in Squamish, and Tourism Squamish rates it Easy to Intermediate. At 3 km and 15 to 30 minutes by Tourism Squamish's count, it makes a short ride on its own.
- [Yew Lake Trail](https://northvanguide.com/trails/yew-lake-trail): The Yew Lake Trail suits families, strollers and anyone wanting an easy hour in the subalpine at Cypress in West Vancouver, and BC Parks calls it a barrier-free 2 km loop. Dogs have to stay home, because BC Parks closes the trail to them to protect the marsh.

## Bike parks
- [Cypress Bike Park](https://northvanguide.com/bike-parks/cypress-bike-park): Cypress Bike Park is the lift-served bike park Cypress Mountain is building on Black Mountain in Cypress Provincial Park, and it will suit riders who want flow and technical trails close to Vancouver once it opens in summer 2027. Cypress had posted no opening date, prices or trail count by 16 October 2026.
- [Grouse Bike Park](https://northvanguide.com/bike-parks/grouse-bike-park): Grouse Bike Park on Grouse Mountain in the District of North Vancouver suits riders who want lift-served laps 25 minutes by bus from the SeaBus, with green flow trails for beginners up to Proline features. It runs only from June to October, and in 2026 an adult day ticket cost $89.
- [Whistler Mountain Bike Park](https://northvanguide.com/bike-parks/whistler-mountain-bike-park): The Whistler Mountain Bike Park on Whistler Mountain suits riders of every level who want lift-served downhill laps, with four zones of trails graded from Beginner to Pro Line, and it opens only from mid-May to mid-October. In 2026 it ran from 15 May to 12 October, and an adult day ticket booked ahead cost $105 plus tax in the regular season.

## Hikes
- [BCMC Trail](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/bcmc-trail): The BCMC Trail in North Vancouver climbs 750 metres in 2.9 km through old-growth and second-growth forest to the top of Grouse Mountain, and it suits fit hikers who want the Grind's challenge on a rougher, more rustic path. Metro Vancouver lets you walk back down it, so the gondola fare is optional, and it stays open while the Grind is closed until 10 November 2026.
- [Brandywine Falls](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/brandywine-falls): Brandywine Falls suits anyone on Highway 99 between Squamish and Whistler who wants a big waterfall for a short walk, because BC Parks puts the viewing platform above the 70 m falls 10 to 20 minutes from the parking lot. The trade-off is the winter gate, which shuts after 31 October and leaves you to walk in on trails BC Parks doesn't maintain in winter.
- [Dog Mountain](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/dog-mountain): Dog Mountain on Mount Seymour in North Vancouver suits families and snowshoers who want a short forest walk past First Lake to a viewpoint over Greater Vancouver, and BC Parks gives it 1 km to the lake and 2 km more to the top. On peak winter days you'll need a free BC Parks day-use pass to park in the backcountry lots, and BC Parks releases them at 7 am two days ahead.
- [Elfin Lakes](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/elfin-lakes): Elfin Lakes suits hikers and cyclists who want a long, open ridge walk in Garibaldi Park above Squamish, and BC Parks puts the lakes 11 km from the Diamond Head lot with 600 m of elevation change and three to five hours one way. The trade-off is a 16 km drive up a road where BC Parks makes chains mandatory from October through May.
- [Garibaldi Lake](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/garibaldi-lake): Garibaldi Lake suits fit hikers who want the glacier-fed lake at the heart of Garibaldi Park between Squamish and Whistler, 9 km from the Rubble Creek parking lot on BC Parks' current pages. The trade-off is a steep first 6 km that gains 770 m before the trail eases toward the lake.
- [Grouse Grind](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/grouse-grind): The Grouse Grind in North Vancouver climbs 800 metres in 2.5 km up the face of Grouse Mountain, and it suits fit hikers who want a steep, short workout with the city spread out at the top. Metro Vancouver bans hiking back down, so plan on a $20 gondola ride, and the trail is closed for maintenance until 10 November 2026.
- [Joffre Lakes](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/joffre-lakes): Joffre Lakes Park, on Highway 99 east of Pemberton, suits hikers who want to climb past three glacier-fed lakes to Upper Joffre Lake beneath the Matier Glacier, about 400 m above the parking lot by BC Parks' figure. The trade-off is access, because in 2026 BC Parks required a free trail pass for every hiker from May to late October and closed the park during two reconnection periods for the Líl̓wat Nation and N'Quatqua.
- [Lighthouse Park](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/lighthouse-park): Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver suits walkers of most fitness levels who want short trails through old-growth coastal forest to a viewpoint over the Point Atkinson Lighthouse, and West Van opens it from 7 am to 10 pm every day. The small Beacon Lane lot charges all year and fills quickly in good weather, so come early or take a 250 bus signed Horseshoe Bay.
- [Twin Falls Loop at Lynn Canyon](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/lynn-canyon-loop): The Twin Falls loop in Lynn Canyon Park suits families and short-stay visitors who want a rainforest walk over the free suspension bridge and back across Lynn Creek at Twin Falls, and the District of North Vancouver's park map gives it 1 km and 35 minutes. Stay out of the creek below, because the District says more than 40 lives have been lost in the canyon over 50 years and it strongly advises against cliff jumping.
- [Lynn Loop at Lynn Headwaters](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/lynn-headwaters): The Lynn Loop at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in North Vancouver suits families and easy-going hikers who want a creekside forest walk at the top of Lynn Valley Road, and Metro Vancouver gives it 5.2 km and two hours return. A damaged bridge on the loop's upper section is closed in October 2026, so plan to walk back the way you came.
- [Mount Gardner](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/mount-gardner): Mount Gardner suits hikers who want a full climb they can reach on foot from the Bowen Island ferry, with two helicopter platforms at the north summit looking toward Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. The trade-off is a long day, since Tourism Bowen Island tells you to budget five to seven hours for the round trip from the ferry terminal.
- [Panorama Ridge](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/panorama-ridge): Panorama Ridge suits strong, experienced hikers who want the high view over Garibaldi Lake and its glaciers, reached from the Rubble Creek trailhead by way of the lake or Taylor Meadows and then Helm Pass. The trade-off is the length, because Parkbus puts the round trip at 29 km with 1,500 m of climbing and 10 to 12 hours of walking and tells its riders to camp overnight instead.
- [Quarry Rock](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/quarry-rock): Quarry Rock in Deep Cove suits walkers who want a short forest hike on the Baden-Powell Trail to a rocky lookout over Indian Arm, and Destination Vancouver puts it at 4 km round trip with 100 metres of gain in about 1.5 hours. Panorama Park's small lot fills fast on sunny weekends, so ride the 211 or 212 to Panorama Drive instead of driving.
- [Sea to Summit Trail](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/sea-to-summit): The Sea to Summit Trail suits strong hikers who want to earn the Sea to Sky Gondola's summit on foot and ride back down, climbing 918 m over 6.5 km from the base on Highway 99 just south of Squamish. The trade-off is the descent rule, because the gondola designed the trail for uphill hikers and your day depends on the gondola running.
- [St. Marks Summit](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/st-marks-summit): St. Marks Summit in Cypress Provincial Park suits fit day hikers who want a long forest climb from the Cypress ski area in West Vancouver along the Howe Sound Crest Trail to views over Howe Sound. BC Parks calls the trail rough past the 2 km mark and strongly discourages winter travel beyond Bowen Lookout, so save it for the snow-free months.
- [Stawamus Chief](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/stawamus-chief): The Stawamus Chief suits fit hikers who want a steep climb to granite summits above Howe Sound on the southern edge of Squamish, and BC Parks puts First Peak 1.5 km and 540 m up the trail. The trade-off is a climb BC Parks calls steep and difficult, with stair treads that turn slippery in winter and rockfall possible anywhere in the park.
- [The Lions](https://northvanguide.com/hikes/the-lions): The Lions trail from the village of Lions Bay suits fit, experienced hikers who want to reach the notch beneath the twin peaks above Howe Sound, where the Village of Lions Bay puts the West Lion at 1,646 m. The trade-off is a long, steep climb on a volunteer-kept trail, and in July 2026 Lions Bay Search and Rescue needed a night helicopter hoist to bring an injured hiker down.

## Nordic and snowshoe areas
- [Hollyburn Nordic Area](https://northvanguide.com/nordic/hollyburn-nordic): Hollyburn Nordic Area at Cypress Mountain suits Vancouver skiers who want groomed cross-country trails close to the city, and its 19 km of groomed, track-set trail starts 13 km up Cypress Bowl Road in West Vancouver. Cypress lights 7.5 km of it for night skiing. The trails open when the snow allows, and Cypress had posted no date for 2026/27 by 16 October 2026.
- [Lost Lake Nordic Trails](https://northvanguide.com/nordic/lost-lake-nordic): Lost Lake Nordic Trails suit Whistler visitors who want to ski from the village, since the trailhead at the Lost Lake PassivHaus is a short walk from Whistler Village and its 30 km of groomed trail includes a 4 km loop lit until 8 pm. The trails need 50 cm of snow on the valley floor, so the season runs from mid-December to late March, depending on conditions.
- [Whistler Olympic Park](https://northvanguide.com/nordic/whistler-olympic-park): Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley suits cross-country skiers who want a long day on more than 55 km of groomed trail, and dogs can come along on over 12 km of dog-friendly trail. You need a car to get there, because no public transit runs up Callaghan Valley Road from Highway 99. The 2026/27 season is set for 27 November 2026 to 4 April 2027.

## Day trips
- [Bowen Island](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/bowen-island): Bowen Island suits walkers and families who want a forest loop and a harbour lunch after a 20-minute BC Ferries crossing from Horseshoe Bay, and the whole day works without a car. The trade-off is the ride to the boat, since the 257 bus takes about 40 minutes from downtown Vancouver and the route takes no bookings.
- [Deep Cove and Quarry Rock](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/deep-cove-and-quarry-rock): Deep Cove and Quarry Rock make a half-day out of downtown Vancouver for walkers who want a forest climb on the Baden-Powell Trail to a granite lookout over Indian Arm and a doughnut on Gallant Avenue afterwards. The trade-off is the bus home, since the last 211 through to Burrard Station leaves Deep Cove at 5:45 pm on weekdays and earlier at weekends.
- [Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/gibsons-sunshine-coast): Gibsons suits gallery browsers and seawall walkers who want a slow harbour day on the Sunshine Coast after a 40-minute BC Ferries crossing from Horseshoe Bay. The trade-off is the chain of connections, because the trip from downtown Vancouver needs a bus to Horseshoe Bay before the boat and another bus or a 10-minute drive at Langdale.
- [Golden Village evening](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/golden-village-evening): An evening in Richmond's Golden Village suits food lovers who want Asian food courts and Cantonese dining rooms beside the Canada Line, now that the Richmond Night Market has closed for good. The trade-off is the clock, because the Aberdeen Centre food court shuts at 7 pm most nights and Jade Seafood Restaurant stops serving at 9 pm.
- [Horseshoe Bay and Whytecliff Park](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/horseshoe-bay-and-whytecliff-park): Horseshoe Bay and Whytecliff Park suit anyone after a short West Vancouver outing with fish and chips by the ferry docks and a walk on the rocks above Howe Sound, and the 257 express gets there from downtown in 39 minutes. The trade-off is parking at Whytecliff, because West Van charges for it all year and closes the lots when they fill on fine days.
- [Lynn Canyon and Lynn Valley](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/lynn-canyon-and-lynn-valley): Lynn Canyon makes an easy half-day from Lonsdale Quay for families and walkers who want a free suspension bridge 50 metres above Lynn Creek and a walk in the forest around it. The trade-off is daylight, because Lynn Canyon Park opens from dawn to dusk and a December afternoon closes in early.
- [Squamish](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/squamish): A day in Squamish suits walkers and eagle watchers who want granite walls and a working town at the head of Howe Sound, and two coaches run there from downtown Vancouver. The trade-off is the ride home, because the walk-on Squamish Connector heads south by mid-afternoon and the later YVR Skylynx coach stops in Squamish only on reservation.
- [Steveston](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/steveston): Steveston suits families and seafood lovers who want a working fishing harbour at the mouth of the Fraser River, and its boats sell their catch from the public sales float. The trade-off is distance, because the Canada Line and a 401 bus take about 50 minutes from Waterfront Station before the wait to change.
- [Victoria](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/victoria): A day in Victoria from Vancouver suits travellers who book the Harbour Air seaplane, because the 35-minute flight runs from Coal Harbour straight into Victoria Harbour. The trade-off is cost and short winter days, since fares start at $99 one way booked 45 days ahead and the January 2026 weekday flights stopped at 3:30 pm. By ferry and bus each way takes about four hours.
- [Whistler](https://northvanguide.com/day-trips/whistler): A day trip to Whistler from downtown Vancouver suits skiers and sightseers who can start early, because Epic Rides' 6:20 am winter bus from Burrard Station reaches Whistler Village at 8:05 am and the last daily bus home leaves at 7:00 pm. The trade-off is three and a half hours on the coach in one day, so many skiers book a night.

## Makers
- [Bee Wild Paradise Valley](https://northvanguide.com/makers/bee-wild-paradise-valley): Bee Wild suits anyone who wants honey from a single Sea to Sky valley, raw and unfiltered from hives in Paradise Valley north of Squamish. It sells at the Squamish and Whistler farmers' markets, so buy it on market day.
- [Charlie Girl Goods](https://northvanguide.com/makers/charlie-girl-goods): Charlie Girl Goods suits anyone who wants a sweet thing made in Deep Cove, since a mother-run kitchen there cooks every batch of caramels from scratch. You buy them online or at a market stall, because the business has no shop.
- [Debra Sparrow](https://northvanguide.com/makers/debra-sparrow): Debra Sparrow suits a visitor who wants to take home a blanket drawn from a Musqueam weaver's own work, through Salish Blanket Co.'s collection of her and her daughter's designs. The company's production partner in the EU weaves the blankets from her originals, and her hand-woven pieces hang in museums and public spaces.
- [East Van Jam](https://northvanguide.com/makers/east-van-jam): East Van Jam suits a cook who wants a jar of BC fruit with far less sugar than the supermarket kind, and it turns up in shops from Main Street to Whistler. Natalie Ferrari-Morton runs no café or shop of her own, so you buy it through stockists and markets.
- [EastVan Bees](https://northvanguide.com/makers/eastvan-bees): EastVan Bees suits a buyer who wants honey that tastes of Vancouver's gardens, since the hives live in backyards and community gardens around the city. It sells online and at markets, and the 4-pack of lip balm makes an easy carry-on gift.
- [Effie Baker Designs](https://northvanguide.com/makers/effie-baker-designs): Effie Baker Designs suits anyone after jewellery that carries a bit of the BC coast, since she sets pebbles and sea glass she collects herself. She sells online and at Circle Craft in November, so there is no studio to drop into.
- [Fluoro Press](https://northvanguide.com/makers/fluoro-press): Fluoro Press suits a visitor who wants to make something with their own hands, since Steph Ford's Main Street studio teaches risograph printing in short workshops from $35. The studio opens by appointment and for booked classes only.
- [Freesia Soap Company](https://northvanguide.com/makers/freesia-soap-company): Freesia Soap Company suits anyone who wants a bar of handmade soap from an East Vancouver maker, cut in small batches from plant-based ingredients. Bars travel well, which makes them an easy gift to fly home with.
- [Hilary Morris](https://northvanguide.com/makers/hilary-morris): Hilary Morris suits a visitor who wants a painting or a card of Vancouver drawn street by street, and her studio sits in Railspur Alley on Granville Island. Studio hours shift often, so check her website before you go.
- [JAM Pottery](https://northvanguide.com/makers/jam-pottery): JAM Pottery suits a buyer who likes calm, earthy mugs and bowls from an East Vancouver potter. Jen Ann MacCormack sells online and at markets, so plan to meet her at Got Craft.
- [Kasama Chocolate](https://northvanguide.com/makers/kasama-chocolate): Kasama Chocolate suits a chocolate lover on Granville Island, since its workshop and store make bean-to-bar chocolate a short walk from the public market and sell it over the counter. It closes on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- [LanaBetty](https://northvanguide.com/makers/lanabetty): LanaBetty suits anyone who wants a ring made by a goldsmith they can meet, now that Lana Lepper has opened a studio and shop on Granville Island. Hours run short through the holidays, so check the website before you walk over.
- [Liz Sax Ceramics](https://northvanguide.com/makers/liz-sax-ceramics): Liz Sax Ceramics suits a market-day visitor in Squamish who wants a mug made in the valley, and her Boler trailer doubles as a tiny studio where you can take a short pottery lesson. She sells at the market, so plan around its Saturday hours.
- [Melt Confectionary](https://northvanguide.com/makers/melt-confectionary): Melt Confectionary suits a sweet tooth on south Main Street, with chocolates and ice cream made in small batches in its own shop. It sits well south of the Main Street restaurant strip, so pair it with a walk to Queen Elizabeth Park.
- [Ohhelloleigh Ceramics](https://northvanguide.com/makers/ohhelloleigh-ceramics): Ohhelloleigh Ceramics suits anyone after an everyday mug or bowl made in an East Vancouver studio and built to be used. Leigh Elliott sells online and at markets, so there is no shop to visit.
- [Peter Fruhling](https://northvanguide.com/makers/peter-fruhling): Peter Fruhling suits a visitor who wants a picture of Deep Cove made by someone who lives there, since he cuts his linoleum-block prints of the cove and sells them a few steps from the water. You find them only at the Seymour Art Gallery's shop, which opens Wednesday to Sunday.
- [Raven Timberworks](https://northvanguide.com/makers/raven-timberworks): Raven Timberworks suits a cook who wants a board with a known origin, since Ian and Claudia mill the wood themselves in Paradise Valley north of Squamish. They sell only at local venues, so the Squamish Farmers' Market is the place to find them.
- [Reminded Designs](https://northvanguide.com/makers/reminded-designs): Reminded Designs suits a buyer who wants a piece of jewellery to mark a person or a trip, made by hand in a Squamish home studio. Christa Nilles has no shop to visit, so you buy online or at her market table.
- [Sḵwálwen Botanicals](https://northvanguide.com/makers/skwalwen-botanicals): Sḵwálwen Botanicals suits anyone who wants skincare made in Squamish from plants of the Squamish Nation's lands, and its own store beside the estuary opens six days a week. You can also find it in Vancouver at the Bill Reid Gallery and MOA.
- [Sziktsut Creations](https://northvanguide.com/makers/sziktsut-creations): Sziktsut Creations suits a visitor who wants jewellery Victoria Saddleman makes from wood gathered in her home territory of the Lil'wat Nation, and you can buy it from her at the Squamish and Whistler farmers' markets. She sells at the markets, so check their dates before you go.
- [Thomas Haas Chocolates](https://northvanguide.com/makers/thomas-haas-chocolates): Thomas Haas suits a chocolate lover with an hour on the North Shore, because the fourth-generation pâtissier's café on Harbourside Drive sells his chocolates over the counter. It closes on Sundays and Mondays, which catches out weekend visitors.

## Markets
- [Ambleside Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/ambleside-farmers-market): The Ambleside Farmers Market suits a summer Sunday in West Van, with growers, bakers and artisans in Ambleside Park beside the beach. It runs only from mid-May to mid-September, so winter visitors find the park without it.
- [Arts Whistler Holiday Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/arts-whistler-holiday-market): The Arts Whistler Holiday Market suits early-winter visitors to Whistler who want gifts made by hand in British Columbia, and it lasts a single weekend. In 2026 more than 100 artisan stalls fill the Whistler Conference Centre on Saturday 28 November from 11 am to 7 pm and Sunday 29 November from 10 am to 6 pm.
- [Circle Craft Holiday Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/circle-craft-holiday-market): The Circle Craft Holiday Market suits gift shoppers who want Canadian handmade work in one hall, and it lasts five days. More than 315 artisans sell at the Vancouver Convention Centre West from 11 to 15 November 2026, and an early-bird adult ticket costs $12 and covers a free return visit.
- [Downtown Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/downtown-farmers-market): The Downtown Farmers Market suits visitors in the city centre on a Wednesday afternoon, and it runs right up to Christmas with more than 30 farms and producers. It opens only from 2 pm to 6 pm on Wednesdays, so it fits a midweek day downtown.
- [Got Craft Holiday Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/got-craft-holiday-market): The Got Craft Holiday Market suits gift shoppers who want handmade work from 100 independent makers and small shops, and it runs on just two weekends. In 2026 it fills the Croatian Cultural Centre at 3250 Commercial Drive in Vancouver from 10 am to 5 pm on 21 and 22 November and again on 28 and 29 November.
- [Granville Island Public Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/granville-island-public-market): The Granville Island Public Market suits food lovers and anyone with a wet Vancouver afternoon to fill, because the indoor market opens daily from 9 am to 6 pm. In winter it closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January, and it shuts every Monday in January for maintenance.
- [Kitsilano Winter Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/kitsilano-winter-farmers-market): The Kitsilano Winter Farmers Market suits anyone staying in Kitsilano who wants BC produce and a coffee-truck breakfast on a winter Sunday, and it keeps short hours, from 10 am to 2 pm. Vancouver Farmers Markets holds it every Sunday from 8 November 2026 to 25 April 2027 at Kitsilano Secondary School, apart from 27 December and 3 January.
- [Lonsdale Quay Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/lonsdale-quay-market): Lonsdale Quay Market suits anyone with time to fill beside the North Vancouver SeaBus terminal, because the indoor market opens daily from 9 am to 7 pm in any weather. After 7 pm the stalls shut and the Food Hall carries on until 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday and 11 pm on Friday and Saturday.
- [Mount Pleasant Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/mount-pleasant-farmers-market): The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market suits a slow Sunday morning off Main Street, with more than 35 farms and producers in Dude Chilling Park. Its 2026 season ends on 1 November, and from 8 November the nearest Sunday market is the Kitsilano Winter Farmers Market.
- [Pemberton Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/pemberton-farmers-market): The Pemberton Farmers Market suits a summer Friday afternoon in the valley, when farmers, food vendors, artisans and musicians fill the Downtown Community Barn on Frontier Street. It runs only from mid-May to mid-October, so winter visitors miss it.
- [Riley Park Winter Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/riley-park-winter-farmers-market): The Riley Park Winter Farmers Market suits cooks and anyone staying near Main Street who wants BC produce on a winter Saturday, and it opens for four hours, from 10 am to 2 pm. Vancouver Farmers Markets holds it every Saturday from 7 November 2026 to 27 March 2027 at 30th Avenue and Ontario Street, apart from 26 December and 2 January.
- [Shipyards Christmas Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/shipyards-christmas-market): The Shipyards Christmas Market suits families and couples who want a free European-style Christmas market on the North Vancouver waterfront, and it runs daily from 27 November to 24 December 2026. Expect lineups after 4 pm, when the lights come on and the lanes fill.
- [Shipyards Night Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/shipyards-night-market): The Shipyards Night Market suits families and couples who want a free summer Friday on the North Vancouver waterfront, and it runs only from mid-May to mid-September. In 2026 it filled Shipbuilders' Square on 18 Fridays from 15 May to 11 September, from 3 pm to 10 pm.
- [Squamish Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/squamish-farmers-market): The Squamish Farmers Market suits anyone in Squamish on a Saturday morning, because it fills Cleveland Avenue downtown for most of the year with the Stawamus Chief behind it. In winter it opens from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays from 7 November to 19 December 2026 and again from 6 March to 24 April 2027, and January and February have no Saturday markets.
- [Trout Lake Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/trout-lake-farmers-market): The Trout Lake Farmers Market suits anyone in East Vancouver on a Saturday morning, with more than 60 farms and producers at Lakewood Drive and East 13th Avenue. The 2026 season ends on 31 October, so a winter visitor heads to the Riley Park Winter Farmers Market instead.
- [Vancouver Christmas Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/vancouver-christmas-market): The Vancouver Christmas Market suits families and couples who want a ticketed German-style Christmas market on the downtown Vancouver waterfront, and its timed tickets mean weekend slots can sell out. It runs at Jack Poole Plaza from 16 November to 24 December 2026, and a single-entry ticket bought before 16 November costs from $8.71 with the booking fee, plus GST.
- [West End Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/west-end-farmers-market): The West End Farmers Market suits anyone staying in the West End or downtown on a Saturday, with more than 30 farms and producers on Comox Street. The 2026 season ends on 31 October, and parking nearby is scarce.
- [Whistler Farmers Market](https://northvanguide.com/markets/whistler-farmers-market): The Whistler Farmers Market suits summer visitors who want local produce and a market lunch in Whistler's Upper Village on a Sunday, and it closes for the winter. The 2026 season ran every Sunday from 17 May to 11 October, from 11 am to 4 pm, on the Upper Village Stroll at the base of Blackcomb Mountain.

## Shops and galleries for local work
- [Arthentic by Arts Whistler](https://northvanguide.com/shops/arthentic): Arthentic suits a Whistler visitor who wants a gift made in the Sea to Sky corridor, since Arts Whistler stocks it with local artists' work at its arts centre in the village. It opens only from Wednesday to Saturday afternoons, so it misses the Sunday crowd.
- [Audain Art Museum Shop](https://northvanguide.com/shops/audain-art-museum-shop): The Audain Art Museum Shop suits a skier's rest day in Whistler Village, with BC craft chosen by the Craft Council of BC a few minutes' walk from the lifts. It shares the museum's Thursday to Monday week, so Tuesday and Wednesday visitors find it closed.
- [Bill Reid Gallery Shop](https://northvanguide.com/shops/bill-reid-gallery-shop): The Bill Reid Gallery Shop suits a downtown visitor looking for Northwest Coast jewellery or a print with a named artist behind it, and you can walk in free without paying for the gallery. In winter it closes on Sundays and Mondays, which catches out weekend shoppers.
- [CityScape Community ArtSpace](https://northvanguide.com/shops/cityscape-community-artspace): CityScape Community ArtSpace suits visitors who want to see and buy work by North Vancouver's own artists, three blocks up Lonsdale from the SeaBus, and entry costs nothing. It opens only from Wednesday to Saturday, and the doors stay shut from Sunday to Tuesday.
- [Craft Council of BC Shop and Gallery](https://northvanguide.com/shops/craft-council-of-bc-shop): The Craft Council of BC's shop on Granville Island suits anyone who wants a piece by a working BC craft artist, since every one of its more than 100 consigners is a juried council member. It sits on quiet Cartwright Street away from the market crowds, so it's easy to walk past.
- [Ferry Building Gallery](https://northvanguide.com/shops/ferry-building-gallery): The Ferry Building Gallery suits a winter walk along the Ambleside waterfront, because its Great Gifts holiday sale fills the old ferry terminal with work by local artists each November and December. Outside the holiday sale it runs as an exhibition gallery.
- [Gallery of BC Ceramics](https://northvanguide.com/shops/gallery-of-bc-ceramics): The Gallery of BC Ceramics suits anyone after a mug or a bowl made by a BC potter, because the Potters Guild of BC stocks it with members' work and nothing else. Its hours aren't published online, so a visit works best as part of a wider Granville Island wander.
- [Giftworks](https://northvanguide.com/shops/giftworks): Giftworks suits a stop in Edgemont Village on the way to or from Grouse Mountain, with a corner shop full of BC-made pottery and art glass. It mixes local work with general gifts, so look at the labels if you want the handmade pieces.
- [Granville Island Broom Company](https://northvanguide.com/shops/granville-island-broom-company): Granville Island Broom Company suits anyone who wants a household tool made by hand on Granville Island, since the company makes every broom it sells. A full-size broom is awkward to fly home with, so think about shipping one if you're travelling light.
- [Juvelisto](https://northvanguide.com/shops/juvelisto): Juvelisto suits a Steveston day trip for anyone who wants jewellery made by the person behind the counter, since owner Sasha Shkolnik and her goldsmiths work in the open on Moncton Street. Custom pieces take time, so a visitor on a one-day trip ends up buying from the gallery cases.
- [MOA Shop](https://northvanguide.com/shops/moa-shop): The MOA Shop suits a visitor who wants Northwest Coast art or a book on it from a museum that names its artists, and the shop's Musqueam creators collection comes from the Nation whose land the museum stands on. The trade-off is the trip out to UBC, close to an hour by bus and on foot from downtown.
- [The Polygon Shop](https://northvanguide.com/shops/polygon-shop): The Polygon Shop suits anyone stepping off the SeaBus who wants a small gift made in Vancouver or North Vancouver, because it sits inside the by-donation Polygon Gallery a short walk from Lonsdale Quay. It keeps the gallery's Wednesday to Sunday week, so a Monday or Tuesday visit finds it closed.
- [The Regional Assembly of Text](https://northvanguide.com/shops/regional-assembly-of-text): The Regional Assembly of Text suits letter writers and anyone who wants a card or a notebook made in Vancouver, since the shop makes and assembles its own range on Main Street. It's a small shop in Riley Park, well south of the Mount Pleasant strip, so ride the bus up Main.
- [Seymour Art Gallery](https://northvanguide.com/shops/seymour-art-gallery): The Seymour Art Gallery's shop suits anyone in Deep Cove who wants a gift made by a North Shore hand, with work by more than 60 local artists a few steps from the water. The room is small and opens only Wednesday to Sunday, so plan it around a doughnut and a paddle.
- [Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Gallery and Gift Shop](https://northvanguide.com/shops/squamish-lilwat-cultural-centre-gift-shop): The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre's Gallery and Gift Shop suits anyone in Whistler who wants Indigenous art bought from the two Nations whose shared land the resort stands on. This winter the shop is a pop-up in the Longhouse while its own room is renovated, and from November to December the centre opens only Wednesday to Sunday.
- [The Squamish Store](https://northvanguide.com/shops/squamish-store): The Squamish Store suits anyone passing through Squamish by coach or car who wants something made in town, since it sits in the visitor centre where the YVR Skylynx and the Squamish Connector stop. It mixes local craft with branded souvenirs and trail snacks, so look for the makers' labels.

## Practical guides
- [Should you visit Capilano Suspension Bridge or Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/capilano-suspension-bridge-or-lynn-canyon): Capilano Suspension Bridge Park suits a first visit, because one ticket covers the higher bridge and the treetop walkways and its free shuttle runs from Canada Place. Lynn Canyon Park costs nothing to enter and gets you over the canyon and round a forest loop in about half an hour.
- [When does the Grouse Grind in North Vancouver open?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/when-does-the-grouse-grind-open): Grouse Mountain reopens the Grouse Grind on 11 November 2026, after Metro Vancouver's maintenance closure from 13 October to 10 November. A winter closure usually follows once snow and ice reach the steps.
- [Where should you start mountain biking on Vancouver's North Shore?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/where-to-start-mountain-biking-north-vancouver): New riders should head for Fisherman's Trail in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. If you handle blue trails at home, go to Mount Fromme, because the District of North Vancouver grades every named trail there.
- [Which hill on Vancouver's North Shore should you ride tonight?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/night-skiing-on-vancouvers-north-shore): Cypress Mountain lights the most terrain and keeps its chairs turning until 10 pm. Grouse Mountain is the one you reach by SeaBus and bus, and Mount Seymour suits learners and park riders.
- [Can you do Whistler in a day without a car?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/whistler-day-trip-without-a-car): Yes. In winter 2026/27 the coaches leave downtown Vancouver from 6:00 am, and the last ones home leave Whistler at 7:00 pm or later, for $42 to $44 return.
- [Do you need winter tires to drive to Whistler?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/winter-tires-to-whistler): Yes, from 1 October to 31 March on Highway 99 between Horseshoe Bay and Pemberton. Cypress Bowl Road in West Vancouver keeps the rule a month longer, to 30 April.
- [How do you get from YVR to North Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/yvr-to-north-vancouver): Ride the Canada Line to Waterfront and the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay for $11.60 on a weekday or $10.00 after 6:30 pm and at weekends. Take a taxi after the last Sunday boat or when the skis come too.
- [How do you plan the nights before and after a Vancouver cruise?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/vancouver-cruise-guide): Sleep within a walk or a SeaBus ride of Canada Place the night before you sail, and come in from YVR on the Canada Line. After you land, the park shuttle to the Capilano Suspension Bridge will hold your bags for the day.
- [Should you stay in North Vancouver or downtown Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/stay-in-north-vancouver-or-downtown-vancouver): Lower Lonsdale wins when your days point north to Grouse and the canyons, and the SeaBus that links it to downtown costs an adult $5.10 at most in 2026.
- [What can you do from Canada Place before all-aboard?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/canada-place-before-all-aboard): With two hours, stay on foot along the waterfront and in Gastown. Lonsdale Quay across the SeaBus fits in three, and the free park shuttle to the Capilano Suspension Bridge needs four.
- [What can you do on a rainy day in North Vancouver and Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/rainy-day-north-vancouver-and-vancouver): Ride the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay and a wet morning at the Polygon Gallery and MONOVA costs an adult $15 and a donation, with the Food Hall open until 9 pm.
- [Where should you base yourself on Vancouver's North Shore for a first visit?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/where-to-base-on-vancouvers-north-shore): Lower Lonsdale suits a first visit best, because its three hotels stand within about 400 metres of the SeaBus to downtown Vancouver.
- [Where should you take kids in North Vancouver and Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/guides/north-vancouver-and-vancouver-with-kids): A family of four paid $213.80 plus GST at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in 2026, so start with Lynn Canyon's free bridge if your kids walk on their own.

## Journal
- [How did the Capilano River and Lynn Creek cut North Vancouver's two canyons?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/capilano-and-lynn-canyons): Both canyons run through granite at the foot of the Coast Mountains. Lynn Creek still floods through its gorge every winter, and Cleveland Dam has held the Capilano back since 1954.
- [How do you spend a day on West Vancouver's Marine Drive between Ambleside and Horseshoe Bay?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/west-vancouver-along-marine-drive): Marine Drive follows West Vancouver's shore for about 15 km from Ambleside to the Horseshoe Bay ferries, and one bus route runs the whole way.
- [How does Vancouver's North Shore fit together between the mountains and the inlet?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/how-vancouvers-north-shore-fits-together): Every neighbourhood on Vancouver's North Shore sits on the same narrow shelf between Burrard Inlet and the mountains, and the rivers coming down off the slopes divide it into valleys. You cross it along the water and climb it up each valley.
- [Should you ski Whistler Blackcomb from North Vancouver as a day trip or stay the night?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/whistler-blackcomb-day-trip-or-overnight): A weekday day trip from Lonsdale Quay gives you about 11 hours in Whistler, starting with the 5:47 am SeaBus. One night in the Village turns that into two mountains, an evening and a second morning.
- [What can you do on Vancouver's North Shore mountains after dark?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/north-shore-hills-after-dark): All three local hills switch on their lights once the snow comes, and two of them give non-skiers a reason to ride up at night as well. Your ride home decides which one suits the evening.
- [What was the Burrard Dry Dock at the foot of Lonsdale, and what stands on the Shipyards now?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/the-shipyards-and-the-burrard-dry-dock): For most of the 20th century the foot of Lonsdale built ships. The City of North Vancouver kept the yard's frames, piers and one crane and built a public waterfront around them.
- [Where do you eat and drink in Deep Cove and on the Seymour side of North Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/eating-in-deep-cove-and-the-seymour-side): Deep Cove's kitchens line one short street above the water, and most of them close by late afternoon. Plan the day around a doughnut at 6 am and the last through bus at 5:45 pm.
- [Where should you eat and drink in Lower Lonsdale between the Quay and the Shipyards?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/lower-lonsdale-from-the-quay-to-the-shipyards): Lower Lonsdale packs most of its eating into the blocks between the SeaBus and 3rd Street, and every stop on this walk sits within about 800 metres of the boat.
- [Where should you sleep for a Sea to Sky day so you don't have to drive back to Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/sleeping-up-the-sea-to-sky): A night up the highway turns a ten-hour coach day into an evening by the mountains and a lie-in. The coaches still decide how you get home, so book the bed and the seat together.
- [Why spend the night on Vancouver's North Shore instead of downtown Vancouver?](https://northvanguide.com/journal/a-night-on-vancouvers-north-shore): A bed on Vancouver's North Shore puts you at the foot of the mountains before the day-trippers cross the water. You pay for it in choice, since North Vancouver's waterfront has three hotels.

## Tools
- [Map](https://northvanguide.com/map): Interactive map of every place on the site
- [Plan](https://northvanguide.com/plan): Trip planner that builds a day-by-day plan from the places on this site

## Cycling
- [Cycling](https://northvanguide.com/cycling): The cycling hub: routes with GPX, ride days, bike rental and the riding climate
- [Rentals](https://northvanguide.com/cycling/rentals): Bike rental and repair shops, with fleets and day prices
- [Climate](https://northvanguide.com/cycling/climate): Monthly climate normals read for riders, with the wind and rain at each station

## Site
- [About and method](https://northvanguide.com/about): Who writes North Van Guide and where its facts come from.
- [Disclosures](https://northvanguide.com/disclosures): Which links are paid and how the site earns.
- [Credits](https://northvanguide.com/credits): Photographers and data sources, with their licences.
- [Full content](https://northvanguide.com/llms-full.txt): Every page's text and data in one plain-text file.

## For AI assistants
- [For AI assistants](https://northvanguide.com/mcp): How to add the North Van Guide MCP server to Claude, ChatGPT or another client.
- [MCP server](https://northvanguide.com/api/mcp): Model Context Protocol endpoint (Streamable HTTP, POST, no authentication) with the tools search_places, get_place, find_nearby, get_climate, get_connections, find_routes, get_route, get_resort, get_runs, compare_resorts, find_resorts, get_alerts and get_zone. Every result links back to a page on this site.