Off The Beaten Path: Vancouver's Best Kept Secrets

Every city has its secret places that the locals love and the tourists rarely see. Here is a guide to some to the best and most beautiful places to visit in Vancouver that give visitors a deeper look into its life and culture.

Vancouver Art Gallery

Art Gallery, Museum

The fifth largest art gallery in Canada, the Vancouver Art Gallery is dedicated to sharing works of art by Canadian artists with the public. The museum holds over 10,000 works in its permanent collection with an abundant number for regional artists. The museum has been expanded several times since its conception in order to incorporate more works and space for the many traveling exhibits that pass through its halls. It is open to the public from 10am to 5pm daily.

Yaletown Brewing Company

Bar, Pub

A lively tavern-style bar, Yaletown Brewing Company has been the vision of a true neighborhood pub since its opening in 1994. The brewery features rotating taps of its house brews and holds weekly batch testings of the new brews. Guests can sit down, relax with a group of friends, and get a taste of the flavors of Vancouver. Open Sunday to Wednesday 11:30am to 12am, Thursday 11:30am-1am, Friday and Saturday 11:30am to 3am.

Lighthouse Park

Forest, Park

Covering approximately 190 acres in West Vancouver, Lighthouse Park is a gorgeous get away from the city. This temperate rainforests is the home of many trees that are over 500 years old and stand 200 feet tall. Visitors to the park can explore the many trails that wind their way through the forest or visit the one hundred year old Point Atkinson lighthouse, a National Historic Site of Canada.

Savary Island Pie Company

Bakery

The sweet aroma of delicious fresh baked pies fills this place and makes mouths water for a crisp bite topped with vanilla ice cream. Savary Island Pie Company passionately creates various different pies each day, from apple to strawberry rhubarb, in addition to their selection of bread and ginger beer. The bakery has been named in Vancouver Magazine’s list of ‘10 Best Desserts,’ making this an ideal stop to experience some of the flavors of the city. Open 6am to 7pm daily.

Granville Bridge

There are many beautiful parks and places in Vancouver that offer awe-inspiring views of the city’s landscape, but none of those spots compare to the view from the Granville Bridge. The bridge is comprised of three individual bridges built from 1889 to 1954, and includes an area for pedestrians and bikers for cross safely. It crosses over False Creek and Granville Island, and is a great detour to take after or before a trip to the Granville Island Public Market.