How to Spend 4 Unforgettable Days in Vancouver in Winter (Mountains, Forests, Breweries)

Are you considering visiting Vancouver in the Winter but have no idea what there is to do!?

I’ve got you covered! My husband Dave and I have lived in Vancouver since Winter of 2021 so we have now had a lot of experience finding things to do. If you already know us, you’ll that we love getting outside and exploring the beautiful mountains, forests and ocean sides in Vancouver but also love a good patio and a cocktail.

This 4 day Vancouver Winter Itinerary is packed full of both city exploration and the outdoors because that is what Vancouver is in a nutshell. I also cover any burning questions you may have about Winter in Vancouver such as how often it rains, what the temperature is like and how long you should spend there.

If you have any additional questions that aren’t already answered in this guide, I would love it if you would leave a comment asking them and I will do my best to help.

Tips for Visiting Vancouver in Winter

📍 Map and Snapshot of the 4 Day Itinerary

Open the map in Google Maps here!

🚎 How to get around Vancouver

A rental car would be useful for this itinerary but you can also make use of the public transit system for almost all of the locations in this guide. Vancouver public transport is not bad! 😉 The sidewalks sometimes get slippery if the temperatures drop but usually there is a lot of salt and gravel placed down to save you from slipping.

👉 Tip: For the best car rental prices, I like to use rentalcars.com

☂ What will the weather be like in Vancouver in Winter

I’m not going to sugar coat it. Vancouver lives up to its name “Raincouver” in Winter but don’t let that stop you from getting out and exploring! There are plenty of things to do in Vancouver in the rain including rainy day hikes, heading up to the local mountains where it will be snowing instead of raining, and chilling out at the breweries.

The temperatures in Winter usually hover around a low of 3 degrees Celsius (37.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and a high of 8 degrees Celsius (46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). It does get colder than this some days in the city and is always colder up in the mountains so you will need to pack pretty warm clothes and snow gear.

🛌 Visiting Vancouver soon and wondering where to stay? Here are the best areas to stay in!

🧳 What to Pack for Winter in Vancouver

• Fleece
• Merino baselayers
• Waterproof boots
• Winter socks
• Umbrella
• Rain jacket
• Snow gear (if heading to the mountains)
• Fleece leggings
• Beanie
• Gloves
• Neck warmer
• Micro spikes

4 Day Vancouver Winter Itinerary

Day 1: Waterfront Wandering and Shopping

Morning: Arrive in Vancouver & wander down to the Seawall

Once you have arrived and checked into your hotel, get on your warm weather gear and go for a walk down to the Seawall. There are a couple of different spots that you could check out. One of these is Coal Harbour, where you will have stunning views of the North Shore Mountains (if it is clear enough). I love this spot because… well… I just love seeing mountains.

The other option is to head over to English Bay, which is essentially across the other side of the city where you will find views looking out to English Bay and Kitsilano.

You can walk along the Seawall at both of these places, breathe in that fresh Vancouver air and soak up the views.

Afternoon: Patio and shopping

Once you have had enough cold air, you could head over to one of the lovely patios for a hot drink or sneaky wine or cocktail. At English Bay, I recommend Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant and Brewclub and at Coal Harbour, you could go to Lift Bar Grill View, Downtown Vancouver or Cactus Club Cafe.

If you want to end your afternoon with a little retail therapy, there are some great shopping spots in Downtown Vancouver. You could check out:

• Robson Street
• Pacific Centre Mall
• Gastown

Evening: Dinner and Cocktails

End your first night in Vancouver with dinner and cocktails at either Glowbal Restaurant, Nightingale or Tacofino.

Some alternative spa options in Vancouver are:

• Circle Wellness (Granville Island)
• Tality Wellness (North Vancouver, Mount Pleasant)
• Under the Rose Sauna Club (Vancouver)
• Gatherwell in North Vancouver (Mosquito Creek and Ambleside)

Evening: Dinner at Joey’s

Joey’s is one of our favourite restaurants because the food is ALWAYS INCREDIBLE but especially the Shipyards one because we love walking along the water looking out at the views of the city. If going to the Burrard Joey’s makes more send though, it’s still good I promise!

Try the Szechuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps and the Blackened Chicken. They are both SO good!

Before dinner, try to get to the Shipyards before the sun sets so that you can enjoy walking along the water and can get some photos of the view. In Winter, there is a pop up ice skating rink located right next to Joey’s. If you have your own skates you can go on it for free, but it does get super busy.

Afternoon: Visit Granville Island Public Market and/or go on a rainy day hike in a gorgeous forest

Depending on what you feel like doing, you could go check out Granville Island Public Market where you will find lots of stalls full of fresh BC produce and lovely things made by artisans.

Or you could go for a hike in a lush green forest. My favourite forest to hike in, especially on a rainy day is Lynn Canyon. The Lynn Canyon Loop is located in North Vancouver and is around 20-25 minutes drive from Downtown Vancouver.

The trail is 2.6km / 1.6 miles and will take you around 45 mins – 1 hour. You will hike over a small suspension bridge and past waterfalls and a river. It’s a gorgeous trail.

Alternatively, you could visit Capilano Suspension Bridge Park which also offers a beautiful forest trail, as well as a giant suspension bridge to walk across and a tree top adventure. If you visit during the festive season from Halloween to February, you will also have the added bonus of hundreds of fairy lights lighting your way through the forest. It truly is magical and one of my favourite things to do in Vancouver during Christmas.

Tip: The Capilano Suspension Bridge ticket comes with a free bus from Downtown Vancouver to the park.

👉 Book your timeslot at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park well ahead of time so that you don’t miss out!

Evening: Dinner in Lower Lonsdale

If you are already in North Vancouver, you could have dinner in Lower Lonsdale again, or catch the Sea Bus back over to Downtown Vancouver. If you are at Granville Island, you could easily eat your way through the delicious stalls.

Day 4: Explore Whistler or the Local Mountains

Morning: Day trip to Whistler or hike on a local Vancouver mountain

You can’t come to British Columbia without taking a trip out to the famous Whistler! Whether you want to ski or snowboard, or just visit for the vibes and frolic in the snow, it’s a super fun place to visit in the Winter!

You could rent a car, or join this tour which takes you on a day trip from Vancouver to Whistler and takes care of all of the details for you. Not only do you see Whistler, but your tour guide will take you to some of our favourite stops along the way! Highly recommend! 😉

👉 Book your Day Trip from Vancouver to Whistler here!

If you would prefer to stay in Vancouver for the day, you could head up to one of the local mountains for a hike. I can recommend Dog Mountain on Mount Seymour, if you want something a little easier or Hollyburn Peak on Cypress Mountain for a bit of a tougher hike. Both of these trails have absolutely incredible views so you can’t go wrong with either.

🥾 Tip: If you are hiking in the snow, make sure to get a pair of micro spikes to stop yourself from slipping around. These slip over the bottom of your hiking boots and have little spikes on them for grip on the snow and ice.

Afternoon: Visit a Brewery

There’s no better reward after a hike in the snow than a brewery chill out session. Vancouver has an abundance of breweries but some that we really like are:

• Beere – North Vancouver – great patio on a sunny day
• Steamworks Brewpub – located right next to Harbour Centre Tower so very convenient for your next activity.
• Backcountry Brewing – Squamish – if you are spending the day in Whistler, try to stop at Backcountry on the way back to Vancouver. We are always here in Summer after hiking in the mountains. They also have great pizza.

Evening: Sunset at Vancouver Lookout (Harbour Centre Tower)

Harbour Centre Tower is home to Vancouver Lookout, a great place to watch the sunset from. From the lookout you will have 360 degree views of Stanley Park, the North Shore and mountains, and Downtown Vancouver.

👉 Book your Vancouver Lookout Ticket here: $19.95

Frequently asked questions

How many days to spend in Vancouver in Winter?

Personally, I think 4 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Vancouver in Winter. I do also recommend getting out of the city for a couple of days and spending it in Whistler. If it’s not on your list already, you could also visit Banff and Golden in Winter because they are both gorgeous covered in snow!

Is Vancouver worth visiting in Winter?

Vancouver has the best of both worlds when it comes to Winter. You can manage to avoid the snow while you are down in the city (although the rain will get you instead) and then you can head up to the local mountains to go skiing and snowboarding and Winter hiking.

I love Vancouver in Winter, but I would definitely prefer if it snowed more often down in the city. I think Vancouver is worth visiting in Winter because there is plenty to do and lots to see both in the city and nearby.

What is the temperature in Vancouver in Winter?

Vancouver’s average Winter temperatures hover around a low of 3 degrees Celsius (37.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and a high of 8 degrees Celsius (46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). If you go up to the local mountains, it will usually be colder then 0 degrees C.

Is Vancouver a good place to spend Christmas?

There are lots of Christmassy things to do in Vancouver during the festive season like Capilano Suspension Bridge plus loads of other magical Christmas Light displays, so it can definitely be a nice place to spend Christmas. However, if you are wanting a white Christmas, I would recommend spending Christmas in Whistler, Banff or Golden as snow is not guaranteed down in the city in Vancouver.