Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver travel guide

Mountains, ocean and the best Asian food in North America

Find flights to Vancouver See fares from $89

Airports: YVR Vancouver International Airport
Region: Canada
Best time to visit: June–September is dry and warm — the best time for the seawall, beaches and hiking.
Shortest flight: 1h from Seattle
Round trips from: $89 (live)
Time zone: America/Vancouver

About Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver is a peninsula ringed by the seawall: Stanley Park's 1,000 acres at the tip, Coal Harbour's marinas, Gastown's cobblestones and the Granville Island public market across False Creek. Kitsilano's beaches and Commercial Drive's cafés are a short bus ride; the North Shore's mountains (Grouse, Capilano suspension bridge) are 20 minutes away.

Getting in: YVR's Canada Line SkyTrain reaches downtown in 25 minutes (about C$9–$11 including the airport surcharge). Taxis charge flat zone fares of C$35–$45 to downtown. US citizens need only a valid passport. Flying home, US Preclearance at YVR means you clear US immigration before boarding — allow extra time.

Stay downtown or Coal Harbour for the seawall, Yaletown for restaurants, Kitsilano for a beach-neighborhood base or Gastown for nightlife. Sushi, ramen and dim sum are exceptional and reasonably priced (C$15–$25); Granville Island's market is the lunch stop. Tip 15–18%.

Best time to visit

June–September is dry and warm — the best time for the seawall, beaches and hiking. December–March is ski season for Whistler and the North Shore; spring and fall are wet but cheap.

Where to stay

Neighborhoods our travelers like: Downtown / Coal Harbour, Gastown, Yaletown, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant.

Flights to Vancouver: typical round-trip fares

What economy round trips to YVR usually cost from major US cities, alongside the lowest live fare we can see in the next 90 days. Prices are per traveler and include taxes.

From	Flight time	Typical fare	Lowest live fare	Actions
Seattle (SEA)	1h	$178	$89 · Tue, Sep 22	Search dates →
Los Angeles (LAX)	3h	$228	$127 · Tue, Oct 13	Search dates →
San Francisco (SFO)	2h 25m	$238	$105 · Wed, Oct 14	Search dates →
Denver (DEN)	3h 10m	$298	$126 · Wed, Oct 7	Search dates →
New York (JFK)	6h 10m	$398	$170 · Tue, Oct 13	Search dates →
Chicago (ORD)	4h 40m	$378	$179 · Tue, Nov 10	Search dates →

Typical fares are editorial estimates for economy round trips booked 3–8 weeks out. Live fares refresh several times a day and are shown for the cheapest departure date we found.

Airports in Vancouver

Vancouver International Airport (YVR)Vancouver · Large hubYVR

What to do in Vancouver

The places our editors send first-time visitors.

1
Stanley Park seawall
A 5.5-mile bike loop past totem poles, beaches and views of the Lions Gate Bridge; rent bikes at the park entrance.
2
Granville Island
A public market of produce, seafood and bakeries under the bridge, plus artisan studios and a brewery.
3
Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain
The 450-foot bridge through rainforest, then the Grouse Grind hike or skyride for city views.
4
Whistler
Two hours north on the Sea-to-Sky Highway: North America's largest ski area, and hiking and biking in summer.
5
Richmond's night market and dim sum
The city's Asian food capital, 15 minutes south on the Canada Line.

Vancouver weather by season

Average highs and lows in °F, with what each season means for fares and crowds.

Winter

44° / 35°

Rainy and mild; snow in the mountains.

Spring

57° / 44°

Cherry blossoms in April; still showery.

Summer

73° / 57°

Dry, sunny, long evenings — peak season.

Fall

57° / 46°

Crisp September, rain from October.

Travel tips for Vancouver

Take the Canada Line from the airport — 25 minutes and cheaper than any taxi.
Allow 3 hours at YVR for the flight home because of US Preclearance.
Pack a rain jacket from October to April; showers are constant but rarely heavy.
Whistler shuttles (Skylynx, YVR Whistler Express) leave straight from the airport.
Tap a credit card on buses and SkyTrain; no ticket needed.