Sustainable Things to Do
One of the most visibly sustainable things about Vancouver is the amount of green space. The highlight is Stanley Park, a 405-hectare (1001-acre) public park next to downtown. You can wander the trails in the forested interior, or follow the popular Seawall path on foot or by bike around the perimeter for great views of the ocean, mountains, and city.
Stanley Park Seawall. Photo: Tourism Vancouver / Nelson Mouellic
Learn more about the local flora and fauna with a stop at the Stanley Park Nature House. Run by volunteers from the Stanley Park Ecology Society, the nature house features displays that explain the diverse Stanley Park ecosystem that continues to thrive in this urban area.
Another great way to learn about the park is on a walking tour with Talasay Tours. You’ll walk the trails with your Indigenous guide to learn about how Indigenous people use the land for food, medicine, and technology.
Candace Campo from Talaysay Walking Indigenous Tours conducts a tour in Stanley Park. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Kindred & Scout
You’ll also find the Vancouver Aquarium inside Stanley Park. The aquarium is the headquarters of Ocean Wise, an environmental charity that advocates for conservation through initiatives around climate change, ocean pollution, and fighting overfishing by promoting sustainable seafood.
A sea otter at Vancouver Aquarium. Photo: Vancouver Aquarium
If you want to connect with Vancouver’s marine animals in the wild, sign up for a conservation-focused whale watching tour. Local tour companies emphasize education, conservation, and responsible viewing. Some operators also donate a portion of their proceeds to local conservation organizations.
Orcas. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Prince of Whales Whale Watching
Vancouver is also a place to shop sustainably. Visit the artisan boutiques on Granville Island to find locally made jewelry, home goods, art, and food. Or stop into one of the city’s eight farmer’s markets to browse the stalls for locally grown produce, artisan crafts, and more. Our city also has several zero-waste stores. The Source Bulk Foods sells bulk groceries by weight – just bring your own bags and containers. Or head to The Soap Dispensary to refill your containers with household cleaners and kitchen items.
Photo: The Soap Dispensary
Sustainable Ways to Get Around Town
With a dense downtown core, Vancouver is a great place to explore on foot. You can walk along the cobbled streets of Gastown, browse the shops in Chinatown, or stroll along the waterfront in Coal Harbour.
Walking around Gastown. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic
If you want to go a little faster, grab a bike and explore on two wheels. There are bike rental shops scattered around downtown Vancouver and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Or try out Mobi, the city’s bike share program. The system includes thousands of bikes at hundreds of docking stations throughout the city. Popular (and scenic) places to ride include the iconic Stanley Park Seawall, the oceanfront paths at Kitsilano and Jericho Beaches, and the bike paths along False Creek that take you past landmarks like Science World, the Olympic Village, and Granville Island.
Biking along the oceanfront in Kitsilano on Mobi bike share bikes. Photo: David Niddrie/Mobi Bikes
Vancouver also has an extensive and easy-to-use public transit system. Three SkyTrain lines crisscross the city and surrounding area. In most places, the track is elevated, which gives you great views of the North Shore Mountains and city skyline. The SkyTrain connects with a robust bus system and the SeaBus, a pedestrian and bike-friendly water shuttle that crosses Burrard Inlet dozens of times a day. Use Translink’s trip planner tool to find the best route to your destination.
The Canada Line SkyTrain crossing a bridge with views of the North Shore Mountains in Vancouver; Destination BC/Albert Normandin
Sustainable Restaurants
Vancouver has embraced the local food movement and is home to several renowned farm-to-table restaurants. Burdock & Co in the Main Street neighbourhood recently received one Michelin star. Helmed by chef and owner Andrea Carlson, their menu revolves around the changing seasons and highlights locally produced food. Forage in downtown Vancouver serves up dishes with ingredients sourced from local fishers, foragers, and farmers.
Local and sustainable food at Forage. Photo: Forage/Nora Hamade
Our city also has a huge vegan and vegetarian food scene. The options run the gamut from locavore-style vegetarian fine dining at The Acorn to MeeT, a casual vegan burger joint. You can find plant-based cuisine from around the world in Vancouver. Try vegan pizza at Virtuous Pie, plant-based Middle Eastern food at Chickpea, vegetarian tacos at The Burrow, and vegan sushi at MILA.
Plant-based sushi at MILA. Photo: MILA/Hakan Burcuoglu
Sustainable Places to Stay
Many of Vancouver’s hotels have embraced sustainability. The Fairmont Waterfront in the Coal Harbour neighbourhood is a certified 5 Green Key Hotel. They are committed to reducing waste, serve Ocean Wise sustainable seafood, and have a rooftop garden where they harvest their own herbs, fruit, vegetables, and honey.
Roof top garden and bee hives at the Fairmont Waterfront. Photo: Fairmont Waterfront.
The Listel Hotel in the West End is also 5 Green Key certified and prides itself on minimizing the property’s environmental impact through the use of solar panels, a heat capture system, water reduction measures, and air quality programs. They boast that they have been 100% Zero Waste since August 2011.
Solar panels on the roof of the Listel Hotel. Photo: Listel Hotel
Or stay at Skwachàys Lodge, an Indigenous-owned boutique hotel in the heart of downtown. The business uses a unique social enterprise model that combines a hotel with on-site housing and studio space for Indigenous artists. Each room features unique Indigenous art.
The Forest Spirits room at Skwachays Lodge designed by Indigenous artist Jerry Whitehead. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Skwachays Lodge/Craig Minielly at Aura Photographics