11 Instagram Spots in Vancouver, Canada

Heading to Vancouver? Be prepared for one of the most adventurous photography spots and picturesque cities that Canada has to offer. Vancouver and the West Coast of Canada offer some of the best hikes, scenery, and all-around outdoor activities, you could ask for your travelgram. There are lots of Instagram spots in Vancouver.

Vancouver is one of the best place to visit in Canada. This city is surrounded by backdrop mountain and urban beaches. Vancouver is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This city is famous for it’s rich cultural heritage. By the way, thanks to the huge influence of Chinese back in the 90’s, Vancouver’s Chinatown is considered to be one of the TOP 5 in the WORLD for Chinese food, if not the best.

These are places where, no matter what angle you shoot or what street you end up on, you’re probably going to have really good pictures. Vancouver is an animated fusion of cultures and cuisines of Asia. There is a lively counter cultural activity from a popular nudist beach to the political headquarters of the Marijuana Party and with the Bustling Asian neighborhoods.

If you are looking for a place to enjoy bustling city life and also the beauty of nature, you do not have to look further from Vancouver. It boasts of a rich culture and great food. Vancouver also hosts cultural events including theatrical events, festivals, live music.

When it comes to the natural wonders of the city, you would definitely be mesmerized by mountains, rain-forests, beaches, amidst the skyscrapers and steely structures. You would have a great time outdoors trying out sports like mountain biking, skiing, biking, kayaking and relaxing.

If you are looking for specific things to do and places to visit to add to your itinerary, Stanley Park, Vancouver Aquarium, Chinatown, English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park, VanDusen Botanical Garden, are few of the places that you should definitely see while visiting Vancouver.

Canada is a country with large populations of diverse wildlife. Imagine the excitement of seeing a grizzly or black bear in their natural habitat. The best place to see them is around the Vancouver Island area, the Queen Charlotte Islands, and into the North of British Columbia. Whale watching is best around Vancouver in British Columbia, Tadoussac in Quebec and the Cape Bretton Highlands in Nova Scotia.

This place is gorgeous! If you are into nature, wildlife, hiking, kayaking, boating then come here! Vancouver is an absolutely stunning city. It is very multicultural and is surrounded by forests and large mountains. You could go walking in Vancouver’s Chinatown and then you could go hiking on Whistler or Grouse mountain in the same afternoon.

Here are the top things to do in Vancouver area in no particular order:

1. Granville Island

There are several places to eat in Vancouver where you can find restaurants, each with its own style and characteristics. It is almost impossible to take a horrible photo in Granville Island. There are spectacular (and immediate) views of the city, beautiful food and fresh produce at Granville Island Market, picturesque alleys, craft shops and the adorable Aquabus water ferry.

And, smaller, more hidden and more special, we always have the Granville Island. There we have a very bohemian, calm atmosphere that we could almost call hippy. Within the local market, with excellent products, we can find food stands that offer more elaborate things than the usual food court in a much more welcoming environment than the usual impersonal shopping centers.

In Granville Island there is also a brewery that we can visit and where we can also participate in tastings. Granville Island is located just south of downtown Vancouver, below the Granville Street Bridge. You can get to Granville Island by bus, Aquabus (which will take you through False Creek from Yaletown), on foot or by bike or by car.

Getting in touch with nature is one of the best things about travel and a lot of the time, it’s the peace and quiet that people love about it. If you love nature but you are still looking for thrills, you can get a great combination of the two in the Instagram spots in Vancouver. Vancouver is the birthplace of mountain biking, one of the best ways to get up close and personal with nature.

There are plenty of motorbiking trails through some of the most beautiful national parks in the world where you will find incredible views and plenty of wildlife. Some of the biking trails are pretty advanced but there are plenty of great routes for beginners as well. Biking is great, but you can also experience the great national parks from above on a wild zipline.

2. Capilano Suspension Bridge

Do you recall seeing the suspension bridge fading into the fog in a dense rain-forest? This place is magical and I would recommend going on a rainy day, in the early morning when it opens or be one of the last people to leave when it closes. The cost is a bit pricey for adults and if you are just going to see the suspension bridge over Lynn gorge, but makes it worthwhile if you go to the tree top walks. It is an extremely popular Instagram spot in Canada so be strategic when you go.

3. Cypress Mountain

Saint Marks Summit is a popular hike that only takes a morning, 4-5 hours round trip. The views are spectacular of the Howe Sound and the islands. You will see the trail head starts at Cypress Mountain, from here go to the beginning of Lion's Express chairlift and take the Howe Sound Crest Trail.

Follow the trail head markers, you will follow the ones for the Howe Sound Crest Trail and The Lions rather than it actually saying St. Mark’s Summit at St. Mark’s comes first. Another indicator for the trail is Bowen Lookout. Take your time at the top to soak it all in.

Drive up the mountain and at about half way up you get to the lookout point. You can take it the stunning city of Vancouver from high up and watch the clouds move below you. Type in Cypress Mountain in your Google Maps or GPS and it's located in West Vancouver. No hiking here, this is just for a photographic opportunity.

4. Burrard Inlet

It is otherwise known for the West Vancouver lighthouse. Take Marine Drive West and take a left onto Beacon Lane into Lighthouse Park. This is a great spot for a quick nature fix and only an hour or less walk round trip. This is an extremely photogenic spot so it is a great place to photograph the sunrise or the sunset.

Continue further down Marine Drive to this incredible beach location located near Horseshoe Bay Ferry terminal. There's a small island called Whyte Islet, and it's a photographer's dream location during sunset.

5. Stanley Park

Stanley Park is often known as a strong competitor to New York’s Central Park amongst Canadians. This park features an extensive amount of old forest growth, Aboriginal village sites, and a rose garden. All of these make for a great walking area any time of day. You can also stop by the park’s beachfront and visit the local Pacific dolphins and sea lions.

Additionally, the park has great cycling paths for those who love biking and there are even bike rental stores located around the park. If you are looking to see the whole park, cycling is your best bet because it’s a lot to cover on foot. On a sunny day one of the best things to do in Vancouver is to run around the Stanley Park Seawall which is approximately around 8.5 km. It takes about 2 hours to complete the loop.

6. Siwash Rock

If you are limited with time, go to Siwash Rock. Siwash Rock is the incredible island rock formation that is located on the North Western side of Stanley Park. You can get there without doing the entire Seawall perimeter walk by driving just past Prospect Point lookout and before or around Third Beach parking lots.

7. Grouse Grind

How fast can you go?! This is a popular hike used by all fitness levels. The hike consists of wooden stairs up alongside Grouse Mountain. The way up will take between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the length of your breaks and fitness level. Ensure you bring your wallet, debit/credit, cash to buy lunch, snacks or beer at the top where the gondola is at.

Take a bottle of water as well. On the way down you have 2 options to go down the east side trail (not the stairs) or the gondola. This hike takes 2-3 hours round trip or 1.5 hours with the gondola down. The record on the way up is 23:48 min and the record number of ascents in one day is 16, but doing it once is okay too.

8. Kitsilano Beach

While in Vancouver, visit Kitsilano Beach. It's one of the most popular beaches and park locations year-round and it is an ideal location to relax for the day. Kitslano Beach has all of the amenities you could ask for including restaurants, coffee shops, walking paths, and even a swimming pool for a low cost if the ocean is too cold for you.

9. Gastown

For those true city-lovers, stopping by Vancouver’s Gastown is a must. This trendy neighborhood is named after a historical figure called “Gassy Jack.” Gastown was Canada’s third-largest city in 1867 and was known for its prominent role in the lumber industry. The neighborhood has kept its historical charm and is highly sought after by young locals.

It is home to some of Canada’s most appealing architectural buildings: chic apartment lofts, European restaurants, cocktail bars, and adorable boutiques. For those food lovers, some of the favorite local spots include: MeeT in Gastown, L'Abattoir Restaurant, and Water St. Cafe but most places in this area are great!

One of the best places to visit in Vancouver is the Gastown which is one of the oldest part of Canada. Where you will get to see the historical buildings with stunning architecture. Also you can visit to Steam Clock which is major Instagram spot to visit in this city.

10. Museum of Anthropology

Vancouver is an underrated destination-city as it has all the cultural elements you could ask for. One of the best places to go when you first visit the city is the Museum of Anthropology. This museum allows you to easily get acquainted with the city and gives you a great baseline understanding of Vancouver.

The museum highlights Vancouver’s 10,000-year history and features a mosaic of Aboriginal work (both ancient and contemporary). The artwork perfectly displays the city’s roots and relationship with the global community. Additionally, the museum is located on the University of British Columbia's campus and overlooks the Burrard Inlet. So the experience is very scenic as well.

11. Spanish Banks Beach

Spanish Banks Beach Park is near UBC and it offers some of the best conditions for skimboarding you could ask for. Low tides create large shallow pools perfect for skimboarding or even just beach walks. I recommend visiting this Instagram spot in Canada during all times of the day, but especially sunset due to its west facing location.