Family Friendly Activities In Vancouver

With surrounding mountains, fresh ocean breezes, and countless green spaces, one can easily see why Vancouver is one of the most family friendly cities in Canada. The city has the warmest winters in the country which makes it the perfect spot for families (especially those with older kids) to visit.

Family fun in Vancouver. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Hubert Kang

Whether your family is into exploring a modern city, enjoying culinary experiences, or spending time in nature, you’re sure to find lots of family friendly activities in Vancouver.

Hike To The Top Of Quarry Rock

View from the top of Quarry Rock. Photo credit: Debbie Fettback

By: Debbie Fettback, worldadventurists.com

Deep Cove has a small-town vibe in the middle of a big city. It is very peaceful early in the morning, with the breathtaking scenery mirrored atop the still water, and only a few people in sight. Deep Cove is home to world-class recreation opportunities to hike, go for a paddle or sail up Indian Arm and shop in the village. Many of those around early are finding their way to the starting point of the Quarry Rock hike.

Quarry Rock is a 3.7km heavily trafficked out and back trail near North Vancouver’s picturesque Deep Cove. Known as one of the most scenic hikes in the Vancouver area, at the top you are treated to one of the best views of Indian Arm, and the mountains around Belcarra. The Indian Arm is a steep-sided 20km glacial fjord that was formed during the last ice age, creating one of the most scenic wilderness areas around Vancouver.

The Quarry Rock trail is also part of the easternmost section of the famed Baden-Powel trail that takes you across the North Shore to Horseshoe Bay, covering almost 50km. Featuring a great forest setting, the trail takes you through Douglas Fir and Hemlock trees, across small creeks from mountain run off, and over a few bridges and wooden stairs. The hike is perfect for all skill levels.

On a clear day, the top of Quarry Rock is a great place to take some time to relax, enjoy a picnic watching the boats below and the scenery around you.

Don’t forget to reward yourself after the hike with a stop at Honey Doughnuts & Goodies. Their maple doughnuts are to die for. Expect to stand in a line to get your hands on some.

Important to note: Parking is limited in Deep Cove, so arrive early.

Take A Gastown Food Tour

Food tour. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Destination Canada (CTC)

By: Daniel, destinationlesstravel.com

Vancouver is well known as a culinary destination home to a huge mix of cultures and cuisine. Let’s face it, any place with such a diverse culture should be explored with food in mind and the best way to do that is on a Vancouver food tour. Sure, you could head off on your own and let your nose direct you but you’ll likely miss the best places unknown to tourists.

On a Vancouver food tour, your local guide will take you around the city to the best places. You’ll try food from many different cultures from around the world but the one thing they’ll share is their fame in the local food scene. The best part is it’s the perfect tour for all ages and a great way to get the kids to try something new.



The best Vancouver food tours take visitors to Gastown – which itself is an awesome place to explore. This historic part of town is one of the trendiest places in the city and on top of enjoying the best bites your guide will also explain lots about the history of the area and point out attractions to visit once the tour ends. It’s a great introduction to the area and the best part? You’ll leave with a full belly.

Vancouver food tours typically last for 3 hours and visit 5 restaurants/cafes. All the food is included and tours start at only $70 and they usually have discounts for teenagers and kids! Seriously, who would have thought Vancouver would be one the cheapest places I have ever done a food tour?

Visit Stanley Park

Seawall at Siwash Rock. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Destination Canada (CTC)

By: Lotte Eschbach, phenomenalglobe.com

Named one of the top parks in the world by TripAdvisor, Stanley Park is a must visit on any Vancouver itinerary. This park is the largest green space in Vancouver and a great place to visit with older teens. The 9-kilometer Sea Wall that leads around the Park can be walked or cycled, something active families will definitely enjoy doing together. Along the way there are many interesting stops, such as:

• Siwash Rock: a 15-meter-tall rock on the west side of Stanley Park that is also known by its Squamish name ‘Skalsh’.
• Lions Gate Bridge: the impressive suspension bridge connecting Downtown Vancouver to Burrard Inlet (North Vancouver).
• Inukshuk: Inukshuk translates into ‘the likeliness of a human’ from the Inuit language and this prominent monument made from large rocks and boulders does indeed clearly resemble a huge human shaped figure. Inuit people used Inukshuk for navigation purposes or to mark important locations such as a burial ground.
• A-maze-ing Laughter Statue: it’s creator Yue Minjun wanted to put a smile on the face of anyone who saw this statue and he very much succeeded. Even if your teens aren’t into art, they will surely like these fun statues and taking fun selfies with them.

Stanley park is open 365 days a year and can be accessed from 6 am to 10pm. While there is no perfect time to visit Stanley Park, autumn is my personal favorite. In September and October, the summer crowds have left and the leaves are turning, making all the different types of trees with their vivid colors an even prettier sight.

Enjoy The Sunset At The Bowen Lookout

Sunset at Bowen Lookout. Photo credit: Luke Storey

By: Luke Storey/Roxy Savage, wildaboutbc.com

Vancouver is lucky to be home to incredible mountain scenery, and some of the best views you can get are from Bowen Lookout which is up at Cypress Mountain. One of the best things about this lookout is that it’s a very short and easy hike which means it’s a good one for families. You shouldn’t hear too many complaints of tired legs and sore feet as it is just over 4 kilometres round trip, has very little elevation gain and should only take about 1.5 hours.

You’ll follow a scenic trail through the forest before starting a brief climb up through the trees to reach Bowen Lookout. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted with sensational views over Howe Sound, Bowen Island and over to the Sunshine Coast. There’s a large viewing platform so you’ll find plenty of space to sit and admire the view, even with other people around.



Like most viewpoints, sunset is a great time to come as the golden light makes everything look even prettier. Another bonus of coming at sunset, during the summer, is that there’s a good chance of seeing black bears walking across the empty ski runs. They are very active in the evening and are usually quite easy to spot from a distance. It’s a very cool experience to see these amazing wild animals from a safe distance at the base of the ski hill.

While older kids may not always love hiking and getting out in nature, they should have no complaints about this easy trail and the magnificent views it brings.

Explore Lynn Headwaters Park

Lynn Headwaters Park. Photo credit: Campbell Louw

By: Campbell Louw, stingynomads.com

The beautiful Lynn Headwaters park is an excellent area for hiking in Vancouver and it’s a popular area to explore with older children. It is the largest of Vancouver’s regional parks, with more than 74 km of maintained trails. There are marked hiking trails for a wide range of fitness and skill levels. The routes in Lynn Headwaters park range from easy flat trails with nice boardwalks to backcountry trails with tough sections that are not just simple hiking but also involve some scrambling.

For an easy walk the whole family can enjoy, head over to the Lynn Loop.  This a relatively easy and short trail of 5km (3 miles) passing through a forest filled with Cedar and Hemlock trees with lovely views of the San Juan and Gulf Islands. The route is well marked and easy to follow. To extend this trail, continue on to the 8km (5 mile) Cedarmill trail, or the much longer, Headwater trail which is a 14km (8.7 mile) hike.

If you want to attempt a steep hike with some scrambling there is the Lynn Peak trail, a much tougher challenge. For a longer day you can hike from Lynn Valley Park on the Baden Powell trail all the way to the beautiful Deep Cove, 12 km (7 miles). Here you can also do the Quarry rock trail with amazing sea views, rent a kayak or a SUP (stand up paddle board). The trails in Lynn Park can be walked all year round, but in winter they can be icy, so make sure to wear crampons at that time of year. The trails are dog friendly, just keep your friend on a leash.

Enjoy A Dim Sum Meal In Chinatown

Dim sum meal. Photo credit: Noel Morata

By: Noel Morata, thishawaiilife.com

If you are looking for a fun family friendly experience in Vancouver then head out to Chinatown and have a delicious dim sum gathering. Dim sum is typically a family oriented event in Asian cultures especially in Vancouver’s Chinatown. This district is filled with fantastic venues to enjoy a nice dim sum breakfast or lunch. Most dim sum restaurants in Chinatown start serving around 10am and get busy late in the morning as the lunch crowds build. By early afternoon dim sum service ends as most restaurants start to shift their focus to their traditional dinner service.

Some of the more popular places in Vancouver’s Chinatown for dim sum gatherings include Western Lake Chinese Seafood, Sun Sui Wah Seafood, Dinesty dumpling house, Dynasty Seafood restaurant, Peaceful restaurant and Kam Wai Dim Sum along with a few other more generic dim sum restaurants. You’ll find a variety of regular to special dim sum plates to choose from at all of these fantastic restaurants and the best thing is to see what is just coming out and see what everyone else is ordering to eat right away from the carts. You won’t go wrong because everything is delicious and you might even get some nice takeaways from any of the leftovers, that is if there are any.

Hike The Stawamus Chief

By: Dean and Laynni of Routinely Nomadic

Strenuous undertakings aren’t necessarily top of the list for older teens but, on the other hand, sometimes kids do enjoy a challenge. Well, the magnificent Stawaamus Chief hike near Squamish certainly fits the bill. Featuring a serious climb to three different, but equally spectacular, viewpoints, conquering “The Chief” starts out on a set of wooden stairs along a rushing creek but soon involves plenty of rock scrambling, some ladder climbing and even some rappelling on chains bolted into the rock. Part adventure, part scenery, The Chief is the most iconic of the many great hikes along the Sea to Sky Highway.



It is possible to do one, two or all three of the peaks in a single hike. The shortest, easiest version is to just go to Peak One and back – approximately 3.5 kilometres (return), 535 metres of elevation gain and roughly 2 hours of hiking time. The entire circuit, however, is 6 kilometres long, with nearly 800 metres of elevation gain and will take most people 4-5 hours to complete. Views of Howe Sound and Squamish are stunning from any of the three but Second Peak was our favourite, with views that include First Peak in a more expansive panoramic view, and then Third Peak boasts a much better look at the mountains behind and to the north. No matter which version you choose, though, you will enjoy the satisfaction of completing the most famous hike in the area. Just make sure to avoid it in bad weather, as rain or snow will make the already difficult terrain seriously treacherous.

These are just a few of the family friendly activities in Vancouver that families will enjoy, especially if you’re a family with older kids. If you know of any spots that I should add to this list let me know in the comments below.