Is it raining? No worries — there’s still plenty to do in Vancouver.
When it’s raining in Vancouver – and if you’re visiting in winter, it will – you can head for a museum, hole up in a coffee shop, or simply put up your umbrella and go about your exploring. Or you can choose from these five unexpected things to do on a rainy day in Vancouver:
Fly Over Canada
You can take a cool tour across Canada without going outside at Flyover Canada, a soaring simulated flight experience located inside Vancouver’s Canada Place. Strap into your seat for a very realistic flight tour from the Atlantic to the Pacific, where you feel the spray of Niagara Falls, whip past Toronto’s landmark CN Tower, streak above the Rocky Mountains, and catch glimpses of the Northern lights.
Escape to the Tropics
For a quick fix of tropical weather within the Vancouver city limits, head for Queen Elizabeth Park and the Bloedel Conservatory. This glass-domed greenhouse is filled with hundreds of tropical flowers and plants, as well as more than 100 birds – enough to make you forget about the dreary skis for a while.
Go Wine-Tasting
Within an hour’s drive of Vancouver, the Fraser Valley is home to more than a dozen wineries. While you won’t have bucolic views over the vines on a rainy day, your tastings are indoors anyway. And if you don’t want to wine-taste and drive, consider the full-day Fraser Valley Wine Country Day Trip From Vancouver that includes pickup from your hotel, tasting stops at five wineries, and a leisurely winery lunch.
Sip a Gelatini
Every day looks brighter when it’s topped with ice cream, right? And combining your ice cream with a cocktail is a sure way to make it feel like the sun is shining. Vancouver’s Bella Gelateria not only serves the city’s best gelato, but at their location on the Yaletown seawall (1089 Marinaside Crescent), you can sip a “gelatini,” one of several gelato-topped drinks. There’s a Manhattan with raspberry sorbet and chocolate bitters, a Negroni with Earl Grey tea gelato, a chai-infused bourbon with black sesame gelato, and lots more.
Head for the Mountains
When it’s raining in the city, it’s often snowing in the mountains, so check the weather forecast, and head for the hills. You can reach Grouse Mountain from downtown Vancouver in little more than 30 minutes, and while it won’t rival Rocky Mountain resorts, its 26 ski and snowboard trails can keep you busy all day. About 15 minutes farther from the city center, Cypress Mountain has 53 trails and more varied terrain.
And even if it’s drizzling on the North Shore, you can still enjoy attractions like the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which extends 140 meters (460 feet) across a canyon, and where the dampness seems to make the rainforest setting feel that much more authentic.
Five Unexpected Things to Do on a Rainy Day in Vancouver from Vancouver Things to Do
