10 TOP Things to Do in Vancouver (2024 Activity Guide)

Esther Short Park showing a park as well as a small group of people

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Popular places to visit

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Stride around a 19th-century fort, watch live craft demonstrations and learn about Washington’s trading and military history.

Esther Short Park

Relax by fountains, shop in bustling markets and listen to concerts in a scenic park that has become the city of Vancouver’s premier outdoor public space.

Vancouver Lake Park

Enjoy the beautiful waterfalls and explore Vancouver Lake Park, a lovely green space in Vancouver. Check out the lively bars or top-notch restaurants in this walkable area.

Interstate Bridge

You can learn about the history of Vancouver when you stop by Interstate Bridge. Stroll along the area's riverfront, or simply savor its top-notch restaurants.

Officers Row

Walk down a shaded, narrow street and pass elegant 19th-century homes now occupied by museums and private residences.

Pearson Air Museum

Trace the story of flight in a fascinating Vancouver museum housing vintage plane models from the earliest days of aviation.

Vancouver Mall

During your trip to Vancouver, you can enjoy retail therapy at Vancouver Mall. Amble around the area's riverfront or seek out the biking trails.

Harmony Sports Complex

Explore the great outdoors at Harmony Sports Complex, a lovely green space in Vancouver. Attend a sporting event or visit the shops in this family-friendly area.

Waterfront Park

Explore the great outdoors at Waterfront Park, a lovely green space in Vancouver.

Areas of Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver

Travelers come to Downtown Vancouver for its abundant dining options, and you can see top attractions like Vancouver Farmers Market and Esther Short Park while you're in town.

Salmon Creek

Salmon Creek is popular for its ample dining options, and you might make a stop by Salmon Creek Regional Park, a top place to visit in the area.

Nice little park in the middle of Vancouver, WA. The switchbacks up the hill, surrounded by tall trees will make you feel like you're a lot further from town. It was a nice, quiet place to stretch my dogs legs for a bit and eat my lunch from nearby Panera Bread.

Hazel Dell

Hazel Dell is well-liked for its restaurants. You can also take some time to explore sights in the surrounding area like Salmon Creek Regional Park and Vancouver Mall.

Those of us who live in a certain neighborhood of the Lincoln district know that for one month every year we won't have to worry about turning on our porch lights. If the street lamps should fail, well, that's not really of any concern. Say the moon itself were to pop out of the sky and go flying into space. No big deal. Because for a glorious 30 days every winter, we're able to bask in the glow of a house lit bright enough to make artificial sunshine. A sight so startling, it causes commuters to back up traffic as they sit in their cars and gape.

It wasn't always that way. A few years back, the charming old couple who lives in the place started to put out a few lights to decorate their home. The next year they added a few more, and the year after that -- again -- some more. At some point, however, they seem to have developed a kind of high tolerance for luminescence. And when that happened, the floodgates were open. What you see in these photos is the early December version of what, by Christmas day, will be a kind of multi-colored solar flare emanating from the front yard of their home.

It can really be a beautiful thing to behold, as anyone who sees it for the first time can tell you. And those of us who live here have accepted with pride this red and gold meteor which appears in our midst during every gloomy Northwest December.

Can you blame us? We may be the only block on earth entirely visible from space.

#localgem

Central Park

When in Central Park, you can plan a visit to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and Officers Row, some noteworthy sights in the nearby area.

Pleasant Valley

While Pleasant Valley might not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Salmon Creek Regional Park and RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater.

Pearson Air Museum featuring interior views

Vancouver National Historic Reserve

You'll enjoy the beaches and restaurants in Vancouver National Historic Reserve. You might want to make time for a stop at Pearson Air Museum or Officers Row.

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Things to do in Vancouver

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