Vancouver is Canada’s third most rainy city. The popular tourist destination sees over 161 days of rain a year, leaving many people to wonder, “What exactly is there to do if mother nature decides it’s time for a torrential downpour?” Considering it rains 44% of the year, that is a very fair question.
Below I’ve listed things to do in the rain in Vancouver by category, followed by a few ideas for both tourists and locals alike. No matter what you do, don’t forget to pack an umbrella (and then subsequently leave it somewhere like I do. Every time.)
Most Popular things to do in Vancouver in the rain:
- Flyover Canada experience
- Explore Granville Island Market and have lunch at Edible Canada or at one of the market shops
- Shopping on Robson and Pacific Centre (Pack an umbrella!)
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Check out Vancouver Public Library
- Visit the New Parq Casino (Victor and Honey Salt are two popular restaurants inside if you don’t want to gamble)
- Hop on Hop off Sightseeing Bus
- Look up concert listings and comedy club venues
- Some great venues are Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Commodore, Yuk Yuk’s, Orpheum, Vogue, Granville Island Stage, Arts Club Theatre Company
- Science World – Check out this article I found on Science World’s website explaining why it rains so much in Vancouver
Things to do in Vancouver in the rain to learn something new:
- Museum of Anthropology
- Bloedel Conservatory
- HR MacMillan Space Centre
- Explore Steveston Village in Richmond
- Maritime Museum
Things to Do in Vancouver in the Rain for Active Enthusiasts & Sports Lovers:
- Indoor Ice Skating at Robson Square
- Swimming at one of Vancouver’s indoor pools
- Hike Quarry Rock
- It’s mostly covered by trees but will be wet so dress accordingly!
- Indoor Rock Climbing/Bouldering – Cliffhanger, HIVE
- Take a hot yoga class at Oxygen Yoga and Fitness
- Visit the BC Sports Hall of Fame at BC Place
- Go to a Canucks, BC Lions or Whitecaps game
- Watch Sports at Colony on Granville. They have a ton of games like basketball, bocce, and pinball as well.
- Go Bowling at Commodore Lanes
- Visit one of the Local Mountains
- Depending on the time of year, if it’s raining in Downtown Vancouver, chances are it’s snowing on the mountains. Go snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing, or skating. Grouse Mountain, Seymour and Cypress Mountain all have rental equipment available. (FYI – Grouse Mountain is the only mountain with skating, and is the most popular amongst tourists as it is accessible via gondola)
Things to Do in Vancouver in the Rain for Foodies:
- Eat Authentic Chinese Food and Dim Sum in Richmond
- Take a Cooking Class at Dirty Apron
- Pick a neighborhood, pop into a few restaurants and ask the staff to recommend their favourite or most popular dish. Share one dish from each spot and continue on. Gastown and Main Street are two incredible foodie areas!
Things to Do in Vancouver in the Rain for Wino’s and Cocktail Connoisseurs:
- Brewery Tour in East Vancouver. A few favorites are R&B Brewing, Red Truck, 33 Acres, and Brewhall.
- Wine flights and snacks at Vancouver Urban Winery
- Wine & Paint Night
- Take a trip out to the Fraser Valley Wineries
- Spend a rainy afternoon at Alibi Room
- Go to Local Gastown, grab a seat by the window and people watch while drinking caesar’s in a boot
Things to Do in Vancouver in the rain for Shopaholics:
- Shopping on Main Street (stopping into all the delicious restaurants along the way like Anh and Chi, Acorn, Nomad)
- Pacific Centre Mall
- You could spend hours exploring Nordstrom, The Bay, Holt Renfrew and the various shops inside Pacific Centre
- Explore the shopping outlets
- Tsawwassen Mills or McArthurGlen Designer Outlets by Vancouver Airport
Things to Do in Vancouver in the Rain with Kids:
- Indoor Trampoline Park
- Vancouver Aquarium
- Science World
- Castle Fun Park in Whatcom
- Indoor Mini-Golf, Batting cages, Go-Karts etc – About one hour from Downtown Vancouver
- Take the AquaBus to Granville Island Kids Market
- Jump Gymnastics Drop-in
- Library Stories/Songs
- Aquatic Center Open Swim
- Check Community Centre Listings for Indoor Activities and Drop-in Programs
- Some Community Centres to check out: Coal Harbour Community Centre, Robert Lee YMCA, Roundhouse Community Centre, West End Community Centre, VPL
So what do locals do on rainy days? Vancouverite’s are used to the weather, so they put on their Hunter boots, raincoats and grab an umbrella and do pretty much anything. Here are a few things my friends, family and I would do on a rainy Sunday:
Here are a few ways locals spend rainy afternoons in the city:
- Eat a meal on 4th Avenue in Kits and watch a movie at Fifth Avenue Theatres, glass of vino in hand (19+)
- Explore the books at MacLeod’s Bookstore and grab lunch at Finch’s
- Sit at a Gastown Coffee Shop (Revolver and Nemesis are favorites!)
- Take the Seabus over to North Vancouver and visit Lonsdale Quay and a North Vancouver Restaurant (Buddha-ful, Tap and Barrel, Finch and Barley, Burgoo are good rainy day spots!)
- Watch an IMAX movie or documentary at Science World
- Go to yoga and have a lengthy brunch with friends
- Lay on the couch and watch Netflix all day ordering Door Dash =P
I hope that gave you some ideas for rainy day activities in Vancouver! If you have any questions, as always feel free to reach out!
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