12 Spots to watch the Celebration of Light in Vancouver

July 27, 2016

5 min read

Night cityscape with tall buildings and colorful fireworks over water reflecting pink and blue lights.

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Vancouver is never more alive than it is during the summer, and the yearly-anticipated Celebration of Light plays a big part in bringing some of that lively magic to the city! The fireworks show takes place every July in Vancouver over 3 nights and these are some of the best viewing points to experience the fun whether it’s on your own, with your partner, or in the company of family and friends!

Two glasses of white wine clinking with fireworks exploding in the night sky over a body of water at sunset.

12. Restaurant Patio

All of the restaurants along the beach offer incredible, premium views, so you can watch the fireworks in style and comfort with a glass of vino.

Fireworks exploding over a lit bridge at dusk with boats on the water and city lights reflecting.

11. Apartment Deck

If you’re lucky enough to have an apartment with water views in the West End, your balcony may be the desired spot for all your friends. You could also look into an AirBnB for the night.

Fireworks exploding over a city skyline at dusk with illuminated building windows and mountains in the background.

10.Revolving Restaurant

Views from atop at either the Harbour Center or Empire Landmark Hotel revolving restaurants won’t disappoint. You’ll get as close to the real action as possible.

Colorful fireworks exploding over water with silhouettes of boats at night.

9. Rent a Boat

There are lots of options for renting boats, if you or someone you know doesn’t have one. Granville Island is a great spot to rent for a few hours, but get your reservation in early, as nothing is more beautiful than watching fireworks from the water.

Fireworks exploding over a lake at dusk with many boats on the water and mountains in the background.

8. Burrard Bridge

If you don’t want crowds, but still want the unobstructed view of the fireworks, the bridge is a great place to stop over.

Colorful fireworks exploding over a body of water at dusk with city lights in the background.

7. Cafes

Stanley Park has a few water-view cafes that you can sit and enjoy a tea or coffee, relax and take in the beauty.

Fireworks exploding over a city waterfront at dusk with reflections on the water and silhouetted people watching.

6. The Seawall

Rent a bike, take a picnic and bike the seawall, while watching the fireworks. You can stop along the way and have a snack.

Fireworks exploding in the night sky above dark hills with smoke near the ground.

5. Kits Beach

Kitsilano Beach is a great place to see the fireworks, without having to deal with the crowds downtown. Bridges and buses might be chaotic, so if you’re already on the south side, enjoy.

Large crowd of people gathered on a sandy beach near water during sunset, some sitting and some standing, with trees in the background.

4. Third Beach

Third Beach is still a bit of a hidden gem as it’s a destination, but still conveniently downtown. Less crowd, more peaceful and the best view.

Colorful fireworks exploding over water at dusk with two people sitting on the shore watching.

3. Second Beach

If you don’t want to make the trek all the way to Third Beach, but you want to get away from the crowd, Second Beach is conveniently located right in Stanley Park and facing the fireworks boat.

Fireworks exploding over water at dusk with many boats and a tall building on the right.

2. Sunset Beach

An alternative, if you’re trying to avoid the mad crowds at English Bay and just as good of a view. There are also plenty of logs to sit on if you don’t want to be right in the sand.

Large fireworks display lighting up the night sky with a crowd of people watching and taking photos.

1. English Bay

English Bay is THE prime location to watch the second night of the fireworks. You can grab a spot on the beach and cuddle up with some blankets if you get there early enough. If you’re really into splurging, you can even get a VIP seat on the risers, built specifically for this show.

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