6 Day Trips From Vancouver Without A Car

No vehicle? No problem. Travelling around Vancouver and the surrounding areas is easy thanks to public transit, shuttle buses, and ferries. Visit forests, mountains, beaches, and islands on day trips from Vancouver without a car. As you plan your trip, consider these six excursions for places to adventure.

Lonsdale Quay Market and Capilano Suspension Bridge

Combine two of the North Shore’s best attractions to make an incredible day trip. Take the Seabus from Waterfront Station across Vancouver’s harbour. The ride takes 15 minutes and has great views. On the other side, head into Lonsdale Quay Market to check out the food stalls and boutiques. It’s a great place to have lunch.

After, hop on bus #236 to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. The moss and ferns in the temperate rainforest are gorgeous year-round. Walk along the Living Forest pathway to learn more about this unique ecosystem.

Deep Cove

A visit to North Vancouver’s Deep Cove neighbourhood is one of the easiest day trips from Vancouver without a car. Simply hop on bus #211 from downtown. This charming waterfront village includes cute boutiques and cafes like Honey’s Doughnuts, Vancouver’s most famous doughnut shop. Kate Winslet and John Cena are both fans.

Get your food to go and have a picnic by the ocean at Panorama Park. If you want to get out on the water, take a tour with Deep Cove Kayak. Or hike the easy Quarry Rock Trail. It’s only 4 km round trip and has a stunning view at the end.

Bowen Island

If you want to experience the island life, take a day trip to Bowen Island. It’s only a 20-minute ferry ride from Vancouver, but it feels worlds away. Take the #257 express bus from downtown Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, then take the Bowen Island Ferry as a walk-on passenger. Reservations are not available on this route, but walk-on passenger tickets rarely sell out.

Once you arrive on the island, explore the boutiques, galleries, cafes, and restaurants in Snug Cove. Or grab a snack to enjoy at the picnic area. If you’re up for a bit of a walk, head a few more minutes up the hill to explore more shops and galleries at Artisan Square. Don’t miss the chocolates at Cocoa West.

Allow time to go for a short hike on the trails in Crippen Regional Park. You can follow paths upstream along Killarney Creek to Killarney Lake. Or hike to Dorman Point for great ocean views.

Lighthouse Park and Horseshoe Bay

One of the most scenic day trips from Vancouver without a car, West Vancouver is easily accessible via bus #250 from downtown Vancouver. Start your adventure at Lighthouse Park. If you’re short on time, head straight to the lighthouse and nearby viewpoint. But if you have more time, take a hike through the beautiful forest. There's an easy 6-km-long trail that loops around the outside of the park, passing gorgeous ocean viewpoints and groves of old-growth trees. If you don’t want to do the whole loop, there are lots of side trails that will take you back to the start.

After the park, head back to the bus stop and board bus #250 heading west to Horseshoe Bay. This waterfront village has lots of little shops and cafes. It’s also home to Troll’s, where the same family has been serving up legendary fish and chips since 1946. Grab a seat on the patio to watch the boats and BC Ferries zip in and out of the busy harbour.

Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola

You don’t need a car to get to the beautiful mountain town of Squamish. Simply book a trip with the Squamish Connector. Board the bus in downtown Vancouver, then enjoy the scenery as you drive up the famous Sea-to-Sky Highway. If you have some extra time, make it a Sea-to-Sky weekend trip.

The Squamish Connector will drop you off right outside the Sea-to-Sky Gondola. Take the gondola up into the mountains for incredible views of Howe Sound and the surrounding peaks. Grab a drink and soak up the sun on their expansive patio. Or brave a walk across the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge. Depending on the time of year you're visiting, the trails can get snowy, but you can always explore the easy trails near the lodge. Don’t miss the incredible viewing platform on the Panorama Trail.

After you return to the gondola base, follow a short trail for about 0.5 km through the forest to Shannon Falls. Tumbling an astonishing 335 meters down the cliffs, this is the third-highest waterfall in BC. Be sure to follow the trails to both viewing platforms to really appreciate its size.

Nanaimo

Thanks to the Hullo Ferry connecting downtown Vancouver with downtown Nanaimo, it’s easy to head to Nanaimo for the day. Your 70-minute sailing includes great views of the North Shore mountains, Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. Plan to take the first and last ferries of the day to maximize your time in Nanaimo. You can book tickets up to 10 minutes before departure.

Once you arrive, head to the Old City Quarter historical district. Browse artisan shops and head to a cafe for lunch. Don’t miss trying the city’s signature dessert, the Nanaimo Bar. The decadent creation has a nut-and-coconut crumb base, a custard filling, and a thin layer of chocolate ganache on top. You can find both classic and creative versions around the city on the Nanaimo Bar Trail.

For a fun little excursion, catch the small ferry to Saysutshun (Newcastle Island). This gorgeous island is a provincial park and is an important place for the Snuneymuxw First Nation. You can explore the walking trails and relax on the beaches. If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot some of Saysutshun’s resident white raccoons.

As you start planning your Vancouver itinerary, there’s no need to worry about going car-free. Vancouver is one of the easiest cities to explore without a vehicle, with excellent transit connections to the mountains, forests, beaches, and islands that define the Pacific Northwest experience.