A Sustainable Summer Day in Vancouver

In 2021, Lonely Planet named Vancouver one of the world's most sustainable cities. But locals have been embracing a greener lifestyle for decades. Here is your plan for a summer day in Vancouver that lets you see the highlights, shop local, learn about nature, and eat great food, all with sustainability in mind.

Start Your Day at the Farmer's Market

Vancouver's farmer's markets are a great way to support small farms and local producers. Grab breakfast from one of the food trucks, then eat as you browse the stalls. You'll find fresh fruit and veggies, baked goods, handmade gifts, and more.

There are several farmer's markets each weekend. On Saturday mornings you can shop at the Riley Park, Trout Lake, or West End Farmer's Markets. The Mount Pleasant and Kitsilano Farmer's Markets set up each Sunday morning. If you can't make it to a weekend market, head to the Downtown Farmer's Market on Wednesday afternoons or the False Creek Farmer's Market on Thursday afternoons.

Bike the Seawall

Vancouver is a paradise for cyclists. Our city has hundreds of kilometres of designated biking routes. The highlight is the Seawall, the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront bike path. The car-free route passes Vancouver attractions like Stanley Park, English Bay Beach, Science World, Granville Island, and Kitsilano Beach, so it's a sustainable way to see the city's highlights.

You can rent a bike at a local bike rental shops or use Vancouver's bike share program, Mobi. They have thousands of classic and e-bikes at docking stations all around the city.

Get a Plant-Based Lunch

Vancouver's vegan and vegetarian food scene is vibrant. From budget to fine-dining and hyper-local to global cuisine, you'll find a plethora of plant-based options.

For lunch, try plant-based salads, wraps, and bowls at Kokomo, vegan burgers at MeeT, vegan pizza at Virtuous Pie, plant-based Middle Eastern food at Chickpea, veggie tacos at The Burrow, or vegan sushi at MILA.

If you're looking for a sweet treat after your meal, try vegan cones, floats, and sundaes at Innocent Ice Cream, plant-based baking at Bonus Bakery, or vegan doughnuts at Lucky's Doughnuts.

Visit an Earth-Focused Museum

With its beautiful natural setting, it should be no surprise that many of Vancouver's museums champion sustainability and nature-based learning.

You can connect with nature without leaving downtown Vancouver. The Stanley Park Nature House, run by staff and volunteers from the Stanley Park Ecology Society, has interactive displays to help you learn about Vancouver's flora and fauna. They also host walks, webinars, and workshops focused on topics like beavers, bird calls, native forests, and mushrooms.

You'll also find the Vancouver Aquarium, Canada's largest aquarium, in Stanley Park. They have over 65,000 animals spread across 120 exhibits. The aquarium is also home to the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, which is the only dedicated marine mammal hospital facility in Canada.

Both kids and adults will love Science World, which includes a variety of permanent nature-based exhibits in the Sara Stern Gallery. Don't miss the outdoor exhibits in the Ken Spencer Science Park. They include a gardening robot, a revitalized wetland, a pollinator garden, and more.

Visit the Beaty Biodiversity Museum on the UBC campus to explore over two million specimens of fish, fossils, birds, and bugs. The highlight for most visitors is the giant blue whale skeleton suspended at the museum's entrance.

Enjoy a Farm-to-Table Dinner

With fresh fish from the sea along with meat and produce from farms in the Fraser Valley, Vancouver has embraced the local food movement. Finish your sustainable day with an unforgettable dinner.

Experience a farm-to-table menu at Burdock & Co. The one-Michelin-starred restaurant highlights local food and has a menu that changes with the seasons.

Downtown-based Nightingale was recently included in the Michelin guide. The menu is heavy on locally-sourced ingredients with wood-fired pizzas featuring prominently.

Fable Kitchen in Kitsilano has a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation. The farm-to-table cafe serves up elevated classics like seared duck breast and Pacific halibut in an unpretentious setting.