7 Cozy and Fun Autumn Day Trips and Activities in Vancouver

Autumn’s crisp weather and fiery colours make for a beautiful time of year in Vancouver. Get outside, get cozy, get your step on, get on a seaplane. Have some fun! What’s your fall fancy?

Brunch and a show

Vancouver’s theatre scene showcases both local and touring productions year round. Start your Saturday or Sunday with brunch (my favourite meal), and then take in a matinée at the theatre. Or head out for an early dinner after the show. Check out November’s play and musical line up—including the touring production of popular and Tony Award nominee Waitress—here.

Get artsy at one of Vancouver’s galleries

Let’s face it, it rains a fair amount in Vancouver, but often just for a quick spell—get out of the wet and into some culture at a gallery. A couple personal favourites include the Vancouver Art Gallery with over 10,000 works and one of Vancouver’s top cafes, and the Bill Reid Gallery, featuring contemporary Indigenous Northwest Coast art—and a truly spectacular collection of jewelry that the late Bill Reid designed for his wife. For a full list of galleries in the Vancouver area, click here.

Take a train to the Port Moody Ale Trail

One of my favourite things to do with my partner is to explore and re-explore the craft breweries around Vancouver. R&B Brewing and Main Street Brewing are just a couple located on minutes’ walk from each other in Mt. Pleasant. But if you’re up for an craft adventure, hop on the Millennium Line Skytrain to neighbouring Port Moody and check out the brewery tasting rooms on Murray Street, also known as the Port Moody Ale Trail or Brewers Row.

Walk the Seawall

At 22 kilometres (13.5 miles), the Vancouver Seawall is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront space. It’s also one of the best ways to see autumn in the city. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can do it all in a day (I’ve done this a few times), breaking it up with a fall picnic, or you can break it up into more manageable chunks with a water taxi ride or do one bit every day.

Soak up the colours of the season

Though beautiful all year round, I’m especially partial to my city in autumn because I love the colours of the season. VanDusen Botanical Garden and Queen Elizabeth Park particularly showcase fall’s fiery and golden hues, and are a seasonal must-visit for both Vancouverites and visitors.

Fly and dine

Want to see a bit of Victoria, but short on time? Hop on a seaplane from Vancouver Harbour to Victoria Harbour for a day in BC’s capital. Visit the Legislature, explore BC’s history at the Royal BC Museum, have tea at the Empress and hop on a water taxi to Spinnaker’s Brewpub for lunch before hopping back on a plane to Vancouver. Another quick and easy way to

Explore Granville Island

Exploring Granville Island is one of my favourite ways to spend a day. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been, I always discover something new, and I never tire looking at the colourful cement silos. With the famous market, numerous restaurants, theatre sports, a yoga studio, whale watching, and so much more, it’s a place with something for everyone. My favourite way to get there from downtown is on one of the little water ferries.

And in case you’re not sure what to pack for autumn in the city, check out this list of essentials for your time in Vancouver!

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