10 Family-Friendly Winter Adventures Around Vancouver

December 7, 2022

6 min read

Four people in ski gear on a snowy slope with a city and water body in the background, one person demonstrating skiing posture.

Take your family on an outdoor adventure this winter. Keep your kids entertained with fun activities like sledding, hiking, skiing, eagle-watching and more. Here are our picks for the best family-friendly things to do in Vancouver this winter.

Sledding or Snow-Tubing

Kids love sliding down snowy slopes, and adults will love unleashing their inner child to join in on the fun. There are seven tube parks with guaranteed snow near Vancouver. And when the white stuff falls in the city, local parks transform into toboggan hills. Check out our guide to sledding in Vancouver for details.

A child sledding down a snowy hill with four people watching and smiling near a red flag that says 'START HERE'.

Enjoy Outdoor Holiday Lights

Family members of all ages will love the magic of twinkling Christmas lights. Take a stroll through a neighbourhood or head to one of the dazzling outdoor light displays around Vancouver.

Light sculptures of two monkeys riding bicycles near a bench at dusk with mountains and water in the background.

Hiking

While the tops of the mountains are blanketed in snow, the forest is still green closer to the ocean. Vancouverites love to hike all year. Use our list of snow-free Vancouver hikes to plan your winter hiking trip. Most are short and easy, perfect for families.

Three people in a forest at sunset, one looking through binoculars, another looking up, and one walking ahead.

Skiing and Snowboarding

With six ski resorts near Vancouver, there’s a great ski hill for your family’s skill level. Kids enjoy discounted lift tickets and rentals. Lessons are a great way to help kids gain confidence on the hill. Enroll them in a morning lesson, then ski together as a family in the afternoon.

Five people in winter clothing standing on a snowy platform with arms around each other, facing ski gondolas.

Try Geocaching

Have you heard of geocaching? It’s a family-friendly hobby where you use a phone app or GPS device to find hidden treasures all over the city. There are hundreds of geocaches around Vancouver to discover. Read our beginners’ guide to geocaching to learn how to get started.

Open plastic container on a log with a solved Rubik's Cube, a blue pen, and a green object inside.

Ice Skating

You can skate in the crisp winter air at five outdoor rinks around Vancouver. They each have skate rentals on-site. Our guide to outdoor skating in Vancouver has more info. You can also check out community ice rinks in Vancouver, Burnaby, and the surrounding municipalities for indoor skating. Most have family-friendly drop-in skating sessions.

Eagle-Watching

Did you know that Squamish is home to one of the world’s largest populations of wintering bald eagles? Kids will love walking along the river to see how many eagles they can spot. Don’t forget to pack your binoculars!

Bald eagle flying with wings spread against a dark, misty background.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is one of the simplest winter sports you can try. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! It’s especially easy for kids since they are light and don’t sink into the snow as much as adults. Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains are a great place to try snowshoeing for the first time. Try one of our picks for beginner-friendly snowshoe trails.

Explore a New Park

Greater Vancouver is dotted with fabulous parks that protect forests, meadows, wetlands, and shorelines. Use our park of the month archives to find a new-to-you park, then go out on a family adventure.

Two people walking on a wooden bridge in a green forest, one using a walker, another person sitting on a bench nearby.

Ride a Gondola to a Winter Wonderland

The Grouse Mountain Skyride and the Sea to Sky Gondola will whisk you up the mountain to a winter wonderland. Kids will love the Light Walk, an easy path through the forest lit up with thousands of lights. At the Sea to Sky Gondola, face your fears with a walk across the suspension bridge. Both attractions also have lots of holiday-themed decor and events.