Family Evening Activities in Vancouver

Take in a Kid-Friendly Play or Show

Vancouver’s theatre scene offers plenty of kid-friendly productions. Granville Island bursts with creativity, making it the perfect place to introduce kids to the magic of live theatre. The Carousel Theatre for Young People has been staging plays and musicals for kids since 1976. Their productions are short and come with advisories around language, violence, and potentially anxious moments, so you can decide if each play is right for your kids. Also on Granville Island, the Arts Club Theatre often puts on family-friendly shows. Upcoming productions include Disney’s Frozen and A Wonderheads Christmas Carol. Vancouver’s city-owned theatres often offer family-friendly shows like Disney’s The Lion King or the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Kids Concerts series.

Go Gaming

If your kids light up at the sound of clinking tokens, flashing lights, and the thrill of a high score, Vancouver has no shortage of spots to fuel their gaming adventures. CHQ at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby is located at Metropolis at Metrotown, one of the region’s largest and most vibrant shopping malls. Inside the arcade, you’ll find rows of racing simulators, rhythm games, claw machines, and classic shooters.

Or head to Central City Fun Park in Surrey. They are BC’s largest indoor amusement park with an arcade, roller skating, bowling, go-karts and mini-golf. It’s easy to get there via the Expo Skytrain Line to Scott Road Station, and kids will love zooming above the traffic on the elevated train ride.

Step back in time at Capital City Classic Arcade, tucked into New Westminster’s historic Sapperton neighbourhood. Parents will enjoy introducing their kids to the nostalgic games of their childhood - the familiar bleeps and bloops of Pac-Man or the clatter and ding of pinball machines. After your gaming session, take a leisurely stroll along the scenic riverfront at Westminster Pier Park and Waterfront Esplanade Boardwalk. Enjoy sweeping river views as tugboats chug by. Stop at the River Market, where the mouthwatering aroma of food from around the world fills the air.

If you’ve got older kids, you can also play with the latest virtual reality technology in Vancouver. Evolve Virtual Reality offers VR booths with a huge library of games as well as a VR escape room experience. Or try the immersive experiences at Zero Latency VR or Sandbox VR.

Experience Outer Space

Take a voyage to the stars at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. On Wednesday and Friday evenings, kids can peer through the telescope in the observatory to marvel at twinkling constellations and faraway planets. Inside, the wonder continues with immersive planetarium shows that make you feel like you’re on a soaring spaceship. In the Cosmic Courtyard, curious kids can get hands-on with a Mars Explorer simulator, touch and feel a real space suit, and imagine what it is like to live in space.

FlyOver Canada

Soar above Canada’s landscapes at the immersive FlyOver Canada experience. You’ll sit on an elevated seat in front of a huge spherical screen, then let sights, scents, and sounds create a feeling of flight. The Canadian Rockies experience is currently showing, but you can expect seasonal Halloween and Christmas programs in season too. FlyOver is open every evening, so it is a fun after-dinner activity for kids.

Brave the Capilano Suspension Bridge

The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver takes you across a swinging suspension bridge over a deep river canyon. You can also walk on elevated platforms through the coastal rainforest and over the edge of a cliff. Kids will enjoy the Rainforest Explorers program, a self-guided adventure through the trees that features puzzles and challenges. Or get up close to giant birds of prey at Raptor’s Ridge. You can meet and learn about owls, falcons, and more. There’s also a designated kids’ zone with daily activities. The park is open in the evenings during the long daylight hours of summer. It is also decorated and lit up at night in the fall for the Canyon Frights event and in the winter for the holiday-themed Canyon Lights event.

Visit a Night Market

Every summer, Vancouver comes alive with several night markets around the city. The Shipyards Night Market near the Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver is one of the most scenic. Held every Friday between mid-May and mid-September, the vibrant waterfront buzzes with energy as the scent of sizzling eats from food trucks mingles with the salty ocean breeze. Kids can dance to live music while admiring the city skyline across the harbour. Wander past rows of local vendors selling handmade goods and gifts.

The Richmond Night Market is another must-do family activity in Vancouver. It’s a lively celebration of global food and cultural fusion, and is held on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays between late April and mid-October near the Bridgeport Skytrain Station. One of the largest Chinese-style night markets outside of Asia, this huge market brims with fashion, crafts, electronics, gifts, and more. However, the real draw is the food. Browse the covered hawker-style stalls to discover authentic options from all over Asian as well as unique fusion creations.

Go to an Outdoor Movie

Enjoy the magic of watching a movie under the night sky, especially in a city where nature and urban life intertwine. Each summer, Vancouver offers outdoor movie nights in stunning settings. Breathe in the fresh forest rainforest air at the Evo Summer Cinema at Stanley Park or on top of a mountain at Grouse’s Movies on the Mountain. Or marvel at the twinkle of the city lights and the ocean breeze at Sunset Cinema and Deckchair Cinema at Shipyard Commons in North Vancouver. You can also cozy up with a blanket in the heart of the city at Summer Movie Nights at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (formerly the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza). Most of the films screened are family-friendly, including classics like The Princess Bride, The Land Before Time, Shrek, and The Wizard of Oz.