6 Winter Outdoor Adventures to Enjoy in Vancouver
In Vancouver, the edge of the city bumps right up against the North Shore Mountains, so it’s easy to get to the nearby peaks to experience snowy outdoor adventures. Skiing and snowboarding are the obvious choices, but you can also go ice skating, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and sledding, or just enjoy the winter wonderland.
Skiing and Snowboarding
Vancouver has three local ski hills just a few minutes from downtown: Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain, and Mount Seymour. All three have a mix of beginner and expert terrain, so they are great for skiers and boarders of all abilities. You can also enjoy incredible city views from the slopes. If you get hungry, grab lunch at Grouse Mountain’s Altitudes Bistro for even more great views. If you venture a little further afield, you’ll find the world-famous Whistler Blackcomb Resort a 2-hour drive north of Vancouver.
Ice Skating
Ice skating is an age-old Canadian pastime, and it’s even more special when you can do it outdoors. In Vancouver, it’s not usually cold enough to skate on frozen ponds, but we make up for it with maintained outdoor ice rinks. You can even skate right in downtown Vancouver at the covered Robson Square Ice Rink. Grab a hot drink from Artigiano on nearby Hornby Street to warm up. In North Vancouver, you can ice skate outdoors at Shipyards Skate Plaza or Grouse Mountain’s Mountaintop Skating Pond.
Snowshoeing
If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Layer up in winter gear, then head to the local mountains to rent snowshoes. Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain, and Mount Seymour all have self-guided, beginner-friendly snowshoe trail networks that are marked and patrolled, perfect for beginners. Snowshoeing through the forest can be a serene experience: Listen to the crunch of the snow underfoot as snowflakes drift around you.
Cross Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing can be a great workout. But it can also be a peaceful way to explore snowy landscapes. You can strap into a pair of skinny skis and explore the cross country trails at Cypress Mountain’s Hollyburn Nordic Area in West Vancouver. Take a break for hot chocolate or a sandwich at the iconic backcountry Hollyburn Lodge. Or head north to Whistler Olympic Park, the site of the cross-country ski events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Both locations have groomed trails, rentals, and lessons.
Sledding and Tubing
You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the thrill of speeding down a snowy slope on a sled or tube in Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains. At Cypress Mountain, visit Gnarly’s Tube Park to careen down six different chutes on a snowtube, then let their tube tow bring you back to the top. They also have a bring-your-own sled area for kids under six. Mount Seymour has a bring-your-own sled toboggan park as well as a tube park with a tube tow. Hit the Sliding Zone at Grouse Mountain to zoom down two groomed lanes on a rented sled.
Explore a Winter Wonderland
To experience winter in a laidback way, take the gondola up to Grouse Mountain or the Sea to Sky Gondola. At the top, both attractions have easy walking trails where you can enjoy the snow without any special equipment - you will need warm clothing and winter boots though! After your adventure, enjoy a warm meal while you admire the snowy landscape from the windows of the Sky Pilot Smokehouse at the Sea to Sky Gondola or Altitudes Bistro at Grouse Mountain.