Vancouver: A Winter Wonderland

The days are shorter, the air is cooler, and the ground is wetter – winter is coming. Luckily, Vancouver is blessed with some extraordinary urban slopes and holiday festivities to make those winter woes disappear. Whether you’re hitting the local mountains, admiring the light shows, or feasting on holiday treats, there’s plenty of activities for all ages that make the city a true winter wonderland.

Hit the slopes

Go day skiing or snowboarding at Cypress and Seymour Mountain, and at night, head on over to Grouse Mountain for a run in the dark. For those not into the sport, the Peak of Christmas at Grouse brings a magical experience where you can find an enchanting light walk, a mountaintop ice skating pond, and a chance to meet reindeers, Dancer and Vixen.

Admire the lights

Visit Capilano Suspension Bridge for their Canyon Lights event and be transported into a magical world of festive splendour. Cross the famous bridge on top of an illuminated Capilano river and take a journey into a glowing rainforest. Afterwards, head over to the Cliffwalk and wind your way through the “Arc de Lumina” light tunnel.

In the heart of the city, you can find more than a million lights twinkling at VanDusen Garden’s Festival of Lights. Find yourself wandering through the romantic rose garden or stroll along the lakeside to watch the dancing lights.

Savour some holiday treats

Bringing a festive Old World tradition to Vancouver, the Vancouver Christmas Market offers an authentic German feast for the senses. This holiday event features more than 80 artisan huts offering handcrafted gifts and local delicacies. You can also expect to find live music, holiday entertainers and a Christmas carousel.

This December, the PNE will transform into an immersive holiday experience for their Winter Fair. For 10 nights, there will be a Christmas-themed concert series, a winter market filled with tasty food and beverages, a sparkling winter lights display and a large indoor skating rink.