15 Rainy Day Activities Vancouver Has To Offer

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Rain, rain, and more rain. It’s what Vancouver is known for. But for someone who has planned a trip here, it can feel like your day is ruined when you look outside to a non-stop deluge. However, there are lots of rainy day activities Vancouver has to offer if you know where to look. So don’t let the rain ruin your fun.

Welcome to Raincouver

For those living in Vancouver we rarely leave the house without an umbrella and a few layers to prepare us for the ever-changing weather. It’s why the city has earned the nickname Raincouver.

From sea-level Richmond to the tops of the North Shore mountains, the landscape around Greater Vancouver is as varied as the climate. The warm Pacific Ocean currents keep it moderate throughout the year so we rarely have the extreme temperatures like Ontario. But there’s also an element of unpredictability.

The rain may be plentiful, but it’s also what makes it so beautiful here. You don’t get this many green spaces and lush forests as British Columbia has without a bit of rain.

Top rainy day activities Vancouver that locals love

Just like cities with sub-zero winters are built for the cold, Vancouver is built for the rain. That includes a lot of ways to enjoy the city even on a miserable day. Ask any local and they’ve got lots of suggestions. Here are some of mine.

HEAD TO A MUSEUM

The city is full of them, whatever you’re into. Fan of art? Try the Vancouver Art Gallery or Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, both minutes away from each other downtown.

Want to see where Vancouver began? Head to the amazing Museum of Vancouver which is also in the same building as the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre – one for the kids if not a little outdated. Just a few minute walk away is the Vancouver Maritime Museum, also a great place to spend an hour or so.

You can also easily spend an afternoon at the University of British Columbia campus which has the Museum of Anthropology, and the Beatty Biodiversity Museum.

BOOK AN AFTERNOON TEA

Being British I just love an afternoon tea – and Vancouver has them sprouting up all over the place now. Of all the rainy day activities Vancouver has, this one might be the most luxuriously delicious.

Notch 8 in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver always has a whimsical offering which changes seasonally. One year I did an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea here.

Equally fancy, the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa serves a decadent afternoon tea you won’t forget in a hurry. For a more classic English tea, head to Neverland Tea Salon along West Broadway.

FIND A LOCAL MARKET

Most people head to Granville Island Public Market on a nice sunny day. As one of the most popular things to do in Vancouver it’s always packed.

Me? I prefer to head to Granville Island on the colder, rainy days. It’s way less busy and just as full of tasty local foods.

Warm up with some hot soup from The Stock Market, and don’t leave without some yummy cakes from Stuart’s Bakery.

If you want to take the Seabus to North Vancouver, there you’ll find the Lonsdale Quay Market. It’s smaller than Granville Island but has some great little places inside. Enjoy some nostalgic treats at Olde World Confections or shop some local crafts and souvenirs on the upper level.

ENTER A VIRTUAL WORLD

Too wet outside to play golf? Not a problem, Vancouver has its own virtual golf place. One Under, located right downtown, is one of the best rainy day activities Vancouver offers. Grab some friends and reserve your spot.

Choose a famous golf course backdrop from around the world like St Andrews in Scotland, and get swinging. You don’t need to be into golf to have fun.

Evolve Virtual Reality along Broadway, just outside of downtown, is another fun place to spend an hour or two. Play high quality VR games, or enter a VR Escape Room and try to beat the clock.

SPEND AN AFTERNOON AT THE AQUARIUM

On a nice day you’ll want to head to Stanley Park to discover all the trails and gardens. But while the Vancouver Aquarium is always going to be popular on a nice day, I find it just as nice on a cloudy/rainy day.

There are less people around, but it’s still enjoyable as the majority of it is actually either indoors or under cover. Two of the main outdoor animal exhibits also have an underwater viewing area.

The best part of visiting the aquarium – visit the tropical zone to warm up on a chilly, rainy day. Tickets start at $42 and the aquarium is open every day of the year – even the fish need fed on Christmas after all.

THROW SOME AXES

What could be more Canadian than a bit of axe throwing on a rainy day? It’s fun, you don’t need any experience…and it’s not nearly as dangerous as it sounds.

Anyone who’s tried (and failed) to chop wood with an axe needn’t worry about axe throwing. It’s like playing darts but on a bit of a bigger scale.

Axewood Axe Throwing can be found in Gastown, downtown Vancouver. And as one of the most unique rainy day activities Vancouver has to offer, I can guarantee you’ll have an ax-ellent time.

FIND A COOL PLACE TO DRINK

You don’t have to have games for it to be a good place to drink in Vancouver. We have some pretty amazing bars. Head to Botanist Bar in the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel which thinks of itself as a cocktail laboratory. They’re expensive but worth it.

Want something a little off the beaten path? Vancouver has a couple of “hidden” bars. Laowai in Chinatown is probably my favorite. It’s a prohibition style speakeasy bar hiding behind a takeout dim sum joint called Blnd Tgr Dumplings. There’s even a secret password to get in (Hint: ask for the Number 7 on their 6-item takeout menu).

ENJOY A GAMES DAY

Indoor games days are a really good way to pass a rainy day. In fact Vancouver folks love games so much that many bars have a stash of board games on hand. My favorite: my old local hangout, Score on Davie – and they have some incredible Caesars!

Into more active games? Try Back and Forth Bar in Gastown where you can have an epic ping-pong battle. For arcade style games to play as you drink, Good Co. on Granville street has an unbelievable selection including some old-school Pinball machines which I found I was surprisingly good at.

Brewhall (one of Vancouver’s best breweries) in Olympic Village also has a good mix of arcade and board games to play. And their beer is really tasty too.

TAKE A FUN CLASS

My new favorite thing to do in Vancouver is take craft and hobby classes. Of all the rainy day activities Vancouver has to offer, this might be the most creative.

I recently took a candle making class at Voyageur Soap & Candle Co in Langley. If that’s a bit far for you (or if you don’t have a car) Soigne is just east of Gastown and has lots of classes. I also recently took a beeswax craft class at the Honeybee Centre in Surrey which was lots of fun. We got to make candles, beeswax wraps and salves.

Another Vancouver favorite is 4Cats Arts Studio which has a few locations around the city. Kitsilano or Main Street at likely the easiest to get to from downtown, but there’s also one in Steveston for those visiting Richmond.

If, like me, you also love food there are dozens of good cooking classes around Vancouver. Dirty Apron is probably one of the best, but search online for any others you might like.

GO SHOPPING

Robson Street is where you’ll find a lot of Vancouver’s best shopping, but on a rainy day you might want to head to a mall to keep a little drier. The Pacific Centre Mall on West Georgia street is a great place to start. There’s even a food court if you get hungry.

A little further out, but easily accessible by Skytrain, is the massive Metrotown Mall in Burnaby. You can spend hours here if you wanted.

For some more budget shopping, you can try the McArthurGlen outlets by the airport (get off at Templeton station), or Tsawwassen Mills out in Delta if you have access to a car on your trip.

HUNT FOR ANTIQUES

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure, right? Certainly the case when you’re talking antiques. In Vancouver there are some great places to find antiques. There’s the Vancouver Flea Market on Terminal Avenue, open weekends. Or a few other antique shops and warehouses in East Vancouver.

If you’ve got a car, I would highly recommend a trip to Fort Langley. Not only can you visit the historic fort (maybe not a rainy day activity), but the cute little town is full of independent stores and antique shops.

SEE THE WHOLE COUNTRY AT FLYOVER

Raining outside but you still want to explore? Why not hop over to FlyOver Canada. This simulated journey takes you across Canada from the eastern Maritimes to the northern Yukon Territory. And all in less than 15 minutes.

It’s a great way to see the beauty of Canada if you’ve got limited time – plus being indoors means its easy to do on a rainy day. It might be over $40 CAD but it is a really fun and unique 4-D experience.

Local’s Tip: They often offer bonus experiences such as FlyOver Iceland, FlyOver America or seasonal themed versions of the Canadian experience.

DISCOVER AN INDOOR GARDEN

I get it, no-one wants to walk around a garden in the rain. Which is why Vancouver even has a solution to this. Save the UBC Botanical Garden or Van Dusen Gardens for a nicer day, and instead head to the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park.

It might be small but this completely enclosed botanical garden is full of interestingly beautiful plants, and equally pretty exotic birds.

For less than $10 you can stay warm and dry and still feel like you’re exploring a natural paradise. It’s one of Vancouver’s best budget activities.

BREAK OUT OF AN ESCAPE ROOM

Good at puzzles? Have you ever tried an escape room? The concept is simple enough: solve a series of clues in an allotted time to “escape” and win the game.

The question is whether you and your friends work together well or spend the time arguing over the clues.

I’ve done a couple of these in Vancouver and they’re always fun. They range from random puzzles through a series of rooms, or they can be themed. Themed ones are usually a little more fun.

Try EXIT which has multiple locations including one in Gastown and one on West Broadway; or i-Exit Downtown Vancouver. Both have cool themed rooms to escape from.

CATCH A SPORTS GAME OR A SHOW

You might have to give the baseball a miss if it’s a rainy day, but there are other sports games you can catch in Vancouver. Try a soccer game – the Whitecaps, our local MLS team, play at BC Place downtown. Or next door is Rogers Arena where you can watch a Canucks NHL hockey game.

For something cheaper, Vancouver also has a CHL (junior hockey) team who play in Langley. Combine it with an antique hunting afternoon. Vancouver also has a good arts scene with lots of shows and even Broadway musicals.

BONUS ACTIVITY: GO FOR A WALK ANYWAY

Let’s face it, it’s only rain – you won’t melt. As long as it’s not super heavy rain you can still go out for a nice walk and enjoy yourself. Dress for the weather with a raincoat, rubber boots and maybe an umbrella, and you’re all set.

Vancouver’s Stanley Park or North Vancouver’s Lynn Canyon are both great places to visit. Yes, even in the rain. The dense trees on some of the trails are a bit of a shelter from the worst of it. Plus Stanley Park has a couple of cafes and restaurants dotted around the park to balance out your outdoor time.

Rainy day activities Vancouver

When visiting Vancouver, it’s best to plan for rain as a likely occurrence. If it doesn’t happen, great. If it does, you’re prepared with some fun indoor activities as a back up. The most important thing about Vancouver is to not let the weather ruin your day.

There are so many good indoor and outdoor activities alike. So much so, that it doesn’t matter if it’s raining or not, these are excellent things to do in any weather. But especially if it’s a little wet outside.

It’s green for a reason here, and despite the bad rep the city gets for all its rain, you really can’t beat Vancouver in my opinion. Whatever you end up doing, enjoy your time in my hometown – but remember to pack an umbrella just in case.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Which of these tops your list of rainy day activities Vancouver has to offer? How would you spend the perfect rainy day in the city?