There is something about traveling with people you love that makes a place feel different before you’ve even seen it. We stepped off the Amtrak in Vancouver, walked fifteen minutes through warm beautiful weather to our apartment, and found Matt’s parents already there waiting — checked in the day before, ready to greet us outside our apartment. That moment, arriving somewhere new and finding your people already there, set the tone for everything that followed.
Traveling in Vancouver with kids turned out to be one of the great weeks of the entire trip. A stunning city wrapped in mountains and water, overflowing with things to do, and one of the most welcoming places we’ve traveled as a two dad family. We had four days here before boarding our Alaska cruise and came home wishing we’d had four more.
Where We Stayed
We stayed in a two bedroom apartment on the 29th floor directly across from Rogers Arena in the heart of downtown. Floor to ceiling windows on every side. The kids walked in and immediately went straight to the glass — we are not a highrise family, Kauai doesn’t exactly offer that perspective — and stood there looking out at the water and mountains in genuine silence for a moment. That view never got old. Not on the first morning, not on the last.
The apartment had a full kitchen, pool, hot tub, sauna, gym, and a playroom stocked with toys that became a welcome rainy morning option. The location was ideal — Gastown, Yaletown, and downtown Vancouver all within a 10-15 minute walk, the Chinatown Skytrain station right nearby.
A note on the neighborhood: the area near Chinatown has some visible signs of Vancouver’s ongoing challenges around housing and addiction. We never felt unsafe but there were moments — people visibly struggling nearby, a scene or two that required a quiet parenting conversation in real time. We share this honestly because that’s what we do, not to discourage. Vancouver is a safe and beautiful city and our experience there was overwhelmingly positive. Just something to be aware of when traveling with young kids.
Also worth noting — the FIFA World Cup setup was happening throughout the city during our stay. The stadium area near our apartment was buzzing with construction and anticipation. Watching a city prepare for something that significant is its own kind of energy.
Apartment nightly rate — $330 USD per night (2 bedroom unit)
Science World Vancouver with kids
Our first full day in Vancouver started with the Skytrain one stop to Science World — quick, easy, and a source of considerable excitement for a kid who tracks modes of transportation the way other kids track sports scores.
Science World is one of the best science museums we’ve visited anywhere and it has something genuine for every age. Easton spent most of his time in the area packed with cause and effect exhibits — the kind of space where you can spend an hour without realizing it because every interaction leads to another question. Milo loved the wonder play area. Both of them got everything they came for.
The electricity show was the highlight of the day. A stranger from the audience volunteered and watched their hair stand completely straight from static while the room laughed and leaned in at the same time. That’s Science World at its best. Making something feel like a show while actually teaching you something real.
For lunch we ate at Triple O’s inside Science World — a veggie burger and fries that worked well. You can also bring your own food in which is a great option for vegan families wanting more control.
[FILL IN: Science World admission — $37.50 CAD for adults, $25.50 CAD Kids 3-12 year old.. Skytrain fare approximately $3.50 CAD per person ]
Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is a full day experience and one of the genuine highlights of the week. We took a Lyft to Stanley Park where the aquarium sits, arrived around 11am, and stayed until 4pm. Worth every minute.
Worth sharing for animal loving families: the Vancouver Aquarium no longer houses cetaceans like whales or dolphins. Following a significant policy change in 2018 their focus shifted entirely to rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals. The animals currently in their care are those who cannot safely be returned to the wild. This aligns with our values around animal welfare and it was something we appreciated knowing before we visited.
The exhibits were beautifully done and the kids were fully engaged throughout. Milo was most lit up by the otters, seals, and sea lions. The sea lion show was an absolute joy — diving, waving, handstands, fish catches — the kind of performance that has the whole room cheering. Easton and I also did a whale VR experience that was genuinely impressive.
We packed our own lunches knowing vegan options at the aquarium were limited — a reliable move for any vegan family visiting. After dropping the grandparents and kids back at the apartment, Matt and I walked through the Pacific Centre Mall hunting for a rain jacket for Easton. An errand that turned into a nice evening exploring downtown.
For dinner we ordered from Chickpea — fully vegan, delicious, and very affordable at $48 CAD. One of our favorite meals of the week.
Aquarium admission — $50.95 CAD Adults, $32.20 CAD 3-12, $44.95 Seniors
Whale VR experience: $20 CAD for two
Lyft to and from aquarium — ~$10 CAD
Gastown
We visited Gastown twice — once in the evening for gift shopping and once on our last warm morning in the city for coffee. It’s Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood and one of its most charming: cobblestone streets, heritage brick, independent shops, local artists, and a restaurant scene worth exploring slowly.
Touristy in the best way — the souvenir shops sit alongside genuinely local boutiques and it never felt overdone. We found some great gifts and a few pieces from local artists we genuinely loved.
On our last morning — a warm 86 degree day, a beautiful send off from the city — we stopped at Sunters Coffee in Gastown before heading to the airport. Oat milk lattes with syrup for $6.20 CAD each and an oat milk hot cocoa for $6 CAD. A perfect final Vancouver morning.
Yaletown and Sushi Maro
Yaletown is lively, restaurant dense, and beautiful to walk in the evening. Sushi Maro had an entire dedicated vegan menu — still something that surprises and delights us every time we encounter it. Avocado rolls, yam rolls, mango rolls, king rolls, dynamite rolls. Fresh, well made, and exactly right after a long travel day.
Sushi Maro rolls ranged from $5.50 CAD for basic rolls and up to $15 CAD for specialty.
Blendz Coffee
Blendz became our go-to morning spot and we visited twice. Vegan pastries including a gluten free vegan date banana bread that was genuinely wonderful. Small oat milk lattes around $7 CAD each.
$22 CAD first visit — three coffees and one banana bread. $21 CAD second visit — three coffees.
Aiyaohno Cafe
Our first afternoon lunch after arriving from the Amtrak. Vegan friendly with a vegan chicken sandwich and tofu and rice that hit exactly right after a travel morning. Around $30 CAD for two entrees.
Vegan Supply — Chinatown
One of our favorite Vancouver discoveries. A dedicated vegan grocery store where everything is vegan and you never have to read a label — a luxury we don’t get at home. Worth the visit for the products alone. We picked up a Whistler Elixir organic blueberry ginger kombucha that was outstanding.
Ignite Pizzeria — Friday Night Pizza
We never miss Friday night pizza and movie night as a family no matter where we are. In Vancouver that meant Ignite Pizzeria in Gastown — vegan menu available, four out of five from us.
Ignite Pizzeria total — $32 CAD for two small pizzas
→ Vegan in Vancouver — The Best Plant Based Restaurants and Food Finds for Families
Getting Around Vancouver
Vancouver’s Skytrain is excellent — easy to use, well connected, and affordable. On weekends all zones are the same flat fare which makes it even simpler. We walked extensively throughout the city and used Lyft and Uber for Stanley Park and the cruise terminal.
Train to airport on departure day: $6.50 CAD for four — weekend flat rate.
[FILL IN: Uber to Canada Place cruise terminal — check credit card statement]
LGBTQ in Vancouver
Vancouver is one of the most openly LGBTQ friendly cities in the world and we felt that immediately. As two dads traveling with kids and grandparents we moved through the city completely effortlessly — no awareness, no guard, just a family in a city that treats that as entirely unremarkable. Which is exactly how it should feel everywhere.
Vegan in Vancouver
Vancouver might be the most vegan friendly city we have ever visited. Dedicated restaurants, vegan sections on regular menus, plant milk everywhere, and a fully stocked vegan grocery store. We never once struggled.
Chickpea — fully vegan, affordable, delicious. $48 CAD.
Sushi Maro — full vegan menu. $60 CAD
Aiyaohno Cafe — vegan friendly lunch. $30 CAD for two.
Ignite Pizzeria — vegan menu available. $32 CAD
Blendz Coffee — vegan pastries and oat milk lattes. $22 CAD and $21 CAD.
Vegan Supply — dedicated vegan grocery. Worth the visit.
Whole Foods — reliable for stocking up before departure. $69 CAD on final visit.
Starbucks — $18 CAD for two hot cocoas and a coffee when needed.
Triple O’s at Science World — veggie burger and fries. Easy and good.
Weather
Vancouver in late June ran mild with some cooler rainy days mixed in — we needed a rain jacket we had to buy for Easton while we were there. Pack layers and a packable rain jacket. Our last morning hit 86 degrees and was stunning. The city in sunshine is something else entirely.
Would We Go Back?
Without question and with more time. Stanley Park alone deserves a full day we didn’t give it. The food scene could keep us busy for weeks. And waking up to mountains and water from the 29th floor never stopped feeling extraordinary.
We’d go back. We’d stay longer. Vancouver earned that.
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