Top Rated Attractions in North Vancouver

Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park is a myriad of awe-inspiring sights rolled into one. This verdant retreat is the crown jewel of Vancouver's urban landscape, perched at the city's highest point, in full view of the North Shore Mountains and the city itself. The park is a diverse tapestry of luxuriant spaces, each a cornucopia of delights. At the Quarry Garden, the former wasteland has been transformed into a lush garden complete with a babbling brook and cascading waterfall, while the Rose Garden abounds in variously hued floral displays. Nearby, the Arboretum shelters a collection of native and exotic trees, interspersed with sculptures and public art by the likes of Henry Moore. The Dancing Fountain is another popular feature, as is the Painters' Corner where local artists can be seen working on picturesque landscapes, their original artwork on display. For the more actively inclined, the park also features sports facilities like tennis courts, mini-golf and lawn bowling.

Vancouver is blessed with one of the world's most spectacular skylines, so see it from the ocean if you get the chance. The popular Sunset Dinner Cruise lets you take in the view over three hours while you dine on a gourmet buffet. If you prefer something short and sweet, take the Harbour Tour. If you want to plan a special event or corporate function, you can charter a boat too.

Considered one of the best such facilities in North America, this structure has had many transformations. Aside from the planetarium and observatory, H.R. MacMillan Space Center also features the Cosmic Courtyard hands-on gallery, a Virtual Voyages full-motion simulator, Ground-station Canada exhibits and multimedia and popular laser shows. Its overnight adventures and space camps are popular. Don't forget to visit the gift shop with space-related souvenirs. Check the website or call ahead for timings of the evening laser shows. Admission prices mentioned are applicable throughout the day.

West Vancouver Museum recounts the varied history of West Vancouver. It is located in a ballast-stone house built in 1940 by Gertrude Lawson, daughter of businessman John Lawson, known as the Father of West Vancouver. When Lawson visited Scotland, she so admired the regal mansions and castles that she saw there that she had her home built in the style of those majestic Scottish estates. The stones used in the construction are believed to have originated from New Zealand as ballast on timber trading vessels. Admission price is collected as donation.

Near the sunlit banks of the Lower Fraser River, the village of Steveston became home to a booming salmon cannery in 1894. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery burgeoned to great heights, going on to become British Columbia's leading producer of sockeye salmon, a feat that earned it the moniker 'Monster Cannery'. Besides being a beacon of the fishing industry on Canada's West Coast, the cannery also promoted a healthy multicultural philosophy, one where people of various descents worked alongside each other, rolling can after can of the indigenous fish. While the industry soon collapsed after the advent of machinery and the conclusion of the war, the building of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery continues to acquaint visitors with the golden heydays of fishing, through riveting guided tours of the cannery-turned-museum, and exhibits of age-old canning machinery and equipment.

The gardens, located at UBC are composed of five cultivated areas spread over 70-acres of land. The Asian Garden is where rarities like the blue Himalayan poppy blooms. It also has magnolias, roses and 400 types of rhododendrons. Meanwhile, the BC Native Garden displays over 3,500 plants naturally found in the province. The Alpine Garden grows high-elevation plants from Australia, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Tours are available from April to October. Admission by donation.