The Best Vancouver Independent Shore Excursions

 Vancouver is a spectacular gateway to the Pacific Northwest and a destination worth exploring before or after your Alaska cruise. Surrounded by ocean and mountains, the city offers a wonderful combination of natural beauty, vibrant neighborhoods, and outstanding food.

Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains, the city is known for its spectacular views and relaxed West Coast atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy exploring the waterfront, walking or biking around Stanley Park, discovering the historic streets of Gastown, and browsing the shops and public market at Granville Island. Vancouver is also an excellent destination for travelers who enjoy the outdoors, with nearby mountains, beaches, parks, and scenic trails offering plenty of opportunities for adventure. For those with additional time, a scenic trip along the Sea-to-Sky Highway toward Whistler provides an opportunity to experience even more of British Columbia’s stunning landscape.

Click here for a full list of all of these excursions. Or click the title of the excursion below. This will give you more information about the excursion. If you book through this link, Trips with Angie will get a small commission and a copy of your booking. If you’ve booked your cruise through Trips with Angie, we can double check the timing and add it to your itinerary.

Discover the best that Vancouver has to offer as you embark on a full-day sightseeing tour of the city’s top landmarks on the Vancouver City Sightseeing Tour: Capilano Suspension Bridge & Vancouver Lookout. Your day includes walks through popular neighborhoods such as Gastown, Chinatown, and Granville Island as well as stops at the Vancouver Lookout, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Brockton Point Totem Pole. Hotel pick-up and drop-off available.

Skip the stress of renting a car with this scenic day trip from Vancouver to Whistler. Travel through BC’s fjords, inlets, and mountains with a guide providing commentary.  Enjoy photo stops along the way.  Ride the Sea to Sky Gondola before free time in Whistler Village. With included transportation and hotel pickup and drop-off, relax and experience British Columbia’s natural beauty in a seamless, hassle-free way.

Store your luggage and explore on your own. Don’t let a late flight or late hotel check-in prevent you from discovering the city of Vancouver after disembarking from your cruise. If you have several hours, you can explore the city without having to drag your luggage around with you with this convenient luggage storage service located right at Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal – Canada Place.

Discover Langley’s renowned wineries on this guided tour, exploring top vineyards in the Fraser Valley region from Vancouver. Enjoy a delightful snack pack featuring cheeses, crackers, fruit, and chocolate to go along with your wine tastings. With a small group of up to 10 people, receive more personalized attention from your guide.

Get to know Vancouver’s Gastown while having fun with friends or family on this murder mystery-style quest. Play detective for the day as your group is split up into teams. After an in-person briefing, you’ll use various tool and a map to solve a series of clues and challenges with the goal of discovering the killer behind a local murder.

Combine history and kid-friendly challenges: Team up to save the city on this family-focused adventure. Use the included game kit to solve the mystery. Whether you’re playing as a family (up to four players), or for an event like a birthday party, sign up in teams to work together as you explore downtown Vancouver.

Skip the stress of planning a family-friendly itinerary with this private Vancouver tour designed for kids. Explore Stanley Park, Science World, Granville Island, and the Bloedel Conservatory with an experienced guide, including all admission tickets. Hotel pickup, private transport, snacks, and soft drinks are included. Enjoy a seamless, comfortable, and worry-free day for the whole family.

Discover the sights and sounds around Vancouver, British Columbia, on this scenic boat tour. Tour Vancouver from the sea:  Lighthouse Park, the Seal Colony and centrally located False Creek. Along the way, see a plethora of attractions, like Stanley Park, English Bay Beach, the Lions Gate Bridge, plus offshore freighters. You may even see the seal colony relaxing on the rocks.

Spend an afternoon discovering the culinary scene of North Vancouver on this group Taste North Vancouver Shipyards - Food Tour with Local Eats walking tour. An in-the-know guide takes you through the Lonsdale Quay Market and the historic Shipyards District to enjoy several tastings from local vendors. Gain insight into the area’s shipbuilding industry and enjoy skyline views along the scenic waterfront.

This half-day whale-watching adventure from downtown Vancouver gives you the chance to see whales and other marine life. Hop aboard your luxurious catamaran, complete with heated indoor space and outdoor decks, and set sail. Tour departs near Granville Island.

Get a glimpse into Vancouver’s rough and rowdy past on a Vancouver Lost Souls Walking Tour of the historic Gastown neighborhood. Hear haunting tales of the city’s darkest days.  Learn how fires, smallpox and gold dust fever swept through the frontier outpost. Visit the neighborhood’s landmarks and historic sites as your guide evokes the thieves, hustlers and vagabonds that made the west so wild. The meeting spot for this tour is in Gastown.

Explore the iconic Stanley Park on a bike. The Stanley Park Bicycle Tour takes you through  the 1,000-acre (405-hectare) park. Cruise by Third Beach. View First Nations totem poles in Brockton Point.  Catch great views of the city skyline, mountains, and local wildlife. Along the way, learn about Vancouver’s rich history as a logging center and the park’s complex ecosystem.

Explore Chinatown. Spend a morning with an off-duty chef on this food and cultural walking tour of Vancouver’s Chinatown. Join your expert guide to explore Chinatown’s historical landmarks and local cuisine. Drink tea, enter cookware and herbal medicine shops, and visit the tranquil Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. A dim sum lunch is included on this small-group tour.

Taste your way through the famous Granville Island. Discover an insider perspective on one of Vancouver's top destinations for food lovers on this small-group tasting tour of Granville Island Public Market. Learn about Vancouver’s eclectic food culture.  Browse diverse products. Meet local artisans and vendors. Look forward to tasting regional foods, fine cheeses and meats,  local tea and freshly baked goods.

Enjoy a taste of Vancouver’s hip craft brewery scene at three highly rated breweries with this behind the scenes brewery tour. You’ll sample a nice variety of locally crafted brews while someone else does all the driving. Meet downtown at the Waterfront Station for a small group tour that includes VIP tours at each of the breweries, plus priority seating to get you to the beer quicker.

We’ve done our best to select excursions that could be fun for your family. As with all excursions, please do your own due diligence with the excursion provider, review physical requirements for the tour, and read the liability waiver carefully before signing.