I can’t quite call myself a fan, but I enjoy a game of soccer. While I was there, I went to the Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Colorado Rapids match, and by the final whistle I was seriously considering coming back for the tournament.
A sunny afternoon like this explains why Vancouverites spend so much time outside.
Photo: Dyana Lederman
Aside from the draw of the World Cup, I was taken with Vancouver. Growing up outside New York, I had no idea a city could be so intertwined with nature. I caught the tail end of cherry blossom season, Douglas firs lined the streets, and as the coastal city sits between mountains and ocean — you can feel the outdoors everywhere, right down to how people dress. The Seawall, the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path, had joggers, cyclists, and skaters on it at every hour I passed.
The World Cup is reason enough to book the trip. What I didn’t expect was how much Vancouver would make me want to stay longer and come back even without a ticket.
BC Place stadium is one of the few World Cup venues sitting inside a city’s downtown core.
Photo: Kate Scott/Shutterstock
BC Place hosts seven matches from June 13 through July 7, including Canada home games against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24. Having been to the stadium for the Whitecaps match, its downtown location immediately made sense as a World Cup venue. It’s close enough to walk to from most hotels and surrounded by restaurants and bars.
The retractable roof at BC Place stays open on good days, and in Vancouver in June, there are plenty of them. Photo: Dyana Lederman
On match days, sections of Pacific Boulevard will close to traffic, funneling fans directly through on their way to and from the stadium. Helmcken Plaza will be the neighborhood’s main outdoor gathering point. Earls Kitchen + Bar will host a Pitchside Patio with screens visible from nearly every angle, and Yaletown Brewing Company will open Backyard FC — an outdoor space with burgers, pizza, picnic tables, and cold pints. Both programs kick off June 11 and close July 19.
If you don’t have tickets at all, the official FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE fairgrounds in Hastings Park is worth knowing about. It’s on the city’s east side, about four miles from BC Place, with free general admission, live match screenings, music, food vendors, and cultural programming for the full length of the tournament. The PNE is one of Vancouver’s most storied public spaces and the fan fest will be one of the bigger outdoor events in the city this summer.
From this height, the mountains, ocean, and downtown all look like they’re within walking distance of each other. Photo: Dyana Lederman
I was only in town for a few days, but learned quickly that the best way to cover the most ground is from the sky. Seair Seaplanes runs a 30-minute tour called the Beautiful Tour out of Vancouver Harbour. From the air you can see the North Shore Mountains, the waters of Deep Cove, and the downtown skyline from a perspective that’s impossible on the ground.
Back on solid ground, I joined a Landsea Tours and Adventures trip through Stanley Park — a national historic site with old-growth coastal rainforest, totem poles, a heritage rose garden, and shoreline views that explain why Vancouverites have always fought to keep it intact. Landsea is expanding its schedule for World Cup crowds and also runs day trips to Whistler and Victoria for anyone who wants to get out of the city between matches. Our guide took us over the Lions Gate Bridge to our next stop: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
The old-growth Douglas firs along the Capilano canyon are some of the tallest in the region.
Photo: Dyana Lederman
A coastal temperate rainforest about 20 minutes from downtown, the park has three attractions — the Suspension Bridge, the Treetop Walk, and the Cliffwalk. The bridge was built in 1889 on the traditional territory of the Squamish Nation, one of the Coast Salish peoples indigenous to this part of the Pacific Northwest. The Squamish called it the Laughing Bridge, for the sound the cables made when wind moved through the canyon. It’s wobblier than you’d expect, so hold tight to your camera.
For the World Cup, the park is launching Canyon Kick-Off from June 6 through July 19, open 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM daily. Flags from all eight nations competing in Vancouver will hang across the canyon alongside a 10-foot soccer ball suspended under the bridge, with foosball, soccer cornhole, and photo installations spread throughout the park. All of it is included in the admission price which is currently $65 for adults. Make sure to book timed entry online, especially during peak match weeks.
The little blue False Creek Ferries run nine stops along the waterfront, rain or shine.
Photo: Dyana Lederman
Another thing worth adding to your itinerary is a short ride on a False Creek Ferry from downtown to Granville Island. Small electric boats take passengers along the waterfront, with narrated options if you want context and multiple stops en route. The island is technically a peninsula, with more than 300 independent businesses. The public market is the reason to go: more than 50 food vendors under one roof, some of the best fresh seafood counters in the city among them.
During the World Cup, Granville Island is hosting a watch party at Lot 55 that plans to screen all 92 matches, with DJs, food trucks, and live music running June 11 through July 19.
My first evening I ate at Victor, one of two restaurants inside the Parq Vancouver complex directly across from BC Place. The large room has couches for pre-dinner drinks and a sushi bar along the back wall. Its aburi — sushi torched tableside — was the best bite of the night, though the cowboy ribeye makes a case for itself, and that’s coming from someone who rarely enjoys steak.
The next morning I went to Honey Salt, also at Parq, for breakfast. The farm-to-table restaurant feels warm and unpretentious for somewhere inside a casino complex, with exposed brick, open shelving, and a green and white palette throughout. I had the blueberry pancakes and the eggs benedict, but order the pain au chocolat — it arrives flattened and half-covered in chocolate, unlike any version I’d had before.
About a 15-minute walk from the stadium is Chinatown BBQ, where the classic BBQ meats hang on display at the front entrance. Ask for the large table in the back with the lazy Susan if you’re going with a group, and make a reservation to avoid the lines. Order the brisket and soy sauce chicken.
Bluewater Cafe has been pulling its seafood from BC waters for 25 years.
Photo: Dyana Lederman
In Yaletown, Bluewater Cafe just celebrated its 25th anniversary in a brick and beam heritage warehouse on Hamilton Street. You can’t go wrong with any of the seafood. I ordered the daily special, a perfectly cooked halibut. For groups, the seafood tower is worth ordering, with some of the best fresh BC seafood in the city piled on one plate.
The DOUGLAS sits directly across from BC Place, close enough that the stadium fills the room windows.
Photo: Dyana Lederman
The DOUGLAS sits steps from BC Place and is part of the Parq Vancouver complex, which also includes a JW Marriott and a casino sportsbook for anyone who wants to put money on the matches. The lobby’s most distinctive feature is a Douglas fir trunk laid on its side in a glass case that doubles as the front desk. My room had Aesop products and a Yeti cooler in place of a minibar, and the view looked directly into the stadium. The hotel has a rooftop urban park and D/6, a bar and lounge off the lobby with views across the city. For the World Cup, the complex is running a Summer of Soccer food and drink program at the rooftop JW Garden, a pop-up patio overlooking BC Place. Watch party menus are also available through in-room dining.
Downtown Vancouver is 30 to 45 minutes from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) by taxi or rideshare depending on traffic. A quicker option is the Canada Line SkyTrain — about 25 minutes to downtown on a fixed schedule regardless of traffic, with tickets at $10.50. Pick up a Compass Card on arrival, which works across all SkyTrain, bus, and SeaBus routes. The SkyTrain is also the most reliable way to get around the city during the tournament, especially on match days. If you’re staying downtown or near BC Place, walking is often the best option. Vancouver has dedicated bike lanes throughout the city, with rental locations near the stadium. 
What to Do in Vancouver
- Seair Seaplanes: Vancouver Harbour, Unit 1 Burrard Landing, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 0C3
- Landsea Tours & Adventures: 4220 Vanguard Road, Richmond, BC V6X 2P4
- Capilano Suspension Bridge Park: 3755 Capilano Rd, North Vancouver, BC V7R 4J1
- False Creek Ferries: 1519 Foreshore Walk, Vancouver, BC V6H 3X3
- Granville Island: 1661 Duranleau Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3S3
- FIFA Fan Festival: PNE Grounds, Hastings Park, 2901 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V5K 5J1
Where to Eat and Drink in Vancouver
- Victor: 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3
- Honey Salt: 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3
- Chinatown BBQ: 130 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T3
- Bluewater Cafe: 1095 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2W9
- BC Place Stadium: 777 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6B 4Y8
Where to Stay in Vancouver
- The DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection: 45 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3