North Vancouver Things to Do

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One great ride which is offered at the top of Grouse Mountain, is the HELIJET tours.
For a flight over to the Lions peaks, and between them, plus behind Grouse and over a few lakes, it will cost you $129.00, and it's worth every penny. better than any fun-park ride in my opinion, because with this, there is a definate chance that you could come crashing down to the earth. Hop into the helicopter for a short flight around the mountain, or longer over many incredible views. They even offer a picnic spot on Goat Mountain. Menu included. When you ask yourself, "would I do that again?" and your answer is a definate YEAH! then you know it was worth it. Get ready for the thrill and ride of your life!!
Special note: you will need 4our people before they take off. If you didn't come with three friends of your own, find three more to join you, they won't be too far away, reach out and help yourself.
YEEHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Each year, Each July, the Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society of BC presents a Multicultural Street Parade kicks off the Caribbean Days Festival weekend. This event draws tens of thousands of exuberant fun-lovers to North Vancouver for a weekend of parading, dining and dancing in the sunshine.

The Festival has an uncanny knack for bringing good weather with it, and over the years has grown into the largest Caribbean event on the local calendar -- and with an attendance estimated at 30,000, possibly the largest cultural event of its type in BC, period. There is no charge for admission.

from green to white...
no matter you love sports or not, Grouse Mountain is always a place for both visitors and local people to go.
by the time i was there, thank God! weather was so nice that everywhere looks extremely clear and beautiful...

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Grouse Mountain in the summer (June until September) is a fun place to be if you want to get out into the outdoors without having to stray too far from the city. On a clear day it'll give you a fantastic view of Greater Vancouver. It also offers hiking trails, a grizzly bear sanctuary, a free lumberjack show, free documentary films in the theatre, a birds of prey demonstration, and a free ride on the Screaming Eagle chair lift. There are also gift shops, a cafeteria, an expensive gourmet restaurant, and a pub with a beautiful patio. Sure, Grouse Mountain is a tourist operation, but it makes the mountain fun and accessible for everyone.

All this "free" stuff comes at the price of about $34 per adult. You have to pay this admission fee to ride the Skyride gondola from the base of Grouse up to the top. Of course, if you're insanely fit and a bit crazy, you can bypass paying the admission fee by walking up the entire mountain if you don't mind walking up a staircase without stopping for over one hour. Contrary to popular belief, this "Grouse Grind" is not a scenic hike. It offers no views until you get to the top and it is not at all leisurely.

People do the Grouse Grind as a workout and it should not be attempted unless you treat it as such. However, it is a rite of passage among local Vancouverites, and that in itself has lured a few tourists to test their endurance. Once at the top, you can pay $5 to take the Skyride down.

Another way to save money on the Skyride admission fee is to make reservations for the Observatory Restaurant. This is the very expensive gourmet restaurant I mentioned previously. If you get a reservation for dinner here, although their prices are twice of what you'd expect to pay elsewhere, your Skyride admission fee is free!

Grouse in the winter is a vastly different world than Grouse in the summer. From December until May, snow covers the peak of Grouse and it's here where locals and tourists alike come to go skiing, either in the daylight hours or at night. Though not the largest ski hill in Greater Vancouver, it is certainly the most convenient, especially if you don't have a car.

If skiing isn't your thing, you can do other activities. They have snowshoeing available as well as ice skating. All equipment can be rented on site. Note that the ice skating pond is quite small so don't have high expectations, although it can be fun for the novelty of being able to ice skate outdoors. For those looking for more of a sedentary activity, you can take a snow-limo ride or a sleigh ride. The sleigh ride, however, is pulled by some sort of diesel tractor, so don't anticipate a romantic horse-drawn sleigh! But I imagine it can be equally fun.

The snow-limo is quite unique, however. It's basically a wheelbarrow or a rickshaw on skis. It gives you the feeling of skiing without actually having to ski yourself. There's a driver who stands behind it, steering it, and giving it enough momentum to carry down the ski runs. You get to sit in the recliner-like seat and you're covered with blankets.

Grouse Mountain in the winter is fun if you're looking for a snowy winter experience without having to stray too far from Vancouver. While the hiking trails aren't accessible, the Grouse Grind closed, the birds of prey/lumberjack shows canceled, and the grizzly bears in hibernation, you can still have a fun day in the snow on Grouse.

Lonsdale Quay is an indoor marketplace located on the north shore of Burrard Inlet looking over towards the downtown Vancouver skyline. It's open 7 days a week until 6:30pm and features a wide variety of vendors.

Downstairs tends to be more food-oriented with little delis, bakeries, butchers, and wine merchants interspersed with florists, jewelers and gift shops. Upstairs features more clothing boutiques and gift shops, although they also have a kid's area with a play area. There are also cafes, little restaurants serving takeout, and a pub. There's even a hotel for those who want to base themselves in North Van.

While not as vibrant (in my opinion) as Granville Island's Market, Lonsdale Quay makes for a neat destination if you're interested in riding the seabus back and forth across Burrard Inlet. You can also visit Lonsdale Avenue around the corner, which features some good restaurants and neighbourhood shops.

Capilano Park is a good starting point for tourists visiting the north shore, and Capilano Suspension Bridge has been around since it was first built back in 1956. The park itself has a much older history, dating back to the 1800's. The bridge was completed in only 5 days, but not to worry, it undergoes regular inspections. The view from this bridge is very exciting, especially if you have a problem with heights. It's as safe as can be, but if you have children with you, take precautions, and always keep them within eyesight.
Also within this park, is another exciting adventure where you can hike on suspended cat-walks in the trees. Sometimes at the height reaching 100 feet (30 metres) above the forest floor.

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Also at the top of Grouse Mountain, a little distance from where the two Grizzlys are kept, you can enjoy a demonstration of Hawks and owls, they come in closely over head, and back to their handlers. This is only during the summer month's. If it's too hot, they don't tend to keep them out for too long.