Vancouver’s Mutual Attractions

There’s a myriad of reasons you’ll want to add Vancouver’s attractions to your list of must-do’s this summer. And a darn good time is only one of them. If we can support them now through this difficult time, we can ensure they can continue to do so much for us, whether that’s providing a positive outlet for youth in our city, conserving our incredible natural surroundings, or simply upholding the fabric of our unique culture.

By supporting Vancouver’s attractions, we enable them to give back to our community.  It’s truly a mutual attraction.

Obviously, a big draw to Vancouver is the incredible nature on display everywhere you look. So it’s no surprise that some of the city’s most popular spots give back to the land that gives us so much. A trip to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park helps fund their Environmental Stewardship program and its initiatives that saw 2,000 trees and shrubs planted in the last three years in the rainforest around the park. Plenty of research into the environment of course goes on at UBC, where at both the Botanical Garden and the Beaty Museum, a visit helps to fund their dedicated missions to protect and preserve the plants and animals we share our home with.

A true love for our animal neighbours is what drives the boats of the family-owned Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures whose partial ticket sales are funneled into the one million dollars they have committed to donating to local conservation initiatives over the next five years. You may be surprised to learn that VanDusen Botanical Garden does so much for our furred and feathered friends as well, but supporting the garden helps support a protected habitat of urban wildlife that is so crucial to the overall health of all of Vancouver’s natural wonder.

No doubt, families across the city will be on the hunt for activities to keep the kids engaged for a day or two. But there are a few attractions in town that have a hand in looking after local youth beyond a single afternoon and well into their future. The Vancouver Art Gallery provides arts education at TAG, their Teen Art group that prepares passionate youngsters for a life in the world of visual arts. The Museum of Anthropology hosts the annual Native Youth Program which provides summer employment opportunities for Indigienous high-schoolers with the aim of creating young leaders in our communities. The Hero In You program from the BC Sports Hall of Fame inspires young athletes and non-athletes alike to go after their dreams.

One of the great things about spending the day at a Vancouver attraction is how much you can learn, not just about where we live, but about the whole world around us. Two Vancouver institutions take that notion even further with the educational programs they fund with your support. Science World takes science-learning opportunities to communities across BC through their Fund the Future programs to ignite curiosity in the next generation of problem solvers and world changers. The Vancouver Maritime Museum offers both public and in-school programs around creative and critical thinking of the big ideas in science and social studies.

Finally, supporting Vancouver attractions now means that when the visitors do come back, these fervent ambassadors of our city will be there to welcome everyone to the best of our arts and culture. A visit to the Museum of Vancouver is a fascinating look at our history, and also an investment in our future through their social programs that address important civic issues such as reconciliation, immigration and the environment. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a good place to get grounded, but it’s also a place to connect with local artists that the society champions across cultural communities. And of course, days-out-in-the-city offered by Cycle Tours of Vancouver and Stanley Park Horse Drawn Tours can show you a whole new side of your hometown, while you show them the love they’ll pass on to the rest of the world when it comes back.

With fewer folks in the queues and exclusive deals to be had for locals, the time is better than ever to get out and get in on all the adventures that await at Vancouver’s venerable attractions. And with a year like the one we just all had, it may just be more important than ever, as well.

Find special offers on Vancouver’s attractions and activities from June 1 to 30, 2021 at www.tourismvancouver.com/love/love-to-explore. 

By Inside Vancouver