Sledding at Grouse Mountain. Photo: Tourism Vancouver / Grouse Mountain
Winter Break is a great time to get outdoors and explore nature in Vancouver. Choose from snowy activities like skiing and snowshoeing, holiday fun, hikes, and lots more. Use our picks for the best things to do outdoors in Vancouver on winter break to plan your adventures.
Enjoy Outdoor Holiday Lights
Family members of all ages will love the magic of twinkling Christmas lights. Take a stroll through your neighbourhood or head to one of the dazzling outdoor light displays around Vancouver.
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Photo: McArthur Glen
Skate on an Outdoor Rink
Nothing says winter quite like skating outdoors. The Vancouver area has four outdoor skating rinks to choose from and they are all decked out for the holidays with seasonal decor and twinkling lights.
Photo: Grouse Mountain
Go Skiing or Snowboarding
Winter break is a great time to go skiing or snowboarding. With six ski areas in the Vancouver area, you have lots of choices.
Photo: Grouse Mountain
Go Sledding, Tobogganing, or Snow Tubing
Sledding is a fun activity for all ages and it is the perfect winter break activity. Cross your fingers for a white Christmas to sled close to home, or head up to one of Vancouver’s ski hills. They have sledding and tubing parks with guaranteed snow. Use our guide to find a local sledding or tubing spot.
Photo: Sasquatch Mountain Resort
Go For a Hike
While the mountain peaks may be covered in snow, it’s still hiking season down at sea level. Work up an appetite for your holiday meal with a hike. Choose a trail from our list of nine snow-free hikes near Vancouver.
Whyte Lake in West Vancouver. Photo: Taryn Eyton/HappiestOutdoors.ca
Visit the Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain’s annual Peak of Christmas event is a Vancouver tradition. Let the Skyride whisk you up to a winter wonderland at the top of the mountain. You can ice skate on a frozen pond, go sledding, hang out with a real reindeer, walk through a light tunnel, and snowshoe around Blue Grouse Lake.
Photo: Grouse Mountain
Try Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is one of the easiest winter sports you can try. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Head to one of the North Shore mountains to rent snowshoes, then try one of our picks for the best easy snowshoe trails near Vancouver.
Photo: Sea to Sky Gondola
Go Cross Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing is a great way to explore the winter landscape. You can get a full-body workout or go for a casual cruise with friends. There are four cross-country ski areas near Vancouver to choose from.
Cross-country skiing at Whistler Olympic Park. Photo: Tourism Whistler/Mike Crane
Visit the Sea to Sky Gondola
Enjoy the best views of Howe Sound from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish. Brave the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge or take a walk along the Spirit Trail to enjoy beautiful Christmas decorations in the snowy forest. For a unique adventure, sign up for a sunset headlamp hike.
Photo: Sea to Sky Gondola
Walk or Bike the Seawall
Winter break is a great time to take a lap around the Stanley Park Seawall on foot or by bike. You’ll skip the summer crowds and get incredible views of the snow-capped North Shore Mountains. There are several bike rental shops near the park entrance.
Cyclists on the Stanley Park Seawall. Photo: Destination BC/Heath Moffatt
Zipline Through the Snow
Ziplining isn’t just a summer activity! Bundle up warm, then strap into a harness and fly through the snowflakes at one of three Vancouver-area zipline parks. In North Vancouver, book a zipline tour with Grouse Mountain. If you’re heading to Whistler Superfly Ziplines or Ziptrek can get you flying.
Zip lines in winter. Photo: Superfly Ziplines
Hang Out With Hundreds of Eagles in Squamish
Did you know that Squamish is home to one of the world’s largest populations of wintering bald eagles? Each year over 1000 eagles spend December and January hanging out along the Squamish River. Pack your binoculars, then use our list of the best places to spot eagles.
Photo: Tourism Squamish
By Taryn Eyton
Source Inside Vancouver
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