We get it. You cancelled your vacation to the Caribbean or that trip to Bali, you’ve been planning for over a year. And it sucks, it really does. Travelling is so much fun and such a valuable experience. But guess what? You’re not the only one that had to put off travelling. This pandemic has caused many of us to alter or downright cancel any kind of travel outside of our own province. Which brings us to our next point: you can still travel – just do it within your city. And if there ever was a city that you can enjoy without leaving, it’s definitely Vancouver. The weather is rarely harsh, and it’s one of the most picturesque places in all of Canada. You can keep yourself busy in and around the city, and you can do it all by public transit. Sometimes you have to at least try to make the best of a bad situation. Take this time of restricted travel as an opportunity to explore places within your own local borders. Here are six spots you can visit, all accessible by public transit. Horseshoe Bay West Vancouver Marina Horseshoe Bay is a seaside village that sits at the far west tip of West Vancouver. Quaint coffee shops and restaurants are just the beginning of what Horseshoe Bay has to offer. Visiting Whytecliff Park is a must, and Lighthouse Park is equally as splendid. If you’re lucky while sitting near the sea at Whytecliff Park, you might just see a sea lion. Troll’s or Olive and Anchor is where you’ll want to eat, but you can really just stroll around the area and enjoy the scenery. Directions 🚌 Horseshoe Bay is about one hour from Vancouver, taking the SkyTrain (Canada Line) and a bus (257 Horseshoe Bay Express). Enjoy the breathtaking coastline at beautiful Bowen Island Bowen Island is just a twenty-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay and one of the best places to spend a day in Vancouver. There are hiking and biking trails through either Killarney Lake or Mount Gardner. You can go kayaking, horseback riding, play golf or enjoy other fun water activities like scuba diving. If you feel like being inside, there is a museum along with a few art galleries you can visit. You can also hit the gym or spa if you’re feeling like a wellness day. Directions ⛴️ Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay. The ferry cost (return) is $10.45 for people over 12 and nearly half the price for 5-12, and free for those under five. Approx 1.5 hours – 1 hour to Horseshoe, 30 min ferry. Hike to the turquoise waters of picturesque Garibaldi Lake near Whistler Whistler is one of the top tourist destinations in Canada and is known for its ski resort. But that’s not the only way to enjoy Whistler. You can go on bear or eagle viewing tours, rent a canoe and paddle through Alpha Lake or gather your family for a barbecue on one of the on-site grills. You’ll also find live music, dance performances and art exhibitions. Try the Whistler Wine Walk, which happens every Friday in October. Directions 🚌 Catch the Epic Rides Express bus from Vancouver to get to Whistler. It will cost you $35 and take about two hours. Gibsons Harbour – Sunshine Coast The first thing that will catch your attention when you arrive at Gibsons is the harbour. There are over 380 spaces to dock boats, and it’s usually pretty full. Then you can hit the water for some kayaking or eat at Molly’s Reach, which is one of the most popular restaurants at Gibsons. There’s also the public market where you can shop or try out some more restaurants. Directions ⛴️ 40-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Regular ferry prices for your trip. Enjoy a stroll along White Rock Pier With over eight kilometres of sand, it won’t be hard to find a place to set up along White Rock Beach. It’s divided into the east and west beach with warm waters ideal for swimming, paddling or kayaking. You should also visit White Rock’s Farmer’s Market or the White Rock Museum. It’s also customary to walk along the pier, which has a century-long history and is a destination in itself. Directions 🚌 Take the Canada Line and then 351 and 360 buses for 1 hour and 45 minutes, and you’ll be at White Rock Beach. Suspension bridge at the summit of the newly built Sea to Sky Gondola It’s easy to ignore Squamish because it’s on the way to Whistler, but you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t stop in this hidden gem of a small town. It’s located in Howe Sound, which means you’ll be in awe of the mountain ranges. If you really want to be inspired and are up for an adventure, try flight-seeing. It gives you a spectacular mountain view of Squamish from above. If you rather stay on the ground, there are several hiking trails, many of which are kid-friendly. Directions ⛴️ You can take the ferry from either Tsawwassen Bay or Horseshoe Bay. You’ll be paying regular ferry prices. You can stay in your province and still explore beautiful beaches, scenic small towns and miles of hiking trails. Gather your friends and family and plan some transit-accessible trips this fall. Just remember that we’re still dealing with a pandemic, so follow the rules of wherever you go and be prepared to wear a mask and social distance. At Rocketman, we do our best to keep you ahead of your commute. Get real-time transit alerts, arrival times and try our new crowdedness feature to avoid busy times on your journey. Rocketman transit app for Android Learn more about using the Rocketman transit app in Vancouver. Looking for more Canadian day trip ideas? Check out our article on the top day trips from Toronto on public transit. This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While the information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates. 6 Places to visit by public transit around Vancouver
Horseshoe Bay
Bowen Island
Whistler 
Gibson and Sechelt (Sunshine Coast) 
White Rock Beach
Squamish
Plan your day trip in Vancouver with the Rocketman app
Download the Rocketman app:
We get it. You cancelled your vacation to the Caribbean or that trip to Bali, you’ve been planning for over a year. And it sucks, it really does. Travelling is so much fun and such a valuable experience. But guess what? You’re not the only one that had to put off travelling. This pandemic has caused many of us to alter or downright cancel any kind of travel outside of our own province. Which brings us to our next point: you can still travel – just do it within your city. And if there ever was a city that you can enjoy without leaving, it’s definitely Vancouver. The weather is rarely harsh, and it’s one of the most picturesque places in all of Canada. You can keep yourself busy in and around the city, and you can do it all by public transit. Sometimes you have to at least try to make the best of a bad situation. Take this time of restricted travel as an opportunity to explore places within your own local borders. Here are six spots you can visit, all accessible by public transit. Horseshoe Bay West Vancouver Marina Horseshoe Bay is a seaside village that sits at the far west tip of West Vancouver. Quaint coffee shops and restaurants are just the beginning of what Horseshoe Bay has to offer. Visiting Whytecliff Park is a must, and Lighthouse Park is equally as splendid. If you’re lucky while sitting near the sea at Whytecliff Park, you might just see a sea lion. Troll’s or Olive and Anchor is where you’ll want to eat, but you can really just stroll around the area and enjoy the scenery. Directions 🚌 Horseshoe Bay is about one hour from Vancouver, taking the SkyTrain (Canada Line) and a bus (257 Horseshoe Bay Express). Enjoy the breathtaking coastline at beautiful Bowen Island Bowen Island is just a twenty-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay and one of the best places to spend a day in Vancouver. There are hiking and biking trails through either Killarney Lake or Mount Gardner. You can go kayaking, horseback riding, play golf or enjoy other fun water activities like scuba diving. If you feel like being inside, there is a museum along with a few art galleries you can visit. You can also hit the gym or spa if you’re feeling like a wellness day. Directions ⛴️ Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay. The ferry cost (return) is $10.45 for people over 12 and nearly half the price for 5-12, and free for those under five. Approx 1.5 hours – 1 hour to Horseshoe, 30 min ferry. Hike to the turquoise waters of picturesque Garibaldi Lake near Whistler Whistler is one of the top tourist destinations in Canada and is known for its ski resort. But that’s not the only way to enjoy Whistler. You can go on bear or eagle viewing tours, rent a canoe and paddle through Alpha Lake or gather your family for a barbecue on one of the on-site grills. You’ll also find live music, dance performances and art exhibitions. Try the Whistler Wine Walk, which happens every Friday in October. Directions 🚌 Catch the Epic Rides Express bus from Vancouver to get to Whistler. It will cost you $35 and take about two hours. Gibsons Harbour – Sunshine Coast The first thing that will catch your attention when you arrive at Gibsons is the harbour. There are over 380 spaces to dock boats, and it’s usually pretty full. Then you can hit the water for some kayaking or eat at Molly’s Reach, which is one of the most popular restaurants at Gibsons. There’s also the public market where you can shop or try out some more restaurants. Directions ⛴️ 40-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Regular ferry prices for your trip. Enjoy a stroll along White Rock Pier With over eight kilometres of sand, it won’t be hard to find a place to set up along White Rock Beach. It’s divided into the east and west beach with warm waters ideal for swimming, paddling or kayaking. You should also visit White Rock’s Farmer’s Market or the White Rock Museum. It’s also customary to walk along the pier, which has a century-long history and is a destination in itself. Directions 🚌 Take the Canada Line and then 351 and 360 buses for 1 hour and 45 minutes, and you’ll be at White Rock Beach. Suspension bridge at the summit of the newly built Sea to Sky Gondola It’s easy to ignore Squamish because it’s on the way to Whistler, but you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t stop in this hidden gem of a small town. It’s located in Howe Sound, which means you’ll be in awe of the mountain ranges. If you really want to be inspired and are up for an adventure, try flight-seeing. It gives you a spectacular mountain view of Squamish from above. If you rather stay on the ground, there are several hiking trails, many of which are kid-friendly. Directions ⛴️ You can take the ferry from either Tsawwassen Bay or Horseshoe Bay. You’ll be paying regular ferry prices. You can stay in your province and still explore beautiful beaches, scenic small towns and miles of hiking trails. Gather your friends and family and plan some transit-accessible trips this fall. Just remember that we’re still dealing with a pandemic, so follow the rules of wherever you go and be prepared to wear a mask and social distance. At Rocketman, we do our best to keep you ahead of your commute. Get real-time transit alerts, arrival times and try our new crowdedness feature to avoid busy times on your journey. Rocketman transit app for Android Learn more about using the Rocketman transit app in Vancouver. Looking for more Canadian day trip ideas? Check out our article on the top day trips from Toronto on public transit. This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While the information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates. 6 Places to visit by public transit around Vancouver
Horseshoe Bay
Bowen Island
Whistler
Gibson and Sechelt (Sunshine Coast) White Rock Beach
Squamish
Plan your day trip in Vancouver with the Rocketman app
Download the Rocketman app:
Don’t have Rocketman? Stay on top of your commute by downloading it:
Not sure if Rocketman works in your area? View our list of supported regions.
This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While the information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.
