While Granville Island may be the second most visited attraction in the country behind Niagara Falls, there’s much to explore beyond the standard visit to Granville Island and Market. Sandbar, the island’s premiere cocktail hot spot and patio is the perfect place to watch the Vancouver sun setting over the coastal mountain range. Perched above False Creek with beautiful views extending to English Bay beyond the iconic Burrard Street Bridge, Sandbar is a hot spot for drinks and quick bites. Hop on the False Creek Aquabus below and set sail to Mahoney and Sons at Stamps Landing for the perfect pint and fish and chips in the fresh sea air. After that, jump back onboard the Aquabus and make your way to Ancora, one of the city’s top seafood spots featuring a patio along the seawall and a wine list that just begs for a crisp, refreshing, local Okanagan Valley Pinot Gris to be quenched.
Feel like saving your steps for another time? Settle into the oasis that is Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Botanist Bar patio and immerse yourself amongst the luscious leaves and greenery as you sip on the Pretty Bird Experiential Cocktail and take some bites out of Chef Hector Laguna’s Botanist Bar bites menu. The garden is the ideal spot for private events, with its sliding glass doors that open up the entire space. Down the marble stairs you will find the bustling Lobby Lounge which just rolled out a whole new flight of cocktails just in time for summer. Swing by and try one of their creative and colourful cocktails and catch the outside breeze from inside the marbled terrace.
Botanist Patio
There’s much to see and taste downtown as well, including Railtown’s best outdoor dining experience, the Chambar Patio. Opt for their famed moules frites and extensive Belgian beer list, a wonderful way to cool down after a day full of Gastown summer shopping. Go for the art, stay for the Aperols. This summer, the famed Vancouver Art Gallery café will reopen with a brand new look and fresh feel, and is the perfect people watching spot to relax and sip spritzes al fresco in the middle of bustling downtown Vancouver. From June 16 – September 29, the VAG features a unique exhibition focused on the art of Alberto Giacometti, renowned in the twentieth century for his sculpture, painting, drawing and design.
No Vancouver al fresco experience would be complete without a visit to Yaletown’s The Keg rooftop patio. Hit up this raging hot spot for juicy steaks, robust reds, the Canadian classic ‘Keg Size’ Caesar cocktail, and views of the Yaletown neighbourhood.
