On or near UBC campus
Image credit: UBC
Outdoors
- UBC botanical garden https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/gardens-and-nature/ubc-botanical-garden/
- Pacific Spirit Park: https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/gardens-and-nature/pacific-spirit-park/
- Nitobe Memorial garden: https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/gardens-and-nature/nitobe-memorial-garden/
- Wreck Beach (if you love stairs!): https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/gardens-and-nature/wreck-beach/
- Greenheart Tree Walk: https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/gardens-and-nature/greenheart-treewalk/
- UBC rose garden: https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/gardens-and-nature/ubc-rose-garden/
- Spanish banks (visit at low tide to see vast tidal flats): https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/spanish-banks.aspx
Image credit: UBC
Culture and art
- Museum of Anthropology https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/museums-and-art-galleries/museum-of-anthropology/
- Beaty Biodiversity Museum: https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/museums-and-art-galleries/beaty-biodiversity-museum/
- Chan Centre for the Performing Arts: https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/theatre-and-music/chan-centre-for-the-performing-arts/
Sights to see around Vancouver
Image credit: jamesvancouver
- Stanley Park
- Sunset Beach
- The seawall (great for biking; connects Stanley Park, Sunset Beach, Granville Island, Spanish Banks)
- Capilano Suspension Bridge (fee)
- Grouse Mountain (fee; getting up Cypress or Seymour mountains is free but you need a car)
- Granville Island
- Whale watches; city and seal tours (depart from Granville Island)
- Sailing, paddle boarding, sea kayaking from Jericho Beach or Deep Cove
Image credit: TourismSquamish
Sights that are worth a drive
- Lighthouse Park for eagle watchers (40 min drive from Vancouver; 60 min from UBC)
- Britannia Mine Museum (50 min drive from Vancouver; 70 min from UBC)
- Sea-to-Sky gondola (60 min drive from Vancouver; 80 min drive from UBC)
- Squamish; hiking, climbing, bouldering (65 min drive from Vancouver; 85 min from UBC)
- Garibaldi provincial park requires a BC parks day pass (80 min drive from Vancouver; 100 min from UBC)
- Whistler gondola (1 hr 40 min hour drive from Vancouver; 2 hrs from UBC)