Things to do in (and around) Vancouver
You don’t need to travel far outside the city to experience the liveliness of Indigenous cultures. See Vancouver and its surrounding area through the lens of local nations whose lands are rich with history, artwork and natural beauty.
Stay alongside local artists at Skwachàys Lodge, a unique Indigenous hotel and gallery downtown. The space offers 18 boutique rooms, a gallery and a cozy gathering space where guests can unwind with coffee and bannock. The rooms were each designed in collaboration with Indigenous artists, giving each one a special feel, says general manager Maggie Edwards. “Every single one of them is completely different,” she says. The space is also a social enterprise, with profits subsidizing 24 studio apartments on-site for Indigenous artists.
Those who enter Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art will be greeted by a towering totem pole carved by James Hart, featuring a depiction of a Wasgo, or Haida seawolf. The centrally-located space features a core collection of artwork by the famed artist Bill Reid — including his jewelry and brass carvings — and rotating special exhibits. Visitors can also browse the gallery shop, where profits support artistic and educational programs. It’s Canada’s only public gallery dedicated to contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous art.
Nuxalk Nation member Inez Cook always knew she wanted to own her own restaurant, and in 2010, she co-founded Salmon n’ Bannock. Located in Vancouver’s Fairview neighbourhood, the menu features wild game sausage topped with sage-blueberries, sockeye salmon with Ojibwe wild rice, and bison pot roast with gravy that the restaurant boasts is “good enough to drink out of a wine glass.” Finish with a boozy ice cream sundae topped with berries and maple whiskey. The restaurant also offers gluten-free and vegetarian options.
[salmonandbannock.net]
Squamish Nation chef Paul Natrall, also known as Mr. Bannock, brings happiness to the streets of Vancouver in the form of freshly-fried bannock. Find the location of his food truck on social media to enjoy his award-winning Indian tacos, venison burgers, or bannock topped with cinnamon sugar. “The best part of being a food truck owner is just meeting tons of people and sharing my food and my vision of Indigenous street food with them,” he says. Natrall also offers catering orders from his location in North Vancouver and sells take-home bannock mix.
[mrbannock.com]
Paddle around the North Vancouver coastline in a traditional style ocean-going canoe with Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s Takaya Tours. Coast Salish guides offer cultural tours featuring legends and songs which showcase the rich history of Səl̓ilw̓ət, or Burrard Inlet, where Tsleil-Waututh People have lived for thousands of years. Even though the longhouses that once stood there are now gone, guide T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss says guests can “actually time travel, in a sense,” as they are immersed in stories and teachings. Takaya also offers rentals of kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards.
Experience Vancouver’s famous Stanley Park through the lens of Indigenous guides with deep connections to the urban rainforest with Talaysay Tours. The company offers walking tours through the park and surrounding area, where guides like Candace Campo (xets’emits’a) teach about plant medicines, tell stories about the land, and speak about contemporary Indigenous histories. Campo started the company back in 2002 as a way to share teachings about local ecology. She and her team also offer tours through the North Shore and Sechelt area.
Day Trips:
Get up close with majestic humpback whales, splashing orcas, curious sea lions and other wildlife with Sidney Whale Watching. The company operates in WSANEC territory near Victoria, about an hour and a half ferry ride away from Vancouver. Seek out local marine life on a three-hour whale watching tour on an aluminum vessel that takes guests through calm waters protected by the Gulf Islands. Guests can also book a private tour for a more customized experience. A portion of all profits goes towards conservation efforts.
The design of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is based on a Squamish longhouse and features towering windows that showcase the surrounding forest. Located in the mountain town of Whistler — less than a two-hour drive from Vancouver — visitors are greeted by displays of canoes, detailed cedar carvings and geometric Coast Salish blankets. The centre also offers hands-on workshops, where guests can learn to create their own wool weavings, dreamcatchers, hand drums and more.
For those who can’t attend in person, the website features a virtual tour.
