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Granville Island is a foodie haven! While living in Vancouver, we frequently popped in here because not only does it have some of the best restaurants in the city, but there’s also the legendary Granville Island Public Market. With over 50 local vendors in one spot, this ocean-front market is a hub for locals like us and anyone looking for some tasty treats!
With so many amazing things to try, we think there is no better way to experience the market than on a food tour. As a local, I think this is one of the best things to do in Vancouver! Shortly after moving here, we joined a couple of food tours to get a taste of what’s available and find our favorite vendors we’ve returned to again and again.
So keep reading for my favorite Granville Island food tour recommendations that are sure to satisfy your taste buds!
Why Join a Food Tour on Granville Island?
I guess you could just walk around the Granville Island Public Market by yourself, but with so many vendors it can become easily overwhelming. Our first time here we didn’t know where to go or what to buy, so we ended up missing out on some of the best local treats!
On our next visit, we were determined to do it right with a food tour! The food tours here are led by local guides (or chefs as we found out!) who have spent years exploring the market and often know the vendors by first name. They know all the best spots and make sure you spend more time eating great food than trying to find where the great food is! Our guides made it their mission not to waste our time or our money on anything mediocre.
Adding a food tour to your Vancouver itinerary is also a great way to get to know the city better. The guides are very knowledgeable and willing to share interesting facts and history along the way. Plus Granville Island is such a trendy and fun part of the city, we always plan to stick around after our tour to explore more. You can even take the Aquabus to get to Granville Island (more on that in our “getting around” section below!).
A Granville Island Public Market food tour is something you can do year-round. As we quickly found out living here, Vancouver is on the “Wet Coast” and gets A LOT of rain. Luckily the market is indoors, so it’s one of our go-to rainy day activities.
Related Read: Another area of the city that you have to visit while in Vancouver is the gorgeous Stanley Park!
Best Granville Island Food Tours
VIP Access Granville Island Market Tour
This awesome 2-hour food tour had us feeling like VIPs as we skipped all the lineups while tasting our way through the market. Since this is an iconic spot in the city, it does get busy. The lines for the vendors can stretch on forever and especially when I’m hungry, I don’t want to wait!
Our guide was so nice as she took us around to the best food vendors and we tried over 20 samples along the way! Plus, we got to find out some of the history of the market itself along with meeting the vendors.
But we were here for the food and boy did it deliver! We tried bites of fresh bread with homemade pâté, local cheeses, candied salmon, berries, fluffy donuts, and piping hot coffee just to name a few! You’ll even get to try some poutine – a classic Canadian staple!
Over the 2 hours, we only spent about 15-20 minutes walking and the rest of our time was eating, listening to our guide, and chatting with the vendors. What I love about this tour is that it never felt rushed, and it was a personalized experience with a small group – and of course, skipping the lines!
This 5-star tour has actually been named a Canadian Signature Experience by the Canadian Tourism Commission! It costs $186 CAD and runs throughout the year starting at 10:30 am.
Book your spot in advance here, as this popular tour sells out!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
Food walking tour of Granville Island Public Market
Okay, this walking food tour is one of the absolute best tours on Granville Island! We had such a great time wandering and eating our way through the market led by a professional chef!
The tour starts at 4 pm, so unlike the previous tour that’s more of a brunch option, this one is perfect for dinner plans. I definitely recommend coming hungry! You’ll have two hours with your guide, Chef Bob, and a small group (max 10 people) to explore. He is very passionate about food so be ready to learn a lot!
Included in the tour are many food samples such as maple-cured salmon, artisanal chocolates, charcuterie meats, fresh doughnuts (the best in Vancouver if you ask me!), and amazing chai tea lattes. Believe me, there is something here for everyone’s taste!
This 2-hour tour is perfect for anyone looking for a fun evening out. You can even check out all of the other handmade goods and vendors the market has to offer once your belly is full. It costs $113 CAD per person and runs weekday evenings.
Book your food tour here and don’t pay until just before you go!
Related Read: You’re going to need a refreshing pint to wash down all that food! Make sure to add a visit to one of Vancouver’s best breweries!
Our FAVORITE Granville Island Food Tour
While both Granville Island food tours are great in different ways, we personally say this 2-hour VIP tour has the edge! We loved exploring the market and getting so many samples (over 20!), which is simply a lot of value for money. Try everything from fine cheeses to Canadian Poutine while learning about the area and vendors, made this such a fun lunch date for us.
This tour is our top choice, not only because of the array of foods we got to try, but also because of our guide! She did a great job of keeping the tour moving and the spirits high, and we actually learned a lot about Vancouver, even though we’ve lived here for a while.
We know you (and your stomach) will love this tour!
Other Things to do While You’re in Vancouver
Vancouver is a city filled with tons of things to do and see. So while you’re here, don’t miss some of the top attractions and activities we love:
- Seaplane flight – Nothing beats soaring over Vancouver on this scenic seaplane flight, and honestly, this is our favorite thing that we ever did in the city! For $168 CAD, you’ll see all the top sights but from a birds-eye view. These flights run year-round but are always ideal on a sunny day. To learn more, read our tips on booking a Vancouver seaplane flight.
- Lynn Canyon – If you’re on a budget, you can explore the beautiful Lynn Canyon as one of the top free activities in Vancouver. However, we joined this photography tour and loved every moment! You’ll cross the epic suspension bridge and hike along a trail with waterfalls, forests, and natural pools. Along the way, you’ll pick up awesome photography tips you can use on your travels.
- Victoria and the Butchart Gardens – On this full-day tour, you’ll hit up the top sights in Victoria as well as explore Butchart Gardens. These gardens were voted some of the best in the world, and they have over 900 plant varieties, five different garden styles, and 26 greenhouses. Plus, you’ll get to take a cruise on the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island, which is an experience in itself!
- Sunset dinner cruise – Dinner, drinks, and a sunset cruise on the harbor … it doesn’t get much better than this! We’ve done this sunset dinner cruise tour twice, and truthfully, we’d do it again! While the sun sets over the horizon, you’ll enjoy an expansive dinner buffet along with live music for $212 CAD. It’s our top cruise in Vancouver and perfect for friends, families, or a romantic evening.
Getting around Vancouver
Transportation and ease of navigating a new city are super important to consider when planning a trip. It will help you determine where to stay and what you’ll be able to visit while in the city. In Vancouver, there are a few different options for transportation in and around the city.
Driving
This is probably the best form of transportation if you want to explore anywhere outside of downtown Vancouver and participate in activities like hiking or skiing, which require getting a bit further away. Traffic in downtown Vancouver can be fairly busy, just like any city center.
There is ample parking available both on the streets and in parkades, though it can be expensive. Some hotels provide parking, so check ahead of time.
If you can rent a car so you can explore Vancouver with ease! Just be prepared to pay for parking unless your hotel includes it.
Car share
A great option besides renting a car is using a car share service like Modo or Evo. These services allow you to rent a car and pay based on the time it’s used (i.e. pay for 30 minutes, two hours, or the full day, depending on how long you drive).
You can pick up and drop off the car at specific checkpoints around the city and the best part is they get lots of free parking. This makes it super easy to use a car for just the time that you need it.
Public transportation
Vancouver’s public transit system is not as extensive as many other major cities, but it is still a good way to get around to main attractions. The SkyTrain provides excellent access to some of the neighboring cities, such as Burnaby, New Westminster, or Surrey, so it offers a good option if you plan on exploring outside of downtown. It also runs from the airport, so again, a good option to get into the city from the airport.
There are also many buses in the city that run frequently. Note that public transportation options are extremely limited overnight, with only a couple of night buses and no SkyTrian options after around 1:00 am. All public transportation is run by the company TransLink and is fairly affordable; a single trip costs $3.15 CAD, and a day pass costs $11.25 CAD.
Taxis and rideshares
Taxis are available throughout the city, as are Uber and Lyft. These are good options in the downtown core but can get pricey if you are going further outside of that region. For example, the taxi cost from YVR to Vancouver is about $30-$50 CAD.
Aquabus
The Aquabus is one of the more unique ways to get around Vancouver. These small boats visit 8 locations in the harbor all the way from The Village to Granville Island. The Aquabus costs $19 CAD for a full-day pass or round-trip tickets start at $4.50 CAD but prices vary depending on the route you take. You can check out all their routes and prices here.
Walking and biking
Vancouver is a very walkable city, and it is possible to walk just about anywhere in the downtown core.
Biking is also a good option, as there are dedicated bike lanes throughout most of the city. You can rent bikes all over the city and pretty much ride everywhere you want to downtown. I love doing this, especially on a beautiful day!
Where to Stay in Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver is one of the most popular cities in Canada. The fact is that in the summer and winter, the city books up in advance very fast! Booking your hotel or hostel well in advance is the only way to secure the best place to stay for you!
Some great hotels and hostels in Vancouver that we love are:
Hyatt Regency Vancouver – $$$
Can’t decide whether you’d prefer to stay near Stanley Park or Gastown? Well, the Hyatt Regency might just be right for you, as it’s located right between them! Rooms here enjoy gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows that help to bring in light and there is a small fridge, work desk, and toiletries in the bathroom too.
You can also conveniently enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at their beautiful Mosaic Bar and Grill just off the lobby. As you can imagine, it’s a luxury stay in a large hotel chain that is highly reviewed! So if you’re looking to celebrate something special, or just fancy taking your vacation to a whole new level, then staying here will definitely do the trick.
I’ve seen a one-night stay at the Hyatt Regency going as low as $232 CAD per night, although the rooms here on average are more around the $300-$500 CAD mark. So, for the best price, don’t forget to reserve your room in advance.
Times Square Suites – $$
For a beautiful hotel close to Stanley Park, the Times Square Hotel is a fantastic choice! It’s very hard to fault this hotel, and the location really is perfect. The fully equipped kitchens and gas fireplaces are a nice touch in all of the rooms, plus the suites have living rooms and a washer and dryer.
For being pretty affordable, it has a lot of amenities, which is just one of the reasons we love staying here! You can book a room here from $232 CAD per night, but as this is a popular stay, I recommend checking your dates and booking ahead of time to secure your preferred room type!
The Cambie Hostel Gastown – $
The Cambie Hostel is a great budget-friendly hostel that’s located right in the heart of Gastown and close to lots of bars and restaurants and attached to the hostel is a very lively bar too. The rooms are clean, although the bathrooms are a little on the small side (part of the fun when you’re staying cheap, though!).
It’s perfect for backpackers on a budget and is considerably cheaper than others offering comparable quality. A bed in a dorm here starts at around $50 CAD, and you can book a stay here through Hostelworld.com or Booking.com.
Didn’t find exactly what you’re looking for? Click here to browse all hotels in Vancouver!
For more info on the best areas and hotels, check out my complete guide on where to stay in Vancouver. It breaks down everything you need to know before choosing the right hotel!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
There’s no doubt that Vancouver offers some of the best places to eat in the country, including Granville Island! We hope you’re excited to go on a delicious and intriguing food tour around one of our favorite places!
If you’re looking for more ideas on what to do while you’re here, have a look at our other blogs about BC’s West Coast. There’s everything from road trips to restaurant recommendations and epic activities to fill your time while you’re exploring this beautiful part of Canada. As well, here are three more blogs we think are super helpful for anyone visiting Vancouver!
The 4 BEST Whistler Tours from Vancouver
13 BEST Restaurants in Kitsilano, Vancouver
15 Things to KNOW about the Richmond Night Market, Vancouver