How to Plan the MOST ROMANTIC Vancouver Honeymoon

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Looking for the perfect honeymoon destination? Well, first off, congratulations to the happy couple!

When we lived in Vancouver, we loved going out on date nights, and let me tell you, there are a ton of honeymoon-worthy activities here! 

After you’ve gone through the stress of planning the wedding itself, the last thing you want is more planning when it comes to your honeymoon. 

So we put together this guide that will tick all the boxes of a honeymoon itinerary: where to stay, what to do, and romantic hidden gems that will have you reminiscing about this trip for years to come. Don’t stress – we’ve got you covered!

3 Most Romantic Honeymoon Hotels in Vancouver 

Vancouver has a lot of amazing hotel options to choose from, but it can be overwhelming to sift through all the information online! Here are the top three romantic hotels to choose from when planning your Vancouver honeymoon. 

Shangri-La (Most Luxurious)

The Shangri-La Hotel stands tall amongst the skyscrapers of Vancouver and boasts a stunning, luxurious interior. Every inch of the hotel is beautiful, from high ceilings with chandeliers in the lobby to gorgeous artwork and grand pianos in the common areas.

Rooms are equally luxurious with plush beds and all the amenities you need. It is perfect for a honeymoon because of the amazing spa, the CHI, where you can relax with a couples massage!

It is located in a trendy part of the city, close to the top restaurants and bars, art galleries, and shopping.

This is a bit of a splurge at approximately $800 CAD per night, but it’s your honeymoon, so splurge away! You won’t find a more luxurious hotel for your Vancouver honeymoon, that much is for sure.

You can check the availability and price of the Shangri-La and book on Booking.com.

Pan Pacific (Best Views)

This Pan Pacific Hotel is one of the best honeymoon stays in Vancouver because of its location right on the water. The Pan Pacific is located under the iconic white sails of the Canada Place cruise ship terminal. It has stunning views of the ocean, harbor, and mountains from just about every room.

In addition to ocean views, you’ll find large accommodations and comfy beds, you’ll hardly want to leave the room! It’s the perfect romantic getaway with a heated outdoor pool and hot tub and a beautiful roof-top terrace restaurant, Oceans 999.

Prices for the Pan Pacific fluctuate, but you can get a room for as low as $305 CAD or as high as $1,200 CAD, depending on the season.

You can check the availability and price of the Pan Pacific Hotel and book here.

Granville Island Hotel (Best Location and Budget)

The Granville Island Hotel is the perfect honeymoon hotel for couples who enjoy being close to restaurants, shops, and interesting places to walk and explore. As the name suggests, this hotel is located right in Granville Island, which has no shortage of things to see. Plus, if you’re interested in any Granville Island tours like food tours through the iconic market or whale watching, you’ll be nice and close by.

While this is our “budget” option, it’s by no means a budget stay in terms of quality! The rooms are well decorated, clean, and I love the huge king-sized beds. Plus, they have giant windows so you can enjoy the views surroundings while in your room.

It also has a hot tub and great views of the surrounding harbor. It is the most affordable option on this list, around $250 CAD a night but easily can climb to $400+ during the summertime since it is the only hotel on the peninsula, so book well in advance! 

You can check the availability and price of the Granville Island Hotel and book it here.

Related Read: For detailed information on all of the best areas to stay in Vancouver, check out our blog about where to stay in Vancouver!

Romantic Things to do on Your Vancouver Honeymoon

Now that you’ve got somewhere to stay, you need to find some of the best things to do in Vancouver. It’s true, there is no shortage of activities in Vancouver, but not all of them are suitable for a honeymoon. Below are some romantic things to do – perfect for your Vancouver honeymoon!

Take in the views from Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain is one of the ski hills in Vancouver. In the winter months, we love to hit the slopes and enjoy a day or two of shredding.

But don’t be fooled, Grouse Mountain is equally as popular in the summer months when you can ride the gondola to the top and enjoy some of the best views in all of Vancouver.

For those looking for a challenge (a little relationship-building activity if you ask me), you can tackle the” Grouse Grind” that takes you to the top instead of riding the gondola. The hike is just under 3 kilometers long (1.9 miles) and gains over 800 meters (2,624 feet) in elevation – it isn’t one of the easiest hikes in Vancouver, but it’s definitely one of the best!

But it’s worth it because once you’re at the top, you can enjoy the absolutely stunning views. Here you can overlook the city, ocean, and surrounding mountains. Luckily, there’s also a café and bar at the top, so grab a drink and relax a bit with your loved one.

If you are visiting in the summer and do have the choice between the hike and the gondola I would definitely have to say that riding the gondola would be more romantic, especially if you time it out to enjoy the sunset on your way up or down from there! Tickets for the gondola are $81 CAD per person.

You can book your gondola tickets with FREE cancellation here!

Visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge

By far one of the most popular attractions in Vancouver is the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Here, you can cross a huge suspension bridge and get incredible forest views as you explore – it’s one of our favorite date-day activities!

But it isn’t just one bridge. In fact, there are a series of bridges here and it is a full tree canopy walk that takes at least an hour to explore properly. You’ll admire amazing views, enjoy being up high amongst some huge Canadian pine trees, and conquer some fear of heights! It is one of the most popular things to do in Vancouver, and an attraction most include in their Vancouver itinerary!

My top recommendation is to book your admission tickets beforehand. The secret’s out on how epic this area is, so it can get quite busy during the summer and especially on weekends. If you can go during the week, you’ll have a much quieter experience!

But if you’re visiting Vancouver in the winter for your honeymoon, then consider visiting the Capilano Suspension Bridge at night when they light it all up in the Christmas lights. We were able to do this one year and it made the experience even more magical! I loved the suspension bridge during the daytime, but at night – I was totally charmed!

Tickets are $66 CAD and include access to all of the attractions within the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. We spent a few hours here, and I’d categorize this as one of those “can’t-miss activities” in Vancouver.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is located about 15-20 minute drive from downtown Vancouver, but they do offer a free shuttle that departs regularly from a couple of different locations around Vancouver and is free.

This has nearly 1,000 5-star reviews – read them for yourself and book your tickets here!

Sunset Dinner Cruise

We love a sunset dinner cruise, they never seem to disappoint and give us all the romantic feels! Really, I can’t think of a better thing to do on your Honeymoon in Vancouver. We loved this experience so much that we’ve actually been on this exact sunset dinner cruise twice now!

The first part we loved was the sunset and scenery. We got amazing views of Vancouver Harbor and the skyline is incredible from out on the water. We also cruised by Stanley Park and the iconic Lion’s Bridge as the sun started to set. Then, the whole city started to light up. We knew we loved Vancouver, but somehow we loved it even more after this experience!

We also loved the dinner part of this cruise (I think Daniel loved this more than the sunset part!). I mean how could you not with baked west-coast salmon filet, slow-roasted beef sirloin, Greek salad, and several desserts from the buffet! While drinks weren’t included, you know we bought some wine at the bar, which paired perfectly with the ambiance and the food.

To hear about our whole experience, read our blog about this same Vancouver sunset cruise here! Tickets are $212 per person – which isn’t bad considering the level of luxury you’ll get.

Spaces are limited, check the dates available here and book ASAP!

Go on a food tour

If boats aren’t your thing, you can still have a romantic wine-and-dine experience on land! We’ve been on a few food tours in Vancouver and found them to be the perfect date night activity.

This guided food tour is a group activity, so while hanging with a bunch of other people isn’t necessarily romantic, we were able to find a ton of great restaurants to return to later. We also had a lot of fun with the other people in our group as we snacked and drank along the way. Our guide taught us all about the food and the history of Vancouver and Gastown, which is where we toured.

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the food – it was all incredible! We walked and ate for 3.5 hours and were stuffed by the end. This tour was well worth the $135 CAD – you can book it ahead of time here!

For something a little fancier or romantic, I love this private food tour where you will get one-on-one attention from your guide. It also includes 6 food tastings and 3 drinks in an array of cuisines. I personally loved the Sicilian tortellini, but you can’t go wrong with some classic poutine! Plus, we got to explore Gastown, which is a charming part of town with cobblestone streets and the iconic Steam Clock.

This private food tour can be booked for $145 CAD!

Go whale watching

Vancouver is a beautiful coastal city, so it should come as no surprise that one of the best things to do is get out on the water. This is a must-do activity, especially if you’re visiting during the goregous summer months!

My favorite way to get on the water in Vancouver is to go whale-watching. Did you know that this area is a hub for humpback and orca whales? If you love nature and memorable experiences, you can’t miss out on this half-day whale watching tour.

Whale watching season is best from May through October, when you can spot these giant creatures up close. What a cool experience to share with your partner! You’ll also enjoy impressive views of the Gulf Islands, San Juan Islands, and Howe Sound – so you can see why I’m so excited about this activity for your honeymoon.

You’ll spend 5 hours searching for whales, and if you don’t see any, this tour offers a lifetime guarantee. So you can return and try again! This tour is $236 CAD and with 3,000 positive reviews, we aren’t the only ones who love this experience.

For more information and even more whale watching tours, check out our blog about whale watching in Vancouver.

You can book this whale-watching tour in advance here!

Go on a scenic flight

Another memorable bucket list activity in BC is going on a scenic flight. Seaplane tours are popular in Vancouver. Take off and land on the water while enjoying incredible mountain, city, and ocean views! Honestly, could you think of anything more special, romantic, and even exhilarating?!

Unfortunately, scenic flights in Vancouver aren’t cheap and you can expect to pay upwards of $160 CAD per person for a 20-minute flight. This particular seaplane tour is highly rated and one of the most popular scenic flights in the area. Although 20 minutes sounds short, time seems to slow down in the air!

Vancouver was the first place we’d ridden in a seaplane, and even though we’d done lots of thrilling activities, this one still managed to give me the chills! It was even a little bit nerve-wracking (in a good way) on the take-off and landing because it seemed as though we were going to run out of room on the lake!

You can also book a seaplane tour as a mode of transport to get to other nearby destinations. This scenic flight will take you to Victoria, whereas this one will take you to stunning Whistler if you plan on doing some traveling while on your honeymoon.

I can’t recommend this experience enough! You can read all of our tips before booking a seaplane tour here.

And if you’re ready for a thrill – reserve the same seaplane tour we took here!

Related Read: Heading to Whistler? Be sure to read our blog about planning the most romantic honeymoon in Whistler!

Bike ride in Stanley Park

Did you even visit Vancouver if you didn’t bicycle the Stanley Park Seawall? Stanley Park is huge at over 4 square kilometers, and the seawall wraps around it along the coast. Bicycling is the easiest and best way to explore Stanley Park with the seawall having dedicated bike lanes. You’ll pass plenty of beautiful viewpoints and even great city beaches to relax at.

The cycle trail around the Stanley Park Seawall is 12 kilometers long (7.5 miles) and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to cycle at a moderate pace. There are many different bicycle shops near the entrance to Stanley Park where you can rent a bike, I always rent through Spokes Bicycle Rentals – they are the best! Expect to pay around $8.57 CAD per hour, including helmets, locks, and baskets.

Alternatively, you can join a Stanley Park tour on a bike. This particular bicycle tour costs $129 CAD and includes cycling around Stanley Park, but also includes going to a few other main attractions such as Gastown, Chinatown, and taking the Aqua Ferry over to Granville Island!

Besides seeing all the beautiful scenery, having a guide on your bike tour is also great for learning more information such as learning more about the First Nation’s people who were responsible for building the totem poles that are inside Stanley Park.

This bike tour is widely popular and has over 1,200 5-star reviews! Read them all and book your tour here.

Check out all my favorite things to do in Stanley Park here!

Spend an afternoon on Granville Island

Another iconic place to visit in Vancouver is Granville Island. Located in downtown Vancouver, my personal favorite activity is to visit the Granville Island Public Market. Here, you can browse hundreds of different market stands selling everything from fresh fruit and veggies to jewelry to pasta!

Fun date idea – grab some of the fresh pasta and homemade sauce to-go and cook it up at your hotel (if you have a kitchen, that is)! For more can’t-miss Granville Island activities, read our best things to do guide here.

You’ll also find the famous Granville Island Brewing just steps away from the market. Stop in for a cold one, or just buy a flight of tasters to sample some really delicious beer.

If seafood is your thing, then you’ll have your fair share on Granville Island with plenty of seafood restaurants to enjoy. The Vancouver Fish Company is a beautiful restaurant, perfect for honeymooning couples in Vancouver.

If you’re looking for even more honeymoon-worthy activities, check out our top romantic things to do in Vancouver here!

3 Best Places to Eat on Your Vancouver Honeymoon 

Vancouver is an amazing food destination with culinary influences from all over the world! For your honeymoon, you want to eat somewhere special, so here are the top three places to try: 

CinCin Ristorante + Bar (Best Food)

You can’t go wrong with Italian food and wine for a romantic night out, and CinCin is one of the top-rated Italian restaurants in the city! Their selective menu has a variety of pasta and risotto dishes as well as mouth-watering mains like scallops, lamb, or truffle roast chicken. CinCin is an upscale restaurant located on Robson Street (an excellent shopping area), with world-class service and a beautifully decorated interior.  

Although a little on the pricier side, everything is prepared on Cincin’s new Grillworks Infierno, which is a huge two-meter stainless steel grill and rotisserie. The fruitwood charcoal they use gives the meats and seafood a distinct flavor.

You will definitely taste and experience your money’s worth here!

Water Street Café (Best Location)

This romantic restaurant is one of the best restaurants in Gastown. This historic neighborhood in the city with cobblestone streets and brick buildings is a romantic spot to try some delicious food. My top choice is the Water Street Café, known for its local and fresh Italian-inspired meals with a West Coast twist!

To add to the romantic mood, they have live jazz music in the summer every night from 3 pm to 6 pm, so reserve a table ahead and enjoy your evening there. 

In general, though, don’t miss out on their happy hour that happens from 3 pm to 5:30 pm daily! This special menu includes select wine, beer, and cocktails and a list of featured tapas to mix and match and try some new flavors.

Teahouse Restaurant (Best Views)

There is nothing more romantic than a beautiful patio with sweeping views of the ocean and mountains. At Teahouse Restaurant in Stanley Park, you can have some of the best food with the best views! They actually earned the title, “Best Sunset in the City.” 

The Teahouse serves a wide variety of meals with an emphasis on Canadian and West Coast dishes. After eating, you can take a romantic stroll along the sea wall in Stanley Park.  

It’s definitely one of the most charming restaurants in Vancouver!

Spas and Wellness Centers in Vancouver to Spoil Your Loved One 

The most relaxing and romantic way to spend a day on your honeymoon is at the spa. There are a few great options in Vancouver where you can treat yourself to a relaxing couples massage. Here are the top choices: 

CHI, The Spa (Most Luxurious)

CHI, The Spa is located in the Shangri-La Hotel, as mentioned earlier. They offer a variety of spas, facials, and body treatments. The obvious choice here is a romantic couples massage! Because this is one of the most upscale hotels and spas, you should expect to spend at least $175 – $400 CAD on a massage. It will be worth it for the total bliss experience! 

Smile Thai Wellness (Most Budget-friendly)

Here you will have a touch of Thailand in the heart of Vancouver. Smile Thai Wellness offers a number of services including a relaxing Thai oil massage, Thai Herbal Spa Treatments, and Couples’s Massages. Prices begin at $120 CAD for a 60-minute massage. They are located right downtown in the shopping district of Robson Street.  

Miraj Hammam Spa (Most Unique)

This hammam is a Middle Eastern spa and the first of its kind in Canada. All treatments at Miraj Hammam Spa start with a hammam (steam room) and then move to a gommage (full-body exfoliation). After, you can receive a relaxing massage and then chill out in the Sultana Lounge.

They also have 60-minute and 90-minute couples massages that cost either $450 CAD or $550 CAD for the package.

The spa is very opulent and beautiful with velvet beds and silk pillows. Prices start at $135 CAD for regular massages and it is located just across the Granville Street Bridge from downtown on West 6^th Avenue.  

Other Places to Visit Near Vancouver on Your Honeymoon

If you’re visiting Vancouver on your honeymoon, the exploring doesn’t have to stop in the city. You can explore a few other nearby areas too for an even more epic trip. Some places you can consider visiting on day trips from Vancouver include:

• Whistler – This small mountain town is stunning. A skiing destination in the winter and a hiking and biking destination in the summer, Whistler offers plenty of fun things to do. Drink craft beer, enjoy beautiful views from a ziplining tour, and just relax!

• Vancouver Island – Jump on the ferry or join a day trip tour and check out all the things to do on Vancouver Island. There isn’t anything more romantic than exploring the world-famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria. Or, for those a little more active, head to Tofino for surf lessons or tower high above the island on the Malahat Skywalk!

• Sea to Sky Highway – Rated as one of the most scenic drives in Canada, this highway is a noteworthy destination in itself. This highway connects Vancouver with Whistler as it winds its way around mountain peaks and along the coast. Be sure to visit the Sea to Sky Gondola and then Garibaldi Lake – you won’t be disappointed! You can hop in your rent a car and drive for yourself – check out our Sea to Sky Highway guide before you go.

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 for).

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 $3.10 CAD, and a day pass costs $11 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 $17 CAD for a full day pass or round trip tickets start at $3.85 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!

Renting a Car in British Columbia

If you’re arriving in British Columbia via plane, then I can’t recommend getting a rental car enough. British Columbia is a large province, and traveling between the best places to visit in BC requires transport. Although you can use public transport on some occasions, this means your trip will not only require more time but more planning.

Car rental in Canada isn’t relatively cheap, but it’s not that expensive either, especially if you get a budget car. The cheapest car with a pick-up and drop-off in different locations is around $100 CAD per day. The price does vary though, depending on the time of year. For car rentals, I use the website Discover Cars. It’s a search engine with lots of deals with good customer service. In fact, I’ve used Discover Cars all over the world, including in Chile, New Zealand, and Australia. Read my honest review of Discover Cars here for more details!

Another popular option is to rent a campervan or motorhome (only for the brave in winter). Using Motorhome Republic, you can search hundreds of deals across multiple companies to pick a great vehicle and the cheapest price. Having a motorhome is a stunning way to see Canada and you can often camp for free or very cheap in the most beautiful places imaginable! Read my tips on using Motorhome Republic here before you book!

And if you’re planning to visit the Canadian Rockies during your trip, we highly recommend Smile Campervans. Based in Calgary, this local company provides compact campervans fully equipped with everything you need for a comfortable and affordable road trip adventure!

In fact, Smile Campervans has actually given us a special discount code for our readers! Use the code DESTINATIONLESSTRAVEL at checkout to get 5% off your campervan rental! Click here to browse availability, prices, and book with our discount code!

Thanks for reading!

Your honeymoon will be one of the most memorable trips you and your spouse will ever take! Vancouver is an amazing city and the perfect place for a romantic honeymoon getaway. We hope this guide helps you as you plan. Congratulations on your marriage and enjoy your romantic honeymoon in Vancouver! 

For more blogs that you’ll probably find very helpful, check out our other BC blogs, or some similar blogs below:

Guide to Planning the Most Romantic Honeymoon in Jasper, Canada

Guide to Planning the Most Romantic Honeymoon in Banff & Lake Louise

50 BEST Things to do in Vancouver, Canada

How to Spend a Weekend in Vancouver!