12 Car-Free Day Trips From Vancouver by Ferry, SeaBus and Train

You don’t need a car to get out of Vancouver for the day. A Compass Card, a ferry ticket and comfortable shoes will get you to an island trail, a fur-trade fort, a fishing village or the BC capital. The boats do most of the work. The SkyTrain and a few buses fill in the rest.

Fares changed this summer. TransLink raised fares on July 1, 2026, and an adult DayPass now costs $12.55. Buses are always a 1-Zone fare. The SeaBus and SkyTrain drop to 1-Zone after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. That timing shapes several of the trips below.

One train is missing from this list on purpose. West Coast Express runs inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon, on weekdays only, so you can’t do a round trip from Vancouver on it. Every fare and schedule here was checked against the operator’s own page. Where a number couldn’t be confirmed, it’s left out and you’re pointed to the source.

Which ticket works where

Ride	How you pay	Adult fare
SeaBus and SkyTrain (including Canada Line)	Compass Card, contactless or TransLink DayPass	1-Zone $3.50, 2-Zone $5.10, 3-Zone $6.70 contactless. 1-Zone after 6:30 p.m. weekdays and all weekend
TransLink buses (250, 257, 402, 562, 620, 228)	Compass Card, contactless or TransLink DayPass	Always 1-Zone: $3.50 contactless, $2.85 Compass stored value
West Coast Express	TransLink DayPass not valid	Not a day-trip option from Vancouver
Aquabus	Aquabus fare. Compass not accepted	$5 one-way, $8.50 return, $22 day pass
BC Ferries, Horseshoe Bay to Bowen	Self-serve kiosk at Horseshoe Bay. Covers the return	$12.45 return plus 5% fuel surcharge
Sunshine Coast Transit	Exact change	$2 single, $4 DayPASS. Kids 12 and under free
Victoria BC Transit	BC Transit fare	$3 single, $6 DayPASS
Squamish Connector	Book with the operator	$37 one-way, $48 round trip as posted

12. The Shipyards Skate Plaza (Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver)

The City of North Vancouver calls this the region’s largest outdoor skating rink. It sits on the waterfront at Shipyard Commons, a few minutes’ walk from the SeaBus. In summer the same space turns into a splash park, so it earns its spot in either season.

Helmets and skate aids are free. Skate rentals cost extra. The City says skaters who bring their own skates skate free. Rentals cost $8 for adults and $5.50 for kids.

The 2026/27 opening date isn’t posted yet. The City says only that the rink reopens in late November, with private rentals starting November 29, 2026. Daily skating hours aren’t posted yet. Check the City’s Skate Plaza page before you go.

Bring your own skates if you have them and skip the rental line. Then walk west to Lonsdale Quay to warm up before the ride home.

11. Victoria by Transit and Ferry (Vancouver Island)

Yes, you can do the capital in a day without a car. It’s a long day. The payoff is downtown Victoria, the Royal BC Museum and the Legislature, with a 1 hour 35 minute crossing each way.

Start on the Canada Line to Bridgeport. BC Ferries says to head down the main stairs to the bus area and look for the 620, which runs to the Tsawwassen terminal. At Swartz Bay, BC Transit’s 70 and 72 both run straight to downtown. TransLink says both drop off at Government and Superior Streets, near the museum and the Legislature.

For the trip back, BC Ferries says to catch the 70 or 72 at Douglas St and Pandora Ave. Victoria’s buses cost $3 a ride or $6 for a DayPASS. The round trip between the ferry and downtown costs exactly a DayPASS, so buy one on your first bus. For the foot-passenger ferry fare, check BC Ferries’ transit page and the fare tables before you go.

Fall and winter schedules have fewer sailings. Pick your sailing home before you leave Vancouver, and work the rest of the day back from it.

10. Fort Langley National Historic Site (Township of Langley)

This former Hudson’s Bay Company post sits on the Fraser River. Inside the wooden palisade you’ll find a mix of reconstructed and original buildings. Parks Canada says it’s a 48-km drive from downtown Vancouver and can be explored in a day. That makes it the furthest trip east on this list.

The site is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It’s closed December 24, 25, 26 and 31 and January 1. Adults pay $10, seniors $8.50, and youth 17 and under get in free. See Parks Canada’s fees page.

Parks Canada says to take the 562 bus to the stop on 96th Avenue at Glover Road. The site is about 700 m from that stop, and Parks Canada notes some sections of the route have no sidewalks. Leave extra time and take care along the road.

Parks Canada says a wheelchair is available to borrow. The palisade walls are only reached by a steep wooden staircase with handrails on both sides, and Parks Canada says the bastions and upper gallery are currently closed for a conservation project; the rest of the site remains open. Details are on Parks Canada’s plan your visit page and accessibility page.

Open days at a glance, November to December 2026

Place	Days open	Hours
Lonsdale Quay Market	Daily	Market level 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Polygon Gallery	Wednesday to Sunday	10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursday to 9 p.m.)
Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre	Daily	Weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends and holidays noon to 4 p.m.
Gulf of Georgia Cannery	Daily	10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Britannia Shipyards	Friday to Sunday to December 20; daily December 27 to 31	10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to November 22, then 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed stat holidays
Fort Langley NHS	Daily except December 24, 25, 26, 31 and January 1	10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

9. Squamish by Squamish Connector (Sea to Sky)

Squamish Connector is a private bus up the Sea to Sky. It picks up across the street from Waterfront Station, outside 660 W Cordova St. In Squamish it stops at the base of the Sea to Sky Gondola, in front of the guest services doors, and at the Squamish Adventure Centre. Waterfront Station and the Hyatt Regency are its guaranteed pick-up spots.

The site posts an adult (13+) fare of $37 one-way and $48 round trip. The round trip costing less than two one-ways may be a promotion, so confirm on squamishconnector.com when you book. A separate winter schedule runs November 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

Once you’re in town, check Squamish Transit’s schedules before relying on a local bus to reach the Chief or the Adventure Centre.

The Gondola, Lions Bay and Britannia stops need a reservation, so book ahead if you want them. The Gondola is closed for maintenance November 16 to 26. The rest of November and December it runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last ride down 6 p.m.). Go prepared: stick to the viewing decks and easy summit walks, and leave backcountry and avalanche terrain alone.

8. The Polygon Gallery (Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver)

The Polygon is a public art gallery built around photography. It sits at the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue, between the Tap & Barrel and Lonsdale Quay. Admission is by donation, so you can drop in for half an hour without feeling you have to get your money’s worth.

The main entrance is on the east side of the building. The gallery puts it a short walk east of the SeaBus terminal. If you’re walking along the waterfront from the market, keep going past the front of the building to find the door.

Plan around the days. The gallery is closed Monday and Tuesday. It’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday to Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Current details are on the plan your visit page.

Thursday evening is the smart weekday play. The gallery stays open until 9 p.m., and the SeaBus switches to a 1-Zone fare after 6:30 p.m. Cross after work and pay less both ways.

7. Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site (Steveston, Richmond)

Britannia is the other half of Steveston’s story. It’s an eight-acre outdoor site on the Fraser River, with heritage buildings strung along a wooden boardwalk. This is where early canning, fishing and boatbuilding in Steveston first happened.

Entry to the heritage buildings is free. The City of Richmond ran a public consultation on possible admission fees and gating from July 29 to August 30, 2026, but it hasn’t made a decision. The consultation page has the latest.

Winter hours started October 6, 2026. The site is open Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until November 22, then Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November 27 to December 20, and daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from December 27 to 31. It’s closed on statutory holidays. See the plan your visit page for updates.

It’s about a 15-minute walk east of the village. Go Friday to Sunday and pair it with the Cannery, since both are open those days. One 402 trip covers both.

6. Lonsdale Quay Market (Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver)

The SeaBus docks right beside the market at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue. The market says it holds more than 60 locally owned businesses. There’s a market level, a food hall and bar, and a second retail level above. Step outside and you’re looking back across Burrard Inlet at the downtown skyline.

The crossing is half the trip. The Polygon Gallery describes it as a 12-minute ride from Waterfront Station to the North Shore waterfront. It runs on regular TransLink fares, so your Compass Card covers it.

The food hall and bar is open seven days a week. The food hall and bar opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, or 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Check the market’s own site for anything that changes.

Go on a Saturday or Sunday. The SeaBus is a 1-Zone fare all weekend. On weekdays before 6:30 p.m. it costs a 2-Zone fare. The Polygon Gallery and the Shipyards are a short walk east, so this can anchor a full North Shore afternoon.

5. Granville Island by Aquabus (False Creek, Vancouver)

The Aquabus is a private mini-ferry across False Creek. It isn’t part of TransLink. The crossing from the Hornby Street dock to Granville Island is short, and it puts you on the island without dealing with the parking.

A single adult ride from Hornby Street costs $5, or $8.50 return. Children and seniors pay $3.50 one-way. An all-day pass costs $22 for adults and $19 for children and seniors, and it lets you hop between docks all day. Fares are on the Aquabus fare page.

Compass Cards don’t work on the Aquabus. If you plan to stop at several docks, the day pass usually costs less than paying each ride. For a simple there-and-back, the $8.50 return is the better buy.

The Aquabus runs year-round. Walk to the dock at the south end of Hornby Street on False Creek.

4. Gulf of Georgia Cannery (Steveston, Richmond)

This Parks Canada national historic site tells the story of West Coast fishing from inside a working-scale cannery. The National Trust for Canada says it was built in 1894 and nicknamed “The Monster Cannery.” It stands on 600 wood pilings over the Fraser River. You’re standing on the river, not beside it.

It’s open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults pay $14.75, seniors $12.50, and youth 17 and under get in free. Your ticket is good for the whole day, so you can leave for lunch in Steveston village and come back in. Rates are on the hours and admissions page.

Sunday, November 29, 2026 is the day to go. Admission is free, with Santa photos. Festive photo displays run November 21 to December 31. The Cannery posts special closures online, so check the Cannery’s site before a stat holiday visit.

Take the Canada Line to Richmond-Brighouse, then TransLink’s 402 to Steveston. The timetable runs from Brighouse to the Steveston Exchange.

3. Gibsons via the Langdale Ferry (Sunshine Coast)

Gibsons is the next step up from Bowen. You walk on at Horseshoe Bay, cross Howe Sound to Langdale, then switch to a local bus. As on the Bowen route, foot passengers pay once at Horseshoe Bay and the ticket covers the trip back.

At Langdale, take BC Transit’s route 1 (Sechelt-Gibsons/Langdale Ferry). It stops at Lower Gibsons at the Marine Drive shelter, the Gibsons loop and Sunnycrest Mall. On the weekday timetable, the ride between Lower Gibsons and the terminal is about 8 minutes: for example, the bus leaving the Marine Drive shelter at 3:07 p.m. reaches the Langdale ferry terminal at 3:15 p.m.

Sunshine Coast Transit costs $2 a ride or $4 for a DayPASS. Kids 12 and under ride free. For the foot-passenger ferry fare, use the fare calculator on bcferries.com before you go.

Bring exact change for the bus. If you pay for a DayPASS in cash, ask the driver for a paper pass. Line up the bus times with your sailing in both directions, so you aren’t stuck waiting at the terminal.

2. Lynn Canyon Park and Suspension Bridge (Lynn Valley, North Vancouver)

Lynn Canyon is a free public park run by the District of North Vancouver. You get a suspension bridge over the canyon, forest trails, and the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre. The Ecology Centre is by donation. It’s the easiest canyon-and-forest outing you can reach from downtown without a car.

The park is open dawn to dusk. From October to mid-April, the Ecology Centre is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The parking-lot gate hours change with the season, which you get to ignore on transit. Details are on the Ecology Centre’s visit page.

From Lonsdale Quay, the Ecology Centre says to take the 228 Lynn Valley bus to Lynn Valley Road and Peters Road, then walk about 15 minutes down Peters Road to the park.

Trails get slick in winter. Stick to the main bridge loop, stay behind the fences and back from the creek edge, and wear shoes with real grip. Lynn Creek is cold and fast, and more than 40 people have died in the canyon over the past 50 years. Don’t climb, swim or cliff-jump.

1. Bowen Island: Snug Cove and Crippen Regional Park (Howe Sound)

This is the shortest real ferry trip on the list. The BC Ferries crossing from Horseshoe Bay to Snug Cove takes 20 minutes on the Queen of Capilano. Metro Vancouver’s Crippen Regional Park starts within walking distance of the dock, so you never need a car on the island.

The Crippen park brochure lists three walks near the dock. Bridal Veil Falls is an easy, flat 1.5 km, about 45 minutes. Dorman Point is steeper, 3.6 km and about 2.5 hours. Killarney Lake has a 4 km loop that starts from the lake picnic area. The Causeway, the Lady Alexandra Promenade and the Snug Cove picnic shelters are wheelchair accessible.

Getting there is simple. Take TransLink’s 257 Horseshoe Bay Express or the 250 to the terminal. Buy your ticket at the self-serve kiosk and walk on. A foot passenger 12 and over pays $12.45 return, plus a 5% fuel surcharge at payment. There’s no toll booth on the Bowen side, because the Horseshoe Bay ticket already covers the ride home.

Get to the Snug Cove waiting area at least 10 minutes before your sailing back. Check current conditions for the day’s sailings, and keep in mind that buses may not be running if you land at Horseshoe Bay on a late boat.

Crossing and ride times on official schedules

Trip	Time
SeaBus, Waterfront to Lonsdale Quay	12 min
BC Ferries, Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island	20 min
BC Ferries, Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay	1 h 35 min
West Coast Express, Waterfront to Mission City (3:50 p.m. train)	1 h 15 min (arrives 5:05 p.m.)

West Coast Express weekday timetable

Direction	Times	Arrive waterfront
Westbound, Mission City departures	5:25, 5:55, 6:25, 6:55, 7:25 a.m.	6:40, 7:10, 7:40, 8:10, 8:40 a.m.
Eastbound, Waterfront departures	3:50, 4:20, 4:50, 5:30, 6:20 p.m.

TransLink fares since July 1, 2026

• Contactless or cash: 1-Zone $3.50, 2-Zone $5.10, 3-Zone $6.70.
• Compass stored value for 1-Zone: $2.85.
• DayPass: $12.55 adult, $9.75 concession. It works on buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus.
• Buses are always 1-Zone.
• Every trip after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, and all day Saturday and Sunday, is 1-Zone.

Full details are on TransLink’s pricing and fare zones page.

Why West Coast Express isn’t on the list

West Coast Express runs on weekdays only. Trains go west into Vancouver in the morning and east to Mission in the afternoon and evening. The eastbound trains leave Waterfront at 3:50, 4:20, 4:50, 5:30 and 6:20 p.m., so there’s no way back the same day. The TransLink DayPass isn’t valid on it either.

It does work the other way. If you live in Mission, Maple Ridge or Pitt Meadows, ride in to Vancouver in the morning and home in the evening. The timetable is on the West Coast Express page.

Walking on at Horseshoe Bay

• Bowen Island and Langdale sailings without a booking are first-come, first-served.
• Ticket sales close 10 minutes before departure.
• You pay once at Horseshoe Bay. There’s no toll booth on the Bowen side.
• Public transit may not be running if you come back on a late sailing. Plan your bus home before you board.

Terminal details are on the Horseshoe Bay terminal page.

When to go

Weekends are the cheapest time for anything involving the SeaBus or SkyTrain, because every trip is 1-Zone. On weekdays, wait until after 6:30 p.m. for the same price. Thursday evenings line up with the Polygon’s late hours.

The November to December calendar is full:

• The Shipyards Skate Plaza reopens in late November. The date isn’t posted yet.
• The Gulf of Georgia Cannery has free admission and Santa photos on November 29, and festive photo displays November 21 to December 31.
• Britannia Shipyards is open Fridays to Sundays until December 20 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until November 22, then to 5 p.m.), is closed December 21 to 26, and is open daily December 27 to 31.
• Fort Langley is closed December 24, 25, 26 and 31 and January 1.
• Squamish Connector switches to its winter schedule on November 1.

What to bring

• A Compass Card or contactless card for TransLink.
• Exact change for Sunshine Coast buses.
• Cash or card for the Aquabus, which doesn’t take Compass.
• Shoes with grip for Lynn Canyon and the Bowen trails, especially in winter.
• A rain layer. The ferry decks and the North Shore don’t care what the forecast said.
• The time of your last sailing or bus home, written down.

The parking you skip

Driving to Horseshoe Bay and leaving the car costs $19.25 a day in long-term parking. A Bowen walk-on is $12.45 return before the fuel surcharge. On these routes, the parking alone can cost more than the boat.

Safety and etiquette

• Arrive at the Snug Cove waiting area at least 10 minutes before your sailing home.
• Stay on the main bridge loop at Lynn Canyon when trails are wet.
• At Fort Langley, allow time for the 700 m walk from the nearest bus stop to the site, and take care where the route has no sidewalk.
• In Squamish, stick to the Gondola’s viewing decks and easy summit walks. Leave backcountry and avalanche terrain to people equipped for it.
• Check operator pages on the morning you go. Schedules change by season.

Most trips here start with a ride you’d take anyway: the SeaBus, the Canada Line or a bus to Horseshoe Bay. The boat is part of the day, not the cost of getting to it. Start close with Lonsdale Quay or the Aquabus. Then work out to Bowen, Steveston and Fort Langley, and save Victoria for a long day with an early start. Check the sailing home before you leave, tap your card, and leave the car where it is.

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Photo credits

• Centennial Pier and container cranes (5946453430).jpg by Roy Luck, CC BY 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burrard Beaver SeaBus.JPG by ~riley, CC BY-SA 3.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burrard Pacific Breeze SeaBus.JPG by ~riley, CC BY-SA 3.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burrard Otter II.jpg by Stephenrees, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Panorama Entering Snug Cove Terminal – Bowen Island – From BC Ferries – BC – Canada.jpg by Adam Jones, Ph.D., CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized; cropped for the featured image). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lonsdale Quay Market (22564162429).jpg by GoToVan from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Shipyards as seen from Lonsdale Quay 02 – May 2018.jpg by Shaundd, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Shipyards as seen from Lonsdale Quay – May 2018.jpg by Shaundd, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (8623297692).jpg by Colin Knowles from Vancouver, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• BC Ferries Langdale 1.jpg by Emma0mb, CC BY 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal 2018.jpg by Wpcpey, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gulf-of-Georgia-Cannery.jpg by Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Old Britannia Shipyard (15392166549).jpg by Jerry Meaden from Surrey, BC, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Fort Langley.jpg by User:Themightyquill, CC BY-SA 2.5 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• From Sea o Sky Gondola.jpg by Zunnun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Aquabus water taxi (5946438892).jpg by Roy Luck, CC BY 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.