Kitsilano Travel Guide

Vancouver

Kitsilano
Kitsilano Beach featuring general coastal views and a bay or harbour
Photo provided by Tourism Vancouver
Photo provided by Tourism Vancouver
Photo provided by Tourism Vancouver

Ethnic food, fashionable shops and one of Vancouver’s best beaches are all part of this bayside neighbourhood.

Once the centre of Vancouver’s counterculture during the 1960s, Kitsilano is now a haven for the city’s young urban professionals. It’s also one of Vancouver’s best districts for shopping and eating. Sample from a wide array of ethnic cuisines, explore bookstores or fashion boutiques and enjoy one of Vancouver’s most popular beaches.

Walk through the streets and get a feel for the neighbourhood. Two famous organizations were founded in Kitsilano and show how it has changed over time. The environmental organization Greenpeace planted its roots here in the late 1960s, when the neighbourhood was a counterculture hotbed. In the late 1990s, yoga clothing brand Lululemon was founded in Kitsilano, which suggests the neighbourhood’s young professional turn.

Start your visit on West 4th Avenue, where the majority of Kitsilano’s shops and restaurants are located. Popular restaurants serve a range of cuisines, including Malaysian, Mexican and Japanese. Organic food options are common in the area as well. After eating, browse through the shops, which include bookstores, home décor shops and fashion boutiques.

During the summer months, Kitsilano Beach is packed with locals enjoying the cool waters of English Bay. If the crowds are overwhelming, look just off the beach for Kitsilano Pool, one of the longest pools in Canada.

East of the beach, find Vanier Park. This 42-acre (17-hectare) park features lawns, ponds and excellent views of the downtown skyline. Three of Vancouver’s notable museums are located here, including the Museum of Vancouver, which has numerous artifacts from the city’s history, including a collection of neon signs. Discover more educational exhibits at the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. In summer, Vanier Park also hosts the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. Watch a riveting performance, such as The Tempest, on a sunny Vancouver afternoon.

Located just across False Creek from downtown, Kitsilano is served by several subway and bus lines. If you are arriving by car, park in the Vanier Park lot for a fee and explore the neighbourhood on foot.


Popular places to visit

Things to do


Top hotels in Kitsilano

Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel & Marina

Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel & Marina

4 out of 5
3500 Cessna Dr, Richmond, BC
The price is Rp3.331.108 per night from 18 Aug to 19 Aug
Rp3.331.108
Rp3.902.725 total
18 Aug - 19 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star luxury hotel in Richmond. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a free airport shuttle. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (2,385 reviews)
"Great!"

Reviewed on 30 Jul 2025

Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel & Marina
River Rock Casino Resort

River Rock Casino Resort

4 out of 5
8811 River Road, Richmond, BC
Stay at this 4-star luxury resort in Richmond. Enjoy a full-service spa, 5 restaurants and a marina. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (9,464 reviews)
"Gordon Ramsay steak was outstanding"

Reviewed on 31 Jul 2025

River Rock Casino Resort
Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront

Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront

4 out of 5
1133 Hastings St W, Vancouver, BC
The price is Rp4.150.409 per night from 1 Sept to 2 Sept
Rp4.150.409
Rp5.008.522 total
1 Sept - 2 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Vancouver. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a fitness centre. Our guests praise the breakfast and the ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (7,013 reviews)
"Very helpful and welcoming reception staff and house keeping"

Reviewed on 30 Jul 2025

Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront
The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver

The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver

4.5 out of 5
845 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC
The price is Rp4.324.092 per night from 1 Sept to 2 Sept
Rp4.324.092
Rp5.218.137 total
1 Sept - 2 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Vancouver. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful staff in ...
9/10 Wonderful! (3,149 reviews)
"Convenient location to shopping and restaurants."

Reviewed on 31 Jul 2025

The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver
Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel

Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel

4.5 out of 5
3111 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond, BC
The price is Rp4.110.882 per night from 2 Sept to 3 Sept
Rp4.110.882
Rp4.816.308 total
2 Sept - 3 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury hotel in Richmond. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (6,192 reviews)
"Convenient"

Reviewed on 31 Jul 2025

Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel
YWCA Hotel

YWCA Hotel

2.5 out of 5
733 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC
The price is Rp2.657.446 per night from 6 Aug to 7 Aug
Rp2.657.446
Rp3.206.886 total
6 Aug - 7 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Vancouver. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a fitness centre and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (2,633 reviews)
"Beds were comfortable. The room was clean. Our window faced an alley, across from which is a school (?) where classes begin early! There was zero privacy. We had to keep our drapes closed all day, and it was dark enough to need electric lights during the day. A sheer privacy curtain would have been ..."

Reviewed on 31 Jul 2025

YWCA Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around Kitsilano

Granville Island featuring a bay or harbour, a high-rise building and a city

Granville Island

5/5(5 area reviews)

Granville Island is known for its ample dining options, and you can make a stop by Granville Island Public Market and False Creek while in the area.

Granville Island
Granville Island showing a bay or harbour and a city as well as a small group of people

Fairview

4/5(8 area reviews)

While you're in Fairview, take in top sights like Great Canadian Casino at the Holiday Inn or Granville Island Public Market, and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Olympic Village Station or Broadway-City Hall Station.

Fairview
West End featuring signage, a city and street scenes

West End

The stunning beaches and popular shops are just a few highlights of West End. Make a stop by Robson Street or Sunset Beach while you're exploring the area.

West End
Gastown showing outdoor art, a statue or sculpture and a city

Central Vancouver

3/5(2 area reviews)

If you're spending time in Central Vancouver, check out sights like Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal or Rogers Arena and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Granville Station or Vancouver City Center Station.

Central Vancouver
Yaletown showing street scenes, a city and night scenes

Yaletown

Take time in Yaletown to visit attractions like Robson Street and Vancouver False Creek Seawall. You might also appreciate the abundant dining options, and you can hop on the metro at Yaletown-Roundhouse Station to see more of the city.

Yaletown
Kitsilano featuring street scenes, flowers and road cycling

West Side

While you're in West Side, take in top sights like VanDusen Botanical Garden or Kitsilano Beach, and hop on the metro to see more of the city at King Edward Station or Oakridge-41st Avenue Station.

West Side

Kitsilano Travel Guide