How can I spend my free time?
Vancouver is a beautiful city with lots of opportunities to explore nature, take in some art and culture, learn about the land it's history, or enjoy delicious local food. The options are endless, but here are just a few.
Hiking, walking, and running trails
Cost: free
The UBC campus has some beautiful trails that you can explore on foot. Check out Pacific Spirit Park to find some wooded trails that are easily accessible from our accommodations and meeting space.
Beach hangs and great sunsets
Cost: free
Walk along the sand or take in a stunning sunset from a local beach. Make sure to dip your toes in the Pacific! Best enjoyed with a picnic and some colleagues :).
Beaches near UBC: Locarno, Jericho, Spanish Banks, Kitsilano, Wreck (be prepared: this is the closest beach to campus, but it is clothing optional and only accessible by a steep staircase)
Stanley Park Seawall
Cost: free (unless renting a bike)
A beautiful 10km walk with the sea on one side and Stanley Park on the other. Walk it for free or rent a bike from one of the many vendors on Denman street near the entrance to the park.
Fitness facility with swimming pool
Cost: Variable
There are two fitness facilities centrally located on the UBC campus, the Bird Coop and the Arc, which offer discounted drop in rates for guests. Additionally, there is a Gold’s Gym located in the University Village. The UBC Aquatic Center offers public access to the pool at designated times for a small fee.
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To book classes or reserve gym times, you will need to create an account which you can do here at the link below.
View fitness schedules and gym times here and view aquatic centre info here.
Local Restaurants
Cost: Variable
Vancouver has an abundance of great local food options. Tuesday evening is a free night, so you can decide what to do and where to eat.
Kitsilano, a vibrant shopping/dining neighbourhood close to UBC, is about a 15-20 minute bus ride away and has lots of options. Bridgitte and Antonia both live in that neighbourhood and are happy to provide recommendations!
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For a list of on campus restaurants, please see the link below.
Local Conveniences
Cost: Variable
Many of the local conveniences are a short walk away on UBC campus, including grocery stores, pharmacies, and coffee shops.
UBC Botanical Gardens
Cost: Admission by donation
Walk through the botanical gardens and experience Vancouver in springtime! There is also a tree walk for those who want to get a bird's eye view of Vancouver's coastal temperate rainforest (You need to book tickets for the tree walk - extra cost.)
Beaty Biodiversity Museum
Cost: $14
Visit Vancouver’s natural history museum, right on UBC campus. Explore the university’s biological collections, including a 26-metre-long blue whale skeleton suspended in the atrium, dinosaur trackways from BC’s early Cretaceous period, and many fossils, mammals, reptiles, and plants from around the region and across the planet.
Residential School History and Dialogue Centre
Cost: free
This Centre at UBC addresses the colonial legacy of residential schools and other policies imposed by the Canadian government on Indigenous Peoples, and ensures that this history is acknowledged, examined and understood within the UBC community. The Centre provides technology, tools, and resources to help guide research, learning and dialogue. It is open Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm.
Chan Centre for Performing Arts
A venue that hosts classical, jazz, theatre, opera, and more. Right on campus! Check out their website for upcoming events.
Cost: Variable
Kayaking from
Jericho Beach
$45 for 2hrs
Explore Vancouver from the water.
Paddleboarding from Kitsilano Beach
Cost:Â $35 for 2hrs
Great exercise and a very "Vancouver"Â way to enjoy the outdoors!
Hiking, walking, and running trails
Cost: free
The UBC campus has some beautiful trails that you can explore on foot. Check out Pacific Spirit Park to find some wooded trails that are easily accessible from our accommodations and meeting space.