Sight guide · Vancouver · Canada
Visiting Granville Island
Beneath the Granville Street Bridge, this former industrial island is home to the Granville Island Public Market — produce, seafood, bakeries and food counters — plus artists' studios, a brewery, theatres and a Kids Market of toy shops.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Granville Island is a market in Granville Island, Vancouver. Allow half a day; it is free. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Market
- Area
- Granville Island
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- food, shopping, kids and free
- Best months
- April–May and October
About Granville Island
Beneath the Granville Street Bridge, this former industrial island is home to the Granville Island Public Market — produce, seafood, bakeries and food counters — plus artists' studios, a brewery, theatres and a Kids Market of toy shops. Small Aquabus and False Creek Ferries boats shuttle across from downtown and Yaletown.
Tip: Arrive by mini-ferry rather than by car, as parking fills quickly, and eat lunch on the docks behind the market.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: Half a day.
- Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Granville Island, converted warehouses, raised patios and the False Creek seawall.
Best time to visit Granville Island
To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:
- May: 17°C (63°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- April: 13°C (55°F) highs, about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- October: 14°C (57°F) highs, about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds.
When to visit Vancouver has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Vancouver itinerary visits Granville Island on day 1, together with Stanley Park and the seawall, Vancouver Aquarium and Gastown and the steam clock.
- No. 2 of the 20 sights in our Vancouver things-to-do list.
- Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 4-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 5-day plan.
- Day 2 of the 7-day plan.
- Listed in free things to do in Vancouver.
- A family favourite in Vancouver with kids.
If you like Granville Island
- Stanley Park and the seawall — Stanley Park, Half a day
- Lynn Canyon Park — North Vancouver, 1.5–2 hours
- Gastown and the steam clock — Gastown, 1–2 hours
- SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay — Burrard Inlet, 1–2 hours
Staying near Granville Island
Stay in Yaletown ($$$$) to walk here: converted warehouses, raised patios and the False Creek seawall. All areas to stay in Vancouver.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Granville Island?
Plan half a day.
+Is Granville Island free?
Yes, it is free to visit.
+When is the best time to visit Granville Island?
April–May and October, the quietest of the good months. Arrive by mini-ferry rather than by car, as parking fills quickly, and eat lunch on the docks behind the market.
+Do I need to book Granville Island in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Granville Island good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Vancouver. Vancouver works well for families: beaches, Stanley Park, the aquarium and Science World are close together, the North Shore adds suspension bridges and mountain gondolas, and indoor options cover rainy days.