Month guide · Vancouver · Canada
Vancouver in May
What May is really like in Vancouver: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Differense, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 9°C (48°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 15.3 hours of daylight. Mild and green with fewer rainy days; spot prawn season and the patio season begin.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 9°C (48°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 15.3 hours
- Sea temperature
- 11°C (52°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Vancouver: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 14°C (57°F), and nights fall to about 9°C (48°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (13°C (55°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 20°C (68°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:29
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:48
- Daylight
- About 15.3 hours
- Sea
- 11°C (52°F)
Spring (March–May). Cherry blossoms, greening parks and mild temperatures, with frequent showers and snow lingering on higher mountain trails.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- BMO Vancouver Marathon (usually early May)
- Spot Prawn Festival (usually May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
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Aquarium · Stanley Park
Vancouver Aquarium
Plan your visit around the sea otter feeding and talks listed on the daily schedule.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Museum · University of British Columbia
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
Arthur Erickson's concrete-and-glass building at the University of British Columbia holds one of the world's finest collections of Northwest Coast First Nations art, with towering totem poles in the Great Hall and Bill Reid's yellow-cedar sculpture The Raven and the First Men.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Garden · Little Mountain
Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory
The park is free; pay only for the conservatory, which makes a warm rainy-day stop.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
- Couples
Museum · False Creek
Science World
The silver geodesic dome built for Expo 86 houses a hands-on science centre with galleries on the body, nature and engineering, an outdoor science park and a large dome cinema at the eastern end of False Creek.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 9°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Vancouver?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, June–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Vancouver in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Vancouver?
It is a shoulder-season month. Mild and green with fewer rainy days; spot prawn season and the patio season begin.
+How warm is Vancouver in May?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Vancouver in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.