Season guide · Vancouver · Canada

Vancouver in winter

December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.

Updated 23 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Pburka at English Wikipedia, Public domain

Quick answer

Mild and very rainy at sea level, with snow on the North Shore mountains for skiing within about 30 minutes of downtown. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 46 rainy days across December–February.

Months: December–February
Temperatures: 1°C (34°F) to 8°C (46°F)
Rainy days in the season: About 46
Sea: 8°C (46°F) to 9°C (48°F)
Crowds: Quiet
Hotel prices: Low

Weather in winter

Vancouver in winter: month by month
Month	High	Low	Rainy days	Daylight	Crowds
January	7°C (45°F)	2°C (36°F)	16	8.6 h	2/5
February	8°C (46°F)	2°C (36°F)	13	10.1 h	2/5
December	7°C (45°F)	1°C (34°F)	17	8.2 h	3/5

Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 46 of the year's roughly 141 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.

What's on in winter

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

January: Polar Bear Swim at English Bay (1 January)
January: Dine Out Vancouver — city-wide restaurant festival (usually late January to early February)
February: Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown (January or February)
December: VanDusen Festival of Lights (usually December)
December: Vancouver Christmas Market (usually until 24 December)

Good choices for winter

Museum · University of British Columbia

Museum of Anthropology at UBC

Leave time for the visible-storage galleries, where thousands of objects from around the world fill glass cases and drawers.

Time needed: 2–3 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

Art
History
Architecture
Rainy day
Iconic

Garden · Little Mountain

Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory

The city's highest point, about 150 metres up, has a former quarry turned into a sunken garden and a lookout over the downtown towers to the North Shore mountains.

Time needed: 1.5 hours
Cost: Low cost

Views
Rainy day
Kids
Nature
Couples

Museum · False Creek

Science World

Arrive by SkyTrain to Main Street–Science World station, or by mini-ferry along False Creek.

Time needed: 2–3 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

Kids
Rainy day
Architecture

Gallery · Downtown

Vancouver Art Gallery

Housed in the neoclassical former provincial courthouse on Robson Square, the gallery holds the largest collection of works by Emily Carr, the BC painter of coastal forests and First Nations villages, alongside contemporary and photo-based art.

Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

Art
Rainy day
Architecture

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

Day trips in winter

Bowen Island (About 20 minutes by ferry from Horseshoe Bay) — A relaxed island community in Howe Sound with a walkable harbour village of cafés and galleries, trails through Crippen Regional Park to Killarney Lake, and calm bays for kayaking.
Steveston (About 40 minutes by transit) — A historic salmon-canning village at the mouth of the Fraser River, Steveston has a working fishing harbour where boats sell seafood from the dock, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery museum and waterfront fish and chips.

What to pack

A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
Comfortable walking shoes

Other times of year

Questions travellers ask

+Is winter a good time to visit Vancouver?

It is a trade-off: Mild and very rainy at sea level, with snow on the North Shore mountains for skiing within about 30 minutes of downtown. The best months overall are June–September.

+What is the weather like in Vancouver in winter?

Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 46 rainy days over the season.