Calling itself the 'Peak of Vancouver,' this mountaintop playground offers smashing views of downtown, shimmering in the water below. In summer, Skyride gondola tickets include access to lumberjack shows, alpine hiking, movie presentations and a grizzly-bear refuge. Pay extra for ziplining and Eye of the Wind, a 20-story, elevator-accessed turbine tower with a panoramic viewing pod that will have your camera itching for action.
There are also restaurants up here if you fancy dining: it's an ideal sunset-viewing spot. You can reduce the gondola fee by hiking the ultrasteep Grouse Grind up the side of the mountain – it costs $10 to get back down on the Skyride. Like Capilano, Grouse lures visitors from downtown in summer by offering a free shuttle from Canada Place. And in winter, it's all about skiing and snowboarding as Grouse become the locals' fave powder-bound playground.
