If you are planning for a local family staycation in Vancouver, you would want to check out the city’s unusual attractions. Thankfully, the city has lots of these off-the-beaten-track places you can explore.

Long been rated as one of the most livable cities in the world, Vancouver added a fresh accolade to its name—Canada’s third largest city recently cemented its position as one of the friendliest cities in the world.

Surrounded by natural beauty and filled with arts and culture, this seaport city in British Columbia has no shortage of standout landmarks and fun activities. Whether you are on a staycation for birthday celebrations or to spend a special occasion with your loved ones, Vancouver has much to offer. 

But what if you have already “been there,” “done that” and need a unique itinerary to excite your jaded family members? 

To help you, the team at Pan Pacific Vancouver suggests 10 unusual attractions in the city also known as Hollywood North.

Begin your unique Vancouver experience by exploring a labyrinth—not just any labyrinth, but one of only six Elizabethan hedge mazes in North America. At the VanDusen Garden, you can meander amongst 3,000 pyramidal cedars which were shaped into the form of the maze. 

Test your sense of direction by entering the maze and making your way out the other side. For the less adventurous, make your way up the observation terrace to get a good view of the maze, as well as struggling maze participants. Interested in more than just figuring out mazes? The garden offers 55 acres of specially curated plant displays from around the world. 

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Have a ball at one of Vancouver’s most talked about local night spots—the Shameful Tiki Room. Unabashedly high on kitsch, this “Polynesian paradise” was designed to recreate the tropical escapism of the 1960s tiki fad. 

Loaded with Polynesian decor from floor to ceiling and featuring tropical-themed live music, it is a place that does not take itself seriously. Soak up the mock Hawaiian decor, enjoy a sugary tiki cocktail, and bask in the gentle ukulele music.     

Get directions to the Shameful Tiki Room

If you are up for something radically different during your staycation, consider hunting for a “secret tree” and climbing it! Located somewhere on the Cambie Corridor in a residential neighbourhood just outside Vancouver is the Cambie Climbing Tree, which rewards those adventurous enough to climb it. The locals around the area are sworn to its secrecy for fear that it would become commercialised. 

From the outside, the towering evergreen tree appears nothing out of the ordinary. Once you get closer, you will see that it is bigger than the trees around it. It also has a hammock hanging on its branches, along with a tire swing, which gently sways from side to side when a gentle breeze passes by. 

The greatest allure of the tree, however, is the way its branches have grown so close together that even novice climbers can make their way up the top easily. Once you reach the top, a breathtaking sight of Vancouver’s skyline as well as the famous North Shore mountains greets you. 

If you are planning to scale this fabled tree, do wear outdoor shoes with ample grip to help in the climbing. 

Get directions to the Cambie Climbing Tree

Ready for some mayhem and murder? The Vancouver Police Museum takes you behind the scenes of police work, complete with grisly details. 

Started in 1986 by former police sergeant Joe Swan, this museum features a morgue—the “skeletons-in-the-closet” of this museum are displayed for all to see! Formerly an autopsy facility, the museum turned the morgue into a part of its exhibits. 

Among the 20,000 objects displayed here are confiscated weapons, counterfeit currency, and police uniforms, as well as various crime-related artefacts and memorabilia. Perhaps the most unusual room you have to visit here is the “blood drying room” where blood-soaked evidence used to be hanged to dry! 

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Be greeted by a giant pixelated Orca when you visit the Vancouver waterfront. This giant public art installation by acclaimed artist Douglas Coupland looks like it literally jumped out of a video game. 

Part of the Vancouver Convention Centre Art Project, this whimsical sculpture was conceived by novelist and artist Coupland when he desired to evoke the common sight of killer whales leaping from the sea back in the old days. Not content with a traditional sculpture, Coupland injected a dose of technology into it, hence the pixelated effect. The whale is made of sturdy aluminium and coated with a protective layer of powder coating to withstand the corrosive effects of the coastal weather. 

To capture the 25-foot-tall whale in its entirety, you have to stand at least 20 paces away from the sculpture. Against the backdrop of Vancouver Harbour, it makes a majestic sight. 

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Did you know that Vancouver had over 19,000 neon signs in the 1950s— more than even the Sin City Las Vegas itself? Get a glimpse of what it was like back in its psychedelic past at the Neon Vancouver Ugly Vancouver exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver.  

Walk through an extraordinary collection of dizzying neon signs dating from the 1950s through to the 1970s. Sadly, bright luminous signs became unfashionable towards the end of the 70s, leading to their demise. This signalled a turning point in Vancouver’s history and a change to the city’s look, paving the way for a cleaner, greener city. 

Today, the city’s neon lights are all packed in this exhibit, giving visitors a look into Vancouver’s bright and colourful past. 

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Do you know that the Giants have descended upon the popular Granville Island—Vancouver’s famed shopping and cultural district? 

Commissioned as part of the 2014 Vancouver Biennale’s Open Air Museum, six industrial concrete silos soaring 70 feet in height were made-over into gargantuan figures. These staggeringly tall industrial-sized murals act as silent giant guardians, with half of them facing the boats on False Creek while the other half face inwards. 

The whimsical work of Brazilian twins Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo—known for transforming buildings and walls into colourful spray-painted characters—these silos add a splash of colour to the once grey and dull towers. Be sure to snap a photo of them when you are visiting Granville Island. 

Get directions to the Giants At Granville Island

Ruins may not be ideal places to explore in the world’s most livable city, but the Point Grey Battery Ruins are a notable exception. Just north of Wreck Beach, around the corner from beachgoers, these two concrete towers are plastered with artfully created graffiti. Formerly WWII Artillery Searchlights Towers, they are the last reminders of a defence outpost built during World War II. Interestingly, they once held 60-inch searchlights that cast three-to-five-mile projections out to the sea to help spot incoming German or Japanese attackers.

Since the 1970s, these disused military structures became canvases for colourful graffiti—their once grey facades spray-painted into vibrant murals that make great photographs in an obscure corner of the city. 

Get directions to the Point Grey Battery Ruins

One of the most iconic buildings in Vancouver’s Chinatown, this attraction measures only 6-feet in width and literally provides a “slice” of history. Originally known as the Sam Kee Building, this century-old building is recognised by The Guinness Book of World Records as the slimmest commercial building. 

Sam Kee’s building was part of Vancouver’s rich Chinese immigrant history. In the late 1800s, the city was the main entry point for many Chinese immigrants who sought jobs in the lumber industries. Back then, Sam Kee was one of the businesses set up to meet growing demands for services and goods.  

Today, the building belongs to Jack Chow Insurance company, which renovated the space to reflect its original decor—even the building’s exterior was restored to resemble its historical past. A glass staircase, along with the entire building, is designed and programmed to display a symphonic light show. 

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Escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse in authentic and rustic nature at the Maplewood farm. Housing over 200 social farm animals, the once dairy farm is now home to goats, cows, sheep, horses, rabbits, pigs and birds. 

A relaxing and calming rural getaway, Maplewood farm offers visitors a chance to not only rub noses with farm animals, but learn about animal husbandry and horse-riding. You can also participate in other educational activities designed to appeal to families of all ages. 

Get directions to Maplewood Farm