Vancouver · SELF-GUIDED TOURS
The 10 best self-guided routes you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason, so start there.
Trade Vancouver traffic for a 35-minute Harbour Air seaplane flight to Whistler. Land on Green Lake, take the complimentary shuttle or bike into the village, then choose your own hike, gondola ride, meal, or shopping before flying back.
“Fabulous float plane ride over the ridges! Simply breathtaking! Whistler was beautiful and our off road jeep tour was a blast!”
Use your phone as a GPS audio guide while driving across Western Canada. Hear about Vancouver’s Chinatown, Gastown, and Stanley Park, then continue toward Victoria, Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, and the Icefields Parkway. Choose English or German and play stories automatically or from the map.
Chris King’s VanWalks tour guides you through Gastown with historical context, modern events, and local interpretation. Use your phone for up to three hours, pause for coffee, and continue at your own pace. English and French text, English audio, offline maps, and free Chinatown and Coal Harbour routes are included.
“Could not launch the tour on the app. Wasn’t able to get any support. Need to file for a refund”
Use the AudioMe Tours app to guide your two-hour Stanley Park bike ride. Starting at Spokes Bike Rental, follow a GPS map and multilingual commentary past the seawall, totem poles, Brockton Point, beaches, the aquarium, and Lions Gate Bridge.
“We had an awesome time using AudioMe Tours for our bike ride around Stanley Park! The GPS-triggered commentary worked flawlessly, starting at just the right moments as we rode through different areas of the park. The narration was engaging and full of interesting history, stories, and fun facts about the landmarks and wildlife. One of the best parts was that the tour was available in multiple languages. We had both English and Spanish speakers in our group, and it was great that everyone could enjoy the experience in their preferred language. Overall, it was a super smooth and well-designed experience—highly recommend for anyone wanting a flexible and informative way to…”
Use the Questo app to solve 14 puzzles on a 90-minute walk from the Marine Building to Maple Tree Square. You’ll uncover Vancouver stories at Waterfront Station, the Steam Clock, Sun Tower, Sam Kee Building, and Gastown sites. The game works offline and lets you pause, skip, or resume when you like.
“We enjoyed the stories associated with each of the landmarks and the encouragement to look more closely at the architecture. The clues were fun (some pretty challenging). At the price, it's hard to go wrong”
Follow the Sea to Sky Highway with an English audio guide that starts stories by GPS as you drive. Hear Indigenous legends, geology, road history, and practical stop advice from Vancouver to Whistler. The app works offline, costs $16.99 per car, and can be reused for life.
“The self guided, driving, tour is very easy to understand and follow. It connected to our hire car easily so we could hear the commentary through the car's speakers. We didn't stop at all the stops but the ones we did stop at were either beautiful or educational (Britania mine)”
Follow an English-language smartphone tour through Gastown from Waterfront Station to Victory Square. Listen or read stories about the Steam Clock, Gassy Jack, Blood Alley, the Police Museum, Woodward’s, and Vancouver’s oldest operating pub. The route takes about two to three hours, with Chinatown and Coal Harbour routes also included.
“App did not work, had to call customer service. Girl on customer was super helpful and sent me a link. Just unfortunate it didn’t work at the beginning.”
Ride at your own pace from 1798 W Georgia Street through Stanley Park, stopping at totem poles, beaches, Lions Gate Bridge, and English Bay. Your mobile ticket includes audio commentary in eight languages, but you must arrange the bicycle and headphones separately.
“We took some friends from out of town on this Stanley Park Bike Tour and they absolutely loved it! It was fun, interesting and even had places and facts that I didn’t know. I highly recommend it if you want a great way to see and explore Stanley Park at your own pace.”
Drive Vancouver’s waterfront and downtown at your own pace with an English audio guide, offline maps, and location-triggered stories. Visit Kitsilano, Spanish Banks, UBC, Gastown, Stanley Park, and Prospect Point. One purchase covers up to four people, with lifetime access and no expiry.
“My kids love the beach and as this was their first official been at the beach , it is clean and lots of ice cream and burger available”
Use your phone and English audio commentary to guide your private drive from Vancouver to Whistler. Set your own pace along the Sea to Sky Highway, with suggested stops at Porteau Cove, Squamish, Shannon Falls, and Brandywine Falls.
“What a fabulous way to get the most out of the iconic drive to Whistler!! The commentary was clear, informative & very interesting!! This drive is much more than just the scenery along the way. Very reasonably priced for the quality provided!! 👍👍”
Pick a shoreline, a mountain or a table.
