Two-Wheeled Mini Escape to North Vancouver’s Shipyards
Just across the water from downtown, North Vancouver’s Shipyards is a summer must-visit — a lively mix of markets, music, and mountain views. Ride over, drop your bike or anything that rolls at the free Bike Valet (available until September 12), and wander through the buzzing night market before enjoying the waterfront without a worry!
Ironically, one of my favorite things about Vancouver involves leaving the city. Of course, it’s nice to walk around downtown, catch a sunset at Kitsilano or West End, and I do enjoy exploring Gastown on many weekends. But there is one activity I think everyone should try at least once during the summer: visiting North Vancouver’s Shipyards.
On Friday, I decided to do just that. I rode my bike across Lions Gate Bridge - a short 15-minute ride that feels like an adventure in itself. There’s something about watching the city skyline shrink behind you while the North Shore mountains grow larger in front of you that makes the trip worth it before you’ve even arrived.
The moment I stepped off my bike and left it with BEST’s Bike Valet, I was greeted by a lively mix of markets, small shops, and a sweeping view of Vancouver across the water - a perfect welcome to this side of the city. I wandered past booths, resisting the urge to buy everything in sight – from football jerseys and delicate jewelry (because who knows, maybe I’ll meet the love of my life soon) to souvenirs I didn’t even know I wanted until I saw them– before making my way deeper into Shipyards.
If you’ve never been, Shipyards is a lively waterfront public space filled with restaurants, breweries, and open areas where people gather for live music and events. In the summer, it’s buzzing! You see kids running through the splash park, couples sharing ice cream cones or putting a lock with their initials in the waterfront, and tourists snapping photos against the postcard-perfect backdrop of the city skyline. In my case, when walking around, I found it easy to have the space to stop for a while just to enjoy the atmosphere.
One of my favorite things about Shipyards is that it feels both relaxed and vibrant at the same time. You can spend hours here without a strict plan - walk along the waterfront, browse local vendors, or sit on a bench with a coffee and simply watch the ferries come and go. I ended up having a small bite at one of the food trucks facing the water, where the sunset cast golden reflections as I stared at the beautiful Vancouver skyline.
As night fell, the lights along the waterfront came on, and Shipyards transformed into a warm, glowing space that felt almost cinematic. I took my bike from the Bike Valet and decided to take the Seabus on the way back to downtown, feeling like I had just had a mini-vacation without ever leaving Metro Vancouver.
The truth is, Vancouver’s beauty isn’t confined to its downtown streets or its famous beaches. Sometimes, it’s just a short ride away -waiting across the water with music, food, and mountain views. If you haven’t taken your bike up to North Vancouver yet, summer is the perfect time. Who knows? It might just become one of your favorite things about the city too!
Bike Valet is people powered parking for your bike, or anything that rolls 🚲🛴 powered by BEST Mobility. Made possible thanks to the support of our partners: The Shipyards, Shipyards Night Market & City of North Vancouver