I live in North Vancouver and have for years. North Vancouver is a stone’s throw from Vancouver. Pretty much the same weather.
The best time of year to visit Vancouver, BC is July, August and September.
July and August are the sunniest months. Since it doesn’t get too smokin’ hot in Vancouver (although that is changing since the 2021 heat dome), it’s not too uncomfortable to see the sites. We head out and enjoy all that Vancouver has to offer throughout July and August every month.
September can be very, very good. As long as the rain holds off, temps drop a bit but can be plenty warm to enjoy the sites.
If you don’t want crowds, September is your best bet. You can certainly take a chance on June. Consider the following weather averages:
- June: 19.6 C daytime temp. 11 days and 2″ of rain.
- July: 22.2 C daytime temp. 6 days and 1.4″ of rain.
- Aug: 22.2 C daytime temp. 7 days and 1.4″ of rain.
- September: 19 C daytime temp. 8 days and 2.1″ of rain.
Source: Weather& Climate
Very similar but having lived here for years, it seems September offers better weather.
The best time to visit Vancouver depends on what you’re coming here to do
If it’s sightseeing such as touring downtown (Granville Island, False Creek, Gastown, Stanley Park and Coal Harbor), doing some hiking and relaxing on a beach, July and August are best.
If it’s catching an Alaskan cruise, May through September is cruise season out of Vancouver.
If it’s skiing, December through March is best. December can be cutting it a bit close though; not all ski hills have sufficient snow in early December.
If it’s hiking/camping which will require leaving the city, May through September can be good. If doing some serious hiking slightly cooler months is good. That said, if you’re hiking up to high altitudes, you might have to wait until July and August for the snow to melt and the trails to open up.
If it’s fishing, the window expands to June through September.
When is the worst time to visit Vancouver?
The worst time to visit Vancouver is November through April.
There’s a reason many people head south or over to Hawaii during these months and that’s because weather is cold, wet and miserable during this time of year.
May and June are big maybes. You might get great weather. But you might be rained on your entire visit.
That said, if you’re coming to Vancouver to ski, then December through March are great times to come because that’s ski season on the North Shore mountains, Whistler and of course interior BC resorts (Sun Peaks, Big White, Apex, Silverstar and eastern BC).
When is best to visit places in and around Vancouver such as:
When is the best time to visit North Vancouver?
The best time to visit North Vancouver is July through September. North Vancouver is the place to go for mountain biking trails. It’s unreal.
If you want to ski local mountains, of which there are three on the North Shore, visit January through March.
When is the best time to visit Vancouver Island?
Vancouver Island is an amazing place to visit. Again, it’s best to visit July through September. May and June can be good weather but it can also be really bad. When it’s raining, it’s a real drag.
The west side of Vancouver Island offers open ocean where the waves are fantastic. If this is what you want to see, and it’s well worth it, head to Ucluelet and/or Tofino.
When is the best time to visit White Rock, BC?
White Rock is also a notable destination. It offers two great beach areas. They are White Rock proper and my favorite, Crescent Beach. It’s sunny many more days in the White Rock area compared to North Vancouver and Vancouver being 40 Km south. While out there, Steveston is worth a few hours of your time as well. Steveston is a fishing village.