What are the nearest attractions to Bowen Island?

Attractions near Bowen Island: Horseshoe Bay Cypress Mountain Museum of Anthropology at UBC

What else should I know about attractions in Vancouver?

As well as visiting the Bowen Island, check out these trip ideas to make the most of your visit: Ways to Beat the Crowds in Vancouver 10 of the Top Whale-Watching Experiences in North America How to Spend 2 Days in Vancouver

Bowen Island - What To Know BEFORE You Go

The Basics

Just a 20-minute boat ride from Vancouver, Bowen Island is an ideal day trip. Jet Ski tours of Howe Sound depart from Granville Island and skirt around the scenic coast of Bowen Island, as well as other neighboring islands such as Anvil Island. Some Jet Ski tours make a dinner stop at Bowen Island, allowing participants to disembark and dine at one of Bowen Island’s local restaurants.

While the island is served by a ferry, visitors looking for a little more freedom and flexibility may want to rent a private speedboat instead. Once on the island, while away the hours lounging on sandy beaches, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, or swimming.

Things to Know Before You Go

Bowen Island is an easy day-trip option for visitors based in Vancouver.
Most boats dock at Snug Cove on the east coast, where you’ll find restaurants, cafés, art galleries, and a weekend market in summer.
Private speedboat rentals usually include a boat license, safety briefing, and instructions.

How to Get There

Regular ferry service to Bowen Island departs from Horseshoe Bay terminal. To get to the ferry terminal, ride bus 250 or 257 from downtown Vancouver, a journey of between 40 and 50 minutes. The ferry journey itself takes another 20 minutes or so. For a quicker option, take a water taxi or pilot your own private speedboat from Granville Island.

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Wildlife-Watching near Bowen Island

The boat trip over to Bowen Island takes passengers through the heart of Howe Sound, where a host of wildlife species thrive. As you cruise across from the mainland, look out for harbor seals, which can often be seen at Palm Rocks, and bald eagles. Whales, including humpbacks, have been spotted in the waters of Horseshoe Bay. Bowen Island is free from bears and cougars, though deer do roam freely.

Recent reviews from experiences in Vancouver

Great - except for...

SusanneC_B, Jul 2022

Fly and Dine to Bowen Island from Vancouver

I really enjoyed the flight, the meal, the ferry ride back but was very unhappy when the limo did not turn up. I am single, it was 9.45pm by the time I'd waited 30 minutes. When I rang, Star Limo who were to do the pick-up said they didn't have my booking. Luckily for me, some kind people who were also waiting, gave me a lift in their limo. A disappointing end to a lovely evening.

Photography tips

Edna_A, Mar 2020

Bowen Island Ferry & Photography

It was a great tour! We learned a few really useful photography tips, had a great walk around the forest of Bowen Island, the day was gorgeous and our tour guide very knowledgeable and fun! We really enjoyed the tour. Highly recommended!

informative and exciting

JOHN_E, Jul 2021

Bowen Island Dinner and Zodiac Boat Tour by Vancouver Water Adventures

a most excellent tour guide, Greg made the whole experience most exciting and informative. He attended to the safety of his passeegers by being courteous and caring.

Everything was amazing,...

Jennifer_H, Sep 2021

Everything was amazing, from the flight to the staff at Doc Morgan’s. that was the best salmon I’ve ever had. Our limo was beautiful & the driver was fabulous. Definitely recommend

Fly and dine

Nimapaul, Sep 2021

We had a wonderful experience with seaplane and BowenIsland....my daughter's birthday we celebrated in there..they make that to us a special event...it's really really good place..

Highly recommended

Zareen_N, Aug 2021

Very relaxing and enjoyable trip. The guide, Simon, provided very useful information and had a great sense of humour. Would do it again.

Highly recommend it

A_S, Oct 2020

It was definitely the best tour I've ever joined. The view was stunning, the group was nice and engaging, and I learned new photography skills! I'd like to join a different tour of his in the future for sure!

It was a magical event for my wife and I.

nicholas_m, Aug 2021

So amazing! Surprised my wife with this for her 40th and she was blown away. I was too! Everything about it was so well done. Pilot was super nice, Doc Morgan's was great! Car ride home was good, but most of the info I read said it would be a limousine, but it wasn't. So that wasn't a great surprise. But the rest was great

Must do

Paris_C, Jul 2021

Very fun. I highly recommend doing this tour even if you are a local. The guide was very informative and the food was good too

Excellent until no transport back to hotel.

Goran_w, Aug 2021

The Harbor Air flight was a TEN STAR!!!! Doc Morgan's restaurant was excellent! Ferry to Horseshoe Bay very good! Would have given 5 STARS but upon arrival in Horseshoe Bay there were no instruction where to meet the car or driver. We waited for 30 min and decided to call UBER. We were driven back to the hotel. That costed me an extra $40.- I like you to reimburse me!

Wonderful experience

Francis_B, Feb 2021

The tour was really great!! Nash was a good tour guide and he had a good knowledge of bowen island as well as vancouver area. We shared lot of stories and he showed me lot of beautiful parks. Moreover, I discovered a nice restaurant in the village and the food was excellent especially the soup and bread. Moreover, he took good pictures of me and the quality is excellent! I can litterally say it was much better than I was expecting and I wish to have Nash as a tour guide again. It's thanks to him if I really enjoyed my visit on Bowen Island!!

Great experience

Frederic_M, Aug 2020

It was a great experience, the guide was really good and made the journey interesting, I highly recommend this attraction.

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