Vancouver in December

Summer brings Vancouver's magic — July and August see temperatures hit 75°F with minimal rain and 16-hour days. But everyone knows this, so hotel prices double and hiking trails get crowded. May and September offer the sweet spot: decent weather, lower prices, and fewer tour groups clogging up Granville Island. Spring means cherry blossoms in Queen Elizabeth Park and VanDusen Botanical Garden, though you'll need rain gear through April. Fall delivers crisp mountain views and harvest season in nearby wine country, but rain returns by October. Winter skiing at Cypress and Grouse Mountains sits 30 minutes from downtown, though the city itself turns gray and soggy. December through February sees constant drizzle and 8-hour days — locals call it the price of paradise. The shoulder seasons reward patient travelers with $200 hotel rooms instead of $400 ones.