Is Vancouver Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Group travel

I felt very safe in Vancouver! I went with my best friend in July 2024. We stayed in HI Hostels in downtown Vancouver in an all female dorm room. The hostel felt very safe and to get in you needed a keycard for both the front door and your room. The front desk always had at least two people there which also helped me feel safer. The hostel hosted a bar crawl one of the nights for anyone who paid $65. We were given wrist brands that said what event it was and not the hostel name which I thought was a smart move on the hostel’s part! We went to about three bars and three clubs and we all had a blast. Everyone in the group hung out, it was about 25-30 people. Everyone was kind, respectful and fun! It was a bit expensive as my friend and I had to Uber for anywhere more than twenty minutes from the hospital and the dinner places weren’t cheap either. Both services were good and the food was amazing but definitely budget a good amount. I spent probably $150 USD while there, I shopped a good bit and the hostel was $280 USD for two women in a 4 women dorm room.

Couple travel

The city is very comfortable to hangout around, the night life is pretty busy but we stayed in an Airbnb away form downtown. The food is delicious and the locals seemed pretty nice. A very nice place to do so many activities. Some of the clubs are weird and uncomfortable but still an overall enjoyable experience.

Solo travel

I have been in Vancouver for 3 months now and feel very safe here. Still, I would avoid East Hastings Street and majority of Gastown as a Solo female at night. Even though I luckily haven’t been harassed there, there are a lot of homeless and drug addicts around that area and I did not feel comfortable

Solo travel

I had a great time in Vancouver. Scenic view, great food scenary and culture richness. I felt safe using public transportation and mostly all the time, just need to avoid some areas in downtown. I’m looming forward to showing it around.

Solo travel

Vancouver has a very safe feel, a great transportation system with skytrains and buses throughout most of the Metro Vancouver area. There are many cheap attractions like the countless beaches the city has including Wreck Beach, Jericho Beach, English Bay, Ambleside etc. There are countless trails, areas for camping close by like Whistler and Squamish, a lot of natural beauty.

Solo travel

Vancouver is a very beautiful city. I would recommend you to go to Stanley park and rent a bike, make sure you do it early because they close at 5pm approximately. Go and get some souvenirs but they’re a bit expensive. Try to use Sky train, there are different stations, you can always check on Google Maps to help you. Just set your destination, also with tell you to take the bus that is really useful. You can pay with your credit or debit card. People the is very helpful when your lost so don’t hesitate when asking for help. If you need some clothing, depends the season, go to any Thrift store, you’ll love them, if you want to save money.

Overall, Vancouver's is a beautiful and great city, but it has a big problem with people that are unhoused and reliant on illicit substances so there is a lot of areas that I do not recommend walking alone. In addition, there have been a lot of violence against women and missing and murdered women in recent years. I recommend having friends in town and doing a lot of research before you arrive. Make sure to take precautions when traveling solo here.

Downtown Vancouver can be very dangerous at times with unpredictable people, especially at night or alone. It is okay to walk around alone in the day, but do not go anywhere sketchy. Never go out alone at night in the downtown area, and if you must, take an uber and avoid public transit at night. The Ubers are perfectly fine. If possible, day or night, have at least one more person with you. Vancouver is incredibly beautiful, but please be wary about your surroundings at all times down town.