The Columbia River shapes some Vancouver experiences, while historic sites and museums offer other ways to discover the city. When looking for hotels in Vancouver, it helps to first choose a focus: would you prefer to center your stay on parks and trails, or on museums and history? Waterfront Park and the Columbia River Renaissance Trail offer specific starting points, while historic sites and exhibitions provide a different emphasis.

By the Columbia River

Vancouver Waterfront Park is a 7.3-acre community park. It features the distinctive Grant Street Pier, a cable-stayed structure, and offers views of the Columbia River. The Columbia River water feature presents the river as an artistic installation with cascades, fountains and shallow wading areas; benches are nearby. The pier and water feature each offer a different focal point: the striking structure and the landscaped water area.

The paved Columbia River Renaissance Trail is five miles long and intended for walking, jogging, cycling and roller skating. It begins at Esther Short Park and eventually leads to Wintler Park. With a named route and defined endpoints, it offers a different option from spending time at Waterfront Park, whose pier, river views and water feature provide their own focal points.

The Water Resources Education Center offers self-guided exhibits about the water cycle, watersheds, the importance of trees and waste management. It is surrounded by nearly 50 acres of wetlands. This makes both environmental topics and the wetlands around the center part of the experience.

History in public spaces

Esther Short Community Park is the oldest public square in Washington State; it is also home to the city’s first fully inclusive playground. The Salmon Run Bell Tower and Carillon was built in 2002. It features 25 cast-bronze bells, four tower clocks, each six feet tall, and a rotating diorama depicting the history of Chinook salmon.

Reconstructions and historic houses

The reconstructed Fort Vancouver stands on the archaeological footprint of a Hudson’s Bay Company fort that existed there from 1829 into the 1860s. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is partially reconstructed and includes a palisade, a bakery and the Chief Factor’s residence. Numerous reconstructed buildings stand within the palisade walls and are connected by paths. This allows visitors to consider the fort’s former site and its reconstructed features as distinct layers of time.

Officers Row consists of 21 houses in a long line opposite the Fort Vancouver Parade Grounds. Built in 1846, the Grant House is the oldest house and one of the most significant historic buildings in the Old Oregon Country. These sites offer different scales of the city’s history: a reconstructed fort complex, a row of houses and a single historic building.

Museums and events

Pearson Air Museum explores aviation history through hand-painted murals, exhibit panels and five early 20th-century aircraft. It is open year-round, Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; check the hours before your visit.

Clark County Historical Museum presents exhibitions, hosts talks and offers events about local stories from all areas of Clark County history. While Pearson Air Museum focuses on aviation history, Clark County Historical Museum covers the history of the entire county. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; on the first Friday of each month, hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Vancouver also hosts a monthly First Friday Art Walk. Check museum hours and the specific event date before making plans.

Discover more destinations: La Center, Salmon Creek, Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Washougal, Camas

For the regional travel overview: Clark.