Exploring Vancouver, WA: Historic Sites, Beaches and Events

Definitely carve out time for Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. It’s not just a park — it’s a walk through Pacific Northwest history. You’ll find a reconstructed fur trade fort where you can step into the life of a trapper and explore what daily life looked like back then.

Right nearby are the historic U.S. Army barracks and the Pearson Air Museum, which highlights the early days of aviation with some pretty cool planes and stories. The whole area is easy to explore, especially with the scenic walking trails that offer views of snow-capped peaks on clear days.

Don’t skip the visitor center — it has interactive exhibits, a short film, and artwork from local Native artists. It’s a great starting point to get your bearings and learn what not to miss while you’re there.

Address: 1001 E 5th St, Vancouver, WA 98661, Phone: 360-816-6232

Right in downtown Vancouver, Esther Short Park is a must-visit. It’s the oldest public square in the state, dating back to 1853, and still feels like the city’s heart and soul. It’s small — just five acres — but packed with charm and history.

Start at the Salmon Run Bell Tower, where a Glockenspiel tells the story of the Chinook people. Wander past "The Pioneer Mother" statue, splashy fountains, a playground, and a rose garden. On weekends, the park comes alive with a bustling farmers market and local events year-round.

Address: 415 W 6th Street, Vancouver, WA 98660, Phone: 360-487-8311

Situated just north of the Vancouver Barracks Parade Grounds, Officers' Row is a beautiful urban setting made up of 22 fully restored 19th-century homes. Built in the mid-to-late 1800s to house U.S. Army officers stationed at Vancouver Barracks, the exquisitely restored homes, which are listed on the National Historic Register, are now offices and residences, and some are open to the public to explore.

The oldest house in the row is the Ulysses S. Grant House, which was built in 1850, and the Marshall House offers guided tours and special exhibits on its most famous resident, General George C. Marshall. The Fort Vancouver National Site is located within the stately Grant House and is home to an excellent restaurant where visitors can relax over a pleasant meal.

1301 Officers Row, Vancouver, WA 98661

Recommended Activities for Families

The Vancouver Farmers Market is a community market that hosts over 250 vendors selling a variety of organic and fresh produce, from delicious foodstuffs and fresh fruit and vegetables to baked goods, flowers and plants, homemade clothing, and accessories and items for the home and garden.

Located in the corner of the Esther Short Park, the pet-friendly market welcomes shoppers every Saturday and Sunday from March to October, and it has grown to become the second largest in the State of Washington. The market is a hive of activity where visitors can stroll around and enjoy the atmosphere, shop for items, sample fantastic food, listen to great music, and relax in the nearby park.

605 Esther Street, Vancouver, WA 98660

Established in 1917 and operated by the Clark County Historical Museum, the Clark County Historical Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the culture and history of Clark County. Located in a 1909 Carnegie Library, the museum features a variety of exhibits that showcase the heritage and development of the county, as well as local interests such as a semi-permanent Native American craft exhibition.

The museum also sponsors several community-based educational programs, exhibits, and events throughout the year that focus on highlighting Clarke County’s rich past and the people who played a role in it. Community events include Harvest Fun Day, Holiday Open House and First Thursday Museum after Hours, where guest lecturers speak on a variety of topics.

1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660, 360-993-5679

The Waterfront Renaissance Trail is a five-mile paved pathway that connects Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver with Wintler Park, and it provides a scenic riverfront trail where visitors can walk, jog, run, bike, or rollerblade. Paved pathways and interpretive trails offer beautiful natural scenery and myriad attractions along the way, including shops, restaurants, and historical attractions of the Columbia River waterfront.

Encompassing the smaller Discovery Historic Loop Trail, stops en route include the Ilchee Statue and Plaza, the World War II-era Kaiser Viewing Tower and Shipyard, and the stainless steel Wendy Rose sculpture, as well as spectacular views of the Maya Lin-designed Vancouver Land Bridge. Trailheads can be found at Wintler Community Park, Marine Park, and Waterfront Park in downtown Vancouver.

North Bank of Columbia River, Vancouver, WA 98660

The Vancouver Land Bridge, also known as the Confluence Project, is a 40-foot-wide, earth-covered pedestrian bridge that connects the historic Fort Vancouver with the Columbia River waterfront. The bridge is lined with indigenous plants and Native basket weavings in celebration of the European and Native American cultures that once converged on this site. The site is renowned as the place where the Hudson's Bay Company stood as the first European trading post in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the spot where Lewis and Clark camped, which would later become Fort Vancouver.

The southern end of the bridge has a Welcome Gate designed by Native American artist Lillian Pitt, consisting of two cedar canoe panels adorned with cast-glass sculptures that signify the point as a historic tribal crossroads and contact between two cultures.

Attractions for Couples

Stretching along the western shore of Vancouver Lake, Vancouver Lake Park is a 190-acre regional park that offers outdoor space for the community to enjoy a variety of activities. Spanning 2.5 miles along the shoreline of the lake, the park and lake are ideal for windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, picnicking, and volleyball.

The park features a space with play equipment for children and barbecue areas with picnic tables for outdoor dining, and visitors can enjoy spectacular views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens on bright, cloudless days. The park is also home to a variety of diverse wildlife and migratory waterfowl, which wildlife enthusiasts will delight in watching.

The Water Resources Education Center is a community-based educational center that was established to teach visitors about the importance of water, its resources, and the vital role it plays in life. The center is home to an array of water-focused interactive exhibits and hands-on activities, beautiful natural gardens, and wildlife wetlands teeming with a diverse range of birds and wildlife.

Visitors can admire live sturgeon in a 350-gallon aquarium, enjoy environmental artworks and spectacular panoramic views of the Columbia River while learning all about the future of a safe and healthy water supply. The Water Center hosts community events throughout the year, as well as Second Saturdays. It is open Mondays through Saturdays with free admission.

4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, WA 98661, 360-487-7111

Based in a converted 1930s-era auto garage in downtown Vancouver, Burnt Bridge Cellars is dedicated to crafting premiere class Rhône and Bordeaux varietals in small lots from the best vineyards in and around Washington State. Burnt Bridge Cellars’ wines are made from handpicked grapes, fermented in hand-selected oak barrels and hand-filled, hand-corked, and hand-labeled, making each and every bottle a labor of love.

Popular labels include Coyote Canyon Vineyard Syrah, Couve Cuveé, Pont Brûlé, and a variety of Burnt Bridge Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, and Syrahs. Burnt Bridge Cellars’ tasting room is open for wine tasting Friday through Sunday. The first Friday of each month is free for the Vancouver First Friday Downtown celebration with live music, art, and small plates from Class Cooking.

1500 Broadway, Vancouver, WA 98660, 360-695-3363