Ringed with beaches, crisscrossed with walking and biking paths, and dotted with parks large and small, Vancouver is an active city. Locals take every opportunity to get outside—rain or shine.
In downtown Vancouver, wander amid the towering evergreens in Stanley Park, jog or cycle the Seawall path, or simply enjoy the sunset on the beach. You can kayak or go stand-up paddleboarding on False Creek or from English Bay, Kitsilano, and Jericho Beaches. Whale-watching outfitters make day trips from Granville Island and Richmond’s Steveston Wharf.
The North Shore mountains serve up even more recreational opportunities. Hike the Grouse Grind, explore the rainforest at the Capilano or Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridges or at Lighthouse Park, or kayak from scenic Deep Cove. In winter, when it’s raining in the city, it can be snowing on the North Shore peaks, where you can ski, snowboard, snowshoe, or go tubing. Winter tires are recommended on the roads that climb up to the mountains from October to April, particularly at Cypress and Mount Seymour.
If your idea of getting sporty is watching the action from the stands, there’s still plenty to do. Join the locals cheering on their National Hockey League team, check out the city’s professional soccer or football leagues, or bring the family to see the city’s minor league baseball team play at historic Nat Bailey Stadium.
Downtown and the West End | Map 1 |
You don’t have to leave downtown Vancouver to go to the beach. English Bay Beach, in the West End, is the busiest of the city-center beaches, fun for people-watching, swimming, or enjoying the sunset. A landmark on English Bay is the Inukshuk, made of granite boulders. This type of traditional Inuit sculpture was used as a trail marker or symbol of welcome. Carver Alvin Kanak, of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, crafted the 20-foot (six-meter) English Bay Inukshuk, which weighs nearly 70,000 pounds (31,500 kilograms).
You can follow the Seawall path from English Bay into Stanley Park or around to Yaletown. In summer, you can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards on the beach from Ecomarine Paddlesports Centre (1700 Beach Ave., 604/689-7575 or 888/425-2925, www.ecomarine.com; 10am-dusk Mon.-Fri., 9am-dusk Sat.-Sun. late May-early Sept.).
MAP 1: Beach Ave. at Denman St., http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
As you’d expect from the name, Sunset Beach, along the Seawall near English Bay, is a west-facing beach with sunset views. Near the beach, built into the hillside at the foot of Broughton Street, is the AIDS Memorial, a public art piece installed in 2004. The names of nearly 800 people from British Columbia who died of AIDS are engraved on its rust-oxidized steel panels.
MAP 1: Beach Ave. at Thurlow St.; http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
From December through February, you can ice-skate right downtown at the Robson Square Ice Rink, under a dome outdoors beneath Robson Square, near the Vancouver Art Gallery. The rink is particularly busy on weekend afternoons, when families take to the ice, and on Friday and Saturday evenings. You can rent skates ($4) if you don’t have your own.
MAP 1: 800 Robson St., 604/209-8316, www.robsonsquare.com; 9am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 9am-11pm Fri.-Sat. Dec.-Feb.; free
Yaletown and False Creek | Map 3 |
Between Yaletown’s condo towers and the waterfront, you can sit by the water in the grassy expanse of David Lam Park, named for the Hong Kong-born philanthropist, real estate mogul, and politician who became Canada’s first Asian Canadian lieutenant governor. The 10.7-acre (4.34-hectare) park along the Seawall has a playground, tennis and basketball courts, and plenty of space for picnics. The park hosts free outdoor concerts during the annual Vancouver Jazz Festival in late June.
MAP 3: 1300 Pacific Blvd. at Drake St., http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
False Creek is an especially beautiful spot for a late-in-the-day paddle, with views of the city skyline. At the Olympic Village on False Creek, Creekside Kayaks rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards from spring through fall.
MAP 3: 1 Athletes Way, 604/616-7453, www.creeksidekayaks.ca; 11am-dusk Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm Sat.-Sun. mid-Apr.-mid-Oct.; single kayak $20/hour, double kayak $35/hour, paddleboard $20/hour
Opposite the Burrard Bridge where Yaletown meets the West End, Bicycle Sports Pacific rents seven-speed cruiser or hybrid bikes. You can reserve a rental in advance or simply drop in when you’re ready to ride.
MAP 3: 999 Pacific St., 604/682-4537, http://bspbikes.com; 10am-6pm Mon.-Sat., noon-5pm Sun.; $20/2 hours, $40/day
Reckless Bike Stores rents city bikes and cruisers along the Seawall in Yaletown. The shop gets busy on summer weekends, so don’t be in a rush when picking up or returning your rental. They have another Yaletown location, which also rents electric bikes (starting at $28 for 1.5 hours), and a branch near Granville Island.
MAP 3: 110 Davie St., 604/648-2600, www.reckless.ca; 9:30am-7pm daily; $19/1.5 hours, $40/day
Vancouver is wild for hockey, particularly the city’s National Hockey League team, the Vancouver Canucks, whose regular season runs from October through April. The Canucks take to the ice at Rogers Arena (604/899-7400, http://rogersarena.com) on False Creek.
Games are always packed with fans wearing blue Canucks jerseys, but in years when the team is playing well, tickets are in particularly high demand. Expect larger crowds when the Canucks face off against their rivals, including the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, and Los Angeles Kings.
Rogers Arena has a place in Olympic hockey history, too. In the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Canadian men’s team beat their U.S. rivals here in the gold medal game, a 3-2 overtime cliffhanger, and Canada’s women’s team took gold on the same ice, winning 2-0 over the United States.
Behind-the-scenes tours (10:30am, noon, and 1:30pm Wed.-Sat.; noon, 1:30pm, and 3pm Sun.; adults $12, seniors and students $8, ages 4-12 $6) of Rogers Arena are offered regularly, although access to certain areas of the building, particularly the locker rooms, isn’t guaranteed. Check the arena website to confirm tour schedules. Tours are first-come, first served; meet at the Canucks Team Store, located at Gate 6 (Pat Quinn Way at Pacific Boulevard), at least 10-15 minutes before the scheduled tour time.
MAP 3: 800 Griffiths Way, 604/899-7440 or 800/745-3000, http://canucks.nhl.com; Oct.-Apr.; tickets $55-300
Curious about how professional Canadian Football differs from its American cousin? Watch the B.C. Lions run the field at B.C. Place (604/669-2300, www.bcplacestadium.com). Both the U.S. and Canadian versions of the sport got their start back in the 1800s, but they’ve diverged with a few different rules.
The nine-team Canadian Football League (CFL) plays on a longer and wider field than the National Football League (NFL), making passing more important to the game. Canadian teams have 12 players on the field, compared to 11 in the States, and have three downs rather than four to move the ball 10 yards forward. The CFL season begins in July, and the Canadian equivalent of the Super Bowl, called the Gray Cup, is played in late November. While the CFL isn’t the mega-business that the sport has become for the NFL, and it pales in comparison to hockey, plenty of orange-shirted B.C. Lions fans turn out for their local team’s games.
MAP 3: 777 Pacific Blvd., 604/589-7627, www.bclions.com; July-Nov.; tickets $35-130
Vancouver’s professional Major League Soccer team, the Vancouver Whitecaps, also plays at B.C. Place (604/669-2300, www.bcplacestadium.com). The regular season runs March through October. Since many Vancouver youth, both boys and girls, play soccer themselves, families often bring their kids to Whitecaps games.
The Whitecaps played their first match in 1974, in what was then known as the North American Soccer League. In 2011, the Vancouver club launched its first season as a Major League Soccer team.
MAP 3: 777 Pacific Blvd., 604/669-9283, www.whitecapsfc.com; Mar.-Oct.; tickets $30-80
Granville Island | Map 4 |
The grassy green space known as Ron Basford Park occupies a hilly knoll at the eastern end of Granville Island, between the Granville Island Hotel and Performance Works Theatre. Take a break to sit on the lawn and enjoy the views of False Creek and the city skyline. The park’s outdoor amphitheater hosts occasional concerts.
The park is named for the Honorable Stanley Ronald Basford, a member of Parliament and cabinet minister. Basford was instrumental in transforming the island into its current lively collection of studios, shops, markets, and theaters, earning him the nickname, “Mr. Granville Island.”
MAP 4: Eastern end of Cartwright and Johnston Sts.; dawn-dusk daily
Wild Whales Vancouver offers whale-watching trips leaving from Granville Island from spring through fall. Depending on where the whales are swimming on a particular day, the boats will take you from False Creek, into English Bay, and on the Strait of Georgia, heading either for the Gulf Islands or the San Juan Islands in Washington State, on trips lasting from three to seven hours. The on-board guides will help you spot orcas, Pacific gray whales, humpback whales, and minke whales; you might see seals and various birds along the way, too. While environmental regulations limit how close you can get to the whales, you’ll usually come near enough to see them swimming and spouting. A telephoto lens will help you get the best photos. Boats typically carry up to 23 passengers and have bathroom facilities.
MAP 4: 1806 Mast Tower Rd., 604/699-2011, www.whalesvancouver.com; mid-Apr.-Oct.; adults $135, seniors and students $110, ages 3-12 $85
From the sheltered waters around Granville Island you get great views of the downtown skyline, making it a good spot to set out in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard. Ecomarine Paddlesports Centre rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards and offers guided kayak and SUP tours. Their last rentals on Granville Island go out three hours before sunset; call to confirm seasonal hours. Be alert for boat traffic.
MAP 4: 1668 Duranleau St., 604/689-7575 or 888/425-2925, www.ecomarine.com; 9am-9pm daily late May-July, 9am-8pm daily Aug.-early Sept., 10am-6pm daily early Sept.-late May; paddleboard rental $19-39 for 1-3 hours, kayak rental $39-85 for 2 hours to full day
Vancouver Water Adventures rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, offers tours, rents Jet Skis, and teaches SUP yoga classes. In addition to this branch on Granville Island, they have a seasonal rental location on Kitsilano Beach.
MAP 4: 1812 Boatlift Ln., 604/736-5155, www.vancouverwateradventures.com; May-Sept., hours vary by season; paddleboard rental $20-30/hour; kayak rental $25-35/hour
Kitsilano | Map 5 |
Popular Kitsilano Beach, aka Kits Beach, is a good swimming and people-watching spot. In summer, serious beach volleyball players flock here, and you can rent kayaks or stand-up paddleboards. Adjacent to the sandy beach is a children’s playground, along with public tennis courts and a grassy lawn for lounging and picnicking.
Around the start of the 20th century, Kits Beach, then known as Greer’s Beach after one of its first nonnative settlers, was a popular tent camping area, with many holidaymakers making their way across the water from the fashionable West End. While overnight camping is no longer permitted, you can perch on a log or spread your blanket on the sand to watch the beach action.
Bus 2 from Burrard Street downtown stops directly in front of the beach; get off on Cornwall Avenue at Yew Street. From Kits Beach, you can follow the Seawall path east around Vanier Park (popular with kite-flyers and home to the Museum of Vancouver and the Vancouver Maritime Museum) to Granville Island.
MAP 5: Off Cornwall Ave. between Arbutus and Vine Sts.; http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
Kitsilano Pool, next to Kitsilano Beach, is a 450-foot-long (135-meter) outdoor saltwater swimming pool with three waterslides to entertain the kids. As you lounge on the pool deck, you can take in views of the city skyline, the North Shore mountains, and the sea. The pool gets wildly busy, particularly with families; expect lines on hot-weather weekends. Many people pair a swim in the pool with a picnic at the beach. When the original pool opened here in 1931, it was the first saltwater pool in Canada.
MAP 5: 2305 Cornwall Ave., 604/731-0011, www.vancouver.ca; 7am-8:30pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-8:30pm Sat.-Sun. June-early Aug., 7am-7pm or later Mon.-Fri., 9am-7pm or later early Aug.-early Sept.; adults $7, seniors and ages 13-18 $5, ages 3-12 $4
UBC and Point Grey | Map 5 |
West of Kitsilano, three connected beaches draw families with sandy swimming areas and grassy stretches for picnicking and playing. The easternmost of these Point Grey beaches is Jericho Beach, which is divided into two sections. One section, where Point Grey Road ends just west of Alma Street, has a long crescent of sand, backed by a grass lawn. The other section of the beach is to the west, at the foot of Discovery Street; here there’s a smaller sandy beach, a pier where you can often see fisherman at work, and the Jericho Sailing Centre, a public water-sports facility where you can go kayaking or windsurfing, or enjoy a burger and a beer in the water-view pub.
You can also cycle along a waterside path that connects Point Grey’s beaches. The Seaside Cycling Route continues west from Kitsilano Beach along Point Grey Road and onto a flat gravel pathway along Jericho, Locarno, and Spanish Banks Beaches.
To reach Jericho Beach by public transit from downtown, take bus 4 toward UBC. For the eastern section, get off along West 4th Avenue at Alma Street. Walk north on Alma to Point Grey Road and turn west toward the beach. To the Jericho Sailing Centre and the western area, get off the bus at West 4th Avenue and Northwest Marine Drive. Follow Northwest Marine toward the water, and turn right onto Discovery Street, which leads to the center.
There’s a public parking lot ($3.25/hour, $11/day Apr.-Sept., free Oct.-Mar.) adjacent to the Jericho Sailing Centre.
MAP 5: NW Marine Dr. and Discovery St. to Point Grey Rd. and Alma St., http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
A sandy shore with evergreens beyond, Locarno Beach, just west of Jericho, is a city-designated “quiet” beach, which means that amplified music is not allowed. There’s plenty of space for sunning, swimming, and picnicking, and the beach has a snack bar and restrooms. Bus 4 between downtown and UBC stops on West 4th Avenue at Trimble Street; walk north on Trimble down the hill to the beach. There’s a small free parking area adjacent to the beach. Parking is also permitted along Northwest Marine Drive.
MAP 5: Northwest Marine Dr. at Trimble St, http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
Spanish Banks, the westernmost of the three Point Grey beaches, has sandy stretches, an expansive grassy lawn with picnic tables, an off-leash dog park, and a launch site for kiteboarders. Vancouverites heading for Spanish Banks Beach often suggest, “Let’s meet at The Anchor,” a massive concrete sculpture that B.C. artist Christel Fuoss-Moore created in 1986. Designed to mark the 1791 arrival of Spanish explorer Don José Maria Narvaez, who was reportedly the first European to arrive in this harbor, this anchor-shaped artwork is installed toward the beach’s western end. Spanish Banks also has a snack bar, restrooms, and a large free parking area.
Bus 4 between downtown and UBC can drop you on West 4th Avenue at Tolmie Street. It’s a steep walk down the hill on Tolmie to the beach. To avoid the hill, you can walk to or from the bus stop at West 4th Avenue and Northwest Marine Drive; it’s about a third of a mile (0.5 kilometer) longer, but much flatter.
MAP 5: NW Marine Dr. at Tolmie St., http://vancouver.ca; 6am-10pm daily; free
Vancouver’s clothing-optional Wreck Beach is located along the shore below the far west end of the UBC campus. Extending nearly five miles (7.8 kilometers), it’s among Canada’s longest naturist beaches. You don’t have to get naked on the sand, but it’s considered poor etiquette to gawk.
On temperate days, vendors sell snacks, sandwiches, and crafts at the main section of the beach, near Trail 6—though their schedules can be erratic, so come prepared with your own water and food.
Several trails lead down to Wreck Beach from the campus. From the UBC bus loop, the most direct route is to walk west on University Boulevard to Northwest Marine Drive and look for Trail 6. It’s more than 400 steps down to the sand.
Another option is to walk along the shore from Spanish Banks. Wear running shoes or sport sandals that will protect your feet from rocks and logs, and allow at least an hour if you’re heading toward the Trail 6 section of the beach.
Do this walk only at low tide, or you can be stranded as the tide comes in.
MAP 5: Off NW Marine Dr., on the west side of the UBC campus, www.wreckbeach.org; dawn-dusk daily; free
From their location behind the sailing center at Jericho Beach, Ecomarine Paddlesports Centre rents kayaks and offers guided kayak tours. One popular tour is the guided sunset paddle ($69) offered on Friday evenings from June to early September. On this 2.5-hour tour, you’ll explore the shoreline, looking for bald eagles and other birds and even the occasional harbor seal, while enjoying views of the setting sun reflecting off the city skyline. You don’t need prior kayaking experience; your guide will provide brief paddling instructions and safety information before you launch. Tour rates include all your gear; reservations are required.
If you’re renting a kayak, you can take out a boat until two hours before sunset. To verify specific rental hours, call or check the website.
MAP 5: Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery St., 604/689-7575 or 888/425-2925, www.ecomarine.com; 10am-dusk Mon.-Fri., 9am-dusk Sat.-Sun. late May-early Sept.; single kayak rental $39-69 for 2 hours to full day, double kayak rental $52-85 for 2 hours to full day
If you have experience windsurfing, you can rent a board and related gear from Windsure at Jericho Beach. If you’re keen to try windsurfing for the first time, sign up (at least 48 hours in advance) for one of their lessons, such as the 2.5-hour group beginner class. They’re generally open daily between April and September, although hours can vary in spring and fall or if the weather is questionable; call before you go to make sure they’re open.
MAP 5: Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery St., 604/224-0615 or 604/728-7567, http://windsure.com; generally 8:30am-8:30pm daily Apr.-Sept.; rentals $21-23/hour
Although it’s less well known than downtown’s Stanley Park, Pacific Spirit Regional Park, in Vancouver’s Point Grey neighborhood near the University of British Columbia campus, is actually larger, measuring more than 1,800 acres (760 hectares). More than 40 miles (70 kilometers) of hiking trails wend through this dense rainforest. Most are gentle forest strolls, although some steeper routes lead from the park to Spanish Banks Beach.
You can access several park trails off West 16th Avenue between Discovery Street and Acadia Road; several others start from Chancellor Boulevard west of Blanca Street. Another park entrance is on West 29th Avenue at Camosun Street. Maps are posted at the start of most trails. For an online map, see the website of the Pacific Spirit Park Society (www.pacificspiritparksociety.org).
Don’t hike alone here. While you’re close to the city, many trails quickly lead deep into the forest and feel quite remote.
MAP 5: Central section bounded by W. 16th Ave., Camosun St., SW Marine Dr., and Binning Rd.; north section between NW Marine Dr. and University Blvd., west of Blanca St. and east of Acadia Rd.; 604/224-5739, www.metrovancouver.org; dawn-dusk daily; free
Cambie Corridor | Map 6 |
The city’s minor league baseball team, the Vancouver Canadians, plays June through early September at family-friendly Nat Bailey Stadium, a historic outdoor venue built in 1951 near Queen Elizabeth Park. The Canadians are affiliated with Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays. Several nights during the season, the skies light up with postgame fireworks at the stadium; check the website for schedules.
By public transit from downtown, take the Canada Line to King Edward station. From there, you can walk to the stadium in about 15-20 minutes, or catch bus 33 toward 29th Avenue and ride it three stops to Midlothian Avenue at Clancy Loranger Way, opposite the stadium.
MAP 6: 4601 Ontario St., 604/872-5232, www.canadiansbaseball.com; June-early Sept.; adults $14-25, seniors $11
Commercial Drive | Map 7 |
A 15-mile (24-kilometer) urban cycling route, the Central Valley Greenway takes you through Vancouver’s eastern districts, beginning near Science World and the Olympic Village and continuing east to Commercial Drive and beyond, traveling through the suburbs of Burnaby and New Westminster. Part of the route runs along neighborhood streets, while other sections follow a paved path under or alongside the SkyTrain line. Some of the greenway feels more industrial than “green,” while other sections are naturally scenic, particularly the area near Burnaby Lake Regional Park (www.burnaby.ca), where you can stop to walk a trail along the lake.
The Greenway’s easternmost point is near the River Market (810 Quayside Dr., New Westminster, 604/520-3881, http://rivermarket.ca), where you can take a break at several food stalls like Longtail Kitchen (http://longtailkitchen.com) for street food-inspired Thai fare and Freebird Chicken Shack (http://freebirdchickens.com) for Asian-flavored roast chicken, served with rice and papaya salad. River Market is one block south of the New Westminster SkyTrain station.
If you don’t want to ride the Greenway all the way out of town and back, or if you get tired along the way, you and your bike can board the SkyTrain to return downtown. Bikes are allowed on the Expo and Millennium Lines, except during weekday rush hours: 7am to 9am traveling westbound (toward downtown) and 4pm to 6pm traveling eastbound.
MAP 7: From Quebec St. near Terminal Ave. to Quayside Dr. in New Westminster; http://vancouver.ca
Richmond | Map 8 |
During the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the Richmond Olympic Oval hosted the speed-skating events. You can practice your own skating moves on the indoor Olympic-size rink during the Oval’s public skating hours. Most skating sessions run 90 minutes, and rentals are available ($3 skates, $2.25 helmets). The Oval also has a large fitness center, a climbing wall, an indoor track, and other activities, which are included in the drop-in prices. Tip for seniors: Admission for ages 60 and over is only $5 between 9am and 2:30pm Monday through Friday.
MAP 8: 6111 River Rd., Richmond, 778/296-1400; www.richmondoval.ca; hours and days vary seasonally; $16.50 adults, seniors and ages 19-25 $11.50, ages 13-18 $9.25, ages 6-12 $5
The North Shore | Map 9 |
For a water-based excursion just outside the city, head for the North Shore village of Deep Cove, where you can explore the scenic 11-mile (18-kilometer) Indian Arm fjord that’s ringed with forests, mountains, and rocky shores. Deep Cove Kayaks rents single and double kayaks, as well as stand-up paddleboards and surf skis (open-cockpit kayaks). They offer lessons and run a number of kayak tours, including a Full Moon Evening tour (June-Sept., $65), scheduled on the two or three evenings closest to the full moon. Another option is the full-day Boats, Bikes, & Beers tour (dates vary, $279 ages 19 and up), which includes a guided kayak excursion, lunch, a cycling tour, and a beer tasting.
To reach Deep Cove by public transit from downtown Vancouver, take bus 211 from Burrard Station (Burrard St. at Dunsmuir). It’s a 50- to 60-minute ride. This bus doesn’t run early in the mornings or in the evenings.
MAP 9: 2156 Banbury Rd., Deep Cove, North Vancouver, 604/929-2268, www.deepcovekayak.com; 10am-dusk Sat.-Sun. Mar. weather permitting, 10am-dusk daily Apr., 10am-dusk Mon.-Fri. and 9am-dusk Sat.-Sun. May, 9am-dusk Mon.-Fri. and 8:30am-dusk Sat.-Sun. June, 9am-dusk Mon.-Fri. and 8am-dusk Sat.-Sun. July, 9am-dusk daily Aug., 10am-7pm daily Sept., 10am-6pm daily early-mid-Oct.; rentals $39-109 for 2 hours to full day
You can’t call yourself a Vancouverite until you’ve hiked the Grind, or so say the many who’ve made the trek up Vancouver’s best-known trail. Nicknamed “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster,” the Grouse Grind is only 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers) long, but it’s essentially a mountain staircase that you climb straight up, gaining an elevation of 2,800 feet (850 meters). Along most of the trail, you’re hiking in the forest. The reward comes at the top, with vistas across the city.
Average active hikers can generally complete the Grouse Grind, which has 2,830 steps, in about 90 minutes, but plenty of people need at least two hours.
Hikers are allowed to walk uphill only. To return to the parking area, you ride down on the Skyride (one-way $10), the Grouse Mountain tram. Check the trail status if you’re planning a spring or fall hike; there can be snow on the trail even when it’s warm in the city.
The mountain runs a free shuttle (May-Sept.) from Canada Place. By public transportation, take the SeaBus from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay and change to bus 236 for Grouse Mountain, which will drop you at the mountain’s base.
MAP 9: 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver, 604/980-9311, www.grousemountain.com; Skyride $10 one-way
There are beautiful views across the water toward downtown Vancouver from Lighthouse Park, a seaside recreation area in West Vancouver. Perched on a point between Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound, the 185-acre (75-hectare) park has several easy trails through old-growth forests that lead to dramatic lookout points. Some of the park’s trees, which include Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western red cedar, are roughly 500 years old and grow as tall as 200 feet (61 meters).
The park’s lighthouse, which is a national historic site, is not open to the public. The original lighthouse was built here in 1874, and the current structure dates to 1912. A nearby viewpoint has expansive water vistas. The Beacon Lane trail is the most direct route from the parking area to the lighthouse viewpoint.
On the east side of the park, the Valley of the Giants trail takes you among the towering trees to a lookout at Eagle Point. On the park’s west side, follow the Juniper Loop to the Juniper Point Trail, which leads to a viewpoint facing Howe Sound and the Gulf Islands.
Pack a picnic if you plan to stay a while. The park has restrooms but no other services. Lighthouse Park is 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) northwest of downtown Vancouver. By public transit, catch bus 250 (toward Horseshoe Bay) along West Georgia Street and get off on Marine Drive at Beacon Lane. It’s a 40- to 45-minute ride. Walk south on Beacon Lane to the park.
MAP 9: Beacon Ln., West Vancouver, 604/925-7275, www.lighthousepark.ca; dawn-dusk daily; free
In winter, you can ski, snowboard, cross-country ski, or snowshoe at Cypress Mountain, located within Cypress Provincial Park. After the snow melts, it’s a close-to-the-city hiking destination. Encompassing three peaks—Black Mountain, Mount Strachan, and Hollyburn Mountain—Cypress is known for its spectacular views across Howe Sound, to the Gulf Islands, and toward downtown Vancouver.
A popular trail for day hikers is the Hollyburn Peak Trail, which starts at the Nordic ski area base and gradually ascends 1,300 feet (400 meters) to the top of Hollyburn Mountain. Your reward for hiking this five-mile (eight-kilometer) round-trip trail is expansive vistas over the peaks and forests.
Another option with excellent views over Howe Sound is the shorter trail to the Bowen Lookout, which begins at the alpine ski area base. With an elevation change of 325 feet (100 meters), the trail is three miles (five kilometers) round-trip.
The best time to hike the Cypress area is June or July through October, since snow can cover the trails at higher elevations the rest of the year.
MAP 9: 6000 Cypress Bowl Rd., West Vancouver, 604/926-5612; www.cypressmountain.com; dawn to dusk daily; free
The largest of the North Shore mountains, Cypress Mountain hosted several events during the 2010 Winter Olympics. You can ski and snowboard on the mountain’s 53 downhill trails. You can buy tickets for a full day, afternoon only (from 12:30pm-closing), or night (5pm-closing), and you get a discount if you purchase them online in advance. Check the Cypress website on the day you plan to ski or snowboard, since they offer a changing “daily discount” coupon, which might save you money on gear rentals, food in the on-site cafeteria, or purchases in the mountain shop. You can rent equipment and clothing on the mountain, and lessons are offered for both kids and adults.
Cypress has a separate Nordic area with trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Of the 12 miles (19 kilometers) of cross-country trails, nearly five miles (7.5 kilometers) stay open for night skiing. If you’re snowshoeing, unless you’re with a guide, you need to be off the trails before sunset (check website for hours). Several guided snowshoe tours are available, from a two-hour introductory tour to an evening excursion that wraps up with chocolate fondue.
Cypress also has a snow tube park, where both adults and kids (ages 6 and up) can slide down six chutes and let a tube tow pull you back up to the top. Tickets are good for two hours of tubing fun.
There is no public transportation to Cypress, but you can catch the Cypress Coach Lines shuttle bus (604/637-7669, http://cypresscoachlines.com) between the city and the mountain during the winter ski season. Check the website for schedules and pickup/drop-off locations. You can purchase round-trip tickets (adults $23, ages 13-18 $18) from the driver when you board (cash only). On the mountain, you can buy one-way tickets (adults $11, ages 13-18 $8) from the Guest Relations office in the downhill area or from the Nordic area ticket office. Up to two kids (ages 6-12) ride free with a paying adult.
MAP 9: 6000 Cypress Bowl Rd., West Vancouver, 604/926-5612, www.cypressmountain.com; hours and days vary by attraction; downhill: adults $46-69, seniors $30-44, ages 13-18 $37-52, ages 6-12 $24-32, ages 0-5 $6-8; cross-country: adults $18-22, seniors and ages 13-18 $12-14, ages 6-12 $9-11, ages 0-5 $5; snowshoe: adults $10, seniors and ages 13-18 $8, ages 6-12 $5, ages 0-5 $2; snow tube park: $20
Family-friendly Mount Seymour, the North Shore’s smallest ski area, has five lifts serving 40 downhill runs, with tickets available for a full day, afternoon (2:30pm-10pm), or evening (6pm-10pm) of skiing or snowboarding. It’s a good spot for snowshoeing, with easy trails through the forest, and there’s a snow tube park, too.
A shuttle bus (one-way $8) can take you between Mount Seymour and the Rupert SkyTrain station in East Vancouver. Buy a ticket from the shuttle driver when you board (cash only). Check the Mount Seymour website for shuttle schedules. From downtown to Rupert station, catch the Expo Line to Commercial/Broadway station, where you change to the Millennium Line for Rupert.
MAP 9: 1700 Mt. Seymour Rd., North Vancouver, 604/986-2261, www.mountseymour.com; downhill trails 10am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-10pm Sat.-Sun. Dec.-Mar., snowshoe and snow tube park hours vary seasonally; downhill: adults $33-56, seniors $25-40, ages 13-18 $27-45, ages 6-12 $15-25, ages 5 and under free; snowshoe: adults $10, seniors and ages 13-18 $9, ages 6-12 $8, ages 5 and under free; snow tube park: $20-22