Outdoors · Vancouver · Canada
8 best outdoor things to do in Vancouver
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Pburka at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Stanley Park and the seawall, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and Vancouver Aquarium. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 17–22 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 17–22 hours
- Areas
- Stanley Park, North Vancouver and Little Mountain
Outdoors in Vancouver
Park · Stanley Park
1.Stanley Park and the seawall
Rent a bike on Denman Street and ride the seawall counter-clockwise, the required direction for cyclists, allowing about an hour plus stops.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
- Active
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Nature · North Vancouver
2.Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Go at opening time or late in the day to avoid tour groups, and wear grippy shoes on the damp boardwalks.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
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Aquarium · Stanley Park
3.Vancouver Aquarium
Plan your visit around the sea otter feeding and talks listed on the daily schedule.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Park · North Vancouver
4.Lynn Canyon Park
Stay on marked trails and never jump from the cliffs into the pools; the river is colder and stronger than it looks.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · North Vancouver
5.Grouse Mountain
If you hike the Grind, buy a one-way gondola ticket down; the trail is uphill-only and closes in winter.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- Nature
Garden · Little Mountain
6.Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory
The park is free; pay only for the conservatory, which makes a warm rainy-day stop.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
- Couples
Garden · Shaughnessy
7.VanDusen Botanical Garden
Visit in May for rhododendrons and magnolias, or in December for the lights, booking evening slots ahead.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Nature · Point Grey
8.Pacific Spirit Regional Park
Combine a forest walk with the Museum of Anthropology, which sits on the edge of the park.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Stanley Park | Stanley Park and the seawall and Vancouver Aquarium | Half a day + 2–3 hours |
| North Vancouver | Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Lynn Canyon Park and Grouse Mountain | 2 hours + 1.5–2 hours + Half a day |
| Little Mountain | Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory | 1.5 hours |
| Shaughnessy | VanDusen Botanical Garden | 2 hours |
| Point Grey | Pacific Spirit Regional Park | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 1 low cost, 2 mid-priced, 2 expensive. Book ahead for Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. The longest visit is Stanley Park and the seawall; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Capilano Suspension Bridge Park: Book online in summer and during the winter lights season, when time slots fill.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Stanley Park): Stanley Park and the seawall, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Stanley Park and North Vancouver): Vancouver Aquarium → Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (North Vancouver): Lynn Canyon Park, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (North Vancouver): Grouse Mountain, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Little Mountain and Shaughnessy): Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory → VanDusen Botanical Garden, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Point Grey): Pacific Spirit Regional Park, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- July: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 5 rainy days, very busy crowds. Dry, sunny and comfortable: peak season for beaches, hiking and festivals, with the highest hotel prices.
- August: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 5 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warm and dry; smoke from wildfires in the interior occasionally brings hazy days.
- September: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Often settled and sunny early in the month, with cooler evenings and thinner crowds after Labour Day.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Lower Lonsdale — SeaBus terminal, market hall and the Shipyards waterfront in North Vancouver
More of Vancouver
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Vancouver?
Stanley Park and the seawall. This 400-hectare peninsula of rainforest, beaches and gardens is circled by a seawall path of about 9 km used by walkers, runners and cyclists.
+Which of these are free in Vancouver?
Stanley Park and the seawall, Lynn Canyon Park and Pacific Spirit Regional Park.