Vancouver: Parks, Gardens and Granville Island

Vancouver brings together nature, gardens, culture and city life. In Stanley Park, extensive forest trails lead to a quieter setting; elsewhere, a market and a classical Chinese garden invite exploration. Wildlife watching and pitch and putt are also among the diverse activities the city offers. As you plan, consider which of these experiences you want to shape your stay.

Forest Trails, a Lake and Outdoor Activities

The forest trails in Stanley Park stretch for more than 27 kilometres and offer a peaceful retreat away from the bustle of the park’s more developed edges. Those who enjoy walking will find a different experience here from Vancouver’s Seawall, which is suited to walking, cycling and jogging. These different ways to get active can shape the rhythm of a day during your stay, without requiring you to settle on just one activity.

A one-kilometre trail runs past Beaver Lake. Along the way, visitors can watch birds, wetland plants and beavers. This makes it particularly interesting for anyone who wants to focus on wildlife and plants. Stanley Park also has an 18-hole pitch-and-putt course. The holes range from 40 to 100 yards long, and the course is lined with a rhododendron garden. Sport and a garden setting come together here.

Gardens with Different Highlights

At 125 metres above sea level, Queen Elizabeth Park is at Vancouver’s highest point. You can play pitch and putt there, too. Plant lovers will find more than 500 plants from tropical and subtropical rainforest habitats at the Bloedel Conservatory, as well as various exotic birds and koi fish. The combination of plants and animals offers a different experience from a stroll through an outdoor garden.

VanDusen Botanical Garden is a 55-acre garden in the heart of Vancouver. It features more than 7,500 plant species and cultivars from around the world. When comparing the gardens, you can decide whether you’d prefer to discover diversity from different regions or experience plants from tropical and subtropical rainforest habitats alongside birds and koi fish.

Chinatown, a Market and Animal Exhibits

In the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, an authentic representation of Ming Dynasty tradition. The garden offers a cultural focus distinct from the botanical gardens. On Granville Island, the covered Granville Island Public Market has a wide selection of food, fruit and vegetable shops, and farmers’ stalls. The False Creek Seawall runs right past Granville Island. If you’re interested in the market, you can combine your visit with a walk along the waterfront.

The Vancouver Aquarium is home to more than 65,000 animals across 120 indoor and outdoor exhibits. A visit here focuses specifically on wildlife and exhibits. Together with the opportunities at Beaver Lake, it offers a choice of different nature and wildlife experiences, though they are not the same kind of activity.

Shape Your Stay Around Your Interests

When choosing a holiday rental in Vancouver, you can start by considering which experiences matter most to you: extensive forest trails, gardens and plants, cultural discoveries, a visit to a market or animal exhibits. The places described offer a range of different highlights. You can tailor your accommodation search to the kind of stay you want, rather than reducing Vancouver to a single activity.

Discover More Places

You can also explore these places: Port Moody, North Vancouver, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, White Rock, Delta, Langley and Surrey.

For the broader travel overview: Metro Vancouver.