Jet-lagged morning walks along the seawall as the sun rises show off a city in motion. Even at 6am a steady stream of people are running, biking and walking on the world’s longest waterfront path – 28km of uninterrupted views wrap around Vancouver. Beyond the water and high-rises there’s a ridge of pine trees and mountain peaks, this is a city that calls you outside.
From the beaches to the rainforest, to the mountains, Vancouver is ideal for a long weekend or a week-long adventure and has quickly become my favourite city.
Beach Days
Despite being affectionately known as ‘Raincouver’ by locals, peak summer months from July – August offer plenty of sunny days to soak up the city’s beaches. English Bay beach gathers crowds for sunset, with a buzzy atmosphere from nearby bars and restaurants, while Kitsilano, or ‘Kits’, is a popular spot for locals swimming, playing volleyball and basketball until late. Second Beach has its own lido for a refreshing dip with sea views.
You quickly get used to the sight of sea planes taking off and landing across the water, they’re just another mode of transport here.
Among the trees
Neighbouring the beaches, Stanley Park is a sprawling greenspace at the heart of Vancouver, 400-hectares of rainforest with more than 27km of forest trails to explore. Walking among towering Douglas firs and western red cedar trees makes you forget that you’re in a city. Between pine forest tracks that open out onto views across lakes and quiet corners where First Nations totem poles emerge between the trees, you can easily spend a day exploring on foot or bike.
To really get a feel for being among the trees, Capilano Suspension Bridge is a highlight. Is it touristy? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.
The impressive 137m long bridge sits 70m above the Capilano River and you can feel every bit of that height as you’re crossing. The bridge sways underfoot and you can see the vast canyon below through its struts.
As well as the famous suspension bridge, there are treetop and cliffside walks that immerse you in the landscape. For my first experience of being in Canadian forests, the views were incredible.
There’s also wildlife talks with owls, falcons and other birds of prey on display from May – September. It’s great in the summer but they offer seasonal activities year-round, where the treetop walkways are lit up and decorated.
Taking on the Grouse Grind
Get a different perspective by heading to the mountains and seeing the city from above. The Grouse Grind is a popular trail that will make you work for a view. It’s 2.9km of straight elevation, known as ‘Mother Nature’s Stairmaster’, climbing 2,830 stairs and considered something of a rite of passage for Vancouverites. Markers on the trees will let you know how far you’ve climbed but the real motivation is glimpses of the views of the city and water below through gaps in the trees.
Truly competitive hikers and trail runners can purchase a Grind Timer at the base of the trail, to track your climb time and enter the online leaderboard. Personally, the hazy late-summer views of the forest and city below offered enough of a reward. Plus there’s no downwards hiking allowed, so the gondola ride down gives you a chance to rest your legs and enjoy the views.
Winter sports are also popular in Vancouver, with the snow season running from late November through to mid-April. Grouse mountain transforms into a snow-capped peak throughout the season and offers a completely different perspective; night skiing with the city lights below is a favourite winter pastime.
Wild encounters
Watch and listen carefully and you’ll notice that wildlife is abundant in the city too. Seals bask on the harbour dock almost undetected. The flat water reflecting the buildings behind, glass on glass. Canada geese announce themselves as they flock to land on the grass in the park, scattering between people having picnics.
When I told a local I hoped to see a racoon they were confused initially. Considered a pest by many but a novelty for a tourist and there are plenty of racoons to be found in Stanley Park – particularly by the Lost Lagoon at dawn and dusk.
Look out for great blue herons, identifiable by their distinctive grey-blue feathers, perched by the water on the sea wall. And, if you’re really lucky, whales have been spotted close to the harbour in recent years too.
Best of both worlds
There are few places where you can spend a morning hiking in dense forest, an afternoon at the beach and the evening out in the city. It’s important to remember that Vancouver is a city, the third largest in Canada, and although not known for its nightlife it does offer plenty of urban exploration too. There’s the famous Gastown, with its iconic steam clock, and Granville Island market which is a sensory experience in a different way; a burst of colours, flavours and smells from the fresh produce and farmers’ stalls.
For more wild adventures, Vancouver Island is just a short ferry crossing away. The ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo takes around 1 hour 40 minutes and is a jumping off spot for many wildlife viewing experiences – including black bears, humpback whales and orcas.
For access to nature and outdoor adventure in a city, Vancouver is unbeatable.
