Stanley Park

At the tip of Vancouver’s Downtown/West End location is the huge Stanley Park with houses, gardens, pool, aquarium and many other attractions and of course walks. It offers locals with place to run, walk, bike, blade or method of choice along the many tracks around the lakes. Also tourists flock to enjoy the natural landscape and features within.

The walk or ride around the perimeter is lovely giving many different views of the city. Whilst flat it is a good 9km, more or less depending on where you start and finish on the Seawall track.
The interior is strewn with many paths, walking and bike, leading to a variety of different sights, choose one and see where you end up! Possibly the main attraction in the park, other than getting out into nature, is the aquarium, and there is a bus for those not wanting to walk. In summer, I assume, the pool and beaches would be popular, though now comparatively vacant!

A road runs through the park, to the bridge linking across to North Vancouver, so can often hear the soft hum of traffic in the distance as you walk the paths. There are a few lakes within the park which are nice to walk around and see the wildlife. Ducks and swans now, in the summer raccoons and many more birds.

On the northeast is Coal Harbour where boats are moored and views of mountains are plentiful. This area also where the sea planes depart. You can continue up to the Convention Centre at Canada Place. On the southern side of Stanley Park is English Bay. A large beach where logs are placed for seating. The walkway continues past a few sculptures, including an Inuksuk, image of a man standing tall on the point, ‘you are here … you are on the right path’. If you want to walk further you can continue right around False Creek passing BC Place, Science World and Granville Island to Kitsilano Beach. Though unless out for pure 22km exercise I would suggest breaking all this up onto different days. There is more than enough to keep occupied for a day in Stanley Park!