There is no question why Stanley Park consistently ranks among the top attractions in Vancouver. This beautiful park sits right on the edge of downtown and connects the city with the North Shore Mountains. It has great scenery, lots of trails, and spectacular views of the water, mountains, and Vancouver’s skyline, making it a great place to explore and enjoy.
Here are some ideas on how you can spend your time in Stanley Park:
Walk along the Seawall
Undoubtedly, one of the most popular activities in Stanley Park is strolling along the Seawall. This oceanside path is approximately 9 kilometres long and wraps around the entire shoreline of the park. It takes 2-3 hours to walk and around 1 hour to cycle. It’s flat, well-maintained, and there are plenty of benches and small beaches where you can take a break, so it’s very accessible for pretty much everyone regardless of fitness level.
You can start your walk from Coal Harbour or English Bay. If you want to close the loop and finish in the same spot where you started, take one of the trails along the Lost Lagoon, or stroll through the quiet streets of West End. If you want to get something to eat or drink, just walk the length of Denman Street – you’ll find plenty of amazing options there.
One of the best things about the Stanley Park Seawall is the ever-changing views: the iconic downtown Vancouver skyline, North Shore mountains, Lions Gate Bridge, and even Vancouver Island in the distance. As you continue, the views extend to Kitsilano, the Burrard Bridge, and the West End.
Cycle around Stanley Park
Another option for getting around Stanley Park is renting a bike or a scooter and cycling the seawall trail. You can choose Mobi Bike or hire a bike by the hour from one of the shops on Denman Street in Coal Harbour. Most shops have similar prices and types of bikes, so you can choose one by flipping a coin. Bike rental will cost you $7 per hour, and an e-scooter $15 (summer 2023). There are also other options: e-bikes, mountain bikes, tandems, etc. The hire should include a helmet (BC laws require wearing a helmet at all times!), a lock, and a basket (optional 😉). You can’t cycle on sidewalks, so if you’re not comfortable riding on the street, you may need to walk your bike from the rental shop to the park (it’s not far).
Bear in mind that although the Stanley Park bike path runs alongside the footpath, the bike path is strictly one way! You can only cycle from Coal Harbour to English Bay and not the other way round. Just remember that pedestrians always have the right of way in Vancouver.
If you’re more adventurous, you can cycle the entire length of Vancouver Seawall, not just the Stanley Park section. The Seawall is 28 kilometres long and extends from the Vancouver Convention Centre to Spanish Banks Park. In fact, it’s the longest uninterrupted waterfront path in the entire world. The City of Vancouver has a great map of the Seawall on its website showing the 22km route from Stanley park to Kitsilano Beach Park, and you can find it here.
Walk one of the trails in Stanley Park
There are many trails and roads crisscrossing the park. You’ll find signs with a map of the park in many places, or you can download one form the City of Vancouver website. The trails are well-marked, but keep in mind the terrain may be slightly steep in some places. There are cliffs on the northwest side of the park, so you’ll find the steepest sections in that part. It’s not exactly the North Shore mountains 😉 but it can be a bit surprising because from the city the park looks relatively flat.
Watch out for wildlife
We’ve seen raccoons, tortoises, squirrels, eagles, owls, herons, woodpeckers, and countless other birds, as well as seals and otters in the waters around the park. There are also beavers, coyotes, and many other animals in the park. No bears though!
See totem poles
There are many spots in the park that are worth visiting, but the most popular one is the totem poles at Brockton Point. It’s a beautiful display of work created by First Nation tribes from BC, and it’s very easily accessible – only about 20 minutes by foot if you’re starting from Coal Harbour.
Go to the beach
There are many sandy spots along the Stanley Park seawall, but the official beaches are on the west side of the park. There’s a small Second Beach (which also has a heated swimming pool in the summer) and a much bigger Third Beach with plenty of parking and a concession stand. There’s also English Bay Beach (or First Beach) right on the edge of the park. They may not be as pristine as Caribbean beaches, but it’s great to be able to spend the day at the beach without even leaving the city! The water is not exactly like in the Caribbean either, but we went for a swim in May and survived 😉
Visit Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake is one of our favourite spots in the park. When you first approach it, it doesn’t even look like a lake because it’s largely covered by water lilies and other plants. There’s a beaver lodge, but so far, we haven’t seen any beavers (apparently they are most active during dusk and dawn). Nevertheless, this area is always full of wildlife, especially birds and squirrels. It’s also very quiet and relaxing — perfect for sitting on a bench with a book or simply sitting in silence and watching nature unfold.
Go to the Lost Lagoon
You will find Lost Lagoon near the main entrance to Stanley Park. It’s a freshwater lake and the largest body of water in the park. You can do a short loop around it in about 30 minutes, but chances are you’ll want to stop a few times along the way. You can often see turtles sunbathing on the rocks and a variety of birds including great blue herons, ducks, coots, geese, gulls and pigeons. It’s also an interesting contrast between the lake and the trees in the foreground and the high-rise buildings of the West End and Coal Harbour in the background.
Grab something to eat or drink
Although there are a few spots where you can get some food or drinks in the park, we’ve never actually done it. We always bring some food with us or go to one of many places on Denman Street after walking or cycling in the park. Some of our favourites include Breka – great coffee, pastries and sandwiches (to take with you to have a picnic in the park), Café Portrait – great coffee, interesting decor and nice atmosphere and Hook restaurant – our favourite spot to have drinks at sunset but they also do really good food.
There are also various other activities, events, and places to visit in Stanley Park (like the Vancouver Aquarium), so it’s safe to say that Stanley Park offers something for everyone! 😊
Stanley Park FAQ
Is there an entry fee?
No, entrance into Stanley Park is completely free.
Is Stanley Park wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the seawall path has one lane for pedestrians and wheelchairs and another one for bikes. However, not all parts of the seawall are easy to navigate for wheelchair users. The City of Vancouver has a useful map of services in Stanley Park on its website, which shows which facilities and attractions in the park have universal access.
