2010.03.19 Fri 12:03AM

Stanley Park in Vancouver

A Day in Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a glorious natural oasis amidst the bustle of cosmopolitan Vancouver. This 1,000-acre park is criss-crossed with trails, ringed by the famous Seawall and filled with more than enough attractions to fill a day.

Getting there:

By car: Stanley Park is located on the western edge of downtown Vancouver. Drive westbound on Georgia St. and follow the signage for Stanley Park. You will veer right and drive under a small bridge, and then enter a small parking lot. Park there. There is a fee for all parking in Stanley Park. Buy a ticket from one of the machines and display it on your dashboard.

By bus: The #19 Bus (Metrotown/Stanley Park) can be boarded anywhere along Main St., West Pender St. or on Georgia St. west of Pender. This will take you right into Stanley Park. Get off at the STANLEY PARK LOOP #1. This eco-friendly transportation option also lets you avoid the high cost of parking.

By foot: If you are feeling up to it, you can walk to Stanley Park quite easily. You just need to get onto the Seawall by heading north from just about anywhere downtown and simply follow it right into the park. Walk past the Rowing Club building until you see a parking lot on your left. A more direct walking route involves walking down Georgia to Denman, and then joining up with the Seawall there. From most downtown hotels it is about a 30 minute walk.

Once you've arrived, take a deep breath of sea and get ready for a wonderful day. Here's our suggested itinerary:

 

Horse-drawn Carriage Tour

There is not a more relaxing or unique way to tour Stanley Park. The company supplying the tours has a kiosk at the far end of the parking lot. Tours leave every 20-30 minutes and last about an hour. A knowledgeable guide provides commentary as you visit all of Stanley Park's most popular attractions with the clip-clop of the horses' hooves providing a wonderful soundtrack.You'll visit a number or park highlights, including Deadman's Island, the gorgeous rose gardens and, standing before a breathtaking view of the mountains, Stanley's Park's world-famous collection of totem poles, carved from Western Red Cedar by indigineous peoples of the West Coast. The totems, each with their own story, represent a unique and often under-represented part part of Vancouver's history. Truly, anyone dazzled with the futuristic look of Vancouver's glass skyscrapers should stand before these historic totems to get a sense of how long the land of Vancouver has been inhabited.

For more information and schedule times of horse-drawn tours, visit stanleypark.com. For discounts on horse-drawn carriage tours of Stanley Park, along with many other Vancouver attractions check out our Smartvisit card. The See Vancouver & Beyond Smartvisit Card is your best option to see everything there is to see.

 

The Aquarium

Follow the path on the northwest corner on the parking lot and look for a sign pointing to the Vancouver Aquarium. You'll walk through a glen of hundred-year-old trees and arrive at the glass and cement structure: Canada's largest aquarium, home to a host of marine creatures, including Beluga and Orca whales, octopi, sea otters, sea lions, and much more. Be sure to catch the shark feeding demonstration and dolphin show. For admission prices and hours of operation, the aquarium's website.

 

For free admission to the Aquarium, along with many other Vancouver attractions, check out our Smartvisit card. The See Vancouver & Beyond Smartvisit Card is your best option to see everything there is to see.

 

Explore the trails

No trip to Stanley Park is complete without a walk through the forest. While many old-growth trees, some thousands of years old, were lost in vicious wind storms in 2006, there is still a magnificent amount of rainforest to walk through. Trails in the park are well-marked and fairly short, and lead to many spectacular and fun destinations, such as the sandy shores of English Bay,the swan-filled Lost Lagoon, the foot of the Lion's Gate Bridge (complete with an unparalleled view of the North Shore), Second Beach Pool, a childen's petting zoo and minature train, and, for golf nuts, Stanley Park Pitch and Putt , an 18-hole putting green open year-round. You may want to give yourself more than one day in the park, as it spans over 1,000 acres and offers so many activities. Budget lots of time - most locals will tell you that the park is the crown jewel of the city, well-worth exploring and guaranteed to be a highlight of your visit.