Beautiful spots for walking and hiking

There are many scenic walks in Vancouver and you’re also never far from a hiking trail in one of the city’s parks, along the seashore, or in the mountains.  The crown jewel of Vancouver is Stanley Park.  It is a 1000-acre evergreen oasis that is criss-crossed with miles of trails through a magnificent forest teaming with wildlife.

It also has gardens, tennis courts, an aquarium, and many quiet, grassy places for picnics.The forest, mountain, and ocean vistas are spectacular; and the 10-kilometre seawall that surrounds the park is a breath-takingly beautiful place to walk, cycle, or rollerblade.  Another favourite choice for hiking and running is Pacific Spirit Park by the University of British Columbia.  It is twice the size of Stanley Park and has 35 kilometres of beautiful and well-marked trials through virgin forest.  A more challenging hike for those in good shape is the walk up the face of Grouse Mountain on a trail called the Grouse Grind.  It’s about 3 kilometres long and pretty much straight up. 

And, for $5, you can take the scenic Grouse Mountain cable car back down afterwards.  Other attractions on the north shore by Grouse Mountain are the Capilano Suspension Bridge, the Cleveland Dam, the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, and Lighthouse Park.  If a walk through a garden is more to your liking, Vancouver has many beautiful spots including the Van Dusen Botanical Garden, the flower gardens in Queen Elizabeth Park, and the Bloedel Conservatory.