25 Incredible Things to Do in Stanley Park Vancouver

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Only a short walk from the downtown core is the incredible Stanley Park, Vancouver. It is to Vancouver what Central Park is to New York City. I’ve always loved going to Stanley Park, no matter what time of year. It’s one of Vancouver’s best features, and it’s soon easy to see why it’s one of the best city parks in the world.

A park this large can feel daunting to visit. Where do you start? What can’t you miss? As a local, I’m here to give some of my best suggestions on things to see and do in Stanley Park Vancouver. From points of interest to activities to pass a couple of hours.

How to get to Stanley Park

If you’ve seen a map of Vancouver, you’ll notice that downtown looks like an island, almost completely surrounded by water. Stanley Park is at the very tip of the downtown part of the city. In fact, you have to go through Stanley Park to reach the Lion’s Gate Bridge which takes travelers to North Vancouver. Accessing the park is relatively easy. Here are a few popular ways.

By Car

Access Stanley Park by taking the exit off of West Georgia Street before the Lion’s Gate bridge. Keep to the right hand lane after passing Denman Street to make sure you don’t miss it.

The roads in the park are one way, so you can’t backtrack. There are a couple of spots to cut through if you want, however it’s a really nice drive so it’s easier to just go with the flow.

There are a number of parking lots in the park, and as downtown Vancouver parking goes it actually isn’t too horrific. Which is good because there is no free parking in Stanley Park.

Local’s Tip: A ticket purchased at any of Stanley Park’s parking lots is valid at any of the lots throughout the park.

By Bus

If you want to use public transport, the best way is to take city bus #19 marked “Stanley Park”. The terminus station is right in the heart of the park, with easy access to many popular spots.

The bus also departs from this stop and will be marked “Metrotown”. You can take this to get off at one of the downtown stops before it keeps going to Chinatown and the suburbs.

To reach the entrance of Stanley Park, get off the bus at West Georgia and Denman Street before it turns into the park. Pretty much any downtown bus stops there too, the last stop before the bridge.

By Bike

Downtown Vancouver has some bike rental shops close to Stanley Park – mostly around Denman Street. Rent a bike by the hour and return to the same spot. To reach Stanley Park by bike you can also use the city’s bikeshare program, Mobi. There are bike stations throughout the park – check them out on the app before you go.

To cycle through the park, you can follow the road which cars take. There is a protected and dedicated cycle lane. As with cars, this is also one way only. To get much better views there is a bike path next to the walking path around the Seawall. This is also one way only for bikes.

On Foot

From the center of downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park is about a 20-30 minute walk. You can either walk along the seawall starting around Canada Place, or for a shorter route, walk right down West Georgia Street.

Throughout the park there are a lot of trails you can take – cyclists are also allowed to use them so try to leave room for them to pass. You can also walk the Seawall on the dedicated pedestrian path. Bikes and roller-bladers use the other path – make sure to check for them before crossing.

When to go to Stanley Park Vancouver

Although there are no gates on the park, the opening hours are stated as 6am to 10pm. Washrooms will be open from dawn until dusk, which obviously means the actual hours vary through the year.

It’s not advisable to go in after dark, mostly due to coyotes who are sometimes in the park. There are more signs in recent years advising of this and what to do if you encounter a coyote. There are no bears in Stanley Park.

Stanley Park is open all year round so there isn’t really a bad time. I love going in the fall when the leaves change colors and the larger crowds are gone. I also love the spring when the cherry blossoms come out and the park is also not as busy. Winter doesn’t make the trails any less spectacular, in fact it’s really pretty if it snows. And of course the summer is always fun.

Local’s Tip: If you do visit in the summer, I suggest you arrive earlier in the day. The park gets quite busy and some of the attractions even more so. On weekends in the summer there are often road closures as many of Vancouver’s marathons and city runs go through or around parts of the park. Check in advance before planning your visit, or plan to walk instead of driving or cycling.

25 Things To See & Do In Stanley Park Vancouver

You can spend an entire day in Stanley Park if you really wanted to. Or longer, even. The park is huge – over 1000 acres (450 hectares) and is brimming with fun activities and places to eat. These are my favorite things to see and do in Stanley Park.

Lord Stanley statue

Wondering where the name came from? Well, Stanley Park was actually named after Lord Stanley. He’s the Stanley Cup guy, if you’re in any way a hockey fan. But he was also Governor General of Canada at the time this became Vancouver’s first park over 125 years ago.

You can still find a statue of Lord Stanley with the proclamation from his first visit to the park. The statue is one of a few notable figures in the park, but is one of the first you might see when walking the trails. It’s not too exciting, but needs to be mentioned since it forms part of the park’s history.

Vancouver Rowing Club

While it’s unlikely you’ll be joining the Vancouver Rowing Club while you’re in town, you can’t deny the clubhouse is impressive. It can’t be missed as you enter Stanley Park as it sits at the innermost point of the harbor.

The heritage building dates back from 1911 and looks happily stuck in time. Watch some of the members rowing out and back into the harbor and keep an eye out for seals who sometimes gather around the dock.

The Stanley Park Seawall

Cyclists, joggers, rollerbladers, runners – they are all eager to take on the Seawall trail. The sea wall extends for 22km, however most visitors tend to stick to the approximately 11km route starting and ending at the edge of Stanley Park.

Cycling, in my opinion, is the best way to take advantage of the Seawall trail. It’s fun any time of the year with the sights of the city, ocean and the north shore mountains along the way.

Local’s Tip: Weekends in the summer are insanely busy. Avoid them if you can. Better still, aim for early morning. Anytime before 9am and you’ll have a much quieter ride. I love a 6am bike ride where there are hardly any people – and the early morning views are phenomenal.

Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

Take a horse-drawn tour around the park

Can’t be bothered walking or cycling? Why not take a tour of Stanley Park Vancouver…by horse. Located just off the Seawall near the painter’s circle and aquarium, this is a unique way to pass an hour in the park.

Sit aboard the open-air carriage as you get taken around the eastern half of the park. The tour guides know a LOT about Vancouver and Stanley Park so it’s the perfect place if you want to get some more local history.

Lost Lagoon

If I’m ever looking for a quiet place to sit and read my book or take a scenic stroll, it’s at Lost Lagoon. From one side of the lagoon you can see the mountains and float planes flying over the park. From the other side you have the city skyline of nearby apartment blocks as the backdrop to this oasis in the city.

There are plenty of benches lining the lagoon – watch out for over-familiar geese and raccoons who call this area home. Try to spot some herons catching fish in the water, or turtles sitting on the logs.

Learn something at the Nature House

Around the southeastern edge of Lost Lagoon is the Stanley Park Nature House. Visit on weekends all year, or Tuesday to Sunday through July and August. Stanley Park Ecology Society volunteers are on hand to inform and educate about local plants and wildlife in the park.

I actually volunteered here for a year and can tell you that this is the best place to go if you have any questions about Stanley Park. It’s a great spot to take the kids who are interested in nature and the environment.

Vancouver Aquarium

The Vancouver Aquarium is centrally located in the park. Around for over 60 years, environmental impact and sustainability is now a huge focus. They no longer house whales and do a lot of good work rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife from around the coast. Some animals are not releasable though, and end up here permanently.

Check out the adorable sea otters or penguins and the noisy Stellar sealions, aided by regular talks from the aquarium staff. Inside there is an emphasis on the local coastline, as well as mesmerizing displays of jellyfish.

Further into the aquarium is a tropical zone. See piranhas, giant anacondas and the sea turtle. There are even some exotic birds and a sloth if you have the time and patience to search the treetops for him. End your trip with a visit to the café or the impressive gift shop.

Stanley Park Bear Pits

The aquarium might be the last remaining animal attraction in the park, but there was once also a zoo here. One of the only hints that it was once here – the abandoned polar bear enclosure.

No longer in use, the bear pits have been reclaimed by nature and are kind of hidden if you don’t know they’re there. They are very close to the aquarium and are now just left alone, other than occasionally being used in dystopian-esque movies and TV shows like The 100.

Ride the Stanley Park Train

There’s really a train in the park? You bet! Well, it’s not a full size train but rather a miniature train that covers a 2km distance through the park. It’s a 15-minute journey through the trees with a fun and engaging tour guide.

The railway is mostly open only in the summer months, although there are some seasonal train rides too. On October evenings you can ride the ghost train for a spooky family-friendly ride. Or in December there is a holiday-themed lights tour on the heritage train.

Rose Garden

Stanley Park is known for its huge trees and wooded trails. But did you know there’s also an exquisite rose garden filled with beautifully colorful flowers?

Enjoy a walk through the flower gardens smelling the sweet-scented roses. Spring and Summer are obviously the best time of year to see the blooms, but there are some flowers you can see year round.

The Rose Garden and Shakespeare Garden are separated by Pipeline Road which leads to the bus terminal. But otherwise there isn’t too much traffic at this part of the park.

Stanley Park Vancouver Trails

Much of Stanley Park is forested with huge trees, some of which are hundreds of years old. Getting lost along the trails is an activity in itself. Twists and turns lead you past tall Douglas Fir trees, and the smell of cedar follows you through the park.

Every now and then you come to a clearing where the light hits the trees just right and a thousand shades of green flash before you. Follow the trails to a number of view points, beaches or looking down on the Lion’s Gate Bridge.

Beaver Lake

Beaver Lake is a nice quiet place to sit and have a rest when walking Stanley Park’s trails. If you enter the trails near the Rose Garden you’ll eventually come across it. There’s a lovely circular path around the entire lake with lots of benches to sit on along the way.

In recent years the lake itself has shrunk smaller and smaller, partly due to invasive plants. However, it’s still a great area for some wildlife spotting and is a local favorite. If you see a beaver there you probably hit the jackpot as they are quite reclusive.

Totem Poles

One of the main features of Stanley Park Vancouver, you have to pay a visit to the totem poles. The original totem poles have been moved to various museums, so these are replicas based on original work. However, that doesn’t make them any less impressive or interesting.

The most recent additions at Brockton Point includes a beautifully carved gateways by a local Coast Salish artist. Also at the Totem Poles area you will find a gift shop with many First Nations gifts, info boards and washrooms.

Deadman’s Island

A creepy name for this fully fenced off island right along the seawall in Stanley Park. The name came from the fact the island was once a quarantine area for a smallpox outbreak in the late 19th Century. It might not have helped that the island has also once been a First Nations burial site and also a cemetery for settlers before the smallpox outbreak.

Today it’s still as inaccessible but for a different reason. Since the mid-20th Century Deadman’s Island became a naval station, HMCS Discovery. It’s inaccessible to the public, but you can see a good deal of this small island from the seawall path.

Nine O’clock Gun

Less of a gun and more an actual 19th Century cannon from England, you’ll find the Nine O’clock Gun housed in a secure metal cage along the seawall. Since it was once stolen, you might understand the heavy duty guarding.

Other than some major historical events and a shortage of ammunition in 2022, the cannon typically fires each night at 9pm. It’s unlikely you’ll be in the park at that time but you can often hear it around the harbor downtown.

Harry Jerome statue

Halfway between the totem poles and the nine o’clock gun you will spot the roadside statue of Harry Jerome. This bronze homage to Canadian Olympic medalist and 7-time world record breaker shows him breezing through an invisible finish tape.

Jerome died in nearby North Vancouver in the 1980s at the age of 42. The statue was unveiled a few years later to celebrate his life and sporting achievements.

Brockton Point Lighthouse

While it’s no longer an active lighthouse, this red and white lighthouse at the eastern point of Stanley Park is still very photogenic. You can park right in front of it, and there are some good views of the north shore mountains from here.

See it from above, or walk the path below to go under it. There are a couple of benches here too, and it’s one of my favorite spots in the park to sit and watch the world go by. See ships passing in front of you, seals bobbing in the harbor, and watch the seaplanes take off.

Girl in a Wetsuit

If the statue looks a little familiar, that might be because it’s modelled after Denmark’s Little Mermaid statue. The famous piece along Copenhagen’s waterfront has its very own Canadian doppelganger with a twist.

Along the Seawall walk you’ll come across the Girl in a Wetsuit statue almost next to the Empress of Japan monument (see below). Instead of a tailfin, she has diving flippers as well as a mask on top of her head. Seagulls love to perch on top of her, and local’s love to dress her up in hats and scarves.

Empress of Japan monument

Vancouver, being on the west coast and bordering the Pacific Ocean, still has strong ties to Asia. The Empress of Japan was an ocean liner that started sailing in the late 19th Century, connecting Vancouver to Asia and transporting goods back and forth.

Back in 1927 the city installed a monument to the ship in the form of a commemorative replica of her figurehead. A dragon. Although the original is now in a museum, you can see a replica from the 1960s around the seawall.

Visit the beaches

Beaches aren’t the first thing you associate with Canada, but Vancouver has some really nice ones. Not very imaginative with the names, the three main beaches around Stanley Park are First Beach (or English Bay beach), Second Beach and Third Beach. But regardless of names, the beaches are nice and quite clean.

Spend a hot summer day at English Bay with locals, or take part in the Polar Bear swim on January 1st and brave the icy waters of the Pacific Ocean. Visit Second Beach outdoor pool between May and September long weekends or for free movie nights in the park during July and August. Or release your inner hippie at the Third Beach drum circle on sunny Tuesday evenings.

Prospect Point

This is the highest point in Stanley Park. If you’re reaching here by bike you’re in for a big uphill – I’ve done it, it’s not fun. But when you get there, the views are worth the effort.

As you approach Prospect Point there is an overlook to the Lion’s Gate Bridge which is the perfect scenic spot for a close up of this famous green bridge. And at the point itself there is the most stunning panoramic view of the bridge, the mountains, the park and the wide open ocean. It’s truly one of the best views in the park.

Grab a beer at the Stanley Park brewery

One of my favorite beers, the Stanley Park Amber Ale, comes from this small batch brewery right here in the park. You’ll find these local brews in many restaurants in the city, but it’s always more fun to go to the source.

Head to the Stanley Park Brewpub in the park for a cold beer on a hot day, or stay for lunch (they have an awesome menu). Another couple of good spots for a drink or a meal in the park are Stanley’s Bar & Grill near the Rose Garden with its excellent outdoor patio, or the Teahouse in Stanley Park.

Golf in the park

Stanley Park might not have a large golf course, but it is an 18-hole course right in the heart of the park. Open most of the year from around March to December, you don’t need a reservation, and clubs/golf balls are available to rent.

The best part is of course the location. You don’t have to be super into golf to appreciate how scenic this course is. Surrounded by giant trees and often very bright and colorful gardens in Spring and Summer, it’s worth spending a couple of hours here on a sunny day.

Stanley Park painter’s circle

Looking for some BC-inspired art? The painter’s circle is where local artists set up their displays of artwork for sale. It’s a fun place to go for a wander in the summer – you’ll find it very close to the aquarium. 

Most pieces have some kind of local theme such as Vancouver harbor or skyline, coastal mountains, or local wildlife. Although there are some non-local themes too. The artists are often working on new pieces throughout the day and you can see what they’re painting next. 

Concession stands

As well as the restaurants already mentioned in this post, Stanley Park Vancouver has a number of concession stands too. There’s one at each of the beaches, although these are typically seasonal. The main information center next to the Stanley Park horse drawn tours sells snacks and drinks. Each of these concessions has a bathroom next to it too.

There’s the shop or café at the Totem Poles, Aquarium and Railway. Prospect Point has a seasonal ice cream concession stand also selling drinks. They had a huge gift shop and restaurant too which was closed during 2020 and has not as yet reopened, but check on that before you get there.

The point is you’ll find plenty of places around the park to grab a snack, a drink or find a bathroom. There are benches and litter bins everywhere so my best advice is to bring lunch with you and find the perfect spot to eat it in the park.

Stanley Park Vancouver – a city gem

Stanley Park is one of my favorite places to spend a day in Vancouver. It’s not just for the summer, you can go for a walk there any time of year. It’s the number one place I recommend anyone visiting Vancouver to go. Well, that and Granville Island.

It can be the middle of summer and you might still have some of the more hidden trails to yourself. That’s the beauty of such a large city park. But even on a rainy day this place is magical, and always a fun part of the city to explore.

As a local I know I’m lucky to have a gem like Stanley Park right on my doorstep. I don’t take that for granted. If you do visit, don’t leave without spending a day in Stanley Park, Vancouver’s outstanding escape into nature.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, please leave a comment or share using the links below. Have you visited Stanley Park Vancouver before? Which of these things in the park would you most like to see?