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Welcome to one of my favorite hidden places in Vancouver. A spot that’s so good on a rainy day, or when you want to feel like going to some tropical climate – but without the expensive plane ticket. The Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver is small, but mighty, and well worth a visit as part of your Vancouver itinerary.
What Is The Bloedel Conservatory In Vancouver?
The Bloedel Conservatory is a simulated tropical ecosystem in Vancouver, housed in a dome-shaped glass-ceiling building in Queen Elizabeth Park.
The unique building is home to dozens of tropical birds, and hundreds of exotic plants. All of which are on display in this temperature-controlled environment.
It’s as close to paradise as you might actually get in Vancouver, and is an interesting place to visit as part of your Vancouver itinerary.
How To Get To Bloedel Conservatory?
While Bloedel Conservatory is not exactly centrally located in Vancouver, that doesn’t mean it’s difficult to get to. It’s located at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park, and no matter which way you take to get there it’s around a 20-25 minutes journey.
BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
Take the Canada Line Skytrain from Waterfront or Vancouver City Center stop and get off at King Edward Station. From here it’s about a 10-12 minute walk up to Bloedel Conservatory through Queen Elizabeth Park. Some of the pathways are a little steep.
Buses go nearby too but they don’t get you much closer than King Edward Skytrain station, and they take way longer. Best off with the train.
BY CAR
It’s a 15-minute drive out of Vancouver via the Cambie Street bridge – drive straight up until you see Queen Elizabeth Park. The great news is there’s a large public parking lot only a few minutes walk away from the conservatory. Park for a couple of hours and explore more of the park after your visit.
How Much Is Bloedel Conservatory?
Tickets to the Bloedel Conservatory are less than $10 each, which makes it a very budget friendly activity in Vancouver where some of the more popular attractions can cost $40-80 per ticket.
2024 pricing was $8.30 for adults, $5.80 for concessions and only $4.15 for children aged 5-12. Just remember you also need to factor in transit or parking to get to the park.
How Long Will You Need Here?
While I absolutely love the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver, the place isn’t exactly massive. If you’re just wandering through and not really a “stop and look” kind of person, you could conceivably only spend 10 minutes. However, that would be a mistake.
You see, there’s so many birds and beautiful flowers and plants to see. And this is exactly the type of place where you can just take a seat and relax for a while, and slow down your Vancouver itinerary just a touch.
I often spend between 30 minutes and an hour here. You probably won’t spend too much more than that unless you’re really into ornithology, or horticulture. Either way, don’t rush your visit.
What Can You See At Bloedel Conservatory
As you might have deduced so far from this post, the Bloedel Conservatory is an oasis in the city for seeing tropical plants, birds and fish. There’s a circuitous path through the expertly curated environment that ensures you don’t miss a thing – and makes good use of the limited space.
Wander across the wooden bridge, almost ducking under palm leaves much bigger than you are. A canopy of tropical plants, fig and banana trees feels like you’ve been transported halfway around the globe.
Brightly hued talkative Macaws, beautifully plumed Cockatoos, and a rather entertaining African Grey Parrot will keep you company as you walk around the conservatory.
Small finches and other tiny colorful birds zip around the space, and you may see the odd little mouse cleaning up after them. Don’t worry, they’re really cute and an essential part of the environment here.
For me, the sheer number of stunningly colorful flowers just makes the Bloedel Conservatory feel much bigger than it actually is. You’ll see coffee plants, orchids, massive cacti, and a hundred other plants I couldn’t even begin to name.
Being such a small space there isn’t much else inside other than a few items for sale in a makeshift shop near the front entrance cashier’s desk.
There’s a washroom, but there are more in the park just outside the main door. And the whole place is accessible for those in wheelchairs or mobility vehicles although note that some paths are a little narrower for people to pass.
What Else Can You See Nearby?
Just outside of the Bloedel Conservatory is maybe one of the nicest city views in Vancouver. Take a peek over the wall to spot all the high-rise buildings of downtown Vancouver with a magnificent backdrop of the north shore mountains.
Look a little lower and you’ll see some of the pretty gardens in Queen Elizabeth Park. Make sure to head down for a better look, but don’t miss going around the corner of the conservatory to the stone bridge which might also be a good photo spot if one of your group runs down into the garden.
Outside of the conservatory are usually a couple of food trucks or drink stands where you can buy a snack or beverage. But it’s the fancy Seasons In The Park restaurant that’s located here that I would recommend booking if you’re looking for a top notch meal.
At the edge of Queen Elizabeth Park, sports fans might like the Hillcrest Centre where there’s lots of recreational activities, and next door is the Nat Bailey Stadium where Vancouver’s local baseball team play. Games are fairly cheap, and a good afternoon activity when visiting the city. On weekends you might also catch the Riley Park farmers market for some local produce or delicious baked treats.
Is Bloedel Conservatory In Vancouver Worth It?
Less than $10 to enjoy a warm, dry spot on a rainy Vancouver day? To see hundreds of exotic birds and plants, and feel like you’re walking through a rainforest? I’d definitely say a trip to Bloedel Conservatory is worth a visit.
I’m a garden person though, I enjoy exploring parks and gardens, so for me this is a peaceful spot in the city to spend an hour. If you’re looking for a more active or in-depth attraction, then this might not be the place for you or you may not feel the fee is worth it.
There are a number of gardens and parks in Vancouver, and this is just one. The Bloedel Conservatory may be the smallest, but in my opinion it ranks as one of the top.
If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you visited the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver before? Or have you visited any other similar attractions that you’ve enjoyed around the world?
You’ve captured the Conservatory well. It is small but packs a punch of warmth and colour, sometimes what I need after a few rainy days. I love the birds! I always try to fill an afternoon by also visiting the gardens. Thanks for reminding me that I haven’t been in a while and it’s time to return.
The Bloedel Conservatory looks like a really nice way to spend some time relaxing in Vancouver. It looks like a nicely designed space with interesting tropical plants and birds. Good value too. And who doesn’t enjoy conversing with entertaining African Grey Parrots?
What a cute little gem! I usually don’t visit conservatories/botanical gardens because they’re massive and would take up a lot of time, but I like that this is small, so I would feel like I could stop and enjoy the parrots! I’m sure its a great break from the hustle of the city or perfect for a rainy day!
What a beautiful place to spend even an hour or two. I’ve never really thought of visiting one of these places, but it’s a great idea as I too live in a colder climate. You mentioned how this was a small place and could easily be overlooked if you weren’t willing to stop and look. The good news is, there’s clearly plenty to see. I love observing tropical birds, especially parrots, macaws and cockatoos and I could definitely see myself spending more than an hour here. Also, the price point is quite attractive too!
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Loved this post about The Bloedel Conservatory. Seems like a magical place to go and relax a bit during the Vancouver trip. Having natural scenery is always a good idea and is a wonderful way to spend the time. I would love to visit and spend some time observing the colorful vibe, with exotic birds and vibrant plants. Your photos were also a treat to go through. Definitely a place to visit while in Vancouver.
I visited a conservatory like this in Genoa a few years ago and loved it. Therefore I was excited to read your post. It’s great to be able to see such diverse nature and wildlife in a well maintained urban setting.
I was impressed with the range of plants you mentioned. It seems as if they have included some from several regions in the World.
The photographs of the birds are beautiful. The cost seems like great value to me to visit such a unique place.
I really enjoyed reading this post and this is certainly somewhere I would like to visit.
I can echo the positive feedback from previous commenters: the Bloedel Conservatory strikes me as a calming and serene spot in the city. The vibrant colours, along with the exotic plants and animals, create an ideal environment for disconnecting from screens and being fully present in nature. Despite its small and compact size, it feels densely packed and functions as its own little ecosystem. I appreciate the cost information—it seems like a fair price and a worthwhile investment, especially given how expensive Vancouver can be, as you’ve mentioned in your other posts.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
A great option for spending some quality time enjoying a little bit of nature in Vancouver. The Conservatory seems to be an oasis in the city and the perfect place to seek some silence on a rainy day, or just to take a break and relax during a stroll around the city.
It is a small ecosystem with a wealth of species and the price to visit the Conservatory seems quite affordable.