Bloedel Conservatory In Vancouver – The City’s Smallest Indoor Garden

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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?