VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver – Plan Your Visit

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Walking along manicured pathways, lined with the first flowers of Spring. Bright colors everywhere you look and a flutter of cherry blossom petals dancing to the ground. A cold, dark winter evening made tolerable with a million pretty lights adorning trees and trails. VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver is a must visit spot any time of the year for good reason.

But when is the best time to visit VanDusen? And what else do you need to know to best enjoy your visit?

As one of my favorite places to while away a couple of hours in Vancouver, I’ve visited at all times of the year and have more than a few tips to share on how you can plan your trip.

Where is VanDusen Botanical Garden?

You’ll find VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver’s affluent Shaugnessy neighborhood along Oak Street, at 37th Avenue. It’s not that far from Queen Elizabeth Park, another popular spot for garden enthusiasts.

From Vancouver city center it will take about 30-35 minutes by bus to reach VanDusen. Although much of that is getting out of downtown through a series of one way streets. To drive from downtown it’s only about 15-20 minutes during non rush hour traffic.

Getting to VanDusen Botanical Garden

Unlike a lot of the popular tourist hot spots in Vancouver, VanDusen Botanical Garden is not downtown. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t easy to get to – and it is, of course, worth the trip.

TRAVEL BY BUS

From Downtown take the #17-Oak bus. It circles around downtown, then heads over the Cambie Bridge and eventually right up Oak Street.

There’s a bus stop conveniently located right outside the garden which means you’ll get dropped almost at the entrance. Minimal walking, and no chance of getting lost.

If you’re staying downtown, easiest bus stops to pick up at are Pender Street at Seymour St, or anywhere along Cambie Street near the Yaletown area of downtown.

VanDusen Garden is still in Zone 1 for transit fares, so costs just over $3 per direction and is maybe the easiest way to get there if you’re visiting the city without a car.

TRAVEL BY CAR

A 15-20 minute car journey from downtown, VanDusen might also be the last tourist attraction in Vancouver with FREE parking. That’s right, there’s a big parking lot with decent space, all free. And there’s even more on street parking right outside along 37th Avenue with minimal restrictions.

From Downtown you can drive over the Granville Street bridge, up Granville Street and turn left on 37th Avenue to reach VanDusen near Oak Street.

Or you can drive over the Cambie Bridge, turning left on Broadway then right on Oak Street, all the way up to 37th. Either way, it’s really easy to get to and the huge signs outside leave you in no doubt as to when you’ve arrived.

VanDusen Botanical Garden Tickets

Entry pricing at VanDusen varies with the season. As you would expect, this means the cost goes up in the summer when there’s more to see, and is cheaper in the winter when the gardens are less colorful. Except for special events, of course.

Tickets range from $10-14 per person which is actually one of the most reasonably priced activities in Vancouver. Opening times vary from anything as little as 10am-2pm in winter, to 9am-7pm in summer.

You can book tickets online in advance or at the garden. I’ve never experienced any issues getting in, even in the height of summer. Special events might be the only time you’ll want to arrive early and plan more carefully.

Special Events at VanDusen

Throughout the year there are a number of special events that happen here. All are really fun, and something different to enhance the garden experience.

The Vancouver Orchid Society has a spring and summer show and sale. I bought a lovely orchid here once, even if my lack of green thumb didn’t manage to keep it alive as long as I should have,

There are other flower shows and sales – come see Dahlias or Bonsai or Chrysanthemums. And in the summer there are sometimes outdoor concerts whose tickets include garden entry for the day.

In May each year you’ll find one of my favorite events here, the British Car Show. The event features hundreds of vintage cars, different food options and entertainment.

Then there are the big seasonal events: Halloween and the Festival of Lights. The latter is a four to six week event over the darkest part of winter where VanDusen Botanical Garden is lit up by a million lights. Just the thing to get you out of that winter funk, and enjoy an evening sipping hot chocolate while wandering the brightly colored pathways.

Which Season Is Best To Visit?

This might be like asking everyone what the best color is. Each person has a different favorite, and a lot of it comes down to personal preference.

I can tell you that Summer is the most popular time to visit VanDusen Botanical Garden. Better guaranteed weather and longer opening hours mean it’s not just about the flowers. But they definitely help.

Read a little below about the different seasons you can visit – including some of the pros and cons of each. Any time you visit, the garden will advise which flowers are in bloom so you can best maximize your visit. Ask at the Visitor Centre when you arrive.

SPRING

The first signs of color after a long winter – purples and yellows dominating the plant beds. Gaps in foliage on still sometimes sparse-leaved trees offering little cover from rainy days that are just as a common as sunny days.

Daffodils and tulips brighten up VanDusen, and there are lots of other flowers coming back to life. Spring is a great time to visit, but it might not always be warm (or dry) so be prepared. The magnolias really brighten things up though, and you can often luck out with the weather.

SUMMER

The Rose Garden is in full, fragrant bloom, and the pollinators are out in full force. Vibrant colors at every turn, thick full trees offering protection from the heat of the sun. An early morning visit to VanDusen Botanical Garden is the perfect time for a pleasant walk. My favorite are the pretty pink flowers of the dogwood trees where I like to shelter from the sun.

The summer gets busier so staying away from weekends will make your trip more enjoyable. And you can bring some snacks to enjoy a picnic lakeside on a sunny day. Of course there’s more to see in Summer, it’s a wonderful time of year at the garden.

FALL

Summer colors give way to the striking reds, oranges and yellows of fall. The heathers contributing even more hues to this special time of year at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Autumn is by far my favorite season at the garden, however it isn’t always as warm and the days are getting shorter.

There’s a part of VanDusen called Autumn Stroll which is where you’ll find some of the best fall colors in the garden. The unbearably hot days and the summer crowds more or less gone, which makes for the ideal time to explore the garden in my opinion.

WINTER

The trees are bare, the days are short and it’s a chilly time of year to be outside. So what does winter have going for it at VanDusen Botanical Garden? Winter berries against the dark leaves of evergreen shrubs, unique winter flowering plants with just a touch of frost, and way less crowds. Until the Festival of Lights of course.

VanDusen’s ultimate seasonal attraction is a time to enjoy the garden in the dark, illuminated by more lights than you can ever imagine. They lead the way around the garden, and if you’re lucky there might be a dusting of snow to go with them. Warm drink in hand is the way to view this magical time of year at the garden.

What else can you see at VanDusen Botanical Garden?

It might be helpful to glance at the map before you start wandering around the garden. The 55-acre garden is well spread out and organized into different types of plants, or regions of the world.

You can find maps around the garden, scan a QR-code to download it, or pick up a paper copy at the information counter. Hit up the Rose Gardens, with a stop at the Herb Garden. Or pause at the Heather Garden before carrying on to the Rhododendron Walk.

There’s a cluster of regionally inspired gardens from Australia to the Mediterranean and South Africa. There are more than a few Asian gardens where you’ll find cherry blossoms in the spring, a Korean pavilion to escape the summer heat, and a pretty waterfall in the midst of the Sino-Himalayan region of the garden.

Don’t forget to get a little lost in the maze and take a peek at the bee hives near the vegetable garden. And marvel at the giant Redwoods after seeing the pretty maples lining the lake. Bonus points if you manage to seek out the traditionally carved Totem Poles from BC First Nations artists.

The point is, there’s a lot to see so expect to spend at least a couple of hours at VandDusen Botanical Garden. More if you stop for lunch, or sit with a book on a nice day like I usually do.

Amenities at VanDusen Botanical Garden

Before walking around VanDusen, take time in the Visitor Centre to learn more about the garden and its plants.

There’s an interesting exhibit talking about the different trees of North America – and the ones you can see here. And more than one reminder of the ecological importance of plants and trees.

The gift shop is typically a stop for me on any visit I make to VanDusen. Even if it is just to find some new seeds for my garden, or flower themed gifts – some of which aren’t as expensive as you’d expect.

The Garden Café is a good spot for lunch, a snack or just a refueling cup of tea or coffee mid-visit.

The food at the café isn’t the cheapest, which is a common theme in Vancouver. But it’s quite good if you forgot to bring something with you or want something warm. I’ve had their sandwiches, salads and soup and its all been tasty.

There are toilets in the main Visitor Centre building and some portable toilets within the garden. VanDusen Botanical Garden is also fully accessible for guests with limited mobility.

Top Tips For A Better Visit

• Arrive earlier in the day for a chance at better parking. People can get carried away with their visit and on hot summer days, or during events, the parking lot will get full.
• Pack a picnic lunch to keep costs down. Avoid having to pay for the café by bringing something to eat with you. There are lots of benches with great views, and a well manicured lawn by the lake that’s just perfect for sitting.
• Keep an eye out for local wildlife. It’s not just about the flowers, there are many birds here too. Pretty hummingbirds, eagles circling above the trees, or Great Blue Herons looking for fish in the lake. There are squirrels everywhere, and I even saw a coyote on my last visit.
• Download the VanDusen Bloom Guide. You can scan a QR Code in the visitor center which will share info on currently blooming flowers and direct you to the MUST SEE areas of the garden whenever you choose to visit. Ask a member of staff if you need help.

Should you visit VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver

If you’ve made it this far in my post, then I think you know the answer to this. Not only is VanDusen Botanical Garden an impressively beautiful place to visit on your trip to Vancouver, but its open year round and will always have something different to see.

The cost is relatively reasonable for Vancouver standards, and on a nice day (or a not nice one) you can always spend a couple of hours here without trying.

Since the garden is not downtown Vancouver it might get overlooked by some who are on a limited stay. But the ease of getting here, and free parking should nudge you to making it part of your itinerary.

VanDusen Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places to visit in Vancouver, no matter the season. I can happily spend a morning or afternoon wandering around and (literally) stopping to smell the roses. If you like gardens this should be a must visit place while you’re in Vancouver.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you visited VanDusen Botanical Garden on a trip to Vancouver? Which season would you pick to visit?