Stanley Park
Come and discover Stanley Park — the top rated urban park in the world
At 1001 acres, Stanley Park, located immediately north of downtown Vancouver, is one of the world's largest urban parks. Attracting more than 8 million visitors every year it's rated the number one urban park in the world.
Largely surrounded by seawater, Stanley Park is famous for its 8 km seawall which you can walk, cycle or rollerblade around. As you make your way around the seawall you'll enjoy superb views of different parts of the city including the north shore mountains and the impressive Lions Gate Bridge. I highly recommend walking or cycling at least a portion of the seawall. Bicycle rentals are available near the Georgia Street entrance to the park and several Vancouver Bike Share stations are convenient to the park too.
In the southern portion where the park meets up with Vancouver's West End highrises, scenic Lost lagoon is home to an extensive variety of waterfowl. Enjoy a pleasant walk around the lagoon on the walking path. On nice days local artists display their paintings at the 'Painters Circle' just south of the Aquarium. Many wilderness trails wind through the interior forests where you'll find Beaver Lake, a large pond with a rich ecosystem. A large outdoor salt water swimming pool overlooks the ocean beside Second Beach. Stanley Park is also home to the renowned Vancouver Aquarium, one of Vancouvers top attractions. Other park attractions include the beautiful Rose Gardens, an 18 hole pitch and putt golf course, and tennis courts.
Families with children will love going for a ride on the Stanley Park Miniature Railroad. It's conveniently located just north of the Stanley Park bus loop. Enjoy a fun 2 kilometre ride through forest and tunnels pulled by a miniature replica of Canadian Pacific Railway #374 steam locomotive.
This popular attraction operates as the Urban Forest Train from mid April to Labour Day. It is open from 10am - 4pm on weekends and from early in July it is open Wednesday through Sunday. There are special themed rides during Easter, and leading up to Halloween when it becomes the 'Ghost Train', and leading up to Christmas as the Bright Nights Christmas Train. During the later you'll ride through an incredible 3,000,000 lights and decorations displayed by volunteers from the Vancouver Fire Department. Tickets for the regular rides can be purchased on site, but for the themed rides you must book your tickets online as demand is very high. Get more details and up to date schedules for the Stanley Park Railroad here.
Two restaurants provide awesome food and a great atmosphere in pleasant setting. At The Prospect Point Cafe, you can enjoy seafood, burgers, and pasta with unbeatable views of the Lions Gate Bridge and the North Shore mountains. At The Teahouse, you'll experience a romantic location where you can enjoy fresh west coast cuisine along with spectacular ocean and mountain views. During the summer months there are also several walk up food stands in the park serving a variety of fast foods including burgers, fries, fish and chips, hot-dogs, hot and cold drinks and other treats.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoStanley Park Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address: Vancouver, BC V6G 1Z4, Canada
Phone: (604) 681-6728
Official Website: Stanley Park
Stanley Park Reviews
Rated out of 5
Absolutely stunning. I love beautiful bush and amount of wildlife so close to you. The totem area was awesome and the city view breath taking. There is an electric bus that takes you around the park and also a horse cart. The miniature railway is under a rebuild. The grounds are so well kept. Parking is amazing there is so much parking for people to use.
Karl Ruby - a week ago
Stanley park is one spot to do lots of fun activities with family/friends or to relax in the sun or to trail along the forest patch of beautiful tall trees. It is better to put layers on non-sunny days.
Riding cycles is also a great option.
In March end, the park was glowing beautifully with all the cherry blossoms and it attracted alot of crowd.
The scenery of the harbour is also a great surprise to look at.
Shipra Chauhan - a week ago
As a family of six with four young kids, visiting Stanley Park in Vancouver was a good experience. The park's green spaces provided the perfect playground for our energetic crew, and the views of the ocean and mountains were impressive. Walking arounf was enjoyable, with plenty of space for everyone to run and explore. The kids enjoyed the playgrounds, and we even saw a movie/commercial / TV show being filmed. While it might not be a "must-visit" for everyone, for our family, it was a fantastic day out in nature.
Mark Beddes - in the last week
Beautiful park! Big and massive space. Good for outdoor activities and picnic. A lot to do here! One could hire bicycles to ride around the park. Good natural view and scenes!
Chinedum Nwokeka - a month ago
Directions
| Skytrain Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Expo Line | Burrard Station | 2 Minutes |
| Canada Line | Waterfront Station | 2 Minutes |
How to get to Stanley Park by Skytrain
From Burrard SkyTrain Station take the Burrard Street Exit. Walk to your left (North) along Burrard Street 1 block to West Pender Street. Cross to the far side of Pender and look for the westbound #19 Stanley Park Bus Stop to your left. From Waterfront Station on the Canada Line exit onto Granville Street and walk south 1 block to Pender Street. Proceed left around the corner onto Pender to the westbound #19 Stanley Park Bus Stop. Take the #19 Stanley Park Bus to its terminus just inside the park.
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Accommodations near Stanley Park:
Photo Gallery
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Beautiful Gardens in Stanley Park cc licensed photo by keepitsurreal -
A view from above of the famous seawall surrounding Stanley Park -
Looking towards the Yacht Club at the entrance to Stanley Park -
Looking east toward the Lions Gate bridge from the Seawall -
View toward Downtown Vancouver from the Stanley Park Seawall -
Looking across Lost Lagoon toward the residential highrises in Vancouver's West End -
Kids cooling down on a hot summer day in one of Stanley Parks waterparks -
Photo Credit: vancityvisual - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: vancityvisual - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: xiquinhosilva - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: vancityvisual - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: vancityvisual - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: vancityvisual - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: vancityvisual - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: xiquinhosilva - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: xiquinhosilva - cc license via Flickr
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