Half of the peninsula that makes up Vancouver’s downtown area is dedicated to Stanley Park, which spans 1,000 acres. That makes it just slightly larger than New York City’s Central Park, at approximately 850 acres. This once indigenous land was colonized by the British and named after their Lord Stanley who had been appointed Governor General by the monarch (King Edward VII at the time). These days, the reigning monarch takes advice from Canada’s Prime Minister in choosing a Governor General. Today’s, interestingly, is the first indigenous appointee to the office (and a woman!).1
Most of Stanley Park is heavily forested, but there is plenty to see and do when visiting. The Vancouver Aquarium is nestled into the woods on the east side of the park. Not far from there, a miniature railway takes visitors on a 15-minute scenic train ride - unfortunately this feature is currently closed for infrastructure updates. You can also hear the familiar “clomp clomp” of horse drawn carriages throughout the park offering guided tours. There are two large beaches on the park’s western shore, named Second Beach and Third Beach. Second Beach features a large fresh water swimming pool where you can buy tickets for a 2.5 hour session for about $6.50 USD. Both beaches offer concessions (amazing fresh lemonade at Second Beach - ask for a splash of seltzer water!) and both have restrooms. Or, if your more inclined to enjoy a sudsy refreshment, there is a brew pub located just southeast of Second Beach. For the more refined, there is also a teahouse between the two beaches with expansive views of English Bay offering lunch and a “wine hour” three days a week. We did not try either of these establishments…yet.
Perhaps the most iconic and beloved feature of this beautiful park is the seawall, a paved trail for pedestrians and bicycles that encircles the entire park and offers spectacular views of the area. The trail is a 6 mile loop (10 km) that travels in a counter-clockwise direction for cyclists. Pedestrians may travel in either direction on their separate path. We parked our car near the park’s southwest entrance and hopped on the trail there. Like everywhere around here, you must pay to park. We brought our own bikes, but you can rent the Mobi city bikes in many places throughout the park. They offer regular bikes and a few e-bikes - if you can find them - for a slightly higher price.

You’ll see many different sights as you make your way around the seawall loop: ponds, tunnels, downtown cityscapes, a huge suspension bridge, sandy beaches, open water, a natural rock outcropping called Siwash Rock (which hosts a single tree), a collection of totem poles, distant mountains, playgrounds - one with a splash pad for kids, and much more.







You can ride as fast or slow as you like, stopping wherever you please. Be aware that there are several short dismount areas where you’re asked to walk your bike in high pedestrian traffic areas. The north and northwest segments are probably the most scenic of the loop with the Lions Gate Bridge, Siwash Rock, and the endless views out to the open water. As you approach and pass Siwash Rock the path curves along a rock wall on one side and the open sea on the other. It’s absolutely stunning!
After we completed the loop and looked at a map, we realized we hadn’t seen the totem poles so we headed around again. Only problem? It’s a one-way path! We had to get creative on how to get back to the car without doing the entire loop again. Pro tip: you are allowed to WALK your bike on the walking path.
While you’re at Stanley Park, I highly recommend the Vancouver Aquarium. It offers beautiful displays of fish, sea turtles, an otter exhibit, an entertaining seal show, clownfish ice cream cones, and a “4-D” movie called Salmon Run that was quite the highlight! The fourth dimension is not to be forgotten anytime soon!!





We didn’t have a chance to explore the park’s interior forested bike trails. Well, we did a little bit accidentally while getting our bearings. These paths are nicely manicured gravel with some slight elevation changes. If we go back and ride these trails, I will add a post about them. Here’s a picture of the small portion we rode on trying to find our way back to the seawall trail. Very beautiful and it would definitely be worth a trip back to see more of these trails.
Overall, Stanley Park was a total blast to visit and ride and a major highlight of our time here so far. I’ve already ridden it twice and have plans to go there at least once more before we go home.
The ride deets: (it’s more than 10km because we backtracked to see the totem poles.)
Her Excellency the Right Honorable Mary Simon has served as Canada’s Governor General since 2001. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_General_of_Canada