Biking Stanley Park & Crossing Capilano Suspension Bridge
Sumire and I spent our first few week in Vancouver exploring some of the city’s best beaches and public parks. The best among them is Stanley Park & English Bay. Stanley Park has a wonderful seawall bike path and over 27 kms of forest trails under trees hundreds of years old. Bikes can be rented on nearby Denman St. We also used local transit to reach the popular Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. For a couple, consider using Airbnb to rent a room or apartment. Airbnb is king in Vancouver and cheaper than most hotels.
While most of the top attractions in Vancouver are accessible through public transit, renting a car is a great way to escape the city. So we included a list of things to know to rent a car. I lived in Vancouver for 2 years on and off. In addition to the Aquarium and Museums, there are a number of amazing hiking trails in the nearby Cypress and Grouse Mountain. But that’ll be for next week’s article!
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is my favorite part of downtown Vancouver. The 1000 acre park is almost as large as the rest of the downtown peninsula. The park was opened in 1888 and named after Lord Stanley, the Governor General, 16th Earl of Derby of England.
I used to spend my lunchtime like many other locals walking in Stanley Park. For tourists, bikes can be rented from local shops nearby, we used Yes Cycle Adventures, or from the Mobi bike shares, details below.
The land was originally used by Native American tribes for thousands of years but then fell under British Military control and then under the Federal Government of Canada. The land is leased in perpetuity from the Federal Government in Ottawa but managed by the local Vancouver Park Board. This might explain why, over 130+ years the park has stayed relatively intact. No local government, city council or businesses can sell or lease the land for commercial development. Over time, the park has become part of the character of the city and for its citizens as a place to enjoy nature, go for exercise and relax at the beach.
The park was not designed by a city planner, it simply exists as it always has which makes it different from most urban parks. The trees are hundreds of years old, mostly douglas fir, western red cedar, western hemlock and spruce. 27 km of trails run through the forest and around the park beside the seawall. You can book a bike tour here or make your own!
There is also a Japanese Canadian War Memorial for the soldiers who fought in WW1. The city of Vancouver has a rich history with Japanese culture. In the spring, the city blooms with bright pink cherry blossom trees originally donated by Japan. You’ll also find a lovely set of 9 Totem poles on the eastern side of the park. They are Vancouver’s most visited tourist attraction. The totems come from a variety of tribes including the Haida, Squamish and others on Vancouver Island.
Bike Rental Shops
Mobi Bikes is Vancouver’s attempt to promote active transportation in the city. There are new bike only lanes all across the city and throughout downtown so even children will feel safe on a bike. Each bike can be found at a docking station with a helmet. Simply register for an account and use your account number (#) and pin to check out a bike anywhere in the city, when you are done, return it to any rack. A 24 hour pass is $9.75+ tax but each ride is only supposed to be 30 minutes.
If you want to bike around Stanley Park and see the city for a few hours at one time, I recommend visiting one of the bike shops on Denman St.
Prices range from $7-9 per hour but Yes Cycle, the one Sumire and I used has a sliding scale with each additional hour cheaper than the last. For $30 CAD, the two of us could ride around for a few hours and explore the trails, after that we returned the bikes and hit the beach!
English Bay & 3rd Beach
English Bay is a cute little beach located just outside of Stanley Park in the West End of Vancouver. It’s the busiest beach in town and rightfully named 1st Beach.
Every New Year the most fearless Vancouverites show up to English Bay for the annual Polar Bear Swim, running into the cold winter sea. In the summer up to 400,000 thousand people watch the Celebration of Light Fireworks from the beach, nearby buildings and Stanley Park.
3rd Beach is a little further into Stanley Park but has emerged as a hip spot to relax and enjoy some legal cannabis. Every Tuesday there is a Drum Circle (facebook) that attracts tourists, locals and even celebrities who are filming new movies and TV series in the city.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park dates back to 1888 with the arrival and settling of Scot George Grant Mackay who purchased the land around the canyon. He strung a hemp rope across the river. Over time, the hemp bridge became wire. His Cabin became a gathering place for young adventurer like yourself. Over time the property changed hands time and time again.
The cabin was run as a Tea House briefly, promoted as “The Eighth Wonder of the World” and the park and attraction it is today. The name Capilano comes from a famous Squamish Chief from the 1800s named kia’palano, meaning ‘beautiful river’ but the bridge and property has no affiliation to the local tribe.
- Hours: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, extended hours vary by season
- Fee: $46.95 CAD ($25 USD) per Adult
- Buy Tickets Online
To be honest, this park is extremely over priced. It’s a gimmick. The woman who owns the park has won business awards… probably for how to overcharge tourists. The walkways and look-offs are nice but nothing extraordinary. The bridge is 70m above the river and makes for a very instagrammable experience. Grab a hot chocolate at the cafe, walk through the dense forest and take a selfie on the bridge for $60 CAD… It’s a nice experience but quite expensive. To me it’s not quite worth the hefty price.
Pro Tip: For budget travellers, consider venturing a little further to Lynn Canyon Park Suspension Bridge, it’s FREE, 50m high and the hiking trails are far more extensive. There are no cafes on site but in the summer you can have a picnic by the Twin Falls and swim! In the winter, bring a thermas with hot coffee with you!
Our next article on Vancouver will be on Grouse, Cypress, Tunnel Bluffs and Lynn Canyon Park which in my opinion are far better experiences for young adventurers.
Wreck Beach
Wreck Beach is Vancouver’s most popular clothing optional beach. 6.7 km out of the 7.8 km stretch of coastline is clothing optional. Not all who visit show up in their birthday suits, but don’t be surprised to find a few people sunbathing in the nude. The Beach is located on the tip of the coast behind UBC. There are a number of great hiking trails in the forest nearby and the large sandy beach is usually full of students playing volleyball, or cooling off in the ocean in the hot summer months.
My roommate Quantin and I rather enjoyed the fall scenery, it’s a lovely park, but Sumire was not accustomed to the bareness of the occasional stranger. While I prefer to keep my clothes on, some “naturalists” may enjoy the freedom Wreck Beach offers visitors.
Understand there is etiquette and it’s important to be respectful. Don’t stare at people. Do not take any photos of people without their permission. For more information, check out the Wreck Beach Preservation Society.
Airbnb is King in Vancouver
Vancouver is one of Canada’s most unaffordable places to live, maybe even the most unaffordable. Many of the locals blame the rising house prices on foreign buyers which is ignorant and false. Smart investors put their money where they are guaranteed to make a profit and 13% return risk free is a sweet deal. Foreign buyers is a symptom, not the cause of the soaring house prices.
The truth is that Vancouver has some of the tightest land development bylaws in Canada, making it almost impossible to build large, affordable apartments or condos near the city. Let’s be honest, land reform doesn’t make for catching headlines.
The local land owners refuse to pass reasonable land reforms because their current property value keeps skyrocketing. Many locals have turned to “driveway houses”, which are renovated garages, to Airbnb and make extra money on the side. Others are renting out their basement apartments or spare rooms. Welcome to a city where you can rent a room for $60/night in a $3 million house!
READ THE REVIEWS CAREFULLY! Many people are forced into renting out their homes or rooms in Vancouver just to survive. Some Airbnbs aren’t very nice at all. Others are quite excellent. Read carefully.
For two it’s cheaper to book an Airbnb than a hostel. However most of the cheaper Airbnbs are a little out from downtown like this one near Queen’s Park for $45 CAD /night + fees. If you intend on driving up to Whistler for a day trip, I recommend booking an Airbnb in North Vancouver. It’s close to the highway headed to Whistler. But if you are taking the shuttle, best stay close to downtown.
Renting a Car in Vancouver
A lot of traveller ask what is the best way to rent a car in Canada. Most of the best attractions in Vancouver are accessible by public transportation. For that, we included some info in our last Vancouver article. But for those looking to explore a little further inland, perhaps travel up to the Kootenays, Banff or Jasper, renting a car is the best way to see what Canada has to offer.
For travel to Whistler from Vancouver, or the Muskoka from Toronto, consider joining Zipcar – a car share where you use a membership card to unlock share-cars in the city for a single hour to full day. It’s free to join until April 30th 2019 in for Vancouver and Toronto.
- The best way to rent a car is booking directly from one of the big companies: Avis, Enterprise, Budget or Hertz.
- Book directly through the website, or through a trusted 3rd party booking site like Expedia.com
- Age 21-24, a surcharge of $20/day will be added. Age 25+ get the standard rates.
- A valid credit card must be placed on account, otherwise a $200 CAD deposit is required.
- Renter must possess a valid driver’s licence. All US licences are accepted but an international licence may be required for non-Canadian and non-US renters.
- Make sure you are covered – Insurance: Non-owned collision & loss damage waiver (CDW), Liability Insurance & Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
Look for special deals or promotions. In the winter, a car will be enough to visit Whistler but I would choose an SUV or Van for a drive to the Rocky Mountains: Banff, Jasper & Canmore. Winter roads can be icy so 4-wheel drive is really recommended. Compact cars start from $180 CAD/week and SUV can run up to $250 CAD/week. In the Winter, that extra space in an SUV can be used for ski gear and the extra weight will make driving a lot safer in the mountains.
The last thing to consider is your coverage for insurance. There are three primary things you need covered: Collision & Damage (for the car), Personal Liability (for you) and Personal Accident Insurance (For your health costs). You may already be covered for some of these with premium credit cards, your own car insurance and travel medical insurance. It’s quite a lengthy topic to cover here. So I’m working on another article just to sort out your options for car rentals and insurance. Stay tuned.
Disclaimer: Hertz, Expedia, Zipcar, Amazon and Viator are affiliate partners. We make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the site so we can share more useful travel info
Pick Up a SIM Card for Canada
Canada is a vast country and the best highlights are wonderful natural environments and wildlife. Tourists visit Canada for nature, skiing, fishing, hunting and camping. So I recommend picking up a SIM Card for your stay. We made a list of the best Prepaid SIM Cards in Canada.
From popular demand we are now an Official Dealer of Public Mobile SIM Cards, one of the best plans in Canada for tourists! We ship directly to you, or your hotel as quickly as 3 days with express shipping. Just pick it up and insert the SIM. The plan of your choice will be pre-activated the day before your arrival. See Our Store for details.
More Info for Travel to Canada
For your pre-trip downtime, check out our List of Recommended Books, Movies and Podcasts all featuring Canada! Lastly, I recommend picking up a Prepaid SIM Card for your own hotspot device or mobile phone. You can order in advance on our Tallypack Store and have delivered to your hotel upon your arrival!
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