Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada

Covering 988 acres (400 hectare), Stanley Park is the largest urban park in Vancouver. It is a beautiful and very popular oasis inside the city. We spent a beautiful day on 8/22/2023 wandering through the different sections of the park. We parked at beach 3 parking and proceeded on the waterfront path along its amazing seawall.

Building of the seawall started in 1917 and was declared complete in 1980. It is the longest uninterrupted seawall in the world extending 17 miles (28km). The path is divided into 2 sections one for pedestrian and the other for cyclists/skaters. I absolutely loved our scenic walk along the seawall with its spectacular mountain and water views. As we approached the Siwash rock, 32-million-year-old sea stack”, we slowed down to watch two herons majestically perched on top. I wore down my camera battery taking shots of different perspectives of this cool rock.

We then visited the gardens where a plethora of colors awaited. The rose garden alone contains over 3500 rose bushes and a splendid arbor. There is a Rhododendron Garden, a rock garden, a Shakespeare Garden… I counted eleven gardens on their web site. My favorite garden area was the pavilion with its flamboyant purple and red flower beds and its fountain surrounded with radiant red Xenia.

As we continued our walk through the park, we passed by a beautiful pool, beaches, sculptures, cafes, ponds/small lakes, a horse-drawn carriage carrying tourists …. I noted a beautiful reflection of the cityscape and decided to return when it is dark to capture it which I did the next day. The nightscape reflection was stunning!

Stanley Park has so much to offer! I took hundreds of photos and had the toughest time deciding which to eliminate to avoid inundating my visitors. It must definitely be added to your itinerary when you visit Vancouver. I’d allocate a minimum of a day. The park is open 6am-10pm. You must pay for parking. We purchased a day parking; hourly is an option. It can be paid online or at the parking lot. I suggest checking their calendar of events as popular community events are scheduled regularly.

Reference Vancouver parks’ Stanley Park, Wikipedia