Although mountains surround Vancouver, the city does offer easy and flat walking routes along the coast and waterfront seawalls. Besides the popular Stanley Park Seawall, walk along the waterfront in West Vancouver, False Creek, and Jericho Beach Park.
Seawall Walks in Vancouver, BC
Waterfront seawalls show off Vancouver walking at its best. Watch for seabird life, enjoy the city beaches, and people-watch on a coastal city walk. Seawalls feature as a favorite option for easy walking because of the frequent rest stops and flat terrain. Also, choosing a walk close to the city allows walkers to lengthen or shorten the overall distance to match available time and stamina.
- Stanley Park Seawall – Walk the approximately 9 km (5.6 miles) route from Coal Harbor to English Bay. A paved path encircles Stanley Park providing a place for walkers, bicyclists, and rollerbladers to enjoy the views. Look out on the North Shore mountains, the Coal Harbor marina, the park monuments, and the beaches of English Bay. The flat path runs around the forested park and connects at Sunset Beach to the False Creek Seawall (see below).
- False Creek Seawall – Traveling from Sunset Beach to Kitsilano Beach via False Creek makes a great walk on a good-weather day. About 9-km (5.6 miles) one-way, walkers can shorten the route by taking a ferry from Yaletown to Granville Island or Science World, making this easy Vancouver walk more manageable. The False Creek Seawall passes Yaletown, Science World, Granville Island, and ends at Kitsilano Beach. A bonus: the seawall walk is a less trafficked option to the Stanley Park Seawall yet is equally scenic.
- West Vancouver Seawall – A short Vancouver walk, this 3-km (1.9-mile) one-way seawall connects Ambleside Park to Dundarave Park in West Vancouver. A lesser-known waterfront walk, the West Vancouver Seawall highlights views of Stanley Park and Point Grey.
Best Coastal Park Walks in Vancouver, BC
Coastal Vancouver walks provide opportunities to beachcomb, picnic, explore, and savor the views. Beside Vancouver's popular seawall walks, enjoy the waterfront at these Vancouver parks:
- Jericho Beach Park – Along the Point Grey shore, this string of sandy beaches edges the Vancouver waterfront. A 4-km (2.5-mile) one-way coastal walk heads west from Jericho Beach along a flat gravel path and extends past Locarno Beach and Spanish Banks. The walk delivers some of the best views of downtown and the North Shore Mountains. When the gravel path ends, continue along more challenging beach terrain towards Wreck Beach and the University of British Columbia.
- Lighthouse Park – This West Vancouver park combines coastal and woodland walking that is set apart from downtown Vancouver. Walk the trails in the park that loop down to the coast, rocky shore, and lighthouse, before returning along the Valley of the Giants trail. Watch too for the boats of BC Ferries headed to Lions Bay.
Best Vancouver Walks and Walking Trails
An active city, Vancouver offers endless options for outdoor activities. For more on Vancouver outdoor activities, read about Vancouver's best parks, the city's best beaches, and woodland walking trails.
Chloë Ernst - Chloë Ernst is a travel guidebook author who writes for Frommer's and Globe Pequot Press.
