My next day in Vancouver involved a trip to Stanley Park to explore the large expanse of green space and other visitor attractions situated amidst the urban landscape – and it is free to visit! Being here in late September/October also meant that the trees in the park were changing colour into their beautiful, rich autumn colours. There are a variety of tree species here, including red cedar, fir, spruce, and hemlock. If you enjoy walking and cycling, Stanley Park offers plenty of opportunity to engage in these activities via a 10-km seawall loop that winds around the park and is popular with tourists and locals alike. It offers great views of the mountains and skyline as well as the trees and water.
An interesting addition to the park, and popular landmark, must be the nine amazing totem poles that are made from red cedar. Totem poles offer spiritual significance to the First Nations people of Canada by serving as memorials, signboards, and genealogical records. If you don’t want to wander around the park under your own steam, you can opt for a guided tour, and one of the best ways to experience this is by horse drawn carriage.
One of the most relaxing attractions at the park, though, has to be the paddle steamer that cruises along the Burrard inlet. The views on this cruise were great and we saw some seals on the journey. We just did a straightforward cruise that goes around the harbour and back, but there are a variety of cruises on offer including dinner cruises.
