Garibaldi Lake hike
A 12-mile hike up a mountain that took us 9 hours round trip. Not an easy hike, but I was definitely the least fit person in our group. There were lots of switchbacks and interesting obstacles like waterfalls, bridges, rocks, and rivers along the way. Internally lots of sweating and thirst and out of breathness... but the view was so worth it! I’ve never seen a lake so turquoise before! There was snow at the top but it was much warmer than expected. We saw some people swimming! Walking downhill was such a reward at the end lol.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
We came during a day it was raining ever so slightly which helped us miss the crowds. We took our time walking across the bridge and actually did most of the adventure paths twice. There’s a journey through tree tops, a cliffside view, some big birds flying around, and banana-looking slugs. Admission was a bit pricey though so not sure if we should’ve gone to the free Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge instead.
Bike around Stanley Park
We rented bikes and went around the 6-mile perimeter of Stanley Park not once but twice! A lot of the path is alongside the seawall waterfront but there are also views and stops including the Stanley Park Rose Garden and the Lions Gate bridge at Prospect Point Lookout. (Also the bike rental shop has tandem bikes so you best bet two of us took advantage of that opportunity!)
Granville Island, David Lam Park, and Sunset Beach
Granville Island has a lot of little stores, a public market, and waterfront views. We took a short ferry ride to David Lam Park across the water which was pretty small but it had dogs and geese and more water/city/sky views. Then Sunset Beach is like a 15 minute walk away, which is a nice place to watch the sunset (and see even more geese).
North Vancouver Night Market
We spent our last evening visiting the night market by the waterfront -- you can see the Vancouver skyline on the other side! We came right before sunset which was perfect for photos. We walked around the area and enjoyed lots of music, lots of people, and festive lights and colors.
