Three nights in Vancouver were not nearly enough! Yesterday’s ferry ride to Vancouver Island with Victoria and the Butchart Gardens was amazing. Today we glimpsed Stanley Park, had a fabulous afternoon on Granville Island and its Public Market, and then explored the rain forest at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. We will be coming back to Vancouver!

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit The Trip of Our Lives 2023.

Stanley Park Seawall Path

Our hotel was a quick, ten-minute walk to the start of the Stanley Park Seawall Path. This six-mile concrete path loops around Stanley Park away from car traffic, and at times has separated paths for walkers, runners, and cyclists. Travel on the seawall is one way (counter-clockwise), but Pipeline Road travels south through the park for a shortcut.

While the shortcut is great, unfortunately this route encircles less than one-third of the park. If we ever stay at the Westin Bayshore Vancouver again, we’ll plan to use the BikeWESTIN program for a free bike (first-come, first-served for up to two-hours), so we can go all the way around. You know how we love to see it all!

Best Laid Plans

Although our excursion later today will take us into the park, I assumed it would just be a drive-thru. I made a plan to get up early this morning and walk along the seawall to Prospect Point Lookout, then return via the shortcut. I was hoping to get better pictures of the harbor, the meandering seawall, the totem poles, sculptures, and lookouts that were located along the shoreline.

Instead I took advantage of the noon departure of our excursion to sleep in a bit. I visited the Starbucks in the lobby for a little breakfast which we enjoyed with the freshly brewed coffee in our room. It was a nice relaxing morning – and it felt good to rejuvenate.

A Bus Full of Strangers

After a slightly-heated conversation with the tour company regarding our pickup, our tour bus arrived in front of our hotel as planned. Our driver was very friendly and knowledgeable, and had a wonderful deep, loud voice that is always welcome on a tour.

As we picked up the last of our tour-mates from several hotels, conversations were starting about the still-raging wildfires all across Canada, and one woman was concerned about her house in Nova Scotia. Most had no idea the fires had spread that far east, and she had a bus full of hopes and prayers for the best case scenario when she returns in a couple of days.

Several folks were headed to Alaska (like us), and some were headed on the Rocky Mountaineer to see Whistler, Jasper and Banff – where we had just been. Others had just finished their Alaskan cruises and were in awe of what they had just seen. This is a fantastic city, and the hub to many different scenarios for absolutely breathtaking vacations. There is nothing like the Pacific Northwest!

Stanley Park

“Welcome to Stanley Park, Vancouver’s first, largest, and most beloved urban park! Stanley Park is a magnificent green oasis in the midst of the urban landscape of Vancouver.

Explore the 400-hectare (nearly 1,000-acre) natural West Coast rainforest and enjoy scenic views of water, mountains, sky, and majestic trees along Stanley Park’s famous Seawall. Discover kilometres of trails, beautiful beaches, local wildlife, great eats, natural, cultural and historical landmarks, along with many other adventures. The park offers a wide range of unforgettable experiences for all ages and interests, including Canada’s largest aquarium.” ~ READ MORE

First Nations Art and Totem Poles

The first stop of our excursion was at the Totem Poles of Stanley Park. I was relieved that we were let out of the bus for this stop since I so lazily slept in this morning. Pictures from the ground are SO much better than drive-bys in a bumpy bus!

“The nine totem poles at Brockton Point are BC’s most visited tourist attraction. The collection started at Lumberman’s Arch in the 1920s, when the Park Board bought four totems from Vancouver Island’s Alert Bay. More purchased totems came from Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) and the BC central coast Rivers Inlet, to celebrate the 1936 Golden Jubilee. In the mid 1960s, the totem poles were moved to the attractive and accessible Brockton Point.” ~ READ MORE

“Shore to Shore by Stz’uminus Master Carver, Ts’uts’umult Luke Marston. This sculpture, carved in cedar then cast in bronze, is a tribute to the ancestral connection between this area’s aboriginal and Portuguese communities.” ~ a sign nearby the sculpture above.

Drive-by Sculptures

1. The Harry Jerome Statue: One of the greatest Canadian athletes of all time.
2. The 9 O’Clock Gun: Cast in England in 1816, brought here in 1894, was used by mariners to set their chronometers and also to warn fishermen of closings.
3. A-maze-ing Laughter by Linda Crampton: Fourteen figures were meant to be temporary, but are now a permanent fixture in Vancouver. Its plaque reads: “May this sculpture inspire laughter, playfulness, and joy in all who experience it.”

Hollywood North?

“Hollywood North is a funny nickname for Vancouver that isn’t obvious unless you know that Vancouver has the fourth-largest film and television production industry in North America – after LA, New York and Toronto. There are so many movies, TV, Ads, etc. filmed in Vancouver – although most of the time you wouldn’t know it because the production claims it’s somewhere in America.” ~ READ MORE

Granville Island

After our tour of Stanley Park, we continued south along the west shore to Granville Island – “a magical escape within the city”. Just driving through was a treat for the eyes. This former industrial manufacturing area is located under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge. Many of the old buildings have been repurposed, or at the very least brightly painted!

“Arts Umbrella is where young artists ages 2–22 cultivate their creativity in Dance, Theatre, and Art & Design. As a non-profit centre for arts education, we believe that art is powerful. Powerful enough to change kids’ lives in incredible ways. When young people connect with the arts, they gain self-confidence, develop self-discipline, and discover creative expression—qualities they carry with them for life.” ~ READ MORE

Public Market

“The Granville Island Public Market is the jewel in the Island’s crown. An indoor market featuring a fascinating assortment of colourful food and produce stores, showcasing handcrafted products and the very finest in unique gifts. All fresh from the ocean, the oven or the field.” ~ READ MORE

Lunch with a View

We grabbed lunch at the Public Market and moved to an outdoor area with great views of the water, the bridges, and the city. A one-man band serenaded us while we ate, and muted the sounds of the bustling city around us. There were lots of folks enjoying lunch at the same time, but I was lucky to get some pictures just over their heads or on the outer edge up next to the railing.

Two bridges span False Creek out in front of us. To the right was the Granville Street Bridge (second photo), and the third photo is the Burrard Street Bridge – a four-lane, Art Deco style, steel truss bridge constructed between 1930 and 1932. The Burrard Bridge was very cool, and the fourth photo is a meagre attempt to catch some of its detail as we crossed it on our tour bus.

Tour of the Town

We had spare time after lunch so we strolled around the town on our way back to our bus. It was a lively place with fun colors and several breweries that we didn’t have time to visit 🥲. Had our grandkids still been small, a trip to the toy store with the brightly colored flags may have been a destination, but instead we enjoyed the lovely day outside taking in the sights.

Beauty Under the Bridge

“After Bulpitt returned to Vancouver, one of his first major works was a collaborative mural project under the Granville Bridge. Working with Ojibway artist Larissa Healey in 2008, he created And the Raven Brought the Light, a mural still visible today (at West 4th Avenue at Anderson Street). Bulpitt and Healey painted a second under-the-bridge mural, The Storm, with a vivid rainbow that lights up the almost-underground space.” ~ READ MORE to see more of Vancouver’s vivid outdoor indigenous art

Capilano Suspension Bridge

When preparing to book today’s excursion, Jim was excited about the Best of Vancouver part, but another suspension bridge – not so much. But unlike the Golden Skybridge, there would be plenty to do without crossing the bridge (map at left).

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a totally different experience than the Skybridge – with lots of history, nature, and a close-up of two raptors. It was an absolutely fabulous visit in a rain forest setting that was simply beautiful. If you come on your own and have more time, there is SO much more to do here than what we experienced as part of our larger tour.

History of the Totem Pole

“The totem pole designs that most people recognize today were, for the most part, developed in the last 200 years. Most historians and other experts agree that totem pole carving did not reach its peak until the nineteenth century, when many coastal First Nations were involved in the fish and fur trade with Europeans.

During this time, coastal First Nations acquired new tools that enabled them to construct more elaborate poles. Most poles, even though they are made from rot-resistant cedar, last only about a hundred years before they begin to disintegrate. This disintegration is recognized as a natural part of a pole’s life cycle.” ~ READ MORE

Kia’palano

“The Indigenous people have called this land home for millennia. Kia’palano is where you’ll learn about the connection between their culture and the natural world. Kia’palano is an educational centre dedicated to highlighting the rich culture of the First Nations people and their connection to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

Story Tellers. Many of the story poles (commonly called totem poles) in the Park were designed and carved by notable Indigenous carvers Wayne Carlick and James Lewis of the Tlingit/Taltan Nation.” ~ READ MORE

Crossing the Bridge

Crowds were non-existent when I crossed the Golden Skybridge in Golden, BC on that dreary day eleven days ago. I was the only one crossing at the first bridge, and one of only a few on another bridge to get back across. I could enjoy the peace and quiet (and no wobbling), and take in the adventure and the solitude of being up so high, all by myself.

Today’s bridge was packed! Jim took the pictures of the crowds, I got one picture of the river below, I hung on for dear life as lots of kids and adults laughed and talked all the way across. I don’t even remember what was below, because I scurried across at the speed of the crowds just wanting to get to the other side.

Relax and Enjoy

Once across I could relax and enjoy all of the stations that were set up to help kids (and adults) learn about the rainforest and its many inhabitants, and The Geology at the Edge: (from the sign below)

“Far below us (about 70 metres or 230 feet) you can hear the rushing Capilano River as it travels through the Capilano Canyon. A glacier carved out the canyon during the last ice age and when it receded, a stream remained – that’s how the Capilano River came to be. The river took over the transformation of the canyon and it continues to shape and change the canyon even today.”

Another Bridge, Another Adventure

A small river ran under a series of bridges through a forest of very tall trees. The journey and the destination were equally as enjoyable. The carving of the Bald Eagle with his catch signified my arrival at The Raptors Ridge, where two women held two gorgeous birds and answered many questions.

A young boy seemed to know quite a lot about the birds, so one woman turned the tables and asked questions of the boy. Although fairly basic questions about raptors and their habits, the boy obviously pays close attention at school or his parents take him on lots of adventures where rangers speak about these fabulous birds and their ways of life.

Proof is on the Certificate (or is it?)

Two red Adirondack chairs near a refreshments building were set up for a beverage after our long day. We swopped phones with several people, so we’d all have more memories of this beautiful place. When our time was up, we joined our driver back at our bus where he handed out certificates for crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge. If Jim shows you his certificate – don’t be fooled!

On our way back through Vancouver, traffic was horrendous and although we drove thru Gastown, we opted not to stop at the Gastown Steam Clock. Our driver said tourists always look ridiculous staring up at this clock anyway, so we were glad that we wouldn’t be pegged as tourists (on our tourbus staring out at the steam clock!). What a fabulous day!

Last Evening in Vancouver

We arrived back to our hotel and took a short break before walking over to Cardero’s Restaurant and Marine Pub for our fabulous Goodbye Vancouver dinner. The sky was awesome – all speckled with puffy clouds and plenty of skyscrapers to wish us well on our next adventure. We opted for one more drink at the Westin Bayshore Vancouver, then packed up to head out in the morning – FOR ALASKA!!!

We’ll be Back Vancouver!

Up Next: Alaska’s First City

Happy trails,
Barb