Gardens & Parks
Vancouver's temperate climate and plentiful rains encourage exuberant plant growth (In fact, much of the region is technically a coastal temperate rain forest). Hundreds of gardens, parks and green spaces can be found all around the city, complementing the natural beauty of mountains and ocean.
The city's giant green heart - and an indisputable must-see for any visitor - Stanley Park is a magnificent 1,000 acres of dense West Coast forest. Dozens of marked trails enable roaming through this "jungle" of giant trees while a 6.5-mile seawall pathway provides some of the best sea-to-sky mountain views anywhere in the world. The park is also home to the Vancouver Aquarium, the largest in Canada with more than 70,000 sea creatures.
The city is also home to a collection of stunning formal gardens. Perched just outside of downtown at Vancouver's highest point, Queen Elizabeth Park was once an industrial rock quarry. Now the 130-acre site is a lush oasis of flowers and trees from around the world. It also features an enormous floral conservatory housed inside a glass dome with free-flying tropical birds. Meanwhile, the 55-acre VanDusen Botanical Garden recreates landscapes from around the world: from a real English hedge maze to a redwood forest, Mediterranean garden and lagoon that looks lifted from balmier climes.
Vancouver is also uniquely endowed with cultural themed gardens. In the centre of
Chinatown, the
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden is the first, full-scale classical Chinese garden ever built outside China. Inside its whitewashed walls, architecture, plants, naturally sculpted rocks, and elegantly winding jade-green waterways all adhere to ancient Chinese garden protocol. Located on the University of British Columbia campus, the
Nitobe Memorial Garden embodies Japanese tradition: Visitors wander gently curving paths flanked by carefully-placed rocks, trees and shrubs, accompanied by the soothing sounds of waterfalls and tiny streams.
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July 13 - July 14
- Memorial Peace Park, Maple Ridge, BC
- 11900 224th Street
Maple Ridge, BC V2X 8T1
- Admission: FREE
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July 25 - July 28
- Fraser River Heritage Park
- 7494 Mary Street
Mission, BC
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Contact:
Mission Folk Music Festival
- Phone: 1-866-494-FOLK (3655)
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June 01 - November 30
- 578 Carrall St
Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2
- Phone: 604-662-3207
- Venue: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
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July 06 - July 07
- VanDusen Botanical Garden
- 5251 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
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Contact:
Tiffney Hsieh
- Phone: 604-695-5001
- Venue: VanDusen Botanical Garden
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July 06 - July 07
- VanDusen Botanical Garden
- 5251 Oak St
Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
- Admission: http://epicfestival2013-TourismVancouver.eventbrite.com
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Contact:
Sustainable Events Ltd.
- Phone: 604-695-5001
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September 21 - September 29
- Admission: Free
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Contact:
Shoreline Cleanup
- Phone: 1-877-427-2422
- Venue: Vancouver Aquarium
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June 02 - June 29
- Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
- 578 Carrall St
Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2
- Phone: 604-662-3207
- Venue: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
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July 01 - July 01
- Waterfront Park
- 200 Block of West Esplanade
North Vancouver, BC V7M 1A5
- Admission: FREE
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Contact:
Kimberly Streichert
- Phone: 604-983-6577
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September 27 - September 28
- Fraser River Discovery Centre
- 788 Quayside Drive
New Westminster, BC V3M 6Z6
- Admission: FREE!
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September 15 - September 15
- Southlands Riding Club
- 7025 Macdonald St
Vancouver, BC V6N 1G2
- Admission: By donation!
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Contact:
Southlands Riding Club
- Phone: 604-263-4817
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June 21 - November 03
- Stanley Park Miniature Train
- Stanley Park
Vancouver, BC
- Venue: Stanley Park Miniature Train
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April 02
- Truffles Café at VanDusen Botanical Gardens
- 5251 Oak St
Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
- Admission: $35 for two people, $60 for four people
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Contact:
Scott Arnold, Cafe Manager
- Phone: 604-505-4961 ext. 4
- Venue: VanDusen Botanical Garden
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