Day Trip to Stanley Park: Stanley Park, BC

During our time in Canada, we fell in love with every single national park we went to. One of our favorite places was Stanley Park! We could have spent our whole trip exploring the woodland. It actually reminded us a great deal of Central Park, NYC! However, it seemed much more natural and full of all different types of greenery.

Whether you are visiting the BC area for a few days or live near by; I highly suggest planning one day to spend in Stanley Park! There are honestly so many adventures to go in this are. If I were to go back again, knowing what I know now, this is how I’d spend my day!

And if you want some other ideas of things to do in Vancouver, check out this 10 places you MUST visit!

The Vancouver Aquarium

I would start my morning at the aquarium to get in before it gets busy! They open at 10am which gives you time to eat breakfast at home before loading everyone up and heading to Stanley Park. Stay there as long as you want and make sure you have time to see all of the interactive shows! There is so much to see that I feel like you could easily burn a few hours here before getting hungry for lunch!

Prospect Point & Prospect Point Cafe

Next, I would head on over to the Prospect Point Cafe for lunch! This is a cute little area with some tasty food! It isn’t to heavy which is nice because you do a lot of walking in Stanley Park and don’t want to feel too full. During the summer you can get some delicious ice cream for dessert or a yummy pastry and coffee from the coffee shop! We loved it here and I would definitely eat here again.

After you eat, walk on over to the outlook and see the view from Prospect Point! It is seriously one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen. It just has the perfect view of the city and the water. I love a gorgeous cityscape and that’s exactly what you see here. Bring your camera to take lots of pictures! You will want it!

Sea Wall

After taking in the view at Prospect Point I would suggest taking a nice walk along the Sea Wall. It is a beautiful view and you can check out some beaches along the way! If you go in the summertime it will definitely be warm by the time of day so you can even dip your toes in the water if you like! This is your time to just relax and enjoy the view.

Brockton Point Lighthouse

Along your walk around the Sea Wall you will see many beautiful things but this is one that you need to stop and enjoy. The Brockton Point Lighthouse was placed in 1890 but the tower was built in 1914. Someone told us that if you spend some time at the lighthouse you will see some of the most amazing ships come into the port! I wish we had more time to sit and watch.

Totem Poles

Not far from the Light house are the Totem Poles at Stanley Park. I haven’t seen many real totem poles in my life but these were definitely the best I’v ever seen! There are currently 9 poles and each one tells a story. We were so fascinated and spent about an hour just admiring the art.

Stanley Park Train

Now the best way to see the whole park is to hop on the tour train! It only runs on weekends from 10am – 5pm so if you are during those times make sure to take advantage of it! This is kind of like a tour bus as it goes around Stanley Park. It will definitely give you a sense of the history

Explore the Woods

I would be lying if I told you we didn’t get lost in the woods of Stanley Park. It is like a giant adult playground. If I were to redo our day in Stanley Park I would still just take some time to explore. The woods are captivating and there are so many little paths you can take to find something new! This is a great way to spend your day, especially if you go on a day that the train isn’t running! Even if you do take the train ride I still think you should explore a bit before heading to dinner.

The Teahouse Restaurant at Sunset

By now you are probably starving after all your exploring! Just before sunset head on over to The Teahouse Restaurant and enjoy the view. Not only does this restaurant have a view like no other but it has delicious food! It is the perfect way to end your day Stanley Park. While it is a higher end restaurant I didn’t feel that the prices were too high. It might not be best for a large family but it is perfect for couples!