Unique Places in Vancouver

4 more images

Grant Narrows Regional Park is a wonderful park located in Pitt Meadows which is a suburb belonging to the Greater Vancouver area. It takes about 45 minutes to an hours drive from downtown Vancouver to get to this park. Pitt Lake is one of the main attractions here and is a really pretty lake surrounded by mountains. Once you get to the parking lot you can follow a gravel trail/dike to the right which takes you for a nice stroll along the lake. On your left you will see Pitt Lake and the beautiful mountains and to your left you can see some big marsh cover with with lily pads in season. The area is great to spot Great Blue Herons, different kind of ducks and other birds.

About half way on the dike there is a lookout tower as well to your right. If you walk to the end of the dike you can make a right hand turn and follow a trail which goes all the way around the marsh and back to where the parking lot is. By the marsh there are a few other trails you can continue to follow, but be aware that some of these can be closed during nesting season for birds. In the summer time you can rent canoes at Pitt Lake, there is usually a concession stand and bathrooms. The lake is popular with boaters and canoeists, but is prone to heavy winds and rains as well as big waves (due to its great depth).

Pitt Lake itself is the second-largest lake in the Lower Mainland (Greater Vancouver area) of British Columbia, being about 53.5 square km (20.5 square mi) in area. It is about 25km (15.6mi) long and about 4.5km (2.8mi) wide at its widest, and is also one of the world's largest tidal lakes, its confluence with the Fraser being only a few miles upstream from that river's estuary into the Strait of Georgia. Its southern tip, where the Pitt River resumes, is 40km (25mi)east of downtown Vancouver.

The community of Pitt Meadows occupies the marshy lowland at the southern end of the lake, some of which has become drained and is known as the Pitt Polder. You can find lots of dikes in the area which are either grassy or covered with gravel. There is an access area to a very nice dike just a little ways before you get to Pitt Lake. Here you can walk for miles or even ride your bike. There are several benches along these dikes where you can rest and take in all this beautiful scenery.

We really love to go for a walk here now and then as you really feel like you are far far away from the city and city life. It's so quiet and serene here. Any time of the day is beautiful, but early morning and late afternoon evening provides beautiful light on the lake and mountains...especially on sunny days. It can get pretty windy here, so always take an extra sweater or so.

The inuksuk was chosen as the symbol of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver.

The traditional inukshuk is used as a point of reference, or something that points the way to a settlement, a guidepost. The translation is that "something that acts for or performs the function of a person." They are, however, not built in the shape of a person.

The figure that resembles a person is known as a inunnguaq. This symbol is becoming more common in Canada and is often being used as a national symbol.

4 more images

Whytecliff Park sits on a point just west of Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver and faces directly west over the Georgia Strait. It's easily accessible from TCH/BC 99 via Marine Drive. There is a small cove beach, meadows, picnic tables, restrooms, shaded areas and, of course, amazing views across the strait. Admission and parking are free.

A smoke friendly café. You will find a wide variety of people in this place. Snacks and drinks available. They do not sell pot but let you smoke it. They sell a large variety of pipes and other goods. You have to be 19 or older to enter.

3 more images

A local treasure for those that live close by to the park. It has an outdoor swimming pool (summer only), dog walking areas, grass areas to picnic or play on, paths for walking and ocean front views.

It has nice mix of industrial and nature with views of the North Shore mountains, Iron Workers’ Memorial Bridge, Cascadia Grain Elevators, Iron Workers’ Memorial Bridge and boats heading to and from the Port of Vancouver.

If you are in the area or visiting the PNE, it's worth spending some downtime here however Vancouver has many more parks to enjoy if you aren't in the area. You have to walk into a tunnel from the parking lot to enter which has a bunch of grafetti, it's fun looking at the artistic work of artists. Parking is available on site.

When I use to live in the area, I loved in-lining to the park, walking around and then resting in the sun before heading back home. It's quieter then most parks but can get busy on a warm summer day.

There are some wonderful, quaint islands that will be a quick 1/2 day trip from Seattle.

Check http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedules/current/ for their current schedules.

They leave about every 40 minutes from 5:30 am to past 1am.
The ferry ride itself is a joy- it's about 35 minutes.

There are some great little shops when you get to Bainbridge.
Although the island is primarily 'getaways' for locals, if you take a bike with you, it would definitely make for a nice bikeride that's an alternative to the crowded Stanley Park.

4 more images

Tucked away in a city park in suburban Burnaby is one of the hidden gems of the Vancouver area, Burnaby Village Museum. It is a collection of historic buildings gathered from throughout the area and recreated in the village. The theme is the 1920's, and they have a Main Street lined with various businesses. There's a bank, a gas station, a music shop, printing shop, candy store. Every building has been wonderfully recreated to a circa 1920 appearance. Altogether, there are about 50 buildings to explore.

If you happen to be there in December, Burnaby Village has a Heritage Christmas. All the buildings are lit and decorated, and there are carolers. There is even a play that is included in the price of admission. Well worth a visit.

One cool place to inline (and bike, and walk) is the Seymour Demonstration Forest. It's mostly flat (a couple of hills, which you can get up/down if you're in intermediate blader. It's long, too...and, well, you're in the woods. Apparently the X-Files and other productions were filmed here.

Oh ya, and you can learn about trees here too.