As the weather heats up and the days get longer and drier, Vancouver comes to life. Residents pour out into the city’s parks, gardens, and nature areas for fresh air and sunshine—before the flood of visiting summer crowds. Here are just a few ways to make the most of a spring trip to Vancouver.
- Catch the fleeting cherry blossoms in bloom at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown.
- Take advantage of the spring sunshine by walking, biking, or inline skating along the seawall at Stanley Park.
- Search for whales in the waters around the Gulf and San Juan islands on a whale-watching cruise.
- See rhododendrons, magnolias, and other spring blooms at the VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
- View grizzly bears, newly emerged from their winter hibernation, at Grouse Mountain Wildlife Refuge.
- Take the ferry to Vancouver Island to explore The Butchart Gardens, a former limestone quarry transformed into a 55-acre planned garden.
- View the snow-covered mountains before the melt on a North Shore day trip.
- Squeeze in some late-season snowshoeing, or embark on an early-season hike at nearby Squamish’s Sea to Sky Gondola.
- Sample sweet and delicate British Columbia spot prawns and other seasonal spring produce during a food tour.
