Top Rated Parks to Visit in Richmond

"At the top of any list of parks in Vancouver is the city's world-renowned Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver. It's a natural rainforest that touches the ocean right in the midst of the city. There are so many free things to do in Stanley Park: biking or walking the seawall, nature walks on the park's miles of forest trails, exploring the Stanley Park gardens, or visiting the totem poles."

"The most iconic of Vancouver’s parks, Stanley Park has no shortage of stunning spots to bring your friends or enjoy in solitude — with hidden gems along the Seawall just waiting to be found and enjoyed. So pack up your picnic and grab your besties, because if you’re currently in Vancouver, there’s no better time than now to head out into the park."

"North of Vancouver's CBD is Stanley Park, a vast area of green that's almost an island. As well as fun outdoor activities and beautiful scenery, the park offers an opportunity to understand the First Nations people, the original inhabitants of Vancouver."

"The Queen Elizabeth Park is a small park known for its extravagant flora that can be viewed year-round. Its 130 acres holds mountains along the north shore and a glimpse at the city’s skyline. The park also hold the Bloedel Conservatory, which houses plants from all over the world, and an arboretum, where visitors can watch breath-taking cherry blossoms bloom in the spring."

"This 53ha (130-acre) park in suburban Vancouver offers fabulous views of the city and its surrounding mountains. It’s perfect to visit in every season, thanks to the ever-changing vista. People can wander the grounds outside, or head inside to Bloedel Conservatory and its indoor tropical garden."

"Queen Elizabeth Park and Gardens: A gorgeous place for a leisurely stroll, particularly during springtime. Cherry blossom hunting: Come to Vancouver in the springtime to catch beautiful blooms all over the city. There’s even a handy map."

"Get down on one knee surrounded by the beautiful blossoming flowers in the VanDusen Botanical Garden. This is the perfect option for a nature lover as the garden covers an impressive 55 acres of land and is outfitted with flowers from all over the world. If you’d prefer an indoor venue, the Bloedel Conservatory (4600 Cambie Street) is just a hop, skip and a jump away and is equally gorgeous."

"VanDusen Botanical Garden is close to Queen Elizabeth Park in suburban Vancouver. Although it doesn’t offer views of the park, VanDusen is a large garden filled with various plants and flowers that transforms into a light-filled wonderland during the holidays. These recommendations were updated on June 10, 2020 to keep your travel plans fresh."

"This highly popular green-thumbed oasis is a 22-hectare, 255,000-plant idyll that offers a strollable web of pathways weaving through specialized garden areas: the Rhododendron Walk blazes with color in spring,... Top ChoiceMuseum in Gastown & Chinatown"

"Cresting the hill in Queen Elizabeth Park, this balmy, triodetic-domed conservatory is an ideal rainy-day warm-up spot, as well as Vancouver's best-value attraction. For little more than the price of a latte, you'll find tropical trees and plants bristling with hundreds of free-flying, bright-plumaged birds. Look for the resident parrots but also keep your eyes peeled for rainbow-hued Gouldian finches, shimmering African superb starlings and maybe even a sparkling Lady Amherst pheasant, snaking through the undergrowth. The attendants might even let you feed the smaller birds from a bowl."

"Perched atop the city’s highest point are the lovely lush gardens and aviary of the Bloedel Conservatory. Located within Queen Elizabeth Park, its huge historic dome is a treat to explore with beautiful exotic plants, trees, and birds. Looking out over the city and its surroundings, the colossal conservatory was founded in 1969 and now contains three separate climatic zones and habitats."

"This natural park of dense forest, set along the water in the University of British Columbia Endowment Lands, is a wonderful opportunity to connect to nature. Pacific Spirit Regional Park has approximately 50 miles of forested trails that allow for walking, running, hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. Pacific Spirit Regional Park hugs the coastline for four miles along which the infamous Wreck Beach is found."

"Located in the western part of Vancouver, the Pacific Spirit Regional Park separates the city from the University of British Columbia. The park is full of various trails, perfect for spending the mornings running or cycling through the forest or having afternoon picnics on the beaches. Pacific Spirit Regional Park, 5495 Chancellor Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1E4, Canada"

"This 750-hectare haven, the only GVRD park in city limits, is well-known to many and is a wonderful alternative to the trails of Stanley Park. It only takes a few steps in to feel far away from urban existence. The forested trails pass through land blanketed by ferns and shaded by towering cedars."

"Surrounded by skyscrapers, this single-block park in Yaletown is an urban oasis for children and adults alike. The newer playground gives kids plenty to climb, spin and swing on while benches everywhere give weary downtown walkers a spot to rest their feet and chat up a local. Nearby Nelson Park has that laid back community feeling (and more dogs) but this park always feels like something’s happening, even if it’s just taking in the small waterfall and letting the sound drown out construction."

"Robson Square is one of the landmark public plazas and civic centres in Vancouver. Home to Vancouver’s provincial court, Robson Square is also the location of the only outdoor ice-skating rink in downtown Vancouver!. Covered by a steel and glass dome, the ice rink becomes a skating rink in the winter season."

"The easiest place to access the Lower Seymour Conservation Area in a place that’s perfect for portraits is near the Rice Lake parking lot. You can usually find a spot in the parking lot. Lower Seymour is for you if… you live on the North Shore and want a forest session."

"Jericho Beach is one of the more active of Vancouver beaches, but if you are up for some fun activities then it is a great spot to visit. With the Jericho sailing centre right there, this beach is the perfect place for sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing. If you’d rather stay on dry land, there are long stretches of sandy beaches to sit, relax, and build sand castles on!"

"Located west of Kitsilano, Jericho Beach is well liked by swimmers and sailors. The beach’s east side caters to beachgoers, while its west side is for sailboats and windsurfers. Besides swimming, picnicking and enjoying the Vancouver views, there are a lot of fun recreational activities to enjoy at Jericho Beach, including soccer, volleyball, tennis and baseball."

"An activity-lover's idyll, Jericho is great if you just want to putter along the beach, clamber over driftwood and catch stunning views of downtown. It's popular with locals on summer evenings, so expect..."

"Whether you are an early bird or a late riser, join OEB for brunch from 7 am to 3 pm. They have a large outdoor patio to serve dishes like classic breakfast, eggs benedict, avocado toast, and more!. Address: 1137 Marinaside Crescent, VancouverPhone: 604- 423-3447"

"Our chef-driven concept is led with soul, where the emphasis lies on the people that produce, create, serve and consume our fresh, iconic cuisine."

"Grouse Mountain is about 15-minutes after crossing Lions Gate Bridge. Head to the top of Grouse Mountain by cable car and you’ll be transformed into a snowy world of outdoor skating, snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding. In summer, you’ll still find lots of snow, but it’s truly a hiker’s dream with a heap of trails, the Grouse Grind, and mountaintop trails of varying intensity that’ll suit most hikers."

"There are multiple ways to get amazing views of Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. The Lions Gate Bridge frames the mountain peaks of The Lions in the distance and you’ll find stone lions “protecting” the entrance to the bridge. The Lions Gate Bridge can be viewed from the Sea Wall or from Prospect Point"

"Photo: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/2016/07/09/ history-of-metro-vancouver-city-hall-1936/. Since I live in Fairview, every time that I have to take the skytrain, I have to pass right in front of this marvelous Art Deco building that serves as city hall; its massive white structure is visible from all over Vancouver and it is still used today as the city’s council home. Located on 12th Avenue, the building was ordered by the Vancouver Civic Building Committee and designed by architect Fred Townley."