Stanley Park

Vancouver - British Columbia - CANADA

Getting around Stanley Park

This page is an overview of the park road system and provides options for moving about the park.
Four methods of exploring the park are available. Each has to be considered in light of time available, itinerary and extent of personal mobility and enthusiasm.

By automobile

Going around the park by car is the method of choice if it is necessary to see the most with little time available, if mobility is restricted and if picnic equipment and supplies need to be carried around. All important aspects of the park are accessible by car and lots of parking is to be had. There is no free parking in the park during the day and overnight stays in campers or other vehicles are not allowed. The rates for parking are $1/hr and can be purchased from ticket dispensers in multiples. Please keep in mind that on holidays and sunny weekends it does get quite crowded. As anywhere else make sure valuables of any kind are not left visible in your car while it is parked, best of all take them with you.
The Stanley Park Causeway is not a method of getting about the park even though it does go through the park. It is a connector that allows traffic from downtown to access the Lions Gate Bridge and cross to the North Shore and vice versa.
The main drive basically follows the circumference of the park and is one way for most of its length going in the direction from Coal Harbour counterclockwise to English Bay. The two exceptions are Pipeline Road from the Beaver Lake access to the Georgia Street entrance and a stretch of the main drive from Second Beach to the Beach Street entrance. All other cutoffs or shortcuts maintain the counterclockwise direction. Each attraction or activity area has its own parking which is supplemented by designated roadside parking.
The following is a rudimentary map indicating the general flow of traffic. It does not show the various entrances and exits to parking lots. Many guides are available free of charge at most hotels and information kiosks that indicate all possible details required to make navigating the park safe and enjoyable.

By bicycle

Cyclists have access to paths that parallel the roadways and at certain points they share the Seawall with pedestrians. At designated congestion areas signs are posted requiring that bikes be walked for short distances. Designated trails are also allocated to bicycle traffic. The counterclockwise direction of travel also applies to bicycles. Lots of signage, some including maps, is posted to make it easy to follow directions. Pedestrians have the right of way.

By tour operator

Several tours are available that provide visitors with varying degrees of flexibility and cost. One of the best known are the horse and carriage rides which have become a feature of the park itself. These narrated one-hour tours are a relaxing way to enjoy some of the most popular stops in Stanley Park. Double decker and trolley bus operators also have routes in the park as well as a number of city tour operations. Some offer the option of disembarking at designated areas and resuming the tour later. The city transportation system also offers a shuttle during the summer months that covers the main park areas. See the links/info page for phone numbers and websites.

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For information on itinerairies and cost of sightseeing, including hop on hop off options to suit your priorities we invite you to visit our friends at "Big Bus".

Just click on the bus.

BIG BUS SIGHTSEEING Box 18, Unit 18 - 2350 Beta Avenue Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5C 5M8 Tel:604-2990-700 Fax:1-866-820-8621 Toll Free 1-877-299-0721 www.bigbus.ca

Other Tour Operators

Stanley Park Horse Drawn Tours Leisurely guided tours of park attractions	Early Motion Personalized guided tours around the city in a classic vintage car

Gray Line West 255 East 1st Ave Vancouver, BC, V5T 1A7 Tel:604-879-3363 Fax: 604-879-1105 Toll Free: 1-800-667-0882 www.graylinewest.com -

Vancouver Trolley Company 875 Terminal Avenue Vancouver, BC V6A 2M9 1-888-451-5581 www.vancouvertrolley.com

City bus service - Line 19 to/from downtown along Pender/Georgia Streets uses Georgia St. entrance to park loop at terminal just past the Rose Gardens behind the Stanley Park Pavilion more city transit information @ www.translink.bc.ca -

By foot(walking, hiking)

Wherever possible the best experience of the park is on foot. All areas are accessible, there are no parking considerations and it is FREE. A leisurely walk around the seawall takes approximately 2 hours (10km). The whole park, including stops for meals, picnics and/or stepping into the water at the beaches, can be experienced in a day without being rushed. Several city bus lines have stops or terminals close to park entrances. Washroom facilities are available at many point throughout the park. Maps are posted to indicate the locations. During the summer months concession stands (snack bars) are open throughout the park. Some are also open on most weekends.

Park signage

Lots of signage can be found throughout the park for directions and information.

Personal safety

The park is patrolled by a number groups. The City of Vancouver police department has its mounted division headquartered in the park. This augments the car patrols. The parking lots and bicycle paths are patrolled by volunteer groups that inform and educate the public about park regulations and also provide general information. SOME PATHS ARE CLOSE TO CLIFFS, BE CAREFUL, DO NOT CROSS FENCES IN THESE AREAS. All the normal considerations for your safety apply here as anywhere else. Be aware of your surroundings.