10 Beaches in the Lower Mainland
Albert Dyck Park Abbotsford | MAP 3: F7
A man-made lake offering a sandy beach, swimming areas and facilities for water sports like wakeboarding, making it a popular spot for families.
Ambleside Beach West Vancouver | MAP 3: B1
Features a sandy ocean beach, playground and walking trails, offering a full day of family fun.
Barnet Marine Park Burnaby | MAP 3: C3
Offers a sandy beach, picnic areas and scenic views, suitable for family gatherings.
Centennial Beach Delta | MAP 3: F2
Features warm, shallow waters, a playground and picnic areas, ideal for young children.
Crescent Beach Surrey | MAP 3: F3
A family-friendly beach with calm waters, walking trails and picnic spots.
Kitsilano Beach Vancouver | MAP 1: D1
A popular beach with a playground, volleyball courts and a nearby saltwater pool, making it ideal for family outings.
Locarno Beach Vancouver | MAP 3: C1
Known for its peaceful atmosphere, this beach provides picnic tables and is great for families looking for a quieter setting.
Cannery National Historic Site’s new feature exhibit, Fish Tales, that celebrates seafood and the ways it connects us! Come and discover—What’s Your Fish Tale? Open daily 10am–5pm, supported by the Province of British Columbia. Tel 604-664-9009. gulfofgeorgiacannery.org | MAP 3: E1
Panorama Park North Vancouver | MAP 3: B3
A small beach with calm waters, a playground and access to hiking trails, suitable for families.
Second Beach Vancouver | MAP 2: C1
Features a family-friendly pool, playground and picnic areas within scenic Stanley Park.
White Pine Beach Port Moody | MAP 3: B3
A freshwater beach with warm waters, sandy shores and picnic areas, popular with families.
Brockton Lighthouse | C4
Brockton Oval | C4
Ceperley Playground | C1
Children’s Water Park | B4
Empress of Japan | B4
Fountain | C2
HMCS Discovery | C4
Hollow Tree | A2
Horse-Drawn Tours | C4
Information Booth | C4
Lawn Bowling | C1
Lumbermen’s Arch | B3
Malkin Bowl | C3
Miniature Railway | B3
Nature House | C2
Nine O’clock Gun | C4
Painters Circle | C3
Pitch & Putt Golf | C3
Pool | B1
Rose Garden | C3
Royal Vancouver Yacht Club | C3
Siwash Rock | A2
Tennis Courts | C2
Totem Poles | C4
Vancouver Aquarium | C3
Vancouver Rowing Club | C3
Vancouver Aquarium
Vancouver Aquarium is a summer must-sea with 120 indoor and outdoor exhibits and over 65,000 incredible animals, like rescued sea lions and otters.
vanaqua.org | MAP 2: B4
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is Vancouver’s iconic urban oasis, featuring scenic seawalls, lush forests, Indigenous totem poles, beaches, and trails— offering nature, culture and recreation year-round.
vancouver.ca | MAP 2
Britannia
Mine Museum
World class museum featuring underground mine tours, BOOM! show, gold panning and interactive exhibits showcasing mining history and science. Fun for all ages! 150 Copper Dr, Britannia Beach britanniaminemuseum.ca | MAP 3: A1
Stanley Park Horse-Drawn
Tours: A Storytelling Adventure
Step aboard one of our old-fashioned horsedrawn vehicles and meander in comfort through the natural beauty of Stanley Park, Vancouver’s #1 attraction. Relax to the gentle clip clop of the horses’ hooves and take in the fresh scent of cedar and the sea as a professional guide fully narrates your 1-hour tour featuring Deadman’s Island, Vancouver’s Harbour, Girl in a Wet Suit Statue, S.S. Empress of Japan Figurehead, the Lions Gate Bridge, a coastal Red-Cedar Forest and the Rose Garden, with a stop at the famous Totem Poles. 735 Stanley Park Dr 604-681-5115 | stanleypark.com |
WildPlay
Experience 15 ziplines, over 60 aerial adventure games, a 40ft freefall jump, axe throwing and more! The ultimate outdoor adventure for families, friends, birthday parties or teams! Open February to December. Locations in Victoria, Nanaimo and Maple Ridge. Book your adventure online or call +1-855-595-2251. wildplay.com | MAP 3: C5
Extreme Air Park
Capilano Suspension
Bridge Park
Become a Rainforest Explorer!
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is a kid’s paradise, filled with amazing attractions and fun activities. Cross the wobbly suspension bridge, get a squirrel’s eye view on Treetops Adventure and go to the edge of nature on Cliffwalk. capbridge.com | MAP 3: B1
Cultus Lake Waterpark
Extreme Air Park offers wall-to-wall trampolines, trampoline basketball, dodgeball, knockerball, halfpipe, wall trampolines, a massive foam pit and rock wall climbing. Check out Planet Lazer offering serious hi-tech laser tag. extremeairpark.com | MAP 3: D2, C3, D4 19 20 21 22
BC’s biggest and best waterpark! Offering Western Canada’s largest selection of slides, including everyone’s favourite The Colossal Canyon! We’ve got something for everyone! Online tickets available. Check us out online: cultus.com | MAP 3: E9
COMPETITION ... Jul 10 − 13 | Open to public Jul 11, 2 pm
EXHIBITION ... Jul 14 − Aug 17
OPENING WEEKEND CONCERT Jul 12, featuring Chilliwack ‘Farewell to Friends Tour’ 2025 sponsored by Van-Roc Interiors
CANADIAN TIRE LEARN TO SCULPT Jul 12 & 13
TIM HORTONS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Jul 18, 19, 25, 26, Aug 1, 2, 15, 16
ART IN THE PARK ... Jul 26 & 27
MID ISLAND CO-OP BEACHFEST ROCKS MUSIC FESTIVAL ... Aug 8 − 10
QUALITY FOODS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS ... Aug 16 (dusk)
QUALITY FOODS KIDS SAND
SCULPTING COMPETITION ... Aug 17
CLOSING CONCERT... Aug 17 featuring the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy sponsored by Carol Riera PREC *, RE/MAX Anchor Realty and more !
Greater
Vancouver Zoo
Visitors can take in the sights and sounds of over 140 native and exotic animal species on 120 acres of landscapes in the beautiful Fraser Valley! We offer a wide variety of fun and educational interpretive talks and animal feedings that you can enjoy during our peak season (April through September). Large picnic facilities and playground. Located in Aldergrove, Exit 73 off Highway 1.
STEP INTO THE WILD!
gvzoo.com | MAP 3: E6
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre
The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, located in Vancouver’s Vanier Park, is a premier space science attraction featuring immersive planetarium shows, interactive exhibits and live demonstrations that inspire curiosity about the universe.
spacecentre.ca | MAP 1: D2
Railway Museum of BC
Forged Axe Throwing
Our action-packed sessions have you nailing those bullseyes in no time! Our axe throwing sessions for ages 10+ and family-friendly competition will have the high fives flying! Book online.
forgedaxe.ca | MAP 4: C1
History is alive at the Railway Museum! Here at the museum, you can see, hear, touch and experience the actual trains, locomotives and equipment that are part of British Columbia’s railway history and heritage. This is railway equipment that helped build BC and Canada. 39645 Government Rd, Squamish
wcra.org | MAP 3: A1
Vancouver Maritime Museum
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is a great place for families to explore and learn about the sea and the ships that sailed it. The new children’s gallery is full of hands-on fun. Open Tues–Sun, 10–5. 1905 Ogden Ave, 604-257-8300.
vanmaritime.com | MAP 1: D2
Experience year-round thrills at the PNE—home of Playland, the iconic PNE Fair and October’s spine-tingling Fright Nights. Unforgettable memories await!
pne.ca | MAP 3: C2
Science World
Science World, located in Vancouver’s iconic geodesic dome, is a non-profit science centre that engages visitors of all ages with interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and immersive experiences in science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). Since opening in 1989, it has been a cornerstone for science education and exploration in British Columbia.
Cultus Lake Adventure Park
BC’s best theme park is open daily starting June 25th. Offering 19 rides and attractions, we’ve got something for everyone! Online tickets available. Check us out online: cultus.com | MAP 3: E9
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain offers year-round family adventures: ride the Skyride gondola, explore the Kids Tree Canopy Adventure, meet resident grizzly bears and enjoy seasonal shows and activities. grousemountain.com | MAP 3: A2
VanDusen Botanical Garden
VanDusen Botanical Garden offers families a peaceful escape with themed gardens, kid-friendly trails, a hedge maze and seasonal events perfect for nature exploration and outdoor fun. vandusengarden.org | MAP 3: C1
Granville Island
Granville Island is a vibrant cultural district in Vancouver, known for its bustling public market, artisan shops, theatres, galleries and waterfront dining—perfect for locals and tourists alike. granvilleisland.com | MAP 1: E4
Horses have been featured in Stanley Park for well over a century.
At first, the miners and loggers used them for hauling and clearing trails. In fact, some of the park’s existing trails were cleared by logging companies. (Oxen were used, too). Not long after the park was dedicated in 1889, a gentler use for horses began.
A century later, the clip-clop of horses still echoes in the park. Some of these gentle giants stand 2.4 m tall, have feet the size of frying pans, and consume 27 kg of food and 100 L of water a day.
Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours has been transporting people around the park in these colourful trams since the early 1980s. The trams today are designed with the comfort of the horses in mind, using a freestanding tongue and aluminum frame. They have some features the old Tally-Ho drivers would find astonishing, including signal lights and hydraulic brakes.
But one thing hasn’t changes, these are still ‘organically powered’ vehicles, running on hay and oats: a fun, environmentally friendly way to see the jewel of Vancouver.
