Photo: WestVancouver.ca
West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park is a nature oasis close to the city. With a forested interior, rocky shoreline, and lots of viewpoints, there is beauty around every corner. To help you plan your trip, here are our picks for the best things to do at Lighthouse Park.
Until further notice, in line with the public health order, non-essential travel into, within, and out of BC is not recommended. BC residents, let’s do our part by continuing to stay small and support local with your immediate household, in accordance with the latest guidelines.
How to Get to Lighthouse Park
By car or bike: Lighthouse Park is located in West Vancouver. To get there, head over the Lions Gate Bridge, then go west on Marine Drive for about 10km. Watch for a hanging wooden sign on the left for Lighthouse Park, then turn left into Beacon Lane. Follow Beacon Lane into the parking lot where there is a bike rack.
By bus: Catch the 250 bus outside The Bay on Georgia Street in Downtown Vancouver. Get off at the Beacon Lane and Marine Drive stop, then walk down Beacon Lane into Lighthouse Park.
Tips for Visiting
- The park can be busy on sunny weekends. Go early or take transit or your bike as there is limited parking.
- Use the park map to find your way around.
- Dogs are allowed off-leash as long as they stay on trails.
- Fires, barbecues, and smoking are not allowed.
- There are toilets near the parking lot, near the lighthouse, and partway along the main path to the lighthouse.
- Be safe if you’re going on a hike. AdventureSmart recommends bringing a backpack with essential safety and first aid gear on every hike. Check the forecast and pack extra clothing for the weather. Leave a trip plan so someone knows where you are going and when you will be back. Hiking is a little different during the pandemic. Read our tips for getting outdoors during COVID-19.
Walk to the Lighthouse Viewpoint
Point Atkinson Lighthouse dates back to 1912 and is the centerpiece of the park. It is still an operating lighthouse, so it isn’t open to the public. But it’s an easy walk along the wide Beacon Lane Trail to the Lighthouse Viewpoint.
Lighthouse Viewpoint. Photo: Yann Allegre on Unsplash
Watch for Birds and Wildlife
Lighthouse Park and the surrounding waters are home to many species of animals. Watch for squirrels bounding along logs or woodpeckers hammering in the treetops. It’s common to see eagles soaring overhead, and in some years, a pair nests in the park. Head out to the ocean viewpoints to look for curious harbour seals and many species of sea birds including cormorants, oystercatchers, surf scoters, and grebes.
Enjoy the Viewpoints
The park trails snake through the forest to several spectacular viewpoints. Head to East Beach, Arbutus Knoll, or Eagle Point for the best views of downtown Vancouver. West Beach has a great view of the lighthouse. And Juniper Point and Shorepine Point face Bowen Island.
Rocky shoreline viewpoint near West Beach. Photo: James Wheeler on Unsplash
Have a Picnic
Lighthouse Park is one of our favourite places to picnic near Vancouver. There’s a picnic area with tables near the Lighthouse Viewpoint. Or bring a blanket and your lunch out to one of the spectacular ocean viewpoints.
Hike the Trails
While it is close to the city, the trails of Lighthouse Park can feel like the wilderness. Take a short hike to one of the viewpoints, or use our Lighthouse Park trail guide to make an easy 6 km loop around the park.
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