Inside Vancouver

5 Places to Get a Quick Nature Fix in Vancouver

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on October 31, 2019

Photo: Destination BC/Jordan Manley

By now you’ve probably seen countless news stories about how exposure to nature is good for us. It makes us happier, reduces stress and boosts creativity. According to scientists, just listening to birdsong and running water or smelling trees can help us chill out.

In Vancouver, you don’t even have to leave the city limits to spend some time in the woods. Here are five Vancouver parks with a wilderness feel, perfect for a quick nature fix in the city.

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5 Places to Get a Quick Nature Fix in Vancouver

Two Phenomenal Ways to Tour Vancouver’s Stanley Park This Fall

by Tara Lee in Food & Drink, Outside on October 2, 2019

Flickr: Anthony Maw

The world-renowned Stanley Park, the city’s urban forest escape, is particularly lovely at this time of year with the changing leaves and crisp autumn air.

While strolling and biking on the seawall are always lovely options, if you’d rather sit back and relax while you take in the scenery and views, there are two excellent alternatives available:

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Two Phenomenal Ways to Tour Vancouver’s Stanley Park This Fall

6 Places to Try Trail Running in Vancouver

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on July 18, 2019

A runner at the Run Ridge Run trail running race at Buntzen Lake. Photo via Coast Mountain Trail Series/Brian McCurdy Photography

Vancouverites are pretty active, and we live in a city surrounded by nature. So it shouldn’t be surprising that many combine the two by trail running. If you’ve never tried it, trail running can seem a little intimidating. Unlike smooth sidewalks, uneven trails have lots of obstacles. And in Vancouver’s mountains, the trails are often really hilly! However, your first ever trail run doesn’t have to be straight up a mountain. Here are six mellow places to try trail running in Vancouver.

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6 Places to Try Trail Running in Vancouver

10 Places Near Vancouver to Picnic in Nature

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on July 11, 2019

A group having a picnic at Third Beach in Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC

Sunset picnic at Third Beach in Stanley Park. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Hubert Kang

On hot summer days, there’s nothing better than a picnic. In a city like Vancouver surrounded by mountains and ocean, you can go beyond neighbourhood parks and enjoy your picnic in nature. So pack your blankets and picnic baskets, then head out to one of these 10 great picnic destinations near Vancouver.

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10 Places Near Vancouver to Picnic in Nature

Where to See Big Trees in Vancouver

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on June 27, 2019

Looking up into a stand of huge trees on Vancouver's North Shore.

Huge trees on Vancouver’s North Shore. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Vancouver is a pretty green city, both environmentally and literally. We have a LOT of trees. Our mild and wet climate means that Vancouver sits in the middle of the world’s largest temperate rainforest, a zone that stretches from Alaska to Northern California. Logging has removed most of Vancouver’s ancient old growth trees, but there are still lots of towering giants to be found in the area. Here are eight places to see big trees in Vancouver.

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Where to See Big Trees in Vancouver

Vancouver Neighbourhoods: Robson Street

by Inside Vancouver in Town on June 25, 2019

Ready to stroll down Robson Street? (Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic)

Robson Street is Vancouver’s most popular shopping thoroughfare, bookended by major attractions BC Place Stadium and Stanley Park. One of Vancouver’s oldest commercial streets, it was once known as Robsonstrasse due to the high concentration of German shops that opened there after WWII. Today, Robson Street’s many visitors share the ‘hood with locals hurrying to work, sports fans surging towards the stadium, and international students grabbing a bite between classes.

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Vancouver Neighbourhoods: Robson Street

Easy Bike Rides Around Vancouver

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on May 30, 2019

A group of cyclists on the seawall in Vancouver's Stanley Park.

Cycling on the Seawall in Stanley Park. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Coast Mountain Photography

One of the best ways to see Vancouver is from the seat of a bike. Vancouver is a very bike-friendly city with kilometers of dedicated cycling paths and lanes. As a long-time Vancouver resident and cyclist, here are some of my favourite local bike routes. You can ride beside the ocean, through the forest or explore one of Vancouver’s unique neighbourhoods.

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Easy Bike Rides Around Vancouver