Explore Vancouver

Start your stay by checking into Canada’s first Aborigial Arts Hotel. Provides 1st class services
and a platform to showcase local Indigenous art and culture. Owned and operated by
Vancouver Native Housing Society, Skwachàys Skwachys Lodge is a non-profit registered
charity governed by an all-Indigenous Board of Directors. Skwachys Lodge is an innovative
alternative to government funding for social housing.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a registered museum and one of Vancouver’s top tourist attractions. As a unique venue for cultural programming and events, including guided tours, concerts, festivals, exhibitions, receptions, and educational programs; there is always something happening to enhance your visit.

Each plant, each tree has its own special story. Explore Vancouver’s iconic Stanley Park, Beaver Lake, with a local Indigenous guide – cultural ambassador who will highlight how the local trees and plants of the Pacific Northwest have been harvested by indigenous peoples for food, medicine and technology for thousands of years. Talaysay guides are members of local Indigenous communities and the surrounding region. They will share their ecological practices, ancient and contemporary history, stories, legends and Indigenous ways of living with you.

Or tour Stanley Park on your own: Bike the seawall (8.8km), pick your route with over 27km of forest trails, try pitch & putt, check out the aquarium, stroll the beaches, or enjoy the green spaces.

talaysay.com

After touring Stanley Park head back inside to experience the colors and scents of the tropics year-round! Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise located in Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. More than 100 exotic birds, koi, and 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within its temperature-controlled environment.

Just a short 16 minute stroll from Bloedel Conservatory, head next to VanDusen Botanical Garden. A 55-acre oasis in the heart of Vancouver with over 7,500 plant species and varieties from around the world! This stunning botanical garden is the perfect spot to unwind in a serene setting nestled in the heart of the city with picturesque lakes, a tranquil waterfall, inspiring architecture, beautiful sculptures, and 70 botanical collections. Spot and photograph local wildlife, find your way through an Elizabethan hedge maze, dine on the patios of the Garden Cafe or Shaughnessy Restaurant, or browse the garden-themed gift shop. VanDusen has something for everyone to enjoy!

After a soul nourishing morning of nature bathing and exploring, it’s time to nourish your body at Salmon n’ Bannock. Vancouver’s only Indigenous owned and operated restaurant. On top of their amazing meals they also prioritize Indigneous suppliers and choose local ingredients first; organic and free-range meats, wild seafood caught off the coast of BC.

Once you’ve finished your lunch, take a respite from the bustle of the city by exploring the world of wild collected plants at Canada’s oldest university botanical Garden. At UBC Botanical Garden you can witness internationally recognized collections of magnolias and maples. Stroll through an impressive Asian garden with over 400 kinds of rhododendrons, travel the continents in an alpine garden, explore a native rainforest garden, head back in time in a traditional physic garden overflowing with herbs, discover food growing techniques in the food garden and much more. No visit is complete without a visit to its well stocked Shop in the Garden Centre.

From there, a 20 minute walk will lead you to the traditional Japanese stroll garden and authentic tea house of Nitobe Memorial Garden at UBC. It’s considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan. A visit to Nitobe Memorial Garden is a window into Japanese culture and brings to light an important aspect of Japanese-Canadian history. The garden is beautiful in all weather and highlights the passing of the seasons: cherry blossoms shower the garden in spring, irises bloom in summer, maple leaves glow red and yellow in fall. Trees—both native and Japanese—are pruned in the Japanese tradition to frame the garden in winter. No matter what time of year, carpets of moss, bridges that span a koi pond and iris bed, and stone paths that cross waterfalls, create a peaceful atmosphere that invites the visitor to reflect on both the beauty of nature and its place in their lives

5 minutes from Nitobe Memorial Garden head back inside at the UBC Museum of Anthropology to learn about BC’s Indigenous peoples and cultures who’ve lived in these coastal rainforests for millennia. Home to more than 535,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects from around the world, 7100 of which are from BCs First Nations. The UBC Museum of Anthropology or “MOA” is committed to promoting awareness and understanding of culturally diverse ways of knowing the world through challenging and innovative programs and partnerships with Indigenous, local and global communities.

Step back outside and finish your day on Campus at the UBC Rose Garden. Come prepared with provisions to enjoy a beautiful sunset picnic with views of the ocean and mountains. Truly a picturesque Vancouver location. And don’t forget to smell the roses! Between June and September take in the sights and smells of over a dozen varieties of roses in their abundant garden.

A 16 minute drive south to Burnaby will take you to Century Gardens at Deer Lake Park. Next to the Burnaby Art Gallery, the Century Gardens include a mock Tudor building and mixed Victorian style garden. With a mix of outdoor and indoor spaces this garden is perfect for strolling even on imperfect days.

Located in an old railway station overlooking the Burrard Inlet, Port Moody Station Museum is owned and operated by the Port Moody Heritage Society. The museum features a quaint Meditation Garden and the CP Railway Garden, a picturesque oasis of garden beds snuggled amongst the railway tracks.

After checking out the Port Moody Station Museum, we recommend wandering over to Rocky Point Park, Port Moody’s best-known park. It’s a popular destination for good reason, situated right on the Burrard Inlet you can enjoy the pier, playground or even hike along the Shorline Trail. Rocky Point Park is an excellent spot for a picnic on a sunny day.

Next make your way to New Westminster to enjoy tranquility at it’s best in Tipperary Park at the Friendship Gardens. The gardens feature ponds with mini falls, stepping stones, paths and beautiful trees and native plants. Tranquility and beauty surround you as you stroll through the park that has become well known by local wedding photographers.

Crossing the Fraser River, a short 20 minute drive away with the backdrop of the city behind you, you will reach the rural haven of LuLu Island Winery. Here you can explore the 15 acres of lush vineyards, taste their expertly crafted reds, whites, ice wines and fruit wines. And if you book in advance you can have a tour of the winery itself. If attending in the summer be sure to look into their Summer Picnic Series.

Finish your day with a visit to Paulik Neighborhood Park right in the heart of Richmond BC. Here you will find a 6 acre park in the City Centre area which features a 1.5 acre garden. A skilled group of volunteer gardeners from the Richmond Garden Club tend to this beautiful garden. While the garden is ever changing through the seasons, it is in its glory in the spring when the many rhododendrons and flowering plants are in full bloom. The park also includes a mature woodlot and community garden to explore.