Stanley Park: Tours and Guided Visits

The beautiful Stanley Park is Canada’s largest public park and along with the Seawall, probably Vancouver’s best-known tourist attraction.

On these marvelous tours of Stanley Park you can admire the great natural scenery and colorful First Nations totem poles at Brockton Point. Also appreciate the lovely views from the historic Prospect Point lookout, and discover the history of Stanley Park and the area’s original First Nations people.

Here's all you need to know about Stanley Park, one of the most exhilarating sightseeing tours in Vancouver.

Where is Stanley Park located?

Stanley Park is located in downtown Vancouver and you can access the park from its main entrance at the west end of Georgia Street. You can reach the park by car and public transportation.

Downtown Vancouver to Stanley Park is 2.8 kilometers and the drive takes about 4 minutes. For a taxi ride, expect to pay about US$7–9. You can also take the TransLink #19 bus to Stanley Park, with stops at Stanley Park Drive and Pipeline Road near Lost Lagoon. Finally, the nearest SkyTrain station to Stanley Park is the Waterfront Station.

What are the best things to see in Stanley Park?

Totem Poles

The nine First Nations totem poles at Brockton Point are the province of British Columbia's most visited tourist attraction. The collection of totem poles was begun at Lumberman's Arch in the 1920s, when the Park Board bought four totems from Alert Bay on Vancouver Island.

Over time, more totems were purchased from Queen Charlotte Islands and the Central Coast Rivers Inlet for the 1936 Golden Jubilee celebrations. The totem poles were moved to the accessible and spectacular Brockton Point in the mid-1960s.

The remaining totem poles were sent to different museums for conservation in the late 1980s, and replacement totems were commissioned and loaned. The most recent totem pole (9th), created by Robert Yelton of the Squamish Nation, was erected at Brockton Point in 2009.

Prospect Point

Stanley Park was opened by Vancouver Mayor David Oppenheimer in 1888 and Observation Point (summer house) erected at Prospect Point the following year. In 1923, the Signal Station was erected at Prospect Point, the highest point in the park.

It overlooks the entrance to Burrard Inlet and helped alert and inform ships passing into the inlet about tidal conditions or potential hazards. The station was closed in 1939 following the completion of Lions Gate Bridge. Construction of the bridge was financed by brewing tycoon Sir Arthur Guinness through a syndicate called British Pacific Properties Ltd.

It established a direct link between Vancouver and the North Shore and opened up the suburbs of West Vancouver. The popular Prospect Point Tea Room opened in the 1950s. By 2017, it had been renovated to include a bar and grill, café, ice-cream kiosk and gift store.

The Lost Lagoon

Entering Stanley Park from Georgia Street, you will see Lost Lagoon to the west of the causeway. Before industrialization, the water of the incoming high tide from Coal Harbour would flow onto the flat and fill up the lagoon almost to English Bay.

With low tide, the seawater would draw away. With the construction of the Stanley Park causeway in the 1920s, the lagoon was left as a freshwater basin. The name of the Lost Lagoon is derived from a poem by Pauline Johnson, published in “Legends of Vancouver” (1911).

Johnson used to paddle on the lagoon in her canoe and named the sheltered little cove “Lost Lagoon”. A walk around Lost Lagoon is 1.8 kilometers and will take you about 30 minutes.

What are the best tours to visit Stanley Park?

Stanley Park bike tour

Enjoy a relaxing guided bicycle ride through the 405-hectare Stanley Park, Vancouver’s “Green Heart”. Cycle by Third Beach, admire the iconic First Nations totem poles at Brockton Point, and marvel at mountain views and local wildlife. Learn about Vancouver’s fascinating history as a logging center and the Pacific Northwest First Nations’ heritage.

Meet your guide on Hornby Street, where you'll be fitted for the ride. After a safety briefing, you’ll get going on a nature ride through Stanley Park. Look out for the herons, bald eagles and river otters, and view Beaver Lake and Stanley Park’s famous 700-year-old cedar tree. You will pass by the Vancouver Art Gallery and stop at the small historic Brockton Point Lighthouse to take in the lovely views from there.

Your tour continues along the Vancouver Seawall through Coal Harbour and through the dense forest to Third Beach, a secluded retreat on Ferguson Point. You can enjoy some tranquil time here on the beach before the group heads back to town.

Vancouver City highlights tour plus Granville Island and Stanley Park

On this half-day tour of Vancouver's highlights, you will visit popular places such as Gastown, Chinatown, Granville Island and beautiful Stanley Park. You will see colorful First Nations totem poles, browse through food stalls and craft shops and admire magnificent views from Prospect Point. During the tour you will hear fascinating tales about the city’s history, architecture and Vancouver area’s First Nations peoples.

Your sightseeing tour begins with pickup at your Vancouver hotel (or cruise ship terminal). Travel in a comfortable coach for a guided tour through the city, starting in Gastown, Vancouver's historic downtown core.  Go down cobbled streets, then pass through Chinatown, Canada's largest. Continue to Granville Island Public Market, a farmers' market with day vendors and artists selling local Vancouver products.

Following a short drive through beautiful Stanley Park, past ancient cedar trees, you will stop at Brockton Point. Here you can admire the totem poles and hear about the history of the park and the First Nations people who used to inhabit this land.

The next tour highlight is the Prospect Point lookout, an area that played a big part in shaping Vancouver. Share the story of the SS Beaver, enjoy some ice cream and watch the shipping traffic passing under Lions Gate Bridge. At the end of your tour, you will be returned to your hotel in the city.

Walking tour along Stanley Park's seawall

Stanley Park is Vancouver’s first and Canada’s largest public park and also one of the city’s top attractions. Discover the park’s great scenery, historic landmarks and wildlife on this special and flexible self-guided smartphone walking tour. When you book, download the app and depart on the tour at a time suiting you best.

You will learn all about the park’s history, landmarks and highlights from your app and it will bring the story of Stanley Park to life. Just download the "On This Spot" app for free to access this tour (and over 60 other tours globally).

Your meeting point for the tour is at West Georgia Street near the Devonian Harbor Park, from where you’ll walk the perimeter of Stanley Park on the Vancouver Seawall. Stop by the Prospect Point Lighthouse, established in 1948. Also stop by the Nine O’Clock Gun, brought to Stanley Park by the Department of Marine and Fisheries in 1894.

Read the plaque’s inscription to learn why the gun fires every day at 9 PM. Your tour concludes with the Lions Gate Bridge, where you will stop and learn about the history of the bridge. Watch the ships pass under the bridge, take photos and admire the lovely scenery.

What are the prices of Stanley Park tours?

Stanley Park bike tours cost US$70 per person and includes a professional guide, the use of a bike, helmet and lock. You also have the option of an E-Bike upgrade for an extra US$25 plus tax.

The 3-hour Vancouver City highlights tours plus Granville Island and Stanley Park are priced at US$60 per person and includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide and local taxes.

The self-guided walking tours along Stanley Park's seawall cost about US$10 per group up to 5.

Where do Stanley Park tours start?

Tours of Stanley Park start from various locations in downtown Vancouver, such as West Georgia Street near the Devonian Harbor Park, Beatty Street near the Georgian Court Hotel and Hornby Street near the Metropolitan Hotel.

When is the best time to visit Stanley Park?

The best time to visit Vancouver is around July and August, when the weather is at its finest. To avoid the influx of visitors, it’s best to go there early in the morning or the late afternoon.

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your tour of Stanley Park in advance.
• For tours in winter, spring and fall, wear layers for unpredictable weather.
• For tours in summer, wear shorts, T-shirts and closed-toe shoes.
• Bring sunscreen and sunglasses.