Beautiful beach to take in the sunset - very picturesque with sailboats and kayaks in the bay and…read moremountains across the way. Plenty of logs and benches to sit on. I think almost anywhere downtown you walk back from here requires a steep uphill - we ended up doing the steps near the bridge and got most of it over in 3.5 flights.

Looks like they're starting to chop up the barge that got stuck here a few months ago. Take a look…read morebefore it's gone forever. Seriously it's worth checking out. This thing is huge.

A lovely, tranquil park. It was designated as a federal park, and a $1.00/year lease was drawn up…read more It expired in the late 1990's, but has been renewed into perpetuity. Nice trails that lead to an aquarium and a collection of totem poles ( it was too far for me to walk to the totem poles.) There are many giant red cedar trees, plus some quite large chestnut trees. This was stop 5 on the Hop on Hop off bus ride.

If you're en route to Vancouver, you seriously can't miss Stanley Park…read more We rented bikes (there are a ton of bike shops around) and did the loop. It's a 5.6-mile paved loop that takes you along the seawall. The estimate is around 1-2 hours, but we made a ton of stops along the way. This park is HUGE and there's so much to see. It was the most beautiful way to unplug and sightsee.

at english bay in the west end, the shoreline opens up into a wide, easy curve where the city…read moresoftens into ocean air. the smell of the salty ocean is immediate, and the pacific keeps shifting in the light while the north shore mountains sit faint in the distance, always present but never competing with the view. the seawall runs right along the edge, and this stretch is clearly for pedestrians, no cyclists here, and the signage is clear, which keeps the pace calm and unhurried. the path winds gently between two worlds: on one side, the water with its rocky, tide washed edges, and on the other, a broad green lawn scattered with tiny white flowers and shaded by tall trees. it feels especially open here, people naturally spacing themselves out, some moving slowly along the path, others stretched out on the grass, leaning back into the sun without much urgency. a canada goose wanders through it all without a care in the world, this is its turf, cutting across the lawn or lingering near the path like it knows they're untouchable, and they are protected. just off the seawall is a-maze-ing laughter, a circle of bronze figures by yue minjun, each one a self portrait caught in exaggerated, open mouthed laughter. these are larger than life figures arranged so you can walk among them. their expressions repeat, but their bodies shift into playful poses, arms thrown back, some folded forward, and the effect is contagious. the polished bronze picks up the shifting light from the water, defined abs and all, giving them a kind of physical intensity that stands apart from the softness of the landscape, like laughter made solid. along the seawall, benches appear at intervals, all turned toward the water, many marked with small tributes to people who are gone. they're easy to miss at first, but once noticed, they add a quiet, reflective layer to the walk. out past the path, the water stretches wide, constantly moving, catching light in soft flashes while distant ships slide across the horizon. everything feels open and unforced, with sky, tide, and the mountain line holding steady in the background. the sand on the beach here isn't especially soft, or that fine, sometimes a bit pebbled. what stands out most is how close this beach is to downtown, and how naturally it lets you slow down or simply be still at english bay. english bay doesn't ask anything of you; it opens space. breathe in, soften, and let the rhythm of the water carry everything else away.

It's a nice beach with many logs serving as seats or backrests. I have never swim in it as the…read moreocean is too cold for me. I enjoy walking along it or just chilling, watching the waves roll in and out. It's also the spot for the now gone fireworks display (symphony of fire back in the days before renaming it celebration of lights in summer). Restaurants are close by and it's walking distance to Stanley park, sunset beach and Granville island. Lots of things to do here, right in the city. Parking and traffic are horrible. So take transit to get here.

A real community sport centre. It has everything you need within 2 km radius pool , gym, rinks,…read moreplayground multi purpose fields. The library

Today I went to the brand new gym inside the Minoru Centre for Active Living. Everything is brand…read morenew and staff was really helpful. The yearly pass cost $527 which includes the pool but too bad the new pool is not open until later. However, this pass does allow you to use other fitness facilities in other community centers. The gym is open from 7am to 9 pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm on weekends. I wish the hours are longer but I think they will once the pool is open.

This is a hub for volleyball and indoor cycling. Volleyball BC has their offices here, and they run…read morenumerous leagues, tournaments (youth and adult), and drop-in programs. The parking lot gets icy in winter - it's uneven and on the shady side of Burnaby mountain. Overflow parking is across the Barnet highway. As of Fall 2017: There is new flooring installed to replace the old tile system. The lines are much cleaner and there are no gaps between the tiles to get stuck on or scratched while diving. The parking lot also has LED lights now and is much brighter than before.

Home of Volleyball BC headquarters and a Velodrome! The only indoor Velodrome in Western Canada and…read moreon the Pacific Northwest. The roof is an air supported structure. ( Air Bubble ) So revolving doors are in use. Bicyclists use an actual air lock! Many co-Ed volleyball leagues and tournaments are played here. Including the Coquitlam Ducks volleyball and school championships. On cold days, its freezing in here. There is plenty of free parking up the side of the hill. It is located right under SFU, off of the Barnet Hwy It's kind of crazy to see volleyball being played in the inner part of the oval while bike racers whizz around the outside. Mind you it's usually one or the other . Yes you can rent bikes here and get coaches for those interested in giving the track a go.

Had a fun time in Deep Cove. Due to high tourist season, it is best to go online to register and…read morereserve your kayaks. It will save you a lot of time when you pick up your kayak. Prices are pretty reasonable and we chose the two hour option due to our limited time during the sunset period. The staff were busy but friendly and assisted us with our kayaks. They will brief you about the kayaks, safety and where to go. Now, I would select a longer time to truly appreciate Deep Cove's natural beauty when you aren't dodging other kayaks or boats. The traffic can be somewhat chaotic in the summer time and it is main area for a lot of boaters heading out of the cove. We kayak around three islands within our two hour option, but didn't relax as much as we want. Again, the salt water, slight wind, and being in the 80's made it a wonderful but brief time.

Great place to kayak, incredible views, definitely worth a visit…read more Equipment and gear were great and in great shape. Our guides were knowledgeable and got us in and out of our kayak without us getting our feet wet. I didn't give five stars for two reasons. First, the two guides seemed a bit lax, they mostly paddled with us instead of taking lead and sweep positions, despite the fact that two out of the six of us had never kayaked before. They did look back periodically to check on everyone, but it was still strange compared to other kayak tours I've been on. Second, they didn't take pictures of us, other tours I've been on do it as a matter of course and email or post pictures to everyone. Still, this was a very worthwhile experience, and everyone enjoyed the views, the seals we saw in the water, etc., and no one had trouble keeping up despite the wind and the range of both ages and kayaking experience.

An unexpectedly cancelled meeting at the convention centre today rendered me a walk through…read moreGastown. By the time I reached the eastern edge at Alibi Room, I was going to turnaround until I saw a sign that said CRAB Park at Portside perched on the light pole at Alexander and Main. I remember reading about this area used to be called luk'luk'i by the Coast Salish peoples so I decided to take a detour see what it was like. It is a gem off the beaten path. The easiest (perhaps the only) way to get to the park is by the overpass at the north end of Main at Alexander. The overpass is also wheel-friendly. It has a huge off-leash area (though not fenced and I don't still don't understand how you can have a off-leash dog area with no fence but I don't want to digress into civic issues), a foot path along the water and even a beach! The view is absolutely gorgeous. Although you won't get a wide span view of downtown as you would from Spanish Bank, the south side of False Creek or Lonsdale Quay, the park renders you proximity to the building. The new Woodwards towers, Harbour Centre, Canada Place, Burrard Inlet and the cranes at the port are right there in front of you. When I was there during the day on a weekday around lunch time, there were only a handful of park visitors: nearby workers taking a lunch time stroll, neighbours walking their canine companions, retirees and those fortunate or unfortunate ones who do not work. It is a perfect alternative resting spot for a picnic on the weekends if you are riding your bikes but want to avoid Stanley Park crowded with tourists. I would image the view of downtown at night would be fantastic due to the proximity but I haven't been there at night. I would probably do a drive by with my car to check out how safe the park is at night before recommending anyone venturing out there on foot for a romantic walk after dinner in Gastown. It is, after all only a few blocks away from the most interesting spot in Vancouver according to Renee Zellweger (so she claimed on Regis and Kelly) - Main & Hastings.

It's a shame this beautiful park is overrun and ruined by ignorant dog owners who:…read more 1- Don't pick up dog poop 2- Think it's their God given right to unleash their out-of-control dogs with behavioural issues 3- Unleash their dogs during ON-LEASH hours. Yes, there are hours posted.... try reading!! 4- Irresponsibly ignore and don't care when their dogs are attacking other dogs 5- Are nosy with a vigilante attitude towards others when they disagree with how a dog is being trained. 6- Don't have licenses for their dogs, break the rules, act irresponsibly, and think they're perfect. 2017 edition park info. After 7 years of using this park, it's really sad that I no longer feel like it is healthy or safe because of the obnoxious, psychotic people that are ruining it. City of Vancouver: Cancel the Downtown Ambassadors program and hire somebody to check up on licenses and fine people for not picking up poop. You'll have fun $$$. Make Crab Park great again. LOL

Extremely knowledgeable. Really appreciate how they listen to you and understand how to create the…read morebest rehabilitation plan for your needs and capabilities to complete plan!

The legendary rec center where I failed yellow…read more Despite that painful memory, there swim lessons were good; they have a kiddie type pool and then the standard sized pool with diving boards and all. A weight room is also on site. Not to be missed is definately the ice skating arena! Oooh sooo fun! They have great public skates, and lesson can be taken here as well.