Thing to do
Granville Island Public Market
Opened in 1979 in a converted industrial building, Granville Island's indoor Public Market has around 50 vendors selling seafood, produce, baked goods and international food.
Vancouver Seawall
Vancouver's seawall is a continuous waterfront path of about 22 km from Coal Harbour around Stanley Park and False Creek to Kitsilano, shared by walkers and cyclists.
At a glance
- Type
- Waterfront walking and cycling path
- Area
- Coal Harbour to Kitsilano, Vancouver, Canada
Good to know
- Free
- Separate cycle lane
- Beaches
- Views
Why we recommend it
The seawall is the city's favourite way to spend a few hours outdoors. It is a continuous path of about 22 km along the water, and if you include the sections where the route leaves the wall itself, it runs for around 30 km from CRAB Park to Spanish Banks. It was built to protect the shore of Stanley Park from erosion, and it is shared by walkers, joggers, cyclists and inline skaters.
The history is long. The idea is credited to the park superintendent W. S. Rawlings, and the first 1,200 metres were finished between 1914 and 1916. Work went on in fits and starts as money allowed; in 1920 it employed 2,300 unemployed men as a public works scheme. Most of the Stanley Park section was built between 1917 and 1971, when the last block was set on 26 September, and the park section was completed in 1980. Jimmy Cunningham, a master stonemason who worked on it from 1931 until he retired, is remembered with a plaque near Siwash Rock; he died in 1963, before the wall was finished. The last block was placed by H. H. Stevens.
The classic route starts at Coal Harbour and follows the shore around Stanley Park, passing Brockton Point, Prospect Point, Siwash Rock, Second Beach and Lost Lagoon. It continues along Sunset Beach, around False Creek, past the Burrard Street Bridge and through Vanier Park to Kitsilano Beach Park.
The Stanley Park loop alone is 8.8 km. Bicycle traffic around Stanley Park is one-way, anticlockwise, a rule brought in in 1984 after conflicts between users, and walkers and cyclists have separate lanes there. Cycling on the wall has wide support: a 1992 survey found 65 per cent of park users in favour and 20 per cent wanting a ban. Sections can close for repairs after storms; in January 2022 a king tide with high waves and debris destroyed part of the wall.
The seawall suits everyone, from families with children on bikes to runners and visitors who simply want a flat, scenic walk. Destination Vancouver notes that thousands of visitors and locals use it every day, so keep to the correct lane, and head into Stanley Park's inner forest trails if you want somewhere quieter.
Vancouver Seawall FAQs
How long is the Vancouver seawall?
The continuous path is about 22 km, or around 30 km from CRAB Park to Spanish Banks including off-wall sections.
Which direction do you cycle around Stanley Park?
Cycling around the park is one-way, anticlockwise, a rule in place since 1984.
Is the seawall free?
Yes, the path is free and open to the public.
Where does the seawall start and finish?
The classic route runs from Coal Harbour around Stanley Park and False Creek to Kitsilano Beach Park.
How long is the Stanley Park section?
The seawall around Stanley Park is 8.8 km.
Who can use the seawall?
Walkers, joggers, cyclists and inline skaters, with separate lanes in Stanley Park.
When was it built?
The first stretch was finished in 1916, and the Stanley Park section was completed in 1980.
What can you see on the way?
Stanley Park landmarks such as Prospect Point and Siwash Rock, then Sunset Beach, False Creek, Vanier Park and Kitsilano Beach.