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Published: December 24th 2009
Horseshoe Bay Marina
BC Ferries Terminal at Horseshoe Bay is the gateway to the Sunshine Coast and Gulf Islands.Hanging Out on the Mountainside
Looking for exciting moments in life, feelings of well-being, wonder and awe? Home of Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain and Seymour Mountain, the North Shore offers skiing 30 minutes from Downtown Vancouver over the winter months. Some of Mama and Papa Canuck's peak experiences are those skiing on Grouse Mountain and Whistler/Blackcomb mountains. It's the overwhelming beauty of nature when trees are snow capped and the sense of freedom and escape when skiing that brings those feelings of joy. Early spring skiing when it’s cool and clear just can't be beat! Sadly, our busy lives have meant that we have not skied for years!
With record snowfalls in November and an early opening, this year's ski season should be exceptional. Even better, West Vancouver's Cypress Mountain will be hosting the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding events during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and North Vancouver's Grouse Mountain will be open 24/7 and will play host to NBC's Today Show over the games period, February 12 to 28, 2010.
Crossing the Lions Gate Bridge or taking the Seabus from Waterfront Station in Vancouver, the Travelling Canucks love heading to the North Shore to spend weekends hanging out
Lonsdale Quay
Public market and transportation hub for the North Shore. Take bus#236 to visit Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge. in West Vancouver and North Vancouver, communities hanging on the mountainside of the North Shore Mountains. Home to brown bears and west coast wildlife, the North Shore is lined with trees punctuated with homes that are ever increasingly climbing up the mountainside. Capilano Suspension Bridge and Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver are great escapes from the city. A short Seabus ride over Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver and you can set foot at Lonsdale Quay, a public market with lots of restaurant choices. Or head to Park Royal in West Vancouver to shop at one of the largest malls in Metro Vancouver. In December 2009, a ferry service for foot passengers to West Vancouver was launched in advance of the Olympics.
North Vancouver Highlights
Lonsdale Quay Check out one of Vancouver’s best views on a clear day from the North Shore’s waterfront. With over 90 specialty shops, Lonsdale Quay Market and Shops can be a gateway to the North Shore since it not only features a fresh food market with local products, an international food court and specialty shops featuring local designers, restaurants & a boutique hotel and spa, it's the North Shore's transportation hub. Hop on the
Suspension Bridge over Lynn Canyon
Fun times in Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver! Seabus from Waterfront Station in Vancouver to cross Burrard Inlet and then hop on a bus to Capilano Suspension Bridge or Grouse Mountain.
Exploring Lynn Canyon Park Lynn Canyon Park has been opened to the public since 1912 and is a great location for a family picnic, a leisurely hike, or a refreshing swim in one of the many popular swimming holes over the summer months. Unfortunately, it has a reputation for taking young lives of daredevils who venture into the canyon and try to scale the cliffs or jump into the rocky waters. During spring runoff, the river can be deadly.
Although its suspension bridge is shorter than the Capilano Suspension Bridge, it's free of charge and offers a naturalistic outdoor experience. We enjoy crossing the bridge to the other side of Lynn Canyon and hopping from river rock to river rock along the river when the water levels are low.
Capilano Suspension Bridge A trip to the Capilano Suspension Bridge offers a unique mix of adventure, history and culture on a twenty-seven acre park. In the midst of beautiful floral displays and well-kept grounds, historical and cultural displays bring the history of the
Racoon Hat
Fun shopping experience at Capilano Suspension Bridge. bridge to life. Childhood memories of the stereotypical native carvings that have been relegated to the back of the park have been supplanted by Totem Poles display and First Nations carving demonstrations. It turns out that the crossed legged native carvings that Mama Canuck so fondly remembers were carved by a Danish woodworker who carved the display based on American comic book characters! How funny or sad is that?
Originally built in 1889, the Capilano Suspension Bridge stretches 450 feet (137m) across and 230 feet (70m) above Capilano River. No matter how many times Mama Canuck has crossed the bridge over the years, since every out of town guest was always dragged to this tourist site, Mama Canuck always marvels at the engineering feat of the bridge and the beautiful setting!
We enjoyed the Treetops Adventure which is comprised of seven suspension bridges that are interconnected by eight giant Douglas Fir trees in the West coast Rainforest taking us up to 100 feet (30m) above the forest floor. This is a worthwhile addition to the park experience. There are also guided nature tours, the Kids' Rainforest Explorer program and Living Forest exhibit which offer a unique West coast
rainforest encounter for children and their parents!
Despite the high admission price, the Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of Vancouver's most popular tourist attractions. From December 4, 2009 to January 2, 2010, Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension is a winter celebration of light with over 250,000 twinkling lights throughout the park. A Christmas Band, dressed in historical winter costumes, performs every evening at 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm.
Grouse Mountain The Grouse Mountain Skyride, traveling one-mile up the mountainside high above towering Douglas firs, offers breathtaking views of the city of Vancouver, sparkling Pacific Ocean, Gulf Islands, and snowy peaks. The Skyride is North America's largest aerial tramway and worth a ride all year round.
The Grouse Grind is popular with visitors and locals (excluding The Travelling Canucks) over the summer months. Zip lines, mountain hiking and dining experiences with mountain top views of Vancouver offer visitors to Grouse Mountain a summer adventure playground. Air Grouse Mountain Ziplines trek around Blue Grouse Lake and at top speeds of 80km/hr, you can zip across the peaks of Grouse and Dam Mountains over the December holiday beak (Dec 19th to Jan 3rd), Olympic Break (Feb 12th to 28th)
West Vancouver from Prospect Point
West Vancouver on the North Shore boasts one of Canada's highest per capita incomes. and Spring Break (March 6th to 14th) as well as over the summer months.
The Peak of Christmas offers sleigh rides, Christmas choirs, Santa's workshop and a Skating Pond. Besides being able to sit on Santa's Lap and being photographed, two of Santa’s reindeer, Dancer and Vixen, hang out on Grouse Mountain before the big day! At the Theatre in the Sky, classic Christmas movies on a large high-definition screen can be enjoyed.
Besides skiing and snowboarding over the Winter months, skating in the fresh mountain air on a smooth outdoor ice skating rink high above the city on a 8,000 square foot Ice Skating Pond surrounded by snow-capped trees is fabulous. It's great fun taking a "Sno-Limo" or sleigh ride through the alpine forest.
Viewing the City of Vancouver from 3700 feet above sea level is a sight to be seen! So on a clear day, whether in the summer or over the winter months, don't miss out on one of the peak experiences!
West Vancouver Highlights
Set at the foot of the North Shore Mountains, West Vancouver, with one of the highest per capita incomes in Canada, offers spectacular scenery stretching from the Capilano
Cypress Provincial Park
West Vancouver's site of Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Winter Olympic Competitions. River to Horseshoe Bay. Highlights include ambling along Ambleside Park and shopping in lovely boutiques and dining in some great restaurants along Northwest Marine Drive, hanging out at Cypress Provincial Park or driving along Northwest Marine Drive to Horseshoe Bay and stopping by Lighthouse Park, Fisherman's Cove and Whytecliff Park along the way.
Horseshoe Bay The Village of Horseshoe Bay, a colourful seaside community, is one of the Travelling Canucks' favourite summertime day trips. Horseshoe Bay's waterfront features a ferry terminal with berths for three large ships of the BC Ferries fleet, a marina, shops, restaurants, pubs, and a park and playground at the water's edge. Recreation activities, such as boating, kayaking, scuba diving, whale watching, golf and skiing, are on the bay's doorstep.
Horseshoe Bay is not only the gateway to the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island, it's just off the Ski to Sky Highway enroute to Whistler.
Cypress Mountain Located in Cypress Provincial Park, Cypress Mountain is only a 30 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. There is a great bird's eye view of the city on a clear day from a lookout as you drive up the mountain. Cypress Mountain is a great
Cypress Creek Lodge
New lodge at Cypress Mountain is fantastic! hiking and cycling alpine destination over the summer months. The new Cypress Creek Lodge, offering food and drink at the Cypress Creek Grill and Crazy Raven Pub, is a great addition to the mountain experience!
With the largest vertical rise and best snow accumulations on the North Shore mountains, Cypress Mountain offers 53 downhill winter skiing and riding runs accessed by 6 chairlifts and 2 surface lifts, 19km of track set cross country trails, a snow tubing park with a tube tow lift. With a popular snowshoeing tour around the Historic Hollyburn Lodge built in 1926, it's a winter wonderland where winter fun can be had!
Cypress Mountain, the freestyle skiing and snowboard venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, is the site of six courses: Freestyle Skiing Aerials, Freestyle Skiing Moguls, Ski and Snowboard Cross, Snowboard Halfpipe, and Parallel Giant Slalom. The Olympic Snowboard Stadium will be filled with crowds of 12,000 cheering fans, 12,000 fans will be watching Freestyle Skiing and 8000 fans will be wowed by the tricks on the Snowboard Halfpipe. 50 days to go until the Games begin!! Check out our Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic blogs!
Ambling on Ambleside Ambleside Park,
Lions Gate Bridge to North Shore
Iconic suspension bridge links Vancouver with North Shore communities and the Ski to Sky Highway to Whistler. with 59 acres of parkland on the shoreline with long sandy beaches, has a relaxing seawalk with wonderful views of Stanley Park, the Lions Gate Bridge and downtown Vancouver. Watch the ships come and go as you dine in the beachside restaurants after shopping in the many boutiques that line Northwest Marine Drive. Travelling Canucks' favorite restaurants include: La Régalade, Zen Japanese Restaurant, and Handi Cuisine Of India.
Top Picks on the North Shore
Whether you want to enjoy water sports, boating, or view wildlife, here are some of the Travelling Canucks' top picks on the North Shore:
Best Walks and Hikes For walkers and hikers:
• West Vancouver's Cypress Provincial Park and Lighthouse Park.
• North Vancouver's Lynn Canyon Park and Capilano River Regional Park.
For advanced hikers:
• North Vancouver's Baden-Powell Trail and Grouse Grind.
Best Wildlife Viewing • Lighthouse Park and Whytecliffe Marine Park, located in West Vancouver, are best for tidal pool gazing. Lighthouse Park, named after the lighthouse which sits on Point Atkinson, offers a steep trail down to the water's edge. Although the current lighthouse was constructed in 1912, there has been a lighthouse on this site since 1874. Lighthouse Park
Natural Fun at Lynn Canyon Park
Eco-tourists flood the river every summer. Climbing the river rocks and boulders makes for lots of fun. has the best rocky beach.
• The Capilano River Fish Hatchery, located in North Vancouver's Capilano River Regional Park, teems with piscicultural activity year-round. Spy on the fry through glass walls that surround their tanks - it's like a giant aquarium set in a rock canyon!
• Whale watching excursions from West Vancouver into Howe Sound.
• Winter is the best time to walk the dike trail in the Brackendale Eagle Reserve, located north of the Squamish Estuary on the Squamish River. In winter, eagles gather in the bare branches of the black cottonwood trees that tower above the river. Some eagles nest in the summer as evidenced by the large nests visible in the trees in winter. Don't miss the large wooden eagle carvings at strategic points. At the Squamish Estuary, elegant trumpeter swans also winter in the Estuary. Bundle up and take a walk to see them!
Best Marinas • Horseshoe Bay and Fisherman's Cove, West Vancouver. Seafood restaurant options abound!
• Deep Cove, North Vancouver. Deep Cove has a great donut shop called Honey Doughnuts & Goodies. Don't forget to stop by and indulge!
Best Dive Sites • Indian Arm - Croker Island, West Cates
Park and Belcarra Bay located in Belcarra Park.
• Lighthouse Park and Whytecliffe Marine Park, West Vancouver.
• Porteau Cove Provincial Park is situated on the most southerly fjord in North America in Howe Sound, which is 38 km north of Vancouver on the Ski to Sky Highway. 20 km south of Squamish and 8.5 km south of Britannia Beach, it features a sunken old ship for scuba divers to explore.
• Seymour Bay off Bowen Island, a 15 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay.
Best Farmyard • Maplewood Farm, established in the early 1900’s as a successful dairy in North Vancouver, is not a typical tourist attraction, but provides young families a heritage farmyard experience. Baby Canuck spent many hours enjoying times on this small farmyard with farmyard animals - our favorite being Goathill! It's our favorite petting zoo experience in Metro Vancouver.
Whether we are exploring, shopping or dining, the North Shore offers lots of fun activities beside peak experiences on the local North Shore mountaintops!!
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