day 2: seawall & stanley park
June 2023
seawall
stanley park
vancouver aquarium
downtown
Visiting Stanley Park could easily have been a full day affair if we weren’t jet lagged. We walked one mile from the Hilton Vancouver Downtown along the Harbor front, pausing often to look into the water for starfish and other aquatic creatures. We also stopped at Devonian Harbor Park before crossing to the peninsula that makes up Stanley Park. We stopped at the Stanley Park Information Booth where we found a concession stand and public restrooms, before walking north toward the Seawall Path.
downtown Seawall water walk
stanley park
The two-mile walk along the path stayed at sea level, with small beaches along the way. A walking path and a bike path made it a hub of outdoor activity. The stretch we walked was only part of “the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path,” which meanders over 17 miles of Vancouver’s downtown. We misread the map and thought the point of the Seawall Path that ended at the Lion’s Gate Bridge would get us to the Prospect Point Cafe.
In reality, the Cafe and Visitor Center were at the top of the hill, and we had to backtrack and climb a steep (by our Coastal Virginia standards) trail to meet the intersection of Stanley Park Drive and the road that goes across the Lion’s Gate Bridge.
vancouver aquarium
We arrived at the Vancouver Aquarium for our 2pm entrance time, and the indoor aquariums were uncomfortably crowded. We spent the first hour in the outside exhibits, watching sea lions, seals, and otters.
Each of these exhibits also had underwater viewing areas, and by the time we left those the smaller indoor exhibits had cleared some. After three hours total we had seen most of the indoor exhibits, the Amazon Aviary, and watched the 4-D Experience which was included with our admission. VISIT TIP: Allow for 4-5 hours if you plan to really explore all the exhibits and dine in the popular cafe.
downtown accomodations
We chose the Hilton Vancouver Downtown due to its proximity to the Port of Vancouver and for a two-room suite that would allow us to spread out a bit before being confined to our cruise stateroom. Additional amenities were a plus, including a heated rooftop outdoor pool that allowed us to relax after long days walking in the surprisingly hot Canada sun.
We found an IGA supermarket and multiple restaurants just steps from the hotel, so our last evening we were able to easily shop for last-minute cruise needs, then relax poolside with dinner takeout.
Proudly powered by WordPress