Stanley Park, Vancouver

One of the world’s most famous urban parks offers miles of sublime paths through forest, field and garden within its 1,000 acres. Excellent swimming beaches here, Third Beach is best, seem light-years from the city. Stanley Park is often presumed to hold old-growth forest, and to have been founded with great conservation foresight by city pioneers. In reality, its 150,000 trees are mostly second-growth, and the park was designed to boost property sales in adjacent West End developments; it has succeeded admirably. The park’s key feature is the 9 kilometer (5.5.mile), granite masonry seawall trail that winds along its shoreline border, favored by presidents, residents and visitors alike. It’s best to walk, ride or take a taxi to the park, parking is scarce, and almost impossible on busy summer days. The soaring Lions Gate Bridge at the park’s northwest corner connects Vancouver with the North Shore. Aside from the Vancouver Aquarium, the park also includes a nature center, rose gardens, a Children’s Farmyard and narrow-gauge train, a water park, numerous playfields, and a much-photographed hollow cedar tree stump.

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