Dog-friendly parks in British Columbia
On a trip to Sunshine Coast, British Columbia, we stopped by the Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park for a hike. The actual hike takes about 2 hours with a dog, but you'll likely spend more time taking in the best part of the hike: the views.
If you've heard of Lighthouse Park, you likely know about its view. Located on the coast of West Vancouver, Lighthouse Park is a great spot for a hike that ends up at a beautiful viewpoint by a lighthouse.
Our stroll along Qualicum Beach East Beach with our reactive dog Markus was a serene yet potentially challenging experience due to the popularity of the spot, allowing for a buffer zone on grassy stretches but requiring vigilance amidst the beach's allure and stunning sunset views.
The scenic walk along English Bay Beach and the iconic Vancouver seawall is a fantastic way to feel the breeze on a warm summer day. The highlight of the walk for us was visiting the inukshuk at English Bay Beach Park.
Lions Park in Port Coquitlam, with its unexpectedly serene atmosphere, revealed a hidden riverside oasis perfect for families and dogs to enjoy a safe summer escape.
We recently spent some time in Pitt Meadows for a friend’s wedding and while we were out there, we got to experience a number of reactive dog-friendly activities. Here’s a list of some of the fun things we got to do!
Our exciting visit to Derby Reach Regional Park provided us with a positive experience, as we explored serene trails and the scenic Edgewater Bar Campground, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the park's natural beauty and escape the city's hustle and bustle.
Queen's Park in New Westminster is a beloved urban park that offers a peaceful retreat amidst lush greenery and towering trees that includes a spray park and historic arena, the park provides a vibrant space for community engagement.
Tipperary Park is a peaceful and picturesque spot right in the heart of the New Westminster and a hidden treasure worth discovering if you’re looking for a short and quiet walk with your dog.
Since it's been extremely smokey outdoors in the last couple days, we wanted something that was quick to do and the trail at Confederation Park in Burnaby, British Columbia was exactly what we were looking for.
Bridal Veil Falls a beautiful waterfall that is located minutes from the highway with a short 10-minute hike. It is one of our favourite stops in British Columbia and since we were driving past the area, we made our first visit to the falls with our dog.
Minoru Lakes is a beautiful habitat located in the heart of Richmond, full of animals living amongst luscious greens. It was so vibrant here that it wasn't surprising to see all the pedestrians choosing to spend their quiet evening walk here.
We made the trip out to Minnekhada Regional Park, which is about an hour from downtown Vancouver. With three lookouts along the way, this was one of the more enjoyable trails and slightly challenging trails that we've done in the past little while!
Whenever you're driving through the George Massey Tunnel, you are driving under Deas Island and the body of water that it sits on top of. This week, we visited Deas Island to check out what it really looks like when cars drive into the tunnel under water.
The Larry Berg Flight Path Park was opened in 2013 and you'll find plenty of plane spotters with binoculars gathering here. Located off of YVR's south runway, the park is right below a path for incoming flights to watch planes as they descend.
This week, we made a visit to the Capilano River Regional Park, which is located in North Vancouver just past the Capilano Suspension Bridge. The park is bookended by the Cleveland Dam, an impressive structure with rushing water that you can walk on!
While looking for a quieter walk, we ended up at Montrose Park which sits in between the New Brighton Park and Confederation Park with a trail that runs through the park. It's a quiet and low-event park that we recommend to owners of reactive dogs.
What an adventure! Since it was Easter last weekend, we brought Markus to do a little hunt of our own. We made the trip out to Robert Burnaby Park where an artist had spent the past year putting up sculptures located in various areas throughout the park.
A few weeks ago, we visited Central Park in Burnaby, BC and we enjoyed the walk so much that we've gone back a couple of times already. For an urban park located in the city, Central Park gave us so many options for things to do.
Last week, we found ourselves at beautiful park within shooting distance of Deep Cove at Cates Park in North Vancouver. We really enjoyed the time we were there including the views and the short trail that we got to do.
As one of the most well-known and beautiful in the world, Queen Elizabeth Park is one that we find ourselves regularly visiting. Rather than going around the outside of the park, we decided to cut through its gardens this time around!
On one of our recent walks with Markus, we strayed out of Steveston Village and what we found ourselves walking through a historical tour, discovering the beautiful rich history of early workers in Richmond, British Columbia.
Unlike other trails at Pacific Spirit Regional Park, this smaller section of the park is a dedicated leash-required area, which is absolutely fantastic for reactive dogs like Markus.
Horth Hill Regional Park is 5 minutes away from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, which is perfect if you're looking to spend some time before your sailing. The park is a combination of smaller trails, which allows you to choose the length of your hike.
Victoria is unique in that it offers beautiful walks along the water and dog-friendly beaches within walking distance of downtown. We made our way past Beacon Hill Park to walk down Dallas Rd. and visit the beach at Holland Point Park.
On a recent trip to Cowichan Lake, we took an afternoon to do a combination of a hike that took us down to the mysterious Mystic Beach with its cascading cliffs and view of the Pacific Ocean from a distance.
We took some time to visit Sombrio Beach, one of the beaches along the western-most coast of Vancouver Island. Sombrio Beach is a popular spot, but the thing that drew us to the beach was a hidden secret!
Cultus Lake is one of those spots in British Columbia that locals love to go camping, swim in the water and relax. We made a stop at the Cultus Lake Beach Off-Leash Dog Park to enjoy the lake and to get Markus' paws wet.
Rainbow Park runs along the eastern side of Alta Lake, which sits just on the other side of the Sea-to-Sky Highway from Whistler, British Columbia. People also like to visit this park because it's a great place to take dogs for a swim in Barking Bay!
Porteau Cove is a provincial park that's right off of the Sea-to-Sky Highway about 20 kilometres before Squamish. It is known for its views and dynamic sunsets that overlook Howe Sound and the mountains beyond, which is why photographers love this stop.
Newport Beach (sometimes known as Oceanfront Park) is a stretch of beach that's tucked towards the edge of Squamish looking out into Howe Sound. The view is spectacular and this is a unique location with a combination of a beach and trail.
The Camosun Bog at the Pacific Spirit Regional Park is a unique, yet fragile ecosystem that is home to many different species of plants and animals that you simply won't find in other parts of Vancouver.
On this week’s update, we didn't go anywhere particularly far, but to a park known as the Sunset Park Dog Off-leash Enclosure. This park had undergone construction and was reopened in June of 2018. We finally got to visit it for the first time.
Located by University of British Columbia is the Pacific Spirit Regional Park where students and dogs owners alike love to take breaks for a walk in the forest. This is one of our most frequented trails and this week, we try out another trailhead.
The Golden Ears Provincial Park is an impressive park in British Columbia with trails and campgrounds that span over 600 square kilometres. At the centre of the park is the beautiful Alouette Lake, a popular spot for water activities.
One of the biggest reasons we love visiting Rocky Point Park is because it goes along the Burrard Inlet, which makes for a beautiful view basically anywhere you are. At this park, you get access to the park, the beach, trails and an off-leash dog park.
Many of our friends have told us about Barnet Marine Park and we've always wanted to visit it. We haven't had the chance since the park is far for us, but since we haven't really gone anywhere during these unprecedented times, we made the drive out.
Towards the end of Renfrew St., tucked in behind the PNE, New Brighton Park is a bit hidden, but it is a very popular park. We finally got to visit it and this week, we’re sharing all about it with you.
This week, we're bringing you an updates to one of our favourite places to visit in the Vancouver area - Lonsdale Quay located in North Vancouver, British Columbia and Waterfront Park next to it.
Located near one of the busiest intersections in Vancouver, Trout Lake Park (or John Hendry Park) is tucked in about a 10-minute walk away from Commercial and Broadway.
It's Christmas season and in the city of Coquitlam in British Columbia, it's time for the Lights at Lafarge. This annual Christmas event is a wonderland of over 100,000 Christmas lights turned into installations as you walk your way around Lafarge Lake!
While we were recently staying at Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, we did a walk on a beautiful man-made structure known as the Kinsol Trestle. Not sure what a trestle looks like? No worries, I didn't either. It’s beautiful.
During a recent stay at Qualicum Beach, one of the stops we wanted to make was the Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park. The park is a glimpse of the Pacific Northwest's stunning beauty and history condensed into a walkable park.
We finally got to visit Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, British Columbia, which is east of Vancouver and offers a beautiful and peaceful walk around Deer Lake. The path around the park is a combination of crushed gravel, dirt and a stretch of wooden walkways.
Kings Mill Park is a fantastic off-leash area and it is one of the largest enclosed parks that we've been in British Columbia. At the top of the park, there are grassy areas for the dogs to play, but you can also scale down some rocks for beach access.
We met up with some of our dog friends at Everett Crowley Park in Vancouver. Everett Crowley Park is a trail that feels like it was made for dogs. They have a nice combination of on-leash and off-leash dogs paths that you can take for your desired length.
Garry Point Park is a large waterfront park in Richmond, British Columbia with lots of beaches that's great for families to spend an afternoon. At this park, Markus gets to explore between the washed up driftwood on the beach and the grassy areas.
Located beneath the Granville Bridge in Vancouver, Granville Island is home to some of the freshest seafood you can find. The shops in are filled with all things local or Canadian and it becomes obvious why tourists around the world love coming here.
Whenever we want to take a scenic stroll in Vancouver, we'll often end up at Stanley Park. Though it's not really a trail for dogs, experiencing the Seawall in Stanley Park is almost like a rite of passage for Vancouverites - especially during sunset.
One of the newer dog parks in the Vancouver area, the Renfrew Community Park Dog Off-Leash Enclosure has quickly become one of our more frequented parks. This off-leash dog park can be very busy, but a great park to tire your dog out!
The Pacific Spirit Regional Park is a popular spot and one of our most frequented parks because of the possible combinations of trails that provide a number of different paths to take based on your desired length, surrounded by the beauty of nature.
Having Queen Elizabeth Park, one of the most beautiful gardens and parks in the world, so close to us is a privilege and we make sure to take advantage by visiting to enjoy the sights and smells of nature with Markus!
We stumbled upon this part of the Pacific Spirit Regional Park trail while walking along Spanish Banks beach in Vancouver, Canada. Technically a part of the greater park, this trail is great way to enjoy nature while getting some exercise with your dog.
On our journey to train Markus into becoming a dog that's comfortable being off-leash, we brought Markus to McDonald Beach - a long stretch of beach and water that's technically not enclosed, but has fairly distinct boundaries.
On one of those days where we really just needed to go somewhere closer with Markus, we discovered the Fraser River Park, a smaller park with an off-leash dog park, a walkway along the Fraser River and all the grass that Markus needs.
Before we adopted Markus, Ambleside Beach was one of our favourite beaches to frequent located just over the Lions Gate Bridge from downtown Vancouver. Catch it during the sunset and it is a taste of the beauty that Vancouver has to offer.
The Garden City Dogs Off-Leash Area was a temporary dog park, but it has since undergone major upgrades to become one of the more-frequented dog parks in Richmond, British Columbia. Between grass, large rocks and logs, there's a lot to love at this park.
The South Arm Dog Off Leash Area is an enclosed dog park located inside South Arm Park in Richmond, British Columbia. The park is medium-sized with a good mix of grass and crushed rock with plenty of space for dogs to run around and play.
David Gray Park is an off-leash dog park located in Burnaby, British Columbia. The park is mostly dirt and sandy with areas of grass towards the end. It is a very spacious park, which is great for reactive dogs like Markus.