6 Ways to Experience the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver

The nine-kilometre-long Stanley Park Seawall is one of Vancouver's most beloved attractions, with stunning waterfront views along its entire length. You can explore this iconic pathway on foot, on wheels, or from the water.

History of the Stanley Park Seawall

The first stone retaining walls were built along the Vancouver waterfront in 1917 to protect the shoreline from tidal erosion. Over the following decades, more walls were built until the final section around Stanley Park was completed in 1980. The paths along the top of the walls have always been a popular spot to walk and cycle.

Today, the Seawall path includes separate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists. It also extends out of the park to Coal Harbour in the north, to the east and south around False Creek, and to the west out to Spanish Banks Beach. Together, the Seawall paths are 28 kilometres long and form the longest uninterrupted waterfront path in the world.

Ways to Experience the Seawall

Walk or Roll

A walk around Stanley Park on the Seawall is a quintessenially Vancouver experience. The 9 kilometre-long Stanley Park section of the seawall takes two to three hours to walk and you can walk clockwise or counter-clockwise. It's also fully accessible to wheelchair users and strollers.

There are lots of benches so you can stop and drink in the views along the way. On the west side, you can gaze out to Vancouver's beaches, the Georgia Strait and the coastline of West Vancouver. On the northeastern leg, you'll look across Burrard Inlet to the North Shore Mountains. The southeastern section has incredible city views across Coal Harbour.

Allow extra time to detour to park attractions like the Totem Poles and the Vancouver Aquarium, or to chill out on the sand at Third Beach or Second Beach.

Cycle

With a dedicated cycling lane for its entire length, the Stanley Park Seawall is perfect for cyclists of all abilities. The flat path has a speed limit, so its easy to cruise along and enjoy the view. It takes one to two hours to complete the loop route. You can rent bikes at shops near the corner of Denman and Georgia Streets, just outside the park.

Cyclists must travel around the Seawall counter-clockwise. When going in that direction, you'll start with city views of Coal Harbour before rounding the corner at Brockton Point to enjoy the North Shore Mountains across Burrard Inlet. The final stretch past the Lion's Gate Bridge includes Siwash Rock, a spectacular sea stack, Third Beach, and then Second Beach before finishing along the shores of Lost Lagoon.

Run

The Stanley Park Seawall is Vancouver's most popular running route. It's incredibly scenic, with views around every turn. And it's completely flat, so it's perfect for a laid-back run with friends.

The Seawall around Stanley Park is part of the official race course for some of Vancouver's most famous races, including the BMO Vancouver Marathon, the Vancouver Historic Half Marathon, and the Vancouver Pride Run.

After your loop around the Seawall, take your run crew to happy hour at Stanley Park Brewing near Second Beach. They have an extensive gastro pub menu as well as over a dozen craft beers on tap.

Horse-Drawn Carriage

If you want to see Stanley Park the old-fashioned way, get on board with Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours. Their one-hour tours circle the park on Stanley Park Drive, which runs parallel to the Seawall in places. Select carriages are wheelchair accessible.

On the tour, you'll see many of the sights you can see from the Seawall, including Vancouver Harbour, the North Shore Mountains, and Lion's Gate Bridge. But since the road veers away from the Seawall in places, you'll also get to see the coastal rainforest, the Stanley Park Rose Garden, and the Stanley Park Totem Poles.

Bus Tour

Taking a bus tour that includes Stanley Park is a great way to experience the Seawall if you're short on time or have mobility challenges. Westcoast Sightseeing and the Great Canadian Trolley Company offer bus tours that include a loop around Stanley Park. Like the horse-drawn carriage tours, the bus tours are on Stanley Park Road, which is adjacent to the Seawall in places.

Boat Tour

The most unique way to experience the Stanley Park Seawall is from the water. Vancouver Water Adventures and Sea Vancouver offer zodiac tours that zip around Stanley Park and across to West Vancouver. You'll get incredible water views of the Seawall and the city skyline. A boisterous seal colony is also on the itinerary, so you can also tick wildlife watching off your Vancouver bucket list.