5 Breathtaking Spots for a Blissful Outdoor Yoga Practice in Vancouver

August 3, 2019

4 min read

Person in pink top and teal leggings doing yoga on a blue mat on a wooden deck by the water with city buildings and mountains in the background.

Who doesn’t want to complement their yoga practice with a epic view and West Coast fresh air? Whether solo, or with a friend or two, if you’re looking to bring your yoga practice outside, Vancouver has some excellent spots for you to unroll your mat and experience some summer bliss!

I don’t know about you, but I take my yoga mat on all my travels. My favourite way to start a day of exploring is to wander over to a local park or garden for some morning meditation and sun salutations. Unroll your yoga mat, put your sunnies on, and find your om in Vancouver.

Person in pink tank top and blue leggings doing a yoga stretch on a blue mat outdoors by a river.

Olympic Village Boardwalk

With an excellent view of the city skyline and North Shore mountains, the Olympic Village boardwalk features reclined benches for sunbathing and–perfect for your yoga purposes–various nooks just off the main walk where you can unroll your mat. As the boardwalk can get busy, there are also some large cement steps that lead down to the water that are the perfect size for your mat.

A person in a yellow floral tank top and gray leggings doing a yoga stretch on grass near a tree by the water.

Sunset Beach Park

Though right around the bend from bustling English Bay Beach, Sunset Beach Park is one of the quieter areas of the Vancouver waterfront and Seawall —I would consider it one of the city’s best-kept secrets.

Stanley Park

While Stanley Park can be quite busy in the summer, there are many quiet areas to unroll your yoga mat, including the Rose Garden, Lost Lagoon, and the Second Beach Picnic area. I highly suggest taking a stroll through the park or around the Seawall either before or after you unroll your mat–yoga and a walk are an ideal way to start or end a day in Vancouver.

Two pairs of bare feet on blue yoga mats on dry grass, both with purple nail polish on toes.

David Lam Park

Located in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown area, David Lam Park faces out onto False Creek and its stretch of the Seawall leading either towards the ferry to Granville Island or east to Science World and Olympic Village. The park has many a shady or open area for your yoga mat, and a personal favourite spot of mine is the lookout above the waterfall on the west side of the park.

Kits Beach

With its spectacular English Bay and mountain views, Kits Beach–located in popular the popular yoga hub of Kitsilano–provides an ideal backdrop for an outdoor yoga practice. Grab a juice or iced coffee from a local coffee shop and enjoy your practice under the shade of the gorgeous maple and other trees dotted along the park just up from the sand. (Any beach is amazing for a yoga practice, but this one happens to be a favourite of mine.)

A group of people practicing yoga outdoors on mats with arms raised, trees and city skyline in the background.

And if you prefer to be guided through your outdoor yoga practice, both city and mountain view classes are available for the rest of the summer around Vancouver. Be sure to check out these outdoor class options: