Your Spring Vancouver Outdoors Bucket List

February 19, 2021

5 min read

Pathway through a garden with trees, yellow hanging flowers, and purple and pink flowers along the sides.

The flowers are blooming, the days are getting longer, and the snow is melting in the mountains. It’s spring in Vancouver! And it’s a great time of year to get outside. Here are our picks for springtime Vancouver outdoor activities you’ll want to add to your bucket list.

Until further notice, in line with the public health order issued on November 20, non-essential travel into and out of BC is not recommended. BC residents let’s do our part by continuing to stay local and support local, with your immediate household or bubble, in accordance with the latest guidelines.

Go Cherry Blossom Viewing

Each spring Vancouver’s cherry trees explode with pink and white blossoms. Plan a picnic under the blooms, go for a photo walk to capture the beauty, or take a bike ride through petal-strewn streets. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival has a handy map that shows all the places you can see blooms.

Cherry blossom branches framing a marina filled with boats and a city skyline under a clear blue sky.

Take a Hike

The tallest peaks may still be snow-covered, but there are lots of low elevation hikes that are perfect for spring. And don’t let wet weather scare you away. Vancouver has lots of rainy day hikes that are beautiful too.

People standing and sitting on a large rocky cliff overlooking a lake and forested mountains under a cloudy sky.

Go on a Bike Ride

With warmer weather, it’s the perfect time to take the bike out of the garage and go for a spin around the city. The Stanley Park seawall is the city’s best-known bike route (and perhaps its most beautiful), but there are tons of other safe routes for easy bike rides around Vancouver.

Two people riding bicycles on a tree-lined path in a sunny park with green grass and benches.

Try Bird-Watching

Spring is prime bird-watching time as the birds return to Vancouver from their winter homes or migrate through on their way further north. It’s also nesting season, so it’s a great time to spot mating pairs building and guarding their nests. Use our list of the best beginner birding spots near Vancouver to get started.

Two people standing on a wooden deck overlooking a calm lake with mountains in the background during sunset.

Visit a Garden in Bloom

Vancouver is home to several spectacular gardens that light up with blooms each spring. Take a stroll through the quarry gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park, or stop to smell the flowers at one of the four gardens in Stanley Park. If you book tickets in advance, you can also enjoy the spring splendor at VanDusen Botanical Garden, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, UBC Botanical Garden, and Nitobe Memorial Garden.

Yellow hanging flowers on a tree above purple allium flowers in a garden with green foliage and blue sky.

Get Out on the Water

On a sunny day, the best views in Vancouver are from the water. Rent a kayak or paddleboard and explore the shoreline. Or head farther afield with a boat rental or tour. If you want to stick closer to home, a ride on the Aquabus or False Creek Ferry is a fun way to experience the waters of False Creek.

Two people paddling a yellow kayak on water near a dock with buildings and boats in the background.

Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Kickstart your spring with an extreme adventure. Soar through the treetops tethered to a wire at the Grouse Mountain Ziplines. Plunge into a canyon at Whistler Bungee. Or jump out of a plane with Skydive Vancouver.

Two people wearing helmets and harnesses riding side-by-side on zip lines with arms outstretched, trees in the background.

Go Whale Watching

Springtime marks the start of the whale watching season. From March through October you can spot resident orcas as well as migratory humpback, gray, and minke whales, and transient orcas. Porpoises, sea lions, seals, eagles, and pelicans are also common. Whale watching and wildlife watching tours depart from Vancouver, Richmond, and Victoria.