As the second-largest country in the world by area, Canada is full of awesome nature, wide-open spaces and amazing people.
My first port of call in Canada was Vancouver, the biggest city in the beautiful western province of British Columbia. What better place is there to start when exploring the natural wonders of British Columbia?
Near Vancouver, one of those aforementioned amazing people, whom I had met in Central Australia several years ago, was letting me stay with her.
Now Canada is definitely one of those places where it’s easier to get around and see everything when you have a car.
Luckily my amazing friend, Becky, was willing to be my driver/guide on the days that she wasn’t working. It just so happened that my arrival coincided with one of those days off. Fancy that.
Natural Wonders of British Columbia – Whistler and Surrounds
We headed to probably one of the most well-known places in British Columbia, around an hour drive from Vancouver.
Whistler is a popular skiing destination in the winter, but I wasn’t crazy enough to head to Canada in the winter!
That didn’t mean that there wasn’t still snow at Whistler.
I wasn’t there to ski though. I had something a bit different in mind.
Brandywine Falls Provincial Park – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
Before I got to the main event, I had some time to explore the nearby Brandywine Falls Provincial Park.
I really love waterfalls, so it would’ve been crazy for me to miss the Brandywine Falls when I was so close!
The Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, which is just before Whistler on the drive from Vancouver, is also home to scenic and calm Daisy Lake.
Time to Jump off a Bridge While Surrounded by Some Natural Wonders of British Columbia
The real reason I had gone to Whistler was to jump off a bridge in the middle of a forest with Whistler Bungee. My good friend Becky was there to film it for me.
Lynn Canyon Park Suspension Bridge – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
After the excitement of jumping off a bridge, I had to be content with just walking across them for the rest of my trip. Luckily, British Columbia seems to like bridges, especially suspension bridges.
An easy one to reach by public transport is the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge in the Lynn Canyon Park.
To get to this beautiful park north of Vancouver, you can take the SeaBus across the Burrard Inlet from downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay.
From there the 228 or 229 bus will take you to the Lynn Valley Center.
Take a Day to Explore Some Natural Wonders of British Columbia at the Lynn Canyon Park
It’s not a quick trip though, so you’d probably want to allow a whole day for the return trip and the visit to the park.
Thankfully there are plenty of things to do and see in the park aside from the suspension bridge.
You can explore a strenuous hiking trail on your way to see the Twin Falls.
Or try one of the easier hiking trails to the more accessible 30-foot Pool, a popular summer swimming spot.
Just watch out for bears in summer.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park – A Place to See Some Natural Wonders of British Columbia
If you’re looking for a suspension bridge that doesn’t require a hike, there is the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver.
This one comes at a cost of about CA$55 for adults.
Yeah, it’s a bit steep, but it is a lot more kid-friendly and there is a heap to do in the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
There is the Treetops Adventure which, as you would expect, involves walking on suspended bridges through the treetops.
More Things to Do and See at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
There is also the Cliffwalk and Raptor’s Ridge, where kids, and the grown-ups they bring with them, can get up close and personal with birds of prey.
Becky had the day off, so we made a day of it with her daughter, Little Miss Fearless. Okay, that’s not her real name, but it is an apt description.
Little Miss Fearless had stopped to ask why the ladies in front of us looked so frightened and were holding the bridge railings so tightly.
“It’s not scary, it’s fun”, she asserted.
This is my future bungy buddy.
Natural Wonders of British Columbia in the City
British Columbia’s biggest city, Vancouver, also has its share of natural wonders. There’s a huge park called Stanley Park right in the city.
This 400 hectare park offers amazing views into the city and out into the bay. It’s also full of history.
Walk the Seawall in Stanley Park to see Some Natural Wonders of British Colombia
A popular spot in Stanley Park is the Seawall. It is a flat, paved 10km path on the outskirts of the park following the water.
Stanley Park to Canada Place Along Vancouver Harbour – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
If you’re not quite ready for the ‘city on the harbour’ kind of views to stop, you can continue walking along Vancouver Harbour to Canada Place. It’s only a 15-20 minute walk.
From there you can watch sea planes land and take off with mountains in the background
Canada Place to Chinatown
If you still have some energy to burn after walking the Seawall and Vancouver Harbour, you can walk to Chinatown in about 10 minutes.
Or you could hop the Skytrain at Waterfront (Expo Line) for a 4 minute trip to Chinatown. But it’s a 6 minute walk from Canada Place to Waterfront.
I don’t normally go to Chinatowns because I live in a Chinese city and I’m usually looking for new experiences when travelling.
I made an exception for this one because it was close and it’s the biggest in Canada.
Art in Chinatown
Of course, there were the obligatory Chinese gates with lions guarding them and a Sun Yat-Sen memorial. What I did find interesting was the mosaics around Vancouver’s Chinatown.
There were mosaics of the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals near the Sun Yat-Sen Gardens, plus others around town memorialising events in history for Chinese Canadians.
I did find the one pictured a bit weird as the English translation is a bit off. According to the characters written, it should be ‘window of China’. I guess it’s the same kind of idea though.
Art Around the City – Some Not-So-Natural Wonders of British Columbia
There is also quite a bit of art around Vancouver in general. I do use the term art broadly.
One type of art I was really happy to see was Inuit-inspired art like totems and the Inukshuk at Whistler. Canada does seem to be trying hard for reconciliation with its First Nations people.
Outside of the City – More Natural Wonders of British Columbia
I didn’t spend much time in the city as I prefer exploring nature. My friend Becky lived in Mission, which is actually a separate city east of Vancouver.
Sometimes I just couldn’t be bothered spending nearly two hours getting into the city and chose somewhere close where I could explore some natural wonders of British Columbia.
Silverdale Creek Wetlands – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
So that’s how I ended up at the Silverdale Creek Wetlands.
These totally flat wetlands are a popular place for bird-watching.
They’re also a good place to take young kids as the trails are flat, short and easy.
Becky’s daughter had fun trying to work out which animals the noises she could hear belonged to.
Teapot Hill: A Quirky Twist on the Average Hike – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
Another hike relatively close to Mission was Teapot Hill.
Becky and I decided to do this one after she had finished work one day.
I had thought that Teapot Hill was just a name. Once on the trail, I realised that name had started a tradition.
Hikers would often leave teapots in random places along the trail for others to see.
Becky was keeping a tally of all the teapots she’d seen along the way. I believe it was around 20.
Although relatively short, the hike up to Teapot Hill gets quite strenuous towards the top.
But the view over Cultus Lake from the top is pretty amazing.
And of course, there’s a teapot on top of the hill! At least there was when we went.
I have heard that many of the teapots have since been removed.
Burnaby Lake – Another One of the Natural Wonders of British Columbia
When I was feeling lazy on another day, I tagged along with Becky when she went to work.
She was only working half a day, so I borrowed her car to have a look around Burnaby Lake while she worked.
Like the Silverdale Wetlands, the Burnaby Lake area is flat but scenic.
That makes it a popular spot for runners.
And ducks.
And pop-up art.
This picture almost made it onto our list of Amusingly Funny Signs Around the World. Click the link to see which signs from Canada did make it.
Joffre Lakes – the Most Amazing of All the Natural Wonders of British Columbia
We’re definitely saving the best for last here. The absolutely amazing Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is about a 3 hour drive from Vancouver but oh so worth it.
The Joffre Lakes are a series of 3 lakes fed by a glacier, which ensures absolutely stunning views.
Middle and Upper Joffre Lakes – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
The first lake is just a small taste of what’s to come. It’s quite easy to reach. The next two lakes require a bit of work though.
The section between the first and second lake is probably the longest and most strenuous part of the hike.
After that, you’ll see the roaring Joffre Waterfall before hitting the Upper Joffre Lake.
Glacier Beyond the Upper Lake – Natural Wonders of British Columbia
If you’re feeling crazy, you can continue past the Upper Joffre Lake and explore the glacier.
There’s a waterfall under that snow!
Yes, that’s snow in the middle of summer. Only in Canada!
(And Kazakhstan).
If you’re feeling extra crazy, you could have a swim in one of the Joffre Lakes on the way back down. Just bear in mind that anything fed by a glacier is guaranteed to be freezing all year round.
Maybe one of these Lakes Around the World could be a better option.
Isn’t British Columbia in Canada’s west just amazing?
After seeing all of these natural wonders of British Columbia, it was time to head east for the next adventure in the province of Alberta.
If you’ve enjoyed seeing all the pretty pictures of the natural wonders of British Columbia, please share this post with your friends. Click one of the pictures below to Pin it for later :o)
24 Replies to “Natural Wonders of British Columbia”
This is my home! a short walk form the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. I am so glad you enjoyed it here.
You live in such a beautiful place! :o)
Vancouver has to be the best city in Canada. It will the only city that I want to visit in Canada. My picks among all these places are Silverdale Creek Wetlands and Joffre Lakes
Vancouver wasn’t my favourite city in Canada, but it was nice when it didn’t rain.
The Joffre Lakes were amazing!
Totally saving this pin. I would love to go to the BC next year.
Try to go in summer if you want to avoid the rain! :P
My husband and I really want to take a trip to this area! Pinning this for later when we begin planning.
It’s an amazingly scenic area!
It looks like a fun trip! I’m jealous you got to visit Whistler in summer. I was there in winter a couple years back, and the snow was beautiful, but I’m not so into skiing so I’d really like to see the area when it’s more green. It’s also really interesting to learn about Vancouver Chinatown as I just wrote about Chicago’s in a recent blog post! I would love to see the mosaics there!
The mosaics were lovely. They definitely set it apart from any other Chinatown/Chinese city that I’ve been to.
This area looks so beautiful. I could never do that jump tho! 😂 Very nice to read thanks for sharing
I’ve done the world’s highest bungy in Macau twice, so the one in BC was nothing, haha!
Gosh, this is such a gorgeous area. Everytime I read a post from this region, I vow that I need to visit again. The hiking and the parks are spectacular. I love suspension bridges, but would probably be too chicken to bungy-jump.
There are some amazing hikes in BC!
I’ve bungy jumped in several countries. I’m trying to do at least one on each continent. I’ve only got Europe and Asia to go :o)
Wow! So much natural beauty! Brandywine Falls Provincial Park really caught my attention. And the Teapot Hill sounds like such a great hike.
Yes! I loved those falls. It was a pretty easy hike to get that view of the falls as well.
Is there any nature n British Columbia that isn’t epic?? I’ve always wanted to visit and do the suspension bridge, but now I have so many more bucket list activities to try
Apparently not, haha.
These are only the places relatively close to Vancouver. It gets even more stunning if you head to the Rockies in British Columbia’s east.
Looks like you had an amazing trip. I have to say that I would rather snowboard than bungy jump though!
I like doing both!
British Columbia is so high on my bucket list! It’s a paradise for all nature and outdoor lovers but it’s soooo far from India. But I loved reading your blog which took me to a virtual tour of BC. :)
It’s so far from me too! Which is why I spent so much time there once I finally made it to that side of the world!
Ooooh how have i never commented on this one!? I am so impressed that you did the bungee jump in Whistler! I have watched people do it a few times and I am tempted to try…but a bit scared…
I am really glad that you had such a great time in BC. Joffre Lakes is stunning isn’t it! :)
Haha! How did you miss it? :oP
The bungy jump in Whistler was a short one for me, I’ve done the one in Macau that’s 2.5 times higher, twice! You should try it! :o)
OMG the Joffre Lakes hike was amazing.