If you are visiting Vancouver, you have likely seen an advertisement for the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. One of Vancouver’s top attractions, the Park advertises a walk in the treetops and along cliff faces that feels adventurous, but is extremely accessible to those who typically do not partake in extreme hikes. With the grand views and beautiful nature scenes comes quite a pricey admission fee. In this post I will go over whether the experience is worth the money, and how to get the most out of your visit!
Accessing the Park
I was able to access the park via a free shuttle service. The shuttle comes to a few different locations around Vancouver including the Hyatt Regency where I stayed. To board the shuttle you do not need to have pre-purchased a ticket, but you do need one to board on your journey home! The shuttle comes every 15 minutes., and there is a small sign with a QR code you can scan to confirm the schedule. I wanted to know exactly where to go so I asked the front desk and was given a coupon for $5 off! (Viator also runs deals and offers discounts at times, check out tickets here!)
The bus came exactly on time at 1:35 and I was pleasantly surprised that there were many empty seats, the climate control was perfect, and the bus itself was very clean. I loved looking out the window as we drove to the Park, and was able to see Stanley Park, where I planned to ride bikes that weekend! At 1:52, we had arrived at the Park.
The Park does recommend pre-booking your tickets in advance so that you have a guaranteed timed entry, however, I did not have a problem getting a ticket the day of on a weekday.
When to Visit
The least busy times to visit are generally during the week, and during not so great weather. That isn’t always feasible with folks schedules so if you are visiting during the summer, or on the weekend try to get there earlier in the morning so that there are fewer crowds and you can get the perfect picture!
(I visited on a Thursday in May around 1pm and was met with what I would describe as medium crowd levels). Groups of school kids added a bit to the chaos, as they were running and jumping on the bridge. I was happy that I had targeted that area of the park first, so that I had a more peaceful experience on my first trek across, compared to the trek I made getting back towards the exit.
Areas of the Park
There three adventure areas of the park are the suspension bridge, treetop adventure, and cliff walk. If you plan to visit on a crowded day, I suggest doing the suspension bridge first, then the tree top adventure! The cliff walk was the least crowded area the day I visited and I only passed two other groups.
In addition to these areas, Capilano has a living forest walk, raptors ridge which has seasonal demonstrations, and multiple areas with signage around the park telling you more about the history of the area, and the types of flora and fauna you are seeing!
Dining Options
Capilano has three dining options. The Cliff House Restaurant, Logger’s Grille, and On-The-Go options. The Cliff House Restaurant is more up-scale and on the pricier side. Kids chicken tenders with a side of fries for example will set you back about $20.
Logger’s Grille is also a bit pricy, but is not sit down service, so you will be in and out quicker! I chose to go here and be advised, it was not allergy friendly at all!! This was quite surprising because I found Vancouver in general to be allergy friendly, and I would have expected Capilano to know if their buns contained dairy.
On-The-Go refers to food carts throughout the facility including baked goods, ice cream, and waffles. I myself did not go for the waffles, but they were a very popular option when we were at the park and I was very tempted to grab one!
What to Wear
Although being in the treetops can feel like you are on an adventourous hike, you won’t need any technical gear here. I would recommend shoes that have a good grip, sneakers are fine! But hiking boots are not necessary here.
There isn’t much cover, so if you are visiting in the rain pack a rain coat. If you want to bring an umbrella you will need to be mindful of others on the pathways as it can be tight quarters when crowded.
Photography
I love taking pictures and was excited to snap some shots at the Park. I wasn’t alone! Many visitors will be snapping selfies and taking group shots on the suspension bridge and cliff walk.
Wheelchair Accessibility
While parts of the park are wheelchair accessible, the majority is not wheelchair accessible, and there are many flights of stairs to access the treetops or the cliffside walk.
How Long Will You Spend Here?
I spent roughly 4 hours at the park. I really took my time, and did some areas of the park twice, taking photos, sitting on benches, and grabbing a bite to eat. I visited on the same day I arrived in Vancouver, so I had time to kill before I could check into my hotel room. If I wasn’t in such a slow mode, I would say that you could finish the park in 2 hours, but it is interesting enough to do some areas twice!
Is it Worth it?
I enjoyed my time at the Capilano Suspension Park. I do think that the admission fee was quite high, however, my group wasn’t very large so I didn’t have to worry about paying for a lot of people. If you do have a large family, and want a more budget friendly option, I would consider renting bikes and adventuring around Stanley Park!
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