Paved walkways perfect for wheels at Queen Elizabeth Park Quarry Garden. Photo: Dana Lynch
As the mother of a one-year old, I’m always looking for places to take the kid. When the weather is gorgeous, one of Vancouver’s beautiful parks should be the ideal day trip. But not all of Vancouver’s great outdoor spaces are stroller- or wheelchair-friendly. And there’s nothing more disappointing than reaching your destination only to realize that you can’t actually do anything while there.
So I’ve compiled a quick list of the Top 5 Best Vancouver Parks for Strollers & Wheelchairs:
1. Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park is the perfect wheelchair- and stroller-accessible park. Not only can you wind your way through both its quarry gardens on wheels (there are even wheelchair symbols painted on the pathways to guide you), you can enjoy the top of the park, too, including the dancing fountains and Bloedel Floral Conservatory .
2. Stanley Park
Maybe it’s needless to say, but Stanley Park’s famous, paved Seawall is always popular with strollers and ideal for wheelchairs, and grants you access to many of the park’s major attractions, including the Brockton Point Totem Poles and Second and Third Beach. The Stanley Park Rose Garden is accessible, too, and you can always take the baby on a horse-drawn carriage ride .
3. Trout Lake (John Hendry Park)
John Hendry Park—the park that surrounds East Vancouver’s Trout Lake—is so stroller-friendly that it’s usually packed with young families on sunny days and weekends. Paths that are easy-for-wheels circle the entire lake and offer access to several view points, the small Trout Lake Beach, and the playground.
Scenic and wheel-friendly paths at Jericho Beach Park.
4. Jericho Beach Park
With a paved sidewalk that lets you stroll the length of the beach and back again—plus amazing views of the mountains, ocean, and downtown Vancouver—Jericho Beach Park is one of the best beaches for folks with mobility issues or anyone who wants to see the coastline on wheels. (The paths are great for bikes and roller-blades, too.)
5. VanDusen Botanical Garden
The VanDusen Botanical Garden is so brimming with plants, flowers and trees that it’s easy to forget that this lush oasis has firm pathways running throughout, making it easy to see all the Garden’s delights from a wheelchair or stroller. This is the only park on this list that isn’t free, but trust me: VanDusen’s beauty and accessibility are well worth the ticket price!
Have more ideas for Vancouver parks that are wheelchair- and stroller-friendly? Please share in the comments; I’m always looking for new places to explore with my son!
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