Prospect Point in Stanley Park
Prospect Point is the highest point in Stanley Park and offers great views of the ocean, West Vancouver, and the Lions Gate Bridge from it's lookout.
There is a cafe with ice cream stand, giftshop, washrooms, and monuments to the SS Beaver and 2006 Windstorm.
The cafe and gift show will open for the season on May 8, 2025!
Below we also have photos, history, and FAQs about Prospect Point.
Prospect Point Lookout
The primary reason people go to Prospect Point in Stanley Park is for the views! It has great views of West Vancouver and beyond, the Lions Gate Bridge, and boats coming and going from Burrard Inlet.
Prospect Point Cafe and Ice Cream Stand
There is a small cafe at Prospect Point. It has the normal cafe items such as coffee, pastries. There is also an ice cream stand!
Prospect Point Trading Post
There is a large gift shop at Prospect Point. It has lots of Canadian souvenirs.
SS Beaver Cairn
There is a large cairn at Prospect Point in memory of the lives lost when the SS Beaver steamship crashed just below Prospect Point on July 26th, 1888.
The plaque says:
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
Prospect Point
Here, on 26th July 1888, the steamer Beaver was wrecked. This historic vessel was built for the Hudson's Bay Company at Blackwall, England, in 1825, sailed for this coast immediately and was the pioneer steamship of the Pacific Ocean. The story of the "Beaver" is the story of the early development of the western coast of Canada.
There is a small display about the SS Beaver in the Port of Vancouver Discovery Centre in Canada Place at Coal Harbour.
There is also a large display about the SS Beaver in the Vancouver Maritime Museum at False Creek.
It includes actual parts of the real ship!
Windstorm Monument
There is a large monument at Prospect Point about the Windstorm that devastated Stanley Park, especially Prospect Point, in December 2006.
Prospect Point Photos
Prospect Point History
Prospect Point has a long history. In 1889, a summer house was built here as an observation point. A signal station for ships was built in 1923. In the 1950s a Tea Room operated here.
Prospect Point Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where is Prospect Point in Stanley Park?
Prospect Point is located on the north side of Stanley Park. It is located at the highest point in Stanley Park so is primarily accessible by car. You can bicycle or walk to it, but you need to go up steep hills.
How do I get to Prospect Point by Driving?
To get to Prospect Point in Stanley Park by driving you must enter Stanley Park from the Georgia Street entrance headed west. You will come to a traffic circle. You can two ways: quick way or longer more scenic way.
The long way is to take the first right in the traffic circle onto Stanley Park Drive. Continue for about 15-20 minutes all the way around Brockton Point and along the north side of Stanley Park until you reach Prospect Point
The quick way is to take the 2nd exit in the traffic circle onto Pipeline Road. Continue as far as you can go on Pipeline Road until you reach Stanley Park Drive. Turn left onto Stanley Park Drive and continue on it until you reach Prospect Point. This short way will save you 10-15 minutes. Prospect Point is just after you cross a bridge over the Stanley Park Causeway after going up a long steep hill.
Note that travel times by car are way up in 2022 due to the temporary bicycle lane which limits Stanley Park Drive to 1 lane so plan accordingly.
Where can I park near Prospect Point in Stanley Park?
All parking in Stanley Park is paid parking! There is a small parking lot right at Prospect Point. There is street parking immediately after Prospect Point. If these are both full, there is a large parking lot about 100 metre further down Stanley Park Drive at the Prospect Point Picnic Area. For more information about parking and prices, read this: Parking in Stanley Park
Due to the temporary bicycle lane it does not appear that there are any bus parking spots anymore. This will surely become a big issue.
How do I get to Prospect Point by Bicycle?
There is a 'not-so' temporary bicycle lane that runs on Stanley Park Drive. It takes about 30-45 minutes from the Georgia Street entrance of Stanley Park to make it to Prospect Point. Note that there is a very steep hill to get up to Prospect Point that a lot of people have to walk their bicycles up.
Bridle Trail goes from Second Beach to Prospect Point and is a bicycle allowed trail. Note that this trail is uphill to Prospect Point so it is not an easy ride up. It is a great, easy ride down!
How do I get to Prospect Point by Walking?
Prospect Point is difficult to walk to because it is at the far north end of Stanley Park.
One way is to walk up Bridle Trail. This trail runs from Second Beach all the way to Prospect Point. It is uphill and takes about 45-60 minutes to walk.
Another way to walk to Prospect Point is to take a steep trail off of the north side of the Stanley Park Seawall just before you go under the Lions Gate Bridge. It is about a 10 minute walk up from the seawall.
Another way is to walk up the Stanley Park Causeway. Depending on the side that you are on, there is a short trail just before you get onto the Lions Gate bridge that goes to Prospect Point.