Most of the walking tours were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic, but we are expecting some to return for 2022.  Be sure to check with the tour operators to confirm any tour is on.

There are many historical, cultural, geological, tall tree, first nations, heritage and special event walking tours of Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Most of the walking tours last from 1 to 3 hours and are on relatively flat terrain.  Unfortunately, most tours cannot accomodate wheelchairs because they go off of the main paths.  Be sure to check with the individual tour company for restrictions, prices, and other information.

We highly recommend that you wear appropriate clothing and footwear.  Vancouver can be cool when the weather is wet so you may need a jacket and gloves.  Wearing layers is the best!  Most tours will walk on paved paths, crushed gravel paths, and grass.  Since Vancouver is rainy, expect that you may be walking on a wet surface.  Wear appropriate footwear.  Flip-flops are not usually appropriate for these tours.  Check the weather and if rainy be sure to bring an umbrella or rain poncho.

Most tours do not pass washroooms so be sure to go to the bathroom prior to your tour.  Here is our list of washrooms in Stanley Park: Washrooms.

If it is sunny, you may need a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.  A small day pack is always useful to carry your water and umbrella!  Also, be sure to bring along some water for your walking tour as they usually won't stop for food.

Photo Credit: Will Woods Photo Credit: Will Woods Photo Credit: Will Woods Photo Credit: Will Woods

Forbidden Vancouver does a fantastic Stanley Park walking tour on Wednesdays and Saturdays evenings and Sunday mornings (as of June 2022).

Discover the jaw-dropping beauty and sinister stories of Stanley Park. Behind those majestic forests, picturesque Gardens, and popular Beaches lies a history of hidden graveyards, shocking crime scenes, buried treasure, and the ghostly lore of Deadman's Island.  So join your guide Glenn or Lina on a two hour walking tour to discover the famous seawall, dark forested trails, secret cemeteries, historic Totem Poles, bizarre public art, the Lions Gate Bridge, the forgotten remnants of the Stanley Park zoo, and groves of mighty cedar and douglas fir towering high above you.  This is your chance to discover a side of Stanley Park you never knew existed!

What to bring: Comfortable shoes, weather appropriate clothing, and a camera. On warmer days your guide will be stopping in the shade as much as possible, but a water bottle, sunglasses, cap and sunscreen can come in handy!

About the company: Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours was founded in 2012 and stages five unique walking tours that explore the most interesting, unique, and strange corners of Vancouver history. Their storytellers are guides, actors, historians, comedians, writers, performers -- they're people who love Vancouver and love to entertain. They're also some of the nicest, most passionate, and most creative people you'll ever have the pleasure to meet! Their work has been featured on the BBC, LA Times, CBC, Vancouver Sun, The Province, Westender, Vancouver Courier, Miss604, Vancity Buzz, Global TV and Shaw TV. They've been awarded the Top Choice distinction by Lonely Planet and are rated 5 stars on TripAdvisor with over 1,500 five star reviews.

Price: $32 adults
Date:resumed April 2022
Days: As of June 15, 2022: Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays 10am
Duration: 2 hours
Tour Start Location: Fountain outside Vancouver Aquarium
Ages: 14+
Website: Secrets of Stanley Park Tour information and Tickets

The Stanley Park Ecology Society organizes many walking tours throughout the year.  They have walking tours like Indigenous Plant Use, specific Wild Animals(Birds/Beavers/Otters/Coyotes/Herons, etc.), tall trees, and seaside creatures among others.

Price: depends on walk..some are free
Date: year round
Schedule: Stanley Park Events Calendar

Talaysay Tours offers 3 fantastic walking tours that are from local Indigenous perspective.

Talaysay's Talking Trees Tour - Indigenous Walk in Stanley Park

This is an exploration of Stanley Park with a local Indigenous Guide and cultural ambassador.  Local plants that were harvested by the First Nations people will be pointed out.  The guide will share with you stories and legends along the way.

Booking: please book 24 hours in advance
Cost: Yes
When: from February through October
Days: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
Times: 12pm
Duration: 1.5 hours
Required: good walking shows and appropriate clothing for warmth
Phone: Toll-free: 1-800-605-4643, local: 604-628-8555
email: info@talaysay.com
Website: About Talking Trees Walk at Stanley Park tour
Meeting Place: interpretive sign between Stanley Park Bus Loop and Stanley Park Junction

Talaysay's Talking Totems Indigenous Art Tour

This is culturally enriching Talking totems Indigenous Art tour in Stanley Park.  It is designed for the art enthusiast and appreciator of the diverve indigenous art community.

Booking: please book 24 hours in advance
Cost: Yes
When: from February through October
Days: ???
Times: ???
Duration: 1 hours
Required: good walking shows and appropriate clothing for warmth
Phone: Toll-free: 1-800-605-4643, local: 604-628-8555
email: info@talaysay.com
Website: About Talking Trees Walk at Stanley Park tour
Meeting Place: next to Gift Shop at Totem Poles

Spoken Treasures - A History of Vancouver and Stanley Park through Indigenous Eyes

This is an exploration of Stanley Park with a local Indigenous Guide and cultural ambassador.  This specific tour is a walk along the Stanley Park Seawall for 1.1 km.  The guide will share stories, history, and lore about Vancouver through their indigenous perspective.  This tour will conclude at the Totem Poles where you will hear stories about them and the people who carved them.

Booking: please book 24 hours in advance
Cost: Yes
When: from February through October
Days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays
Times: 2pm
Duration: 1.15 hours
Required: good walking shows and appropriate clothing for warmth
Phone: Toll-free: 1-800-605-4643, Vancouver: 604-628-8555
email: askus@aboriginalecotours.com
Website: About Spoken Treasures - A History of Vancouver and Stanley Park through Indigenous Eyes tour
Meeting Place: Stanley Park Information Booth

Photo Credit: Logan Ireland Photo Credit: Logan Ireland Photo Credit: Logan Ireland

THIS TOUR HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY CANCELLED DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.

This is a walking tour that begins at the lookout above the Cactus Club restaurant at Jack Poole Plaza.  From the lookout you are treated to a fantastic view of Stanley Park.  We will then make our way along the waters of Coal Harbour, getting aquainted with the North Shore Mountains, the city skyline, and the rich history of the land.  After a 30 minute stroll we will arrive at the entrance to the crown jewel of Vancouver: the 1001 acre, 130 year old Stanley Park.  Once inside The Park we will visit the towering Totem Poles and the landmark Lumbermens' Arch.  We'll gaze out at the Lions Gate Bridge and learn how a beer brewing family from Dublin impacted the early growth of Vancouver.  We'll learn of the Stanley Park Zoo that once captivated Vancouverites alongside the world renowned Vancouver Aquarium , and we'll discover the concrete remains of what was once the Zoo's main attraction: the Polar Bear Compound.  We become pedestrians within a city of trees, and have ample opportunity to gaze back at the dazzling urban city we left behind.  This is a new tour as of 2018.

Bring comfortable walking shoes, water bottle, secured camera, weather appropriate clothing, sense of humour!

Price: $20
Days: Weekly on Sundays during the winter
Start Time: 2pm
Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours
Tour Start Location: Jack Poole Plaza, on the lookout above Cactus Club-look for guys with umbrellas!
Start Time: 2pm
Tour End Location: Lord Stanley Statue
Ages: all ages
Website: VancouverToonieTours.ca

Photo Credit: Josh Schmitz

THIS TOUR HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY CANCELLED DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.

This is a free(by donation) walking tour that goes through downtown Vancouver, then along the False Creek Seawall, English Bay Seawall, before cutting through Stanley Park near Lost Lagoon, then back along the Coal Harbour Seawall to Jack Poole Plaza, then to the Vancouver Art Gallery.  This is a new tour as of 2018.

Price: Free, by donation
Days: Weekly on Fridays during the winter
Start Time: 2pm
Duration: 2.5-3 hours
Tour Start Location: Robson Square-look for guys with umbrellas!
Tour End Location: Jack Poole Plaza
Ages: all ages
Website: VancouverToonieTours.ca

There are some fantastic walking tours of Stanley Park done by Jolene Cumming of the Stanley Park History Group.  Jolene is probably the person who knows the most about Stanley Park's cultural and women's history.  These are usually on a Sunday about once every month.  Some of the tours she gives are: Shakespeare's Garden 450, A Stanley Park Historical Walking Tour, and E. Pauline Johnson's (Tekahionwake) Stanley Park Historical Walking tour.  The tours are about 2 hours long and only cost about $10.  The walking effort required is low to moderate.  Pre-registration is recommended because they fill up quickly.

We have been on many tours done by Jolene and they are fantastic.  We highly recommend them.

Jolene also offers private tours.  You can book any of 19 different Stanley Park Historical Walking Tours.

Price: $10 usually
Date: 2022 tbd
Days: 2022 tbd
Start Time: 2022 tbd
Duration: 2022 tbd
Tour Start Location: depends on the specific tour
Ages: all ages
Website: stanleyparkhistory.wordpress.com

Heritage Vancouver occasionally has some walking tours in Stanley Park.

Website: Heritage Vancouver events listing

Occasionally there are special events, such as the Stanley Park 125 celebration that had walking tours of the Police Horse Stables, Rose Cottage, Malkin Bowl, and Deadman's Island.  Whenever they have these tours they are very popular because these are places that you can't usually see without special permission.  If you get a chance to go on any of these tours, we highly recommend you go on them.  We will try to put these one-off tours on our Stanley Park Events Calendar.

Doors Open Vancouver which occurs annually in June usually has tours of the Vancouver Parks Board Office and Vancouver Police Department Horse Stables in Stanley Park.

Stanley Park Events Calendar...

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