This long, slender sand-and-grass isthmus at the mouth of the Fraser River, which can be reached by car or bike, is one of the region's best birding destinations. Look out for migrating avian critters (snow geese included) plus 'locals' such as kinglets, hummingbirds, bald eagles and many more. Turtles also call this park home and you'll have great shoreline views to point your camera at, especially from the 4km-long Iona Jetty.
Iona Beach Regional Park
Lower Mainland
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
5.95 MILES
One of North America’s largest urban green spaces, Stanley Park is revered for its dramatic forest-and-mountain oceanfront views. But there’s more to this…
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
9.57 MILES
As you inch gingerly across one of the world's longest (140m) and highest (70m) pedestrian suspension bridges, swaying gently over roiling Capilano Canyon…
5.9 MILES
Under Vancouver's favorite geodesic dome (OK, it's only one), this ever-popular science showcase has tonnes of hands-on galleries and a cool outdoor park…
5.77 MILES
For a glimpse of what the West End looked like before the apartment blocks, visit this handsome 1893 Queen Anne–style mansion, now a lovingly preserved…
3.47 MILES
This highly popular green-thumbed oasis is a 22-hectare, 255,000-plant idyll that offers a strollable web of pathways weaving through specialized garden…
Vancouver Police Museum & Archives
6.48 MILES
Illuminating Vancouver's crime-and-vice-addled history, this quirky museum has had a recent makeover, uncovering the former coroner's courtroom (spot the…
4.32 MILES
A former disused urban rail line that's being transformed by the city into a cool linear park, this 8.5km-long flora-fringed walking and cycling route is…
4.32 MILES
Cresting the hill in Queen Elizabeth Park, this domed conservatory is a delightful rainy-day warm-up. At Vancouver's best-value paid attraction, you'll…
Nearby Lower Mainland attractions
1. Pacific Spirit Regional Park
3.02 MILES
This stunning 763-hectare park stretches from Burrard Inlet to the North Arm of the Fraser River, a green buffer zone between the UBC campus and the city…
3.29 MILES
One of the best ways to commune with nature is to pretend you're a squirrel. While costumes are not required for this cool canopy walkway (you may win a…
3.44 MILES
Arguably Richmond's biggest lure is this atmospheric, always busy, Asian-flavored night market that has grown from humble beginnings in 2000 to become the…
3.47 MILES
You'll find a huge array of rhododendrons, a fascinating apothecary plot and a winter green space of off-season bloomers in this 28-hectare complex of…
3.47 MILES
This highly popular green-thumbed oasis is a 22-hectare, 255,000-plant idyll that offers a strollable web of pathways weaving through specialized garden…
3.62 MILES
The biggest venue built for the 2010 Winter Olympics (it hosted long-track speed skating), this riverfront behemoth has since become a community sports…
3.93 MILES
An activity-lover's idyll, Jericho is great if you just want to putter along the beach, clamber over driftwood and catch stunning views of downtown. It's…
8. University of British Columbia
3.93 MILES
The giant University of British Columbia is more than just your average college campus; it's also home to some of the city's best visitor attractions…