Most Scenic & Best Bike Trails in Vancouver

By Travel & Places Last updated Monday, March/25/2019

Biking--or cycling, if you prefer--is part of the culture of Vancouver, BC. Like Amsterdam, Vancouver is extremely bike-friendly, making it easy for visitors and residents to bike throughout the city, including downtown Vancouver. (In fact, there are separated bike lanes though much of the downtown core, including the Burrard Bridge.) You can even take your bike on the bus.

For both visitors and residents, the city offers a wide array of bike trails for fun and exercise. The best bike trails in Vancouver combine ease of use with incredible scenery; use this Guide to find the perfect destination for your next cycling adventure.

•Stanley Park & Downtown Seawall

The most famous bike trail in Vancouver is the paved Stanley Park Seawall; the Seawall itself actually extends around the southern edge of downtown Vancouver and continues south to Kitsilano Beach. You can choose to stay within Stanley Park--the Seawall there is 8.8km (5.5 miles), and there is a loop you can follow--or you can continue south of the park, along the Seawall, for a longer ride. For visitors, bike rentals are available at many shops along Denman Street (next to the entrance to Stanley Park), including Bay Shore Bicycle & Rollerblade Skate Rentals.

•Seaside Bicycle Routes & Jericho Beach Park

To me, the prettiest bike trails in Vancouver are along the southwest coast, where to you can bike on paved trails all along the beautiful beaches. If you need to park, start at Jericho Beach, then you can go south from Jericho Beach to Spanish Banks (1.6km) or north from Jericho Beach to Kitsilano Beach (3.2km).

These routes are part of the Vancouver Seaside Bicycle Route: City of Vancouver Cycling Map (pdf).

•Central Valley Greenway

This bike trail is a suggestion from my friend Lauren, an avid Vancouver cyclist (I'm just an occasional bike-rider). The Central Valley Greenway is a paved bike route that takes you from Vancouver to Burnaby and then to New Westminster; Lauren says, "It's great for a long and safe ride." The Central Valley Greenway is a 24km, flat, dedicated path that takes riders from Science World to New Westminster Quay, passing lots of shops and tourist attractions on the way.

Translink's Buzzer Blog has a detailed overview of the Central Valley Greenway, including a route map and information on nearby public transit and SkyTrain stations.

•Pacific Spirit Park near UBC

Pacific Spirit Park, located near the University of British Columbia (UBC) in southwest Vancouver, is both one of Vancouver's Top 5 Parks and home to some of the best bike trails in the city. The trails are hard-packed, bike-friendly, and are easy for kids and less-skilled cyclists, though the scenery--lush, Pacific Northwest forest; a total immersion in nature--will please even hard-core riders.

Let's Go Biking's Maps & Bike Trails for Pacific Spirit Park

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