5 Best Stanley Park Bike Rentals in Vancouver’s Stanley Park

Stanley Park Bike Rentals

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There’s nothing nicer on a sunny Vancouver day than biking Stanley Park – it’s one of those Canadian bucket list things to do!

But don’t stop there.

The Stanley Park bike route continues around the Seawall to Granville Island and beyond.

Conveniently-located Stanley Park bike rentals make it easy to get in the saddle and go for a ride.

So hop on a bicycle and let the good times roll!

Renting bicyles in Stanley Park is easy. You can choose from several rental places.
Renting bikes in Stanley Park is easy – you can choose from several rental places

5 Best Vancouver Stanley Park bike rentals

There are no actual bike rentals in Stanley Park.

But there are plenty of bike rentals near Stanley Park.

The Stanley Park bike rental shops are located on and around Denman Street (in the West End of Vancouver), which is just a hop and a skip away from Stanley Park.

The following are the five most convenient Stanley Park and Seawall bike rental shops. (We’ve rented from most of them.)

biking Stanley Park
Biking Stanley Park is one of our favorite activities in Vancouver!

Note: All prices are in CAD. (So if you’re visiting from the U.S., everything will be a lot cheaper for you!)

1) Spokes Bicycle Rentals

Spokes is one of the best bike rentals in downtown Vancouver.
Spokes is one of the best bike rentals in downtown Vancouver (Credit: Spokes)

Spokes Bicycle Rentals is the biggest and most prominent bike rental near Stanley Park.

It’s also the closest bike rental to the park (at the corner of Denman and Georgia Streets).

Spokes offers a large selection of cruiser bikes with different speeds (1-speed and 7-speed), plus mountain, city, tandem and children’s bikes.

All very new and clean, their bicycles are some of the best Stanley Park bike rentals. And they offer great service.

Spokes bike rental rates 

Check out this cool pink tandem bike at Spokes Bicycle Rentals in Vancouver.
Check out this cool pink tandem bike! (Credit: Spokes)

At the same time, Spokes Bike Rental is probably the most expensive of the Vancouver Seawall bike rentals.

Starting at $8.57 an hour for an adult bike, their hourly rate is more expensive than some of the other shops listed here (like Freedom Bikes, #5 below).

However, if you’re short on time and can only do a quick Stanley Park cycle, Spokes is a great option, as their location is so convenient. (And the cost difference is really quite negligible.)

See here for Spokes’ rental rates.

Minimum rental time

You can rent for just one hour (with an extra charge for each additional 15 minutes).

Hours

When we have longer daylight hours in the summer, the shop stays open later, until 9:00 pm in late spring and summer.

Spokes Bike Rentals: Website

Location: 1798 W. Georgia St (see on map)

2) Yes Cycle Tours and Bicycle Rentals

The team at Yes Cycle rentals in Vancouver
The team at Yes Cycle (Credit: Yes Cycle)

Yes Cycle is another great Stanley Park bike rental shop.

They also offer guided Stanley Park bike tours (3 hours long), leaving at 9:30 am.

You’ll see the totem poles, Brockton Point Lighthouse, Lost Lagoon, Beaver Lake and the beaches (all of which we cover further down in the section on the sights you see when cycling Stanley Park).

Bike rental rates

Their regular bikes are all the same rate (except for kids’ bikes), no matter the style. (E-bikes are more expensive, of course.)

The first hour is $9 an hour, but then the rate drops for every additional hour.

Bikes come with a basket, lock and helmet. There’s a $15 charge to keep the bike overnight.

See here for Yes Cycle’s bicycle rental rates (scroll down to the end).

Minimum rental time

You have the option of renting for just one hour.

Hours  

Yes Cycle is open until 9:00 pm in late spring and summer.

Yes Cycle Bike Rental: Website

Location: 687 Denman St. (see on map)

3) Jo-E Cycles

There are lots of models to choose from at Jo-E cycles for your Stanley Park bicycle rental.
Jo-E Cycles has lots of models to choose from for your Stanley Park bicycle rental

Walk a block further up Denman Street away from Spokes and Yes Cycle, and you come to Jo-E Cycles.

They offer comfort bikes, MTB bikes, cruiser (step-through) styles and electric bikes, as well as tandem bicycles.

And they rent bike trailers for toddlers.

On our most recent visit to Vancouver, we rented from the friendly staff at Jo-E. The 21-speed bikes were great with some shock absorption (though a bit used-looking).

If you want an easy ride, Jo-E also rents e-bicycles, capable of going 18+ miles (30 km) to 62+ miles (100 km) without recharging.

(After riding e-bikes on our Seine River cruise in France, we bought e-bikes for ourselves back home. Love them!)

Bike rental rates

How can you not smile when you go for a Stanley Park bike ride on a sunny day!
How can you not smile when you go for a Stanley Park bike ride on a sunny day! (Credit: Sejoga Naestrada)

Their rate for a half day is one of the best (cheapest) per hour, as it allows you to take out a bike for up to 5 hours for $24 total. See Jo-E’s regular bicycyle rental rates.

They have great rates on electric bike rentals too. See their e-bike rental rates.

To rent an e-bike, you have have to leave a pre-authorized amount of $250 on your credit card (to protect against damage, etc.)

Minimum rental time

There’s no minimum rental – rent only for an hour if you wish.

Hours

In high summer, Jo-E Cycles is open Monday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. But their hours change seasonally, depending on the daylight.

Joe-E Bike Rentals Stanley Park: Website

Location: 768 Denman Street (see on map)

4) Bikes and Blades

On Denman Street, Bikes and Blades near Stanley Park is a trusted Vancouver bike rental shop.
On Denman Street, this bike rental near Stanley Park is a trusted Vancouver bike rental shop (Credit: Bikes and Blades)

This bike rental shop has been in the business for more than 25 years.

Bikes and Blades support the local market by offering Canadian-made bicycles and roller blades for rent.

Choices include regular bikes, e-bikes, tandem bikes, bicycles for children and bike trailers to tow kids.

Bike rental rates

Helmets, locks and baskets are included in the rates.

Overnight charges apply if you don’t return the bike before closing time.

See here for complete rental rates.

Minimum rental time

Bikes and Blades has a minimum charge of 2 hours. After the 2 hours are up, they charge you for every 15 minutes.

Hours

Opening hours vary, depending on the season and daylight.

Bikes and Blades: Website

Location: 718 Denman Street (see on map)

5) Freedom Bikes

Hot pink bicycles at Freedom Bikes in Vancouver
Hey, hot pink bicycles for ladies! (Credit: Freedom Bikes)

This is one of the cheapest Stanley Park cycle rental outfits close to the park.

(It’s also one of the cheapest Vancouver bike rental places, period.)

Their bikes are still good quality, though.

They have men’s cruiser bikes, ladies’ cruiser bicycles (check out the hot pink color!) and tandem bikes.

If you’d like to try a different way to explore Stanley Park, they also rent out E-scooters.

Stanley Park bike rental price

At Freedom Bikes, you can rent an adult bike for just $7 an hour. Kids’ bikes are just $6 an hour.

A helmet, lock and basket are included in the rates.

(E-scooters go for $25 an hour.)

Minimum rental time

You only need to rent for a 1-hour minimum. And if you’re only gone for 90 minutes, there’s a 90-minute rate too ($10.50).

For a quick ride, this is one of the best places for bicycle rentals in Vancouver.

A Freedom Bikes bike rental in Stanley Park, Vancouver
A Freedom bike rental in Stanley Park (Credit: Freedom Bikes)

Hours

Freedom Bikes are open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm in the peak months. (Hours could change when it rains.)

Freedom Bike Rentals: Website

Location: 730 Denman St. (see on map)

Guided Stanley Park bike tours

We’re all about going out and exploring on our own.

But we also know that guided tours are lots of fun when traveling. (You can learn so much when you have a local guide, right?)

Here’s an awesome 3-hour guided Stanley Park bike tour that’s worth checking out.

You’ll ride all around the Seawall and along forest trails through the park too.

It’s a great way to learn about Vancouver’s history as a logging center, the Coastal First Nations, the wildlife and the park’s rainforest and totem poles.

The group size is limited to 12 people. And both beginner and experienced riders are sure to love this tour.

Or maybe you’d like this longer 5-hour Vancouver bicycle tour?

Also top-rated, it includes cycling Stanley Park, a stop at Granville Island for lunch (on your own) and returning via Chinatown. The group size is limited to 9 people.

About Stanley Park, Vancouver

Beloved by everyone, Stanley Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America.
Beloved by everyone, Stanley Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America

Visiting Stanley Park is one of the best things to do in Vancouver, British Columbia, in summer (if not year-round).

And move over Central Park! Stanley Park is bigger than you.

And dare we say it, more beautiful? Conde Nast Traveler named Stanley Park one of the best city parks in the world.

We have to thank Vancouver’s original city planners for preserving this 1,000-acre tract of forest as parkland right in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

Want to gape at a half-million trees that are hundreds of years old? This is your place.

During our many Stanley Park visits over the years we lived in Vancouver, we’ve fed robins and songbirds from our hands.

We’ve marveled at huge pink and purple blooms in the beautiful rhodo garden, spied great blue herons nesting in trees and watched the antics of octopi and beluga whales in the Vancouver Aquarium.

We’ve laughed at curious raccoons and sprightly squirrels crossing the walking paths, and lost track of time gazing at Canada geese watching over their goslings by Lost Lagoon.

 There’s lots of wildlife in Stanley Park, like this cute racoon.
There’s lots of wildlife in Stanley Park, like this cute racoon

Walking, jogging, roller-blading and biking Stanley Park

There are many ways to see and enjoy Vancouver’s Stanley Park.

You can drive – and even take a horse-drawn carriage tour – around the park.

Or you can walk, jog, roller-blade or bicycle Stanley Park – going around the Vancouver Seawall, which is 5.5 miles (almost 9 km) long.

There’s another beautiful park in Vancouver: Get your flower fix at Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden (the rhodos are gorgeous in spring!)

Stanley Park map

biking stanley park map

Stanley Park bike trail

There are two lanes

Pedestrians and cyclists each have their own dedicated lanes when biking Stanley Park
Pedestrians and cyclists each have their own dedicated lanes

The Stanley Park Seawall is divided into two clearly marked paths – one for walkers and runners (closest to the water), and one for bicyclists and roller-bladers.

To avoid accidents, stay in the bicycle lane.

One-way direction

The Stanley Park Seawall path

The Stanley Park bike path is one-way only.

It goes counter-clockwise. From Coal Harbor, it goes to Brockton Point, past the Burrard Inlet, then around to English Bay (see the direction arrows on the map above).

Stanley Park bike route

Many people enjoy just biking Stanley Park. But the Seawall actually extends much further.

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After you pop out from Stanley Park at English Bay, you can continue along Beach Avenue and all the way around False Creek (an inlet from English Bay) to Granville Island.

You might even want to go a little further to Kitsilano Beach (next to Vanier Park).

biking Stanley Park to Granville Island
Follow the red path to bicycle around Stanley Park from Coal Harbour to Granville Island

The full Vancouver Seawall bike ride is 13.5 miles (22 km) one way, from the Vancouver Convention Center to Kitsilano Beach.

(The red biking path shown above, from the Coal Harbor side in Stanley park to Granville Island, underneath Granville Street, is slightly shorter.)

Outside of Stanley Park, you can bicycle on the path in both directions, so you can bicycle back to your bike rental shop on Denman Street.

What do you see when you bicycle Stanley Park?

The following are just some of the sights that catch your attention when biking Stanley Park to Granville Island.

Vancouver Rowing Club

The Vancouver Rowing Club
The Vancouver Rowing Club

Being almost surrounded by water, Vancouverites are pretty passionate about all water sports, including rowing.

One of the first sights you see as you start your Stanley Park bike ride is the Vancouver Rowing Club, still going strong after more than 125 years.

Stanley Park totem poles

You’ll next see a collection of historic totem poles to your left in the park’s Brockton Point.

One of the most significant collection of totems in the world, they’re intricately carved and beautiful pieces of First Nations’ art.

Some date back to the 1880s, and each tells a unique story or legend from several indigenous cultures.

Colorful and historic totem poles in Stanley Park
Don’t miss the historic totem poles at Brockton Point!

Originally, Stanley Park had four totems, brought over from Alert Bay (on northeast Vancouver Island). But over time, more poles were added to the collection.

Some of the older poles were also moved to museums to protect them from the weather, and replicas were carved to replace them.

There are now nine totems standing tall in Stanley Park, and they’re apparently the most visited tourist attraction in British Columbia.

Harry Jerome statue

Statue of Vancouver runner, Harry Jerome, in Stanley Park
George admires the statue of Vancouver runner, Harry Jerome

You can’t miss the 9-foot bronze sculpture of Canadian track and field runner, Harry Jerome (1940 – 1982).

He’s leaning forward, as if he might vault right off the pedestal.  

A Vancouver athlete, Harry set a total of seven world records and won gold medals in the 1966 Commonwealth and 1967 Pan American Games.

In 2001, he was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Brockton Point Lighthouse

Stanley Park bike route: Brockton Point Lighthouse
You’ve got to stop at the Brockton Point Lighthouse to take in the views!

Built in 1914, the Brockton Point Lighthouse was busy in the days of old – alerting ships to potential collisions and warning them of impending storms.

It was decommissioned as a lighthouse in 2005, and now serves as one of Stanley Park’s best viewpoints.

We always stop here to look out at Burrard Inlet (which separates downtown Vancouver from Vancouver’s North Shore) and the Lions Gate Bridge.

View of Burrard Inlet and Vancouver’s north shore from Stanley Park

Girl in a Wetsuit

“Girl in a Wetsuit” gets lots of looks from cyclists biking Stanley Park as she sits on a rock surveying the water.
The “Girl in a Wetsuit” statue gets lots of looks from cyclists biking Stanley Park, as she sits on a rock surverying the water

No, she’s not a mermaid.

Girl in a Wetsuit” (with flippers on her feet and her mask pushed up on her forehead) is a life-size bronze sculpture of a scuba diver sitting on a granite rock in the water.

The creator who sculpted her in 1972 was inspired by the fact that scuba diving was becoming quite popular in Vancouver at the time.

Lions Gate Bridge

The Lions Gate Bridge connects Stanley Park with Vancouver’s North Shore
The Lions Gate Bridge connects Stanley Park with Vancouver’s North Shore

You’ll cycle right underneath the Lions Gate Bridge, a suspension bridge that connects the city of Vancouver with Vancouver’s North Shore communities.

Third Beach

Bicyclists enjoy Third Beach in Vancouver's Stanley Park
Can you swim in Vancouver? Yes, at Third Beach!

Got your bathing suit on? Join the many cyclists biking Stanley Park who stop to cool off for a swim at Third Beach.

The logs are handy for resting against in the sand.

Washrooms and a concession stand are tucked up behind the beach.

If we’re visiting Vancouver on a hot summer day, you might find us swimming here – the water is calm and surprisingly warm!

Visiting Victoria in summer? Chill at the best swimming beaches in Victoria

English Bay

Biking Stanley Park - English Bay
The sundial sculpture is one of the attractions in English Bay (along with the beach!)

Continue bicycling around Stanley Park and you reach English Bay.

It’s a gorgeous beach area in Vancouver’s downtown, on the edge of Stanley Park.

When the thermometer rises, sun-starved Vancouverites love to hang out here on the large swaths of grassy lawn and sandy beach.

Burrard Bridge

Biking in Vancouver by the Burrard Bridge
The Art Deco-style Burrard Bridge is one of three bridges crossing False Creek

After English Bay, you come to the north end of Burrard Bridge.

From here, the distance around False Creek to Granville Island, another star attraction for Vancouver visitors, is about 4.7 miles (7.6 km).

Yaletown

Yaletown is a fun place to bicycle in Vancouver
With tons of chic restaurants and hip bars and nightspots, Yaletown is the trendy place to live

On the north side of False Creek in downtown Vancouver, Yaletown was once an industrial area full of warehouses and railyards.

But that was back before Vancouver morphed into the cool city it is today.

The warehouses have now been converted into funky residential lofts, and a slew of ultra-modern, high-rise condos have since been built.

You’ll find many of Vancouver’s best restaurants in Yaletown – Cioppino’s, Blue Water Café, The Flying Pig – along with swanky hipster bars and nightspots.

Science World

Science World, Vancouver
Get your imagination sparking at Science World (one of the best indoor places to visit on a rainy day)

It looks like a giant golf ball.

But Science World is actually a geodesic dome, built for Expo 86 (when Vancouver hosted a huge World Fair).

And it’s a very interesting place – a non-profit science center with tons of hands-on, interactive displays and the world’s largest OMNIMAX dome theater screen.

When our son was a child, the three of us spent many a happy winter day at Science World, learning about the human body (should you drink your own pee?), puzzling over illusions and generally having geeky fun.

You’re probably not going to stop here on your bike ride – but Science World is definitely worth visiting in Vancouver (especially if you have kids and it happens to be raining).

Granville Island

The Granville Island Market, Vancouver
The Granville Island market

Hey, you made it to Granville Island!

Like Stanley Park, it’s one of Vancouver’s most popular visitor attractions, and a thriving shopping and entertainment hub for locals as well.

Canada Geese like hanging out in the parks around Granville Island
Canada Geese like hanging out in the parks around Granville Island too

Home to art studios, boutique shops, restaurants, a live theater, craft breweries and colorful floating homes, Granville Island is anchored by the huge Public Market.

We never tire of browsing its cheese stalls, bakeries, deli counters, and fresh fruit, veggie and flower stands.

Granville Island
What to eat? There are so many delicious foods in the Public Market

Biking Stanley Park during the Vancouver Marathon

Very occasionally, the Stanley Park bike route is closed for a few hours for various events.

The day we took many of these photos, we couldn’t immediately start biking Stanley Park as the BMO Vancouver Marathon was finishing up. (Forbes Travel Guide called the Vancouver Marathon one of the 12 top marathons worth traveling for.)

Vancouver Marathon runners
Some marathon runners wore silly costumes or funny hats

But what fun it was to watch and cheer on the last of the 16,500+ runners from over 60 countries! Some were dressed in costumes as they jogged (and limped) toward the finish line.

Once we were given the “all clear” by marathon organizers, we were able to start our Stanley Park bike ride on the Vancouver Seawall.

Stanley Park biking: Practical tips

How long does it take to bike around Stanley Park?

You can comfortably pedal the Stanley Park Seawall (including photo stops) in 2 hours.

Allow up to 4 hours for biking Stanley Park and around the False Creek waterfront to Granville Island (more if you stop for a leisurely lunch or swim along the way).

Insider tip

To cut your return time considerably, Aquabus Ferries can take you and your bicycle from Granville Island across False Creek to the Hornby Street landing near Burrard Bridge.

Vancouver AquaBus ferry across False Creek
Not up to biking all the way back? Cut your return time by taking the AquaBus across False Creek

Be aware

Stanley Park is one of the most popular Vancouver attractions.

Bicycling around Stanley Park therefore gets very busy on warm sunny weekends and in summer.

Bicycling Stanley Park is very popular in summer.
Bicycling Stanley Park is very popular in summer

You’ll have to share the trail with thousands of other people all wanting to enjoy exactly what you want to do.

So be careful and go slow – you don’t want to mow down a pedestrian!

It’s best if you go first thing in the morning in the summer – or make it a late afternoon or early evening ride.

Vancouver has long days of sunshine in the summer, when it’s still light past 8:00 pm – and the Stanley Park bike rental shops stay open late.

Frequently asked questions about Stanley Park

Pink cherry blossoms in bloom in Stanley Park
Beautiful Stanley Park is one of the largest urban parks in the world

How big is Stanley Park?

Stanley Park spreads out over 1,000 acres in downtown Vancouver.

It’s about one-fifth larger than New York’s Central Park and features beaches, historic totems, a lagoon, tennis courts, numerous walking and bicycle trails – and many cool places to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

How long is the Stanley Park Seawall?

The Stanley Park Seawall is a popular pathway for walkers, runners and cyclists. It extends approximately 5.5 miles (9 kilometers) around the park’s perimeter.

How many miles of trails are in Stanley Park?

Stanley Park has nearly 17 miles (27 km) of trails winding through the interior forest and around the Seawall.

Is Vancouver’s Stanley Park open all day?

Stanley Park is open year-round.

Like most Vancouver parks, it’s “officially” open daily from 6 am to 10 pm (unless there’s a notice otherwise), but you can usually enter and exit anytime of the day or night. The washrooms are open from dawn to dusk.

Do you have to pay to get into Stanley Park?

No. Stanley Park is free. (But you have to pay for parking and to get into the Vancouver Aquarium).

More information on Vancouver, Canada

Where to stay in Vancouver?

We love the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a luxury stay overlooking the Coal Harbour waterfront. (And you can walk from here along the waterfront to Stanley Park.)

We’ve also stayed at the lovely Wedgewood Hotel & Spa. A 5-star boutique hotel, it has elegant suites with marble bathrooms.

For a less expensive option, the Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier is a great 4-star hotel in North Vancouver. You can easily get to downtown Vancouver by taking the SeaBus (a 12-minute ride) from the dock right by the Pinnacle Hotel.

Last words on renting bikes in Stanley Park

Bicycling around the Stanley Park Seawall is something you can’t miss when visiting Vancouver.

With incredible views everywhere you look, it’s not just cycling, it’s a bicycle ride that turns the ordinary into extraordinary!


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Bicycling Vancouver Stanley Park
Stanley Park bike rentals

Experience more of British Columbia!

Parksville area: From swimming at warm shallow beaches to caving to spying the goats on the roof, you’ll love these crazy fun things to do in Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

Tofino: When the weather is wild and bad, head to Tofino for storm watching!

Telegraph Cove: Whale watching? Grizzly bear viewing? Hiking? You bet! Check out the best things to do in Telegraph Cove for adventure lovers.

Our top travel tips and resources

Hotels: Booking.com is perfect for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!

Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).

Cruises: CruiseDirect offers amazing deals on cruises (including Holland America, Viking Ocean Cruises, Seabourn and other lines we’ve reviewed).

Flights: To book the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets may be non-refundable.)

Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!

Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.

Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.

eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)

Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.

Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)

Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.

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Photo credits: 1, 2, 6, 14, 21 to 23, 25, 28 to 32, 34, 36 to 38 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase


About the authors

Janice and George Mucalov are award-winning travel journalists who’ve explored all seven continents. They share destination guidesluxury hotel reviewscultural adventurescruise insightstravel tips and more on their luxury travel blog, Sand In My Suitcase. See About.

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30 Comments

  1. Stanley Park by bike is really the best!
    I did a bike tour with an electric bike through Vancouver. It was truly the way to see everything!

    1. Hey Denise!

      Thanks for writing in and letting us know. Vancouver is a very bicycle-friendly city, and an e-bike would certainly take you further than a traditional bike :-).

  2. Thanks for putting together this page. Was thinking of biking around Stanley Park and this gives me some great ideas to look into.

    However, I don’t see a basic question addressed here. Where does one park their vehicle close enough to one of the suggested bike rental shops for 3-4 hours to go biking? Is there a public parking lot somewhere close by? Or preferably free street parking somewhere reasonably within walking distance? From looking at google maps, it seems that street parking around the area is only allowed for 1 hour or it requires having a parking permit.

    1. Good question. Parking is difficult in Vancouver (and expensive if you find a parking lot). The city would really prefer you to bicycle or take public transportation.
      Having said that, we’d suggest you phone the bike shop in advance for information about what parking is available. For example, Yes Cycle has four free spots for their customers in an underground parking garage accessed from behind their bike shop. If all spots are taken, there’s paid parking in that same big underground garage.

  3. Bayshore and denman bike shop is closed the business on denman st. jo-e cycles and bikes and blades are cheapest price. from local tour guide

    1. Thanks, John, for taking the time to write in and share this information! Denman Bike Shop has moved to Main Street. And yup Bayshore has closed :-). We’ll update this article to include the new bike rental shops close to Stanley Park. Thanks again!

      1. Love the post and very informative. I also just rented from Freedom Bikes and the price is cheap and the bikes are nearly brand new! Specialized 2019 models. The staff seemed very friendly as well. They are right by spokes. Unfortunately parking in Vancouver is terrible. I found some good spots on Alberni which runs parallel to Robson and Georgia.

        1. Good to hear there’s another bike rental shop so close to Stanley Park!
          Thanks for commenting :-).

  4. This is great – I bike Vancouver all the time, such a great city to explore on two wheels, thanks for sharing!

    1. Vancouver is a great bike city – and they’re making more and more roads bike-friendly, which is great for people who like two-wheeling around!

  5. Vancouver really is amazing! I got to LIVE there for 2 whole weeks a few decades back and I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. The food was fab and I got to ride around on a bike the whole time….Thanks for sharing and the memories.

  6. Every city needs a Stanley Park…you are so lucky! We have Lincoln Park in Chicago, but it’s nowhere near the same (also, mountains would help!)

  7. It’s ages since I’ve been on a bike as mine is currently in a warehouse – i miss cycling though and what a great way to see this lovely area

    1. Yes, bicycling around Stanley Park is the best way to see it. It’s quite long for a walk (unless you love walking). Lots of visitors rent tandem bikes also. Hope you manage to get your bike out of the warehouse soon, so you can go cycling again!

  8. Wow that’s an impressive accolade to get from a source as influential as trip advisor but after reading this, I can totally see why and just really wish that I could ride a bike, though the horse carriage sounds like a nice way to see the park too! This park sounds huge and you’ve seen some incredible wildlife there it seems! I really like the Girl in Wet Suit statue – I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a statue like that, which looks so traditional in its design yet embodies something so modern.

    1. We never tire of going to Stanley Park. We’re so happy we figured out how to get there quickly (by taking the bus) – now we don’t have to worry about whether it’s worth the effort to get there. (And BTW, lots of visitors just walk sections of the Seawall, so you don’t have to ride a bike to get around it. And there are open sightseeing buses that go around the park too – another option!)

  9. I love Stanley Park and I love your beautiful city, Janice! There is so much to see and do there. We stayed only a few days but I’m planning to go back. Lovely photos, as always.

    1. So glad you loved your visit to our city! If you didn’t get a chance to go biking around Stanley Park, hopefully you can visit Vancouver again in future – and experience some of the city from a two-wheeling perspective.

  10. Love Stanley Park, this post brings back lots of great memories as a kid there. Weeks would be spent at private school on Vancouver Island (Shawnigan Lake) but on weekends I’d take the ferry back to Vancouver and my mom and I would usually ride our bikes around the park. I also remember an aquarium. Haven’t been back to Vancouver in about 20 years…

    Frank

    1. It’s probably time for you to revisit Vancouver! The aquarium is still here :-). You’d no doubt enjoy riding around Stanley Park again (and reliving old memories).

      1. I had actually wanted to use it as slow base for a month or two (Spanky has never been) but when I went to find a place on Airbnb it started at about $3500/mo which really doesn’t make sense to us. I don’t know if you guys have any advice on alternatives. $2500 about as high as we usually go and I think Cape Town the only place we’ve been that we’ve had to pay that much during our travels.

        I think we’ll eventually go to Vancouver but most likely it will be a 1-2 week stay passing through back to Montreal or to Asia. One day :)

        1. Vancouver’s real estate is astronomically high – with increases of 29% and more in the past year. The city’s real estate market is crazy right now. Rents are very high too, so we’re not surprised that Airbnb’s are quite expensive. What about checking out Victoria on Vancouver Island and exploring the island instead? They’re also seeing a real estate boom but prices are less there. We stayed in a few lovely Airbnb’s in Victoria recently, which you can get for about $100 CAD night (so on a monthly basis, perhaps $2,500?).

          1. Thanks guys for the suggestion, might consider that. Oh boy, never stops in Vancouver does it. I remember 5 years ago they were saying the bubble would eventually burst but just keeps going every year. Back when I was there (this is early 80s) the place felt like a small, provincial city.

            One of the most beautiful settings on earth though!