Stanley Park Seawall

The Stanley Park Seawall is an 8.8-kilometre paved path encircling the perimeter of Stanley Park peninsula in Vancouver, British Columbia, running along the English Bay, Burrard Inlet, and First Narrows shorelines at water's edge. Opened progressively between 1917 and 1980, the Seawall is one of the longest uninterrupted urban waterfront paths in the world and provides a continuous progression of views across the North Shore mountains, Lions Gate Bridge, anchored cargo ships, and the downtown Vancouver skyline from different orientations as the path curves around the peninsula. The photographic character of the Seawall changes dramatically at different points: the English Bay stretch from the park entrance to Third Beach faces southwest with sunset exposure; the First Narrows stretch beneath Lions Gate Bridge looks directly at the bridge span with the North Shore mountains behind; and the Burrard Inlet section between Prospect Point and Brockton Point frames the industrial-to-alpine contrast of cargo traffic against the mountain horizon. Brockton Point at the Inlet side of the park houses nine totem poles from several First Nations and is among the most photographed single locations on the path. Sunset from Third Beach, where the path overlooks a broad stretch of English Bay toward the UBC peninsula and Bowen Island, is considered one of the best urban sunset views in Vancouver. The Seawall accommodates both cyclists and pedestrians on divided lanes; rental bikes are available on Denman Street at the park's southern entrance.