Visiting the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver, Canada
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is definitely a place everyone visiting Vancouver should experience. Here is what you can see and do there.
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While we were in Vancouver we kept hearing about the Capilano Suspension Bridge and how we should go see it. At first I thought it is just one bridge on which you can walk back and forth once, and was wondering why it was so famous.
But I am so glad we went there! Capilano Suspension Bridge Park actually has a series of very cool suspension bridges in the forest, a Cliffwalk, nature talks and some cute cafes. We liked it so much that we ended up spending several hours there.
We had so much fun crossing the bridges from one tree top to another, taking photos and looking down to the forest, that we already discussed returning there at nighttime. All the bridges and buildings are lit with light strings, and we figured it would be beautiful there when it gets dark.
This was definitely the best attraction in Vancouver that we did. We enjoyed it a lot.
What to see at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is much more than just the one bridge. Make sure to check everything they have to offer while you are there. Here is what you can do there:
Story Center and Kia’palano
Story Center is the first thing you see when you enter the park. It is a series of pictures and stories of how the area has developed and who the people were behind it.
The suspension bridge has had several owners, and one of them, “Mac” MacEachran wanted to add a native theme around it. He asked some local natives to install totem poles there in 1935.
Some of the totem poles where added later and there are also some newer poles in the park from native carvers. All the poles have so many details and meanings behind them. They were equally beautiful to those what we saw the next day at Stanley Park.
Among British Columbia, Canada, there are also some totem poles in United States, in Washington State and Alaska.
Totem poles represent the culture and beliefs of Indigenous peoples a little bit like the Tiki poles we saw in Hawaii that are significant cultural symbols in Polynesian culture.
Right by the totem poles is also Kia’palano. It is like a little museum telling you the story of the Skwxwú7mesh Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation whose traditional territory the Capilano Park is on.
Kia’palano is Skwxwú7mesh language and means “beautiful river”.
Suspension Bridge
The suspension bridge is of course, the main attraction of the whole park. The original bridge was built by a Scottish civil engineer George Grant Mackay in 1889.
Back then they used mostly hemp rope and cedar blanks but the bridge was later upgraded into a a wire cable bridge. The current bridge is from 1956 when it was completely rebuilt.
The bridge is a simple suspension bridge which is 460 ft (140 meters) long and 230 ft (70 meters) high. A walk across the bridge will take you over the Capilano River.
Being on the suspension bridge is quite an experience, since it is so high up and the bridge is quite wobbly. There was quite a lot of people on the bridge, so we just had to keep going forward.
Treetops Adventure
After you cross the suspension bridge you will enter the Treetops Adventure area. It has seven additional bridges that go from tree to tree, the highest being in 110 feet (33 meters).
We really loved this portion of the park. It was so fun to walk above the forest and figure out where to go next. The bridges were shorter and more sturdy than the suspension bridge, but equally exciting.
Otter Balls
After doing all that we sat down at a little cafe called The Cabin by the Treetops Adventure. We were really craving some coffee, and also ate some sandwiches.
The Cabin sells hot and cold beverages and snacks. Their speciality is the otter balls. Otter balls are puffy, little pancakes that are served with maple syrup and icing sugar.
The Living Forest
After you have seen everything from the air and walked over all the bridges, you will then have a chance to walk around on the ground and see all the trees and plants from up close in the Living Forest.
The rainforest is absolutely beautiful and there are ponds, old-growth Douglas fir trees and banana slugs that we also have back home in California. They have a lot of signs about how the ecosystem in the forest works, and it is very educational.
We also stopped at one of the canopies where they were telling people about the bats in the area and about their life cycle. We even got some bat tattoos to take home for the kids.
The Raptors Ridge
The Raptors Ridge is an area where you can see birds common to the area. They are usually showcasing owls, hawks or falcons, and answering any questions about them.
You can see them every day from June to Labor Day, and on weekends in April and May.
It was so interesting to see these beautiful creatures from up close, but we were really hoping that they were not kept confined for this purpose.
We were thinking that maybe the birds were rescued or in the middle of rehabilitation. But they do claim that the purpose of having these birds there is educating the public so unfortunately, I think they are there just for our entertainment.
Cliffwalk
Cliffwalk is one of the most exciting attractions in Capilano Park. It is the latest addition on the activities and was added to the park in 2011.
It includes different kinds of walkways and stairs that are anchored to the cliffs of the canyon. It is thrilling to walk along the narrow paths when you can see that you are as high up as the treetops. If you look down you will see just some rocks and the river.
Cliffwalk ends at a platform in front of the river. After you climb back up to the ground there is a little garden and a souvenir shop. This was one of the best souvenir shops we came across in Vancouver.
They also have two restaurants there; The Cliff House Restaurant and Loggers’ Grill. If you haven’t tried the Canadian specialty Poutine yet, then this is your chance to taste it.
Capilano also has a fun kids program where the kids can fill out their activity book while they see the attractions. The booth to get the activity books is right there when you enter the Treetop Adventure.
How long does it take to visit Capilano Suspension Bridge?
We really enjoyed our visit to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, so we ended up staying there closer to four hours. I would recommend to reserve at least 2.5 hours to be inside the park.
The drive to the park from downtown Vancouver is a little less than half an hour, so our total time for this visit was about five hours. This time also included our lunch break that we had in the park.
Give yourself some time to really enjoy the fresh air of the rainforest and to do some leisurely nature walks. Even though the park had a lot of visitors, we still thought it was such a relaxing and nice place to visit.
What all is included in the visit
The ticket to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park includes the visit to the Story Center, Kia’palano, Suspension Bridge, Treetop Adventure, Cliffwalk, The Raptors Ridge and the Living Forest.
There is no time limit on the ticket, so you can stay at the park as long as you want. If you choose to visit during the evening to see the park lights, the ticket is a bit cheaper than the day entrance.
There is also a free shuttle bus that park guests can use. It drives to Capilano multiple times every day via Canada Place, Hyatt Regency Hotel and the Blue Horizon Hotel. We took the shuttle and I highly recommend it!
Is Capilano Suspension Bridge worth a visit?
Yes, absolutely! As I already mentioned, we liked this place so much that we ended up staying there much longer than we had planned. It is something that you can’t find from anywhere else.
There are couple of other suspension bridges in Vancouver as well, like the one in UBC Botanical Garden, Cascade Falls Regional Park or in Lynn Canyon Park, but Capilano is the oldest and biggest of them. And it offers so much more than just one suspension bridge.
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We had a great time in Vancouver and our three day itinerary was filled with fun things to do. We felt like we saw all the most important things there, ate some delicious food and tried out local specialities.
It was a combination of both city life and nature, and we loved it!