North Vancouver is an interesting city becasue of its diversity of activities. It has an an interesting waterfront area which we had explored in the morning of our visit. There is also a busy street of restaurant and shops we experienced the night before. But travel just a little farther north, and visitors will find themselves in the forest. In fact one of the most popular destinations is here among the trees, Capilano Suspension Bridge.
After taking an afternoon nap following our waterfront exploration, it was time to make our way to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. We had been to the bridge many years ago, but the park has added a number of features since then so it was time to return and experience something new.
A few notes about the park. Admission is not particularly cheap. However, there are evening prices which can save visitors money. In the summer it’s after 5:00. When we were there in September, it was after 4:00. The park also charges visitors to park. It was cdn $8 during our visit. There is a free shuttle available from some tourist areas which you can find out about here.
A number of people had taken advantage of the after 4:00 discount so the entrance area was pretty crowded when we arrived. Just after the entrance is a small area than tells a bit of the history of the bridge. A suspension bridge across the river has been around since 1889. Over the years the technology and materials have been improved to where it is today. Along with the history, one gets their first peek at the bridge.
After the history of the bridge comes a bit of history of the area with an emphasis upon the First Nations. There are a number of totem poles on display here, and when we were there, a native woman was offering some insight into aspects of their native culture.
The park offers four main activities. The first one visitors might encounter is the Cliffwalk. This is a little unnerving in places which is the whole point. The park has created a metal walkway beside a rock cliff. Cables are attached to the cliff with large bolts so as people walk along the walk they are out over space. In one area the walkway creates an arc out away from the cliff. It’s quite the experience. From the walkway, one can look down at the trees and the river below. Towards the end of the walk, visitors can see a waterfall tumblinging into the river.
The walkway is fairly narrow, and visitors walk only one way. However, people will stop to take pictures and selfies which then backs everyone up. There are wider platforms to take pictures of the scenery, but it seemed people were more interested in taking pictures of themselves than of the scenery.
At the end of the Cliffwalk one walks back to the main area through a section which teaches about the importance and impact of water in the environment.
After doing the Cliffwalk it was time for the second activity, crossing the bridge. The bridge is quite long across the river. I wasn’t particularly anxious about crossing the bridge, but it turned out to move a lot more than I expected. I had trouble walking across without holding on to the railing. It was difficult to take photos as well with the motion of the bridge. I have to say I was glad to get to the other side.
There are two main activities on this side of the river. The first one we did was basically a walk through the forest. However, instead of trails, they have created a boardwalk. The boardwalk has stairs in a lot of places as the elevation changes. There was nothing really scary about this walk as the boardwalk was always just a few feet off the ground.
In one location they had a viewing point out closer to the river. They had also placed two TV screens here which were showing videos of the animals in the area. I was not expecting that. I was also not expecting to see some of the trees beginning to show fall colors. It seemed a bit early, but a number of maples where beginning to turn red.
The nature walk ended at a pool which was a nice serene location. In the summer time I would think this would be a nice place to sit and cool off.
The final activity turned out to be less scary than it sounded. It was a trip through the treetops. Suspension bridges were hung between large trees. The collection of bridges created a near circle through the treetops. At the trees the bridges were attached to a platform on the tree which one could rest on for a while.
The bridges themselves did not sway and move as much as the large suspension bridge so they did not feel too scary to walk across. It was fun to look down below at the boardwalk for the nature walk and see it from a different perspective. However, again we encountered people holding up the line while they tried to take the perfect photo or selfie. Since the bridges are narrow, one simply has to wait.
The park does provide some educational elements. There are some activities geared towards children as well as some large information displays in the area near the boardwalk entrance regarding the rainforests.
It was then time to go back across the main suspension bridge. This time there were less people on the bridge. and so there seemed to be less movement. I was able to walk across without holding on to the railing for the most part.
Back at the main area there are plenty of places to slim down your wallet. Besides the large gift shop, there were three places one could purchase food or drinks before leaving.
On the way out visitors were asked some questions about their stay. From my perspective the park is somewhat overpriced. Also the scenery and views are not all that spectacular. There are better experiences for free or minimal charge out in the nearby forests. However, if one is looking for some adrenaline rushes, then this is a good place to have those experiences.
After leaving the park we found a frozen yogurt place to enjoy as we ended our day. Tomorrow we would head north to Whistler and enjoy the sights along the way. Be sure to join me next week. In the meantime don’t forget to sign up to receive this weekly post in your email. It’s free and available for all. Until next week…