British Columbia · best-of list
The 6 Best Outdoor Spots in British Columbia
All 6 outdoor spots our route editors picked in British Columbia, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. 1 come with an insider tip, and 4 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
6 outdoor spots in British Columbia, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Vancouver 2 picks
Grouse Mountain
Vancouver · On our Vancouver, Whistler & Victoria route
Gondola to city-and-ocean views, grizzly refuge and the steep Grouse Grind hike.
Photo: Pburka at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Kitsilano Beach
Vancouver · On our Vancouver, Whistler & Victoria route
Sandy city beach with mountain views and a long saltwater outdoor pool.
Photo: Monowar Hossain · Google
Victoria 2 picks
Butchart Gardens
Victoria · On our Vancouver, Whistler & Victoria route
Century-old gardens in a former quarry, with the Sunken Garden and summer fireworks.
Tip: Go at opening or after 3 pm to miss tour buses.
Photo: w4nn3s · CC BY-SA 3.0
Dallas Road Waterfront
Victoria · On our Vancouver, Whistler & Victoria route
Clifftop walk with Olympic Mountain views, ending near Mile Zero of the Trans-Canada.
Photo: Mariko Ishikawa · Google
Whistler 2 picks
Brandywine Falls
Whistler · On our Vancouver, Whistler & Victoria route
70-metre waterfall a short walk from the highway, with a view over Daisy Lake.
Photo: JohnHarvey at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 2.5
Lost Lake Park
Whistler · On our Vancouver, Whistler & Victoria route
Forest lake a short walk from the village, with swimming docks and bike trails.
Photo: Robin Alexander · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in British Columbia?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 6 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of British Columbia has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler lead with 2 each; the other picks are spread across 0 more destinations.
Are any of these free?
4 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Dallas Road Waterfront, Brandywine Falls, Kitsilano Beach and Lost Lake Park. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for British Columbia
Best outdoor spots nearby
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.