First pick
Vanier Park
Park or garden
21 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
1.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Seaside Greenway - Vanier ParkCultural Harmony GroveSeaside Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Xicotencatl · CC BY-SA 4.010%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Kitsilano · parks, protected land & trails
Kitsilano has more protected land around it than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
68 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Hadden Beach. For a provincial park, Cypress Park lies 9.7 km off. 44 km separate the town from Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, its nearest national park.
Protected land
10%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
11
within 10 km, 10 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
44 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
9.7 km
Cypress Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
68
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Kitsilano stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round10% of the land within 10 km, more than 86% of Canadian townsBeaches68 beaches within 5 kmOn a national routeThe The Trans Canada Trail passes within 2 kmWalking routes3 named routes within 2 km
Kitsilano is strongest on protected land around it, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Kitsilano, set against Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km10%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas10Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches68Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Kitsilano comes 4th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (26,155 to 28,414 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Kitsilano10%
Towns its size2.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Kitsilano10
Towns its size6
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Kitsilano3
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Kitsilano’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 3 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marpole BC | 17% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | Loyola QC | 14% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Austinville NS | 11% | 0% | 27 | 7 | 17 |
| 4 | Kitsilano BC | 10% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| 5 | René-Lévesque QC | 8.1% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | Ebenezer East ON | 7.5% | 6.6% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Parc-Kent QC | 5.4% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Laurendeau QC | 4.9% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | La Prairie QC | 4.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Enfield NS | 4.4% | 5.2% | 184 | 13 | 6 |
| 11 | Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville QC | 4.4% | 20% | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Sandalwood West (sunny Meadow) ON | 4.1% | 4.4% | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Collingwood ON | 3.9% | 0.2% | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| 14 | Duberger—Les Saules QC | 3.7% | 0% | 29 | 1 | 4 |
| 15 | Vieux-Rosemont QC | 3.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Grandview-Woodland BC | 3.5% | 0% | 12 | 4 | 51 |
| 17 | Agincourt North ON | 3.3% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Woburn North ON | 3.2% | 5.1% | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | Clairlea-Birchmount ON | 2.7% | 2.4% | 15 | 0 | 12 |
| 20 | Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn ON | 2.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 4 |
| 21 | Thetford Mines QC | 2.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | West Hill ON | 2.4% | 15% | 16 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Harbourfront-CityPlace ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 7 | 42 |
| 24 | Tam O'Shanter-Sullivan ON | 2.2% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Lunenburg NS | 2.1% | 1.7% | 140 | 5 | 33 |
| 26 | Don Valley Village ON | 1.8% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Banbury-Don Mills ON | 1.6% | 2.4% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 28 | Picton ON | 1.5% | 3.6% | 31 | 1 | 13 |
| 29 | South Riverdale ON | 1.5% | 16% | 12 | 9 | 49 |
| 30 | Argyle ON | 1.5% | 0.3% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Auteuil QC | 1.4% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Beamsville ON | 1.2% | 1.3% | 26 | 5 | 9 |
| 33 | Sainte-Thérèse QC | 1% | 0% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| 34 | Paradise NL | 0.8% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| 35 | Beltline AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 36 | Strathroy ON | 0.4% | 0.4% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 37 | Rathwood ON | 0.4% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 38 | Saint-Lin--Laurentides QC | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Amherstburg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Beaumont AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Kitsilano
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
Walk in Kitsilano: 17 named parks and woods
Largest first: Vanier Park leads with 21 ha. Numbers match the map.
17 named parks and woods, 69 ha in all
Parks & gardens 69 ha
Vanier Park and Kitsilano Beach Park together hold 51% of it.
Kitsilano Beach Park
Park or garden
14 ha3.4 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.4 km of path
0.8 km northfrom the centre
Seaside Greenway - Kitsilano Beach Park
Directionsto a point inside
English Bay Beach Park
Park or garden · 160 m outside town
11 ha4.8 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.8 km of path
2.0 km north-eastfrom the centre
Seaside - English Bay
Directionsto a point inside
Connaught Park
Park or garden
6.6 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
0.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Hadden Park
Park or garden
4.2 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.2 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sunset Beach Park
Park or garden · 150 m outside town
3.9 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Seaside - English Bay
Directionsto a point inside
Granville Park
Park or garden
1.6 ha0.2 km of path
1.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 17 named parks and green spaces
Vanier ParkPark or garden · 21 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsKitsilano Beach ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 3.4 km of path
DirectionsEnglish Bay Beach ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 4.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsConnaught ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsHadden ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsSunset Beach ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 1.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTatlow ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsGranville ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSeaforth Peace ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsVolunteer ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsArbutus Greenway ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsAngus ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · just outside town
DirectionsHadden BeachPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsDelamont ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsPoint Grey Park Site at Stephens StreetPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsPoint Grey Park Site at Trafalgar StreetPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsMargaret Pigott ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
Nearly all of Kitsilano is a short walk from a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (95%)Further (4.6%)
Kitsilano95%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 1,000 people more than a short walk away. A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%.
Protected areas
The 11 protected areas near Kitsilano
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Kitsilano0%
Within 10 km10%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 10 of the 11, and private owners the rest. At 7,775 ha, Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area is the largest. One area belongs to a private owner or a land trust and isn’t named here.
Stanley ParkProtected area · 302 ha · 1.2 km from the edge of town
Pacific Spirit Regional ParkNature reserve · 648 ha · 2.2 km from the edge of town
Sea Island Conservation AreaNature reserve · 141 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 7,775 ha · 5.6 km from the edge of town
Iona Beach Regional ParkNature reserve · 2.3 ha · 5.6 km from the edge of town
Capilano River Regional ParkNature reserve · 100 ha · 5.7 km from the edge of town
Renfrew Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 4.6 ha · 7.4 km from the edge of town
Everett Crowley ParkMunicipal park · 21 ha · 9.1 km from the edge of town
Captain Cook ParkMunicipal park · 3.7 ha · 9.1 km from the edge of town
Cypress ParkProvincial park · 3,012 ha · 9.7 km from the edge of town
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
The nearest big park: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 44 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Cypress Park
9.7 km north30 km²since 1975
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
44 km south67 km²since 2010
Cypress Park, a provincial park, is nearer at 9.7 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
42 km of paths in and around Kitsilano
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
42 km
in and around the town (14 km²)
Woodland
0.2%
about 0 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
KitsilanoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths3
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
KitsilanoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland0.2%
0%50%100%
Woods cover less of it than in 91% of Canadian towns. It has more footpath per km² than 71% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
The The Trans Canada Trail runs past Kitsilano
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalLocalOther waymarked
The Trans Canada Trail195.9 km
Iva Mann Loop Walk17.2 km
Vancouver Pedway Network1.2 km
Of the The Trans Canada Trail’s 196 km, 10.5 km passes close to town. For a longer outing, the Iva Mann Loop Walk runs 17.2 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Kitsilano in May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Vancouver (Harbour), 4.4 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.6 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 237 | 117 | 163 | 118 | 73 | 66 | 44 | 49 | 71 | 157 | 245 | 200 |
About 37 cm of snow falls in a year. For dry weather, July is best (44 mm); November gets 245 mm. December brings highs of 7 °C, July highs of 23 °C. The climate in Kitsilano →
Beaches
68 beaches within 5 km of Kitsilano
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Hadden Beachsand · in town
DirectionsKitsilano Beachsand · in town
DirectionsSecret Beachsand · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsSunset Beachsand · 0.2 km from town
DirectionsEnglish Bay Beachsand · 0.9 km from town
DirectionsSecond Beachsand · 1.7 km from town
DirectionsJericho Beachsand · 2.1 km from town
DirectionsThird Beachsand · 2.8 km from town
DirectionsLocarno Beachsand · 3.0 km from town
DirectionsSpanish Banks Beachsand · 3.9 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap maps 50 km of coastline within 5 km. The map adds 58 unnamed stretches of beach. 10 are mapped as sand. Beach water tests aren’t published as open data across Canada, so swimming advisories come from the local health unit.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Kitsilano: 8 and 1
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Count 92 playgrounds, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 8
Plus 8 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 92
May Aacomachie Playgroundin town
DirectionsThe Adventure Zone0.6 km from town
DirectionsEcole Bilingue Big Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsEcole Bilingue Small Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsPooh Corner1.6 km from town
DirectionsCeperley Playground1.6 km from town
DirectionsStanley Park Playground1.8 km from town
DirectionsVancouver General Hospital Playground1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 84 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 12
Hadden Beachin town
DirectionsOff-Leash Dog Park0.2 km from town
DirectionsOff-Leash Dog Park for Small and Shy Dogs0.2 km from town
DirectionsNelson Park Dog Park1.0 km from town
DirectionsOff Leash Area1.1 km from town
DirectionsGeorgia Dog Park1.6 km from town
DirectionsCoopers' Park - Dog Off-leash Area1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 5 dog parks without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
5 gardens and historic parks to visit near Kitsilano
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
VanDusen Botanical GardenGarden or park · 2.2 km from town
DirectionsStanley ParkNational Historic Site · 2.4 km from town
Its pageDr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese GardenGarden or park · 2.6 km from town
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 2.8 km from town
DirectionsNitobe Memorial GardenGarden or park · 6.7 km from town
DirectionsOne is a National Historic Site.
Sources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Kitsilano
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
GreektownFairviewDavie VillageGranville Entertainment DistrictArbutus RidgeWest EndKitsilano
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitsilano | 10% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| Greektown 1.7 km | 12% | 13 | 2 | 73 |
| Fairview 1.7 km | 8.2% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| Davie Village 2.1 km | 5.2% | 11 | 3 | 71 |
| Granville Entertainment District 2.4 km | 5% | 11 | 3 | 70 |
| Arbutus Ridge 2.4 km | 15% | 12 | 2 | 62 |
| West End 2.6 km | 6.6% | 12 | 4 | 76 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Kitsilano’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Protected land. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
Questions about the outdoors in Kitsilano
How far is the nearest provincial park from Kitsilano?
Cypress Park, 9.7 km from the edge of town.
When should you visit Kitsilano for the outdoors?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Is Kitsilano near a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is closest, at 44 km.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Kitsilano?
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, a wildlife area of 7,775 ha.
What is the nearest beach to Kitsilano?
Hadden Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Are there hiking trails near Kitsilano?
The The Trans Canada Trail, Iva Mann Loop Walk and Vancouver Pedway Network, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
How much land around Kitsilano is protected?
Protected areas cover 10% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
Where Kitsilano’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).