First pick
Stanley Park
Park or garden
390 ha63.8 km of path
14 h 10 minto walk all 63.8 km of path
1.7 km north-westfrom the centre
Stanley Park SeawallRawlings TrailNB Stanley Park Causeway Bike Route+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.06.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in West End · parks, protected land & trails
In West End, 51% of the land is set aside as protected
For a swim, English Bay Beach is the nearest of 76 beaches within 5 km. Cypress Park is the closest provincial park, at 6.2 km. 4 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the The Trans Canada Trail and North Shore Spirit Trail.
Protected land
6.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
12
within 10 km, 12 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
47 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
6.2 km
Cypress Park
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
76
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets West End apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land in town51% of West End itself lies in protected areasBeaches76 beaches within 5 kmProtected land all round6.6% of the land within 10 km, more than 77% of Canadian townsWalking routes4 named routes within 2 km
Out of doors, West End leads with protected land inside its own boundary, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
West End beside other Canadian towns, figure by figure
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 km6.6%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town51%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas12Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches76Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
West End has the 12th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (29,066 to 32,167 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
West End6.6%
Towns its size3.8%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
West End12
Towns its size9
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
West End4
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
For protected land nearby, West End sits near the top of its size group: 11 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierrefonds-Ouest QC | 34% | 25% | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Des Explorateurs QC | 23% | 12% | 46 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | Du Plateau QC | 22% | 25% | 48 | 4 | 9 |
| 4 | Vieux-Lachine - Saint-Pierre QC | 17% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Portobello South ON | 12% | 0% | 41 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Centretown ON | 12% | 1.5% | 37 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 | Savane QC | 11% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | La Cité QC | 9.1% | 0% | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Verdun-Centre QC | 8.2% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 7 |
| 10 | Du Moulin QC | 8.2% | 9.9% | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Magog QC | 7.5% | 1.2% | 53 | 1 | 16 |
| 12 | West End BC | 6.6% | 51% | 12 | 4 | 76 |
| 13 | Sainte-Julie QC | 5.8% | 0.7% | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Saint-Constant QC | 5.8% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Johnston Heights BC | 5.8% | 29% | 131 | 7 | 6 |
| 16 | Rockland ON | 5.2% | 0.9% | 57 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | Alloa ON | 4.2% | 8.7% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | King ON | 4.1% | 2.7% | 94 | 6 | 1 |
| 19 | Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown ON | 4.1% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Killarney BC | 4% | 3.5% | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| 21 | Conception Bay South NL | 3.6% | 0% | 1 | 2 | 23 |
| 22 | Victoria-Fraserview BC | 3.1% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 4 |
| 23 | Chambly QC | 2.7% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Est (Montréal-Nord) QC | 2.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Boisbriand QC | 2.3% | 0.2% | 35 | 2 | 1 |
| 26 | Annex ON | 2.1% | 0% | 13 | 9 | 13 |
| 27 | Vimont QC | 1.9% | 0% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Crémazie QC | 1.8% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Val-Bélair QC | 1.7% | 2.9% | 27 | 2 | 12 |
| 30 | St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands ON | 1.7% | 6.1% | 12 | 9 | 48 |
| 31 | Parc-Extension QC | 1.6% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Glenfield-Jane Heights ON | 1.6% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Nouveau-Bordeaux QC | 1.4% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Meadowvale Village ON | 0.9% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Alma QC | 0.8% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 36 | Elmira ON | 0.8% | 0% | 27 | 10 | 1 |
| 37 | Grimsby ON | 0.7% | 1.5% | 26 | 7 | 8 |
| 38 | Lisgar ON | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Chestermere AB | 0.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Fort Saskatchewan AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
The map
Where the green is in West End
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the neighbourhood; tap a number for its park or wood.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
17 named parks and woods to walk in near West End
Largest first: Stanley Park leads with 390 ha. Numbers match the map.
17 named parks and woods, 420 ha in all
Parks & gardens 420 ha
Stanley Park and English Bay Beach Park together hold 95% of it.
English Bay Beach Park
Park or garden
11 ha4.8 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.8 km of path
0.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Seaside - English Bay
Directionsto a point inside
Devonian Harbour Park
Park or garden
4.3 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
0.6 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Harbour Green Park
Park or garden · 300 m outside town
2.4 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
1.0 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Ted and Mary Greig Rhododendron Garden
Park or garden
2.1 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
1.0 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Nelson Park
Park or garden
2.2 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
0.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Rose Garden
Park or garden
1.8 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.2 km northfrom the centre
South Creek Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Robson Square
Park or garden · 110 m outside town
1.8 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
1.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 17 named parks and green spaces
Stanley ParkPark or garden · 390 ha · 63.8 km of path
DirectionsEnglish Bay Beach ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 4.8 km of path
DirectionsDevonian Harbour ParkPark or garden · 4.3 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsHarbour Green ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 1.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTed and Mary Greig Rhododendron GardenPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsNelson ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsRose GardenPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsRobson SquarePark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCoal Harbour ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBarclay Heritage SquarePark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsMarina SquarePark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAlexandra ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsArt Phillips ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMorton ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsCardero ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsGeorgia Dog ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsNelson Park Dog ParkPark or garden · 0.2 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
In West End, a park is close to every home
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 (100%)Further (0%)
West End100%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
It is above the typical Canadian town (83%).
Protected areas
6.6% of the land around West End is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside West End51%
Within 10 km6.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Every one of the 12 is on public land. Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area is the biggest, 7,775 ha.
Stanley ParkProtected area · 302 ha · West End lies inside it
Capilano River Regional ParkNature reserve · 100 ha · 2.0 km from the edge of town
Pacific Spirit Regional ParkNature reserve · 648 ha · 4.9 km from the edge of town
Cypress ParkProvincial park · 3,012 ha · 6.2 km from the edge of town
Renfrew Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 4.6 ha · 6.8 km from the edge of town
Maplewood Flats Conservation AreaNature reserve · 23 ha · 8.0 km from the edge of town
Sea Island Conservation AreaNature reserve · 141 ha · 8.0 km from the edge of town
Iona Beach Regional ParkNature reserve · 2.3 ha · 8.7 km from the edge of town
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 7,775 ha · 8.7 km from the edge of town
Lynn Headwaters Regional ParkNature reserve · 895 ha · 8.7 km from the edge of town
2 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
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
47 km to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
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
6.2 km north-west30 km²since 1975
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
47 km south67 km²since 2010
Cypress Park, a provincial park, is nearer at 6.2 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
West End has 106 km of footpaths in and around it
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
106 km
in and around the town (20.2 km²)
Woodland
14%
about 2.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
West EndTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths5.2
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
West EndTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland14%
0%50%100%
For path density, it beats 93% of Canadian towns. Woods cover more of it than in 59% 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 passes West End
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegionalLocalOther waymarked
The Trans Canada Trail195.9 km
Central Valley Greenway28.8 km
North Shore Spirit Trail16.0 km
Vancouver Pedway Network1.2 km
The The Trans Canada Trail is 196 km long on the map, and 25.3 km of it lies within 2 km of town. Among local routes, the Central Valley Greenway is longest at 28.8 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Walking season in West End: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Vancouver (Harbour) (1.7 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little 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 |
From 7 °C in December to 23 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. Most rain and snow falls in November, 245 mm; July sees 44 mm. The yearly snowfall is near 37 cm. The climate in West End →
Beaches
West End has 76 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
English Bay Beachsand · in town
DirectionsThird Beachsand · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsSecond Beachsand · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsSunset Beachsand · 0.5 km from town
DirectionsHadden Beachsand · 0.8 km from town
DirectionsKitsilano Beachsand · 1.2 km from town
DirectionsAmbleside Beachsand · 1.2 km from town
DirectionsSecret Beachsand · 1.9 km from town
DirectionsAltamont Beachgravel · 3.8 km from town
DirectionsJericho Beachsand · 3.8 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap marks 10 as sandy. The map adds 64 unnamed stretches of beach. OpenStreetMap maps 62 km of coastline within 5 km. This page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near West End: 31 viewpoints, 3 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Top of the list: playgrounds, 64 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 31
Brockton Pointin town
DirectionsFerguson Pointin town
DirectionsLowden’s Lookoutin town
DirectionsSiwash Rock Viewpointin town
DirectionsViewpoint Vancouverin town
DirectionsHarbour Centre Lookout Tower0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 25 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Plus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 3
Plus 3 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 64
Ceperley Playgroundin town
DirectionsPooh Cornerin town
DirectionsStanley Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsAmbleside Park Playground1.4 km from town
DirectionsThe Adventure Zone1.4 km from town
DirectionsJohn Lawson Park Playground1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 58 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 12
Georgia Dog Park0.0 km from town
DirectionsNelson Park Dog Park0.1 km from town
DirectionsOff Leash Area0.6 km from town
DirectionsHadden Beach0.8 km from town
DirectionsCoopers' Park - Dog Off-leash Area1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 7 dog parks without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Near West End: 5 gardens and parks to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Stanley ParkNational Historic Site · from 1888 · In West End
Its pageDr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese GardenGarden or park · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 4.5 km from town
DirectionsVanDusen Botanical GardenGarden or park · 4.8 km from town
DirectionsNitobe Memorial GardenGarden or park · 8.2 km from town
DirectionsOne carries a national designation. For history, Stanley Park leads: it dates from 1888. Within the town: one of them.
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 West End
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Davie VillageCoal HarbourGranville Entertainment DistrictYaletownKitsilanoFairviewWest End
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West End | 6.6% | 12 | 4 | 76 |
| Davie Village 0.7 km | 5.2% | 11 | 3 | 71 |
| Coal Harbour 0.7 km | 3.9% | 12 | 3 | 76 |
| Granville Entertainment District 1.4 km | 5% | 11 | 3 | 70 |
| Yaletown 1.8 km | 4.7% | 12 | 3 | 77 |
| Kitsilano 2.6 km | 10% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| Fairview 2.7 km | 8.2% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice West End’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- National and provincial parks. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
Questions about the outdoors in West End
Are there hiking trails near West End?
The The Trans Canada Trail, North Shore Spirit Trail and Central Valley Greenway, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Is there a beach near West End?
English Bay Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Which is the biggest protected area near West End?
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area: 7,775 ha, a wildlife area.
How much land around West End is protected?
Yes: 6.6% of the land within 10 km is protected.
How far is the nearest provincial park from West End?
It is Cypress Park, 6.2 km away.
Is West End near a national park?
It is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 47 km off.
What is the best season to get outdoors in West End?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Sources
The sources behind West End’s outdoors figures
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).