This is a great place to go for a walk or ride your bike or walk the dog. The scenery is nice and…read morethe trail is fairly wide. It's also pretty cool to check out some wildlife (birds).

West Dyke Trail is a beautiful, yet very peaceful and quiet place to have a walk, run, cycle with…read morestunning views of the Pacific Ocean, Gulf Islands and the estuary. It's located beside Garry Point Park, but it is often ignored by people who visit the park. There is a countryside/farm like feel when I walk through this area. The farm-like feel is especially apparent when you walk past an actual farm with cows beside the trail and some people even pet the cows when they're using the trail. It is also home to over 1.4 million migrating birds and nesting birds, which is great for bird lovers.

This is a park ONLY for off-leash dogs. If you ask owners…read morepolitely to leash their dogs, they will ignore you, swear at you, act ignorant and otherwise be rude and inconsiderate. They will let their aggressive dogs charge up to you and get upset if you defend yourself. Definitely not an area to just birdwatch and/or enjoy nature. I have found there is not even 1 park in the whole Lower Mainland where I don't encounter off-leash dogs. I have been jumped on, attacked and intimidated by off-leash dogs.

Unknown Gem Lots of…read moreparking. Lovely scenery. Playgrounds galore. Many picnic tables. Covered picnic area. Large firepit area for cooking. Individual standalone grills. Great place to take yourself or your family or group. Washrooms. Electricity available at the picnic area. This is a perfect place to have a do of some sort. Field, surrounded by blackberry bushes. Bring buckets if it is the fall. Trails. Scenery. Bike trails for all levels and interests. Good for hiking and photography. BUNNIES!

A GREAT place to walk your dogs or just go by yourself. Beautiful park with many STEEP hills so be…read moreprepared. Even though .... It's worth

Robert Burnaby Park is a bit hidden away, but it's worth seeking out. It's located on a hillside…read morethat slopes down from near Edmonds Street to the Trans Canada Highway, and you'll definitely get a workout hiking up and down the forested trails throughout the park. There's a big off-leash dog park, too, where you can hike with your dog. This is a big attraction for us, as it's not much fun to just go to one of those dog parks that's just a glorified pen. Besides, my guy is the type that needs to run up a hillside to even make a dent in his energy levels; plus he has plenty of olfactory stimulation. I've never played the game, but the disc golf course looks pretty fun. Apparently, it's Burnaby's only disc golf course, and it will also take players up a steep hill in order to play. An outdoor pool and baseball diamonds round out the offerings in this large but diverse park. I've heard whispers that one day, they may put in a footbridge over Highway 1 to link Robert Burnaby Park with the Burnaby Lake trails. Now that would make for a cool park to spend the day.

We hiked the waterfalls at Seymour Mountain trails. Had a blast. I was pleased to also have an…read moreoption for a flat walkway upon the return.

Adrian took us along in a 4 hour E-bike tour. We enjoyed everything about this tour. As a visitor…read morefrom Austin, Texas, Vancouver is such a beautiful and kind city. Adrian was very knowledgeable and accommodating for us. He even went out of his way to pick us up and drop us off at our door in North Vancouver. Great experience!!

Ever feel like the challenges of life are closing in on you? Sometimes it just feels like it is…read moreonly a matter of time before you succumb to those pressures and demands. It feels not so much a question of if, but when, you'll finally be consumed by them. And then, often by accident, life takes an unexpected turn and you are provided an opportunity to choose to push the eject button (that's been right in front of longer than you realized) and propel yourself into what feels like an alternative universe. A place that allows you to unplug from the breakneck pace of today's society, take a deep breath, and finally linger in the bliss of just being present. No chirping cell phones, no calendar reminders, no bills to receive, no health concerns to ponder, and no need to make plans for the future. An all too brief respite from what emotionally entangles you and seeks to rob you of your peace and your purpose. Without planning it, we fell into such a rabbit hole while floating down the River of Golden Dreams (its actual name). A little rowing (and a lot of just floating) later, we arrived at Green Lake and just allowed the wind to help us drift across glacial waters so green we felt like they can be seen from outer space. We dipped our hands into that water, splashed it around a bit, and pondered just how much time and attention it voluntarily sacrifices to the stresses of today. It whispered its response back to us, "None." So what to do if Green Lake doesn't happen to be in your backyard, and yet an escape is exactly what you need right about now? Good question! We're on this journey right alongside of you, so while we're pursuing our "Green Lake escape", we wish you good fortune in discovering yours! (In keeping with Canadian tradition, we were careful to pack an "Oh Henry!" bar as part of the emergency rations for us and our tour guide Peter.) And that's...Henry's Take. #celebratelife #justbreathe #wetadventures

Head over to Wayside Park where there's a tiny parking lot or a turnout on the side of the freeway,…read morewhich can be easy to miss. Walk down the path where you find a nice little park with people lounging and participating in water activities. We struggled and found ourselves in the village until we called to ask where exactly they were located. The rental cabin here is situated right on the end of Alta Lake with canoes, kayaks, etc. for rent. We signed a waiver, got a quick lesson, and were pretty much off with our kayak for $30 CAD/hour. They provided lifejackets, paddles, and even a waterproof pouch to store your things. If you're smart, bring a nice beer or drink along as they have cupholder in the kayak. Even though this was my second time kayaking, it's easy to pick up. Unfortunately, I am still terrible at it and totally lack the strength and direction to pull through. Thank goodness we got the two-person kayak, so I had help --lots of help. You can make it across the entire lake and back within the hour, which was all we needed.

What a wonderful organisation. What an amazing way to learn about mushrooms and their (and our)…read moresurroundings. What a lovely group of individuals with a collected knowledge that spans generations of learning and sharing. Welcoming and inclusive group; don't feel shy, they love to teach and share their knowledge. You can learn common and scientific names as well as facts about edibility of mushrooms found. They also love to inform people about the many other wonderful uses of the fungi such as their medicinal and textile dying applications, to name a few. Annual mushroom show every October at the Van Dusen Floral Gardens. (Event listing here: http://www.yelp.ca/events/vancouver-vancouver-mycological-society-annual-mushroom-show-2012 ). Another annual event is a 'Survivor's Banquet' - a potluck dinner coordinated by and for the members. A truly fun bunch of individuals. Throughout the collection season they organize forays for their members and members of the general public to join in on a trip through the woods to talk about mushrooms, how they grow, where they grow. They also provide you with the tools you'll need to learn about mushrooms so you can hunt on your own. 'Mushroom School' - Galiano Island foray and picnic: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/s0cxgNy90C2yHar2Dk7yTg?select=MuxMW6ZjsqEuxr5B76slYQ#WN6AnC2VXtstLnHDJItr6w The club has monthly meetings, the second Tuesday of every month (except January, July, and August). Members can take advantage of the extensive library of reference books owned by the club with monthly loans allowed. They have a speaker or presentation at every meeting,as well as discussion of upcoming events and recent happenings in the mycological world. There is a display table, where members bring in their most recent finds for identification. Whether you like eating, photographing, finding, sharing or learning about mushrooms, or just simply being out with a wonderful group of people, you'll very much enjoy the Vancouver Mycological Society. ***Review # 600***