Vancouver Attractions
Cherry tree, Queen Elizabeth Park © Geraldine Minuk-Eliot
Queen Elizabeth Park
Transformed from an ugly stone quarry in the 1950s, the
exquisite Queen Elizabeth Park now boasts lush gardens bursting
with flowers, the Bloedel Floral Conservatory, a restaurant, a
Pitch and Putt course and much more. The park receives about six
million visitors annually who come to enjoy a 360° view of
Vancouver from its highest point, 505 feet (167m) above sea level.
The Bloedel Floral Conservatory, with its characteristic geodesic
dome, is home to over 100 species of tropical birds that free-fly
in the area, as well as hundreds of species of exotic plants and
flowers. Other highlights of the park include the Quarry Garden; J.
Seward Johnson's sculpture "The Photo Session," the Lions Clock and
the arboretum, with its fine examples of indigenous trees from
across Canada. Spring is an excellent time to visit the park as it
becomes a riot of colour, with white and pink cherry blossoms and
all sorts of flowers displaying their finest.
Address: Cambie Street at West 33rd Avenue;
E-mail: pbcomment@vancouver.ca;
Website: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/Parks/parks/queenelizabeth;
Telephone: (604) 257 8400 (Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation) or (604) 257 8584 (Bloedel Floral Conservatory);
Transport: Bus to Main street at 33rd Avenue;
Opening time: Park open daily from 9am to 5pm. Conservatory open daily from 10am to 5pm;
Admission: Park entrance: free. Bloedel Floral Conservatory: C$4.60 (adult); C$3.45 (youth 13-18 years); concessions available. Prices include GST, but not PST
