Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, B.C.

During the holiday season it is always nice to explore a new location that has gone all out with festive light displays. It has been a few years since I’ve been to the Capilano Suspension Bridge during Christmas and so I was amazed to see how much they’ve added to make their location the perfect place to spend an evening and enjoy the lights.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is located approximately 45 minutes north of the city center of Vancouver. Nestled amongst the forest of the North Shore mountains the park provides the visitor with a suspension bridge that spans the Capilano River, as well as tree-top walkways, and the Cliffwalk that overhangs the Capilano Canyon.

The suspension bridge spans 137 metres (450 feet) across the canyon and was originally built in 1889 with hemp rope and wood planks. Since then the bridge has been rebuilt with steel cables that can hold the weight of a fully loaded 747 airplane! Now that’s strong!

The Treetops Adventure is a series of seven walkways and lookouts built in 2004. Attached to Douglas Fir trees the treewalk provides stunning views of the forest floor below. Lit up for the Canyon Lights display the trees and bridges appear to be suspended in the sky.

The ponds are mesmerizing spots to stand and just gaze at the many coloured lights reflecting in the water.

After enjoying the treewalk and strolling around the ponds we headed back over the bridge to take in the Cliffwalk, the park’s newest adventure that opened in 2011. This attraction, which includes walkways, bridges and stairs, gives visitors unobstructed views of the canyon below as well as the sheer cliff walls that the walkway is suspended from. The “Arc de Lumina” is a spiral tunnel that changes colour and provides a popular photo op for visitors.

There were even more light displays after the Cliffwalk, as the boardwalks lead you back to the entrance of the park.

If you get hungry or thirsty from all the walking and exploring in the park there are different places to stop and grab a bite to eat or try one of the specialty hot chocolates. There is also a fantastic gift store with a variety of merchandise and souvenirs to take home. One thing to keep in mind is the parking lot does get extremely busy so I would recommend taking the courtesy shuttle bus which is available from the downtown core to the site.

If you are in Vancouver during the holiday season try and make time to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge and the wonderful Canyon Lights display.