My mom and I recently took a trip to Haida Gwaii to go fishing at Queen Charlotte Lodge, and we bookended the trip with a little city time in Vancouver. It turned out to be the perfect mix of nature, relaxation, and a bit of urban adventure.
We flew into Vancouver the day before heading north and stayed at the Marriott downtown for convenience. The location really couldn’t be beat—close to everything and easy to access public transportation. That said, whoever designed the bathroom layout clearly didn’t test it out first… the toilet paper holder placement was weirdly awkward. But hey, minor inconveniences are part of travel, right?
Our first big outing was to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, and it felt like stepping into a forest fairytale.
The park is located in North Vancouver, tucked into the temperate rainforest just across the Lions Gate Bridge. Getting there was super easy—we took a short walk from our hotel to the train station, rode it to the waterfront, and hopped on the free shuttle that Capilano provides. I really appreciated how simple the city makes it to get around without needing a car.
Once we arrived, we were greeted by towering evergreens, the scent of cedar, and a bridge that’s been around far longer than I expected. The original Capilano Suspension Bridge was built back in 1889 by a Scottish civil engineer named George Grant Mackay. He used hemp rope and cedar planks to stretch the first version of the bridge across the Capilano River, hoping to attract visitors to the natural beauty of the area. It’s been rebuilt and reinforced over the years, of course, but it still holds that old-world charm.
The current bridge is 450 feet (137 meters) long and hangs 230 feet (70 meters) above the Capilano River. Despite the height, the bridge felt surprisingly stable. It swayed just enough to remind you that you were up high, but not so much that it felt scary. My mom, who’s in her 70s, crossed it with zero hesitation. Some folks definitely had a fear-of-heights moment mid-bridge, but they powered through and made it to the other side.
And crossing it is worth it. On the other side is an immersive network of forest trails that took us from the forest floor up into the canopy and back again. The Treetops Adventure paths are suspended between 250-year-old Douglas fir trees and offer a unique, bird’s-eye view of the forest. Along the way, there were educational signs about the local ecosystem and conservation efforts, and even a few live birds on display—like a North American kestrel and a great horned owl. We even had a little view of a banana slug out in the wild.
After wandering the trails, we stopped for lunch, then made our way to the Cliffwalk—a series of narrow walkways suspended along the granite cliffside. This part gave us even more incredible views of the canyon and river below. Some of the paths had glass sections underfoot, which was a bit of a rush. I couldn’t get over how spotless everything was. The glass panels were so clean they practically sparkled—no smudges, no dirt, no fingerprints. I have no idea how they keep it that pristine in the middle of a rainforest, but they do.
We spent about three hours at Capilano and still didn’t see everything. It’s not a massive park, but there’s so much packed into it that you could easily spend half a day there. Even though it’s a popular tourist attraction and definitely gets crowded, it never felt overwhelming—and it’s 100% worth the entrance fee, especially if you catch a beautiful weather day like we did.
The next day, we changed hotels to the Fairmont at the airport since we’d be flying to Queen Charlotte Lodge early the following morning. The Fairmont was super convenient—located inside the airport—and they even held our luggage while we were out fishing for the week.
With some time to kill that afternoon, we headed back down to the waterfront. We originally planned to visit a museum, but most of the ones we were interested in were farther than we wanted to go. Instead, we ended up doing the FlyOver Canada ride. It was like a theme park attraction where you’re strapped in, the lights go down, and suddenly you’re “flying” over Canada. You feel mist on your face, your seat tilts and dips with the movement, and it all feels incredibly real. My only complaint? They didn’t tell you where you were flying over! I recognized a few spots like Toronto and Quebec, which made those moments extra fun, but I wish they gave more context.
After FlyOver, we grabbed lunch by the water, then went up to the Vancouver Lookout. It gave us such a cool perspective on the city. From up there, you could see how green Vancouver really is—tons of living rooftops and buildings covered in plants. We wrapped up our day by checking out the craft booths and food vendors at Granville Square before taking the train back to the hotel.
The next morning came early. We crept out of our hotel room before sunrise to catch our flight to QCL, surprisingly full of energy and excitement.
After four unforgettable days of fishing (a whole other blog in itself!), we returned to Vancouver for one last night at the Fairmont. That evening, we stayed close to home—no sightseeing, no big adventures. Just us, sitting near the windows, watching planes come and go. My mom got such a kick out of tracking the different airlines and identifying the different aircraft. Honestly, it was kind of mesmerizing. She liked it even more than whale watching—which says a lot!
It was a perfect, peaceful way to wind down the trip before our early flights home the next morning. Sometimes it’s the simple things, like watching planes with your mom, that leave the biggest impressions.
