4 Notable Ways to Get Out and Enjoy the West Coast Close to Home

We know you’re busy young professionals and it’s hard to plan, let alone pack, for a weekend away from the city, but we also realize just how important it is to gain perspective by enjoying an escape from the gridlock of everyday life. Here’s a quick go-to list of our closeby picks for easy, not-so-easy and somewhat challenging treks that are a doable distance from downtown…

Quarry Rock (Deep Cove, North Vancouver) is  our go-to hike if you’re looking for something that pretty much covers all the bases: workout, scenic view and easy to get to and from. What’s more of an incentive might be the fact that freshly baked donuts (Honey’s) and a cold beer (Arm’s Reach Bistro) await you once you’re done.

The Baden Powell Trail at Lynn Canyon is another cool spot to head to on the North Shore. It’s a rugged but well-maintained trail that will see you trekking along some of Greater Vancouver’s most picturesque landscape with a little challenging terrain thrown in for good measure, of course. You can opt to start and stop and one of a number of points; Deep Cove, Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain, the Capilano River and Power Line Trails are just a few. 

We’d be remiss not to mention Vancouver’s version of Mother Nature’s Stairmaster From Hell: The Grouse Grind. This one definitely ups the ante on the athleticism scale (please leave those kitten heels at home – and if you’re from Vancouver and have ever hiked the GG, you know exactly what we mean here). Not for the faint of heart, this hike (stunning as it is) is literally straight up a mountain, all 3 kilometres of it. Dress in layers… you’ll need them up top. Work up a sweat (and work off all those extra calories from one too many beers) as you make your way up the well-maintained and somewhat manicured path. Your reward: a seat on the patio at Altitudes Bistro where you can enjoy their signature nachos and drinks.

Pacific Spirit Park (UBC) is a favourite city-based spot we love when in search of a place to work up a bit of a sweat in summer while feeling as though we’ve all but escaped the city. It features a seemingly endless network of trails for hikers, runners, and bikers alike, the bonus here being that once you’ve had enough of the trails, you can meander your way down toward the ocean and yet another network… of beaches to recover and relax.

#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life) 

Cover photo: Arm’s Reach Bistro

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