Delicious food, beautiful views, a blanket and your loved ones. As the weather gets warmer a picnic is a wonderful way to enjoy three of Vancouver’s North Shore’s favourite things – food, views, and the great outdoors!
Here are some of our favourite picnic destinations in North Vancouver and West Vancouver.
A short distance from The Shipyards District – Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood Waterfront Park is perfect for a quick and easy picnic. The expansive grass has some of the best views of Downtown Vancouver for you to enjoy while you eat al fresco. There are picnic tables if you don’t like to sit on the ground and this park is one of the few alcohol-allowed areas so you can bring a growler from a local brewery or bottle of wine.
Food nearby: Its close location to Lower Lonsdale means there is no lack of takeout options nearby. There is a world of options with international cuisines at Lonsdale Quay Market, a pie from Bowen Island Pizza, or vegetarian and vegan sandwiches and wraps from Larry’s Market.
Ambleside Park is fully accessible with close views of world-renowned Stanley Park, Downtown Vancouver, and the Lionsgate Bridge. Its accessible location means it is within an easy walk of Ambleside and Park Royal, and the North Shore Spirit Trail that takes you through to the City of North Vancouver. A fun day out would be renting a bike from Reckless Shipyards at the other end of the North Shore Spirit Trail and taking the easy, separated bike path trail ending up here for your picnic! The park has plenty of amenities including picnic tables, public washrooms, and a water park for cooling off on hot summer days!
Food nearby: If you forgot to pack a picnic, The Boatshed Ambleside is located within the park itself serving tacos, burgers, and salads. Vegetarians can pick up a healthy lunch at Heirloom, and the popular Vietnamese restaurant Wooden Fish serves salad rolls and bowls. With Park Royal shopping centre steps away from the park you’ll also find plenty of food options including Cactus Club, Village Taphouse, and Whole Foods.
Whytecliff Park is situated just West of Horseshoe Bay. This beautiful corner of Howe Sound makes for a stunning spot to lay your picnic blanket with views of passing boats, Howe Sound, and the surrounding mountains. The park has a lot of amenities to keep you occupied during your visit including a swimming beach, playground, and tennis courts.
Food nearby: Enjoy delicious burgers, smoked meat sandwiches, and ice creams from the cafe in the park or stop in Horseshoe Bay to pick up food on the way, Troll’s has some of the region’s best fish and chips and Flour Bakery has freshly baked loaves and pastries to go with cheese from home.
Cates Park/ Whey-ah-wichen is a seaside park with a variety of amenities for your picnic day out! Enjoy 6 km of waterfront trails, playgrounds, picnic shelters, beaches, tennis courts, and a year-round boat launch. Enjoy your sandwiches out on the water by renting a kayak from Cates Park Paddling Centre.
At The Shipyards and there are a variety of places you can have a picnic on a sunny day. The Megabench at the Foot of Lonsdale is a three-meter wide and 50 meter-long deck that you can sit on while enjoying your lunch looking out at the boats and water. Shipbuilder’s Square, home of the famous yellow crane is another alcohol-allowed area so you can pair a drink from one of our many local breweries with your take-out. If it’s a rainy day and you are still looking to enjoy a picnic outside The Shipyards has a beautiful covered area complete with fire pits in off-season for you to still dine alfresco whatever the weather!
Food nearby: Enjoy your favourite Lebanese classics from JamJar, finish off your meal with ice cream from Welcome Parlour, or grab take-out souvlaki from Anatoli. For an extensive list of Shipyards, District restaurants check out the neighbourhood directory.
