Grouse Mountain

Vancouver's year-round natural playground

Noteworthy for: Grouse Mountain's SkyRide is the largest aerial tramway in North America.
Word to the wise: The infamous Grouse Grind, known as Mother Nature's Stairmaster, generally takes an hour and a half to complete.

Part of the North Shore Mountains chain, Grouse Mountain is a popular destination for Vancouverites year-round. Just a short bus ride from downtown, its a great place to hike in summer and learn how to ski in winter; the limited terrain doesn't entice many pros.
Take the SkyRide cable car and spend 10 glorious minutes drinking in the scenery as you're chauffeured to the top. Once there, there's a wealth of things to do, from lumberjack demonstrations to guided walking tours, sleigh rides and ice skating (in winter).

The Grouse Mountain summit boasts cafes, shops, restaurants, and for adrenaline junkies, an 80km/h zipline. There's also a chance to see brown (grizzly) bears and wolves in a specially-constructed enclosure, as well as snowshoe trekking and the popular 'Grouse Grind', a 2.9-kilometre hiking trail. To get here, catch bus 232 from Phibbs Exchange or bus 236 from Lonsdale Quay.