Vancouver's Scenic Park Transforms Into A Winter Wonderland Of Dazzling Lights And Festive Events

If you're looking for a magical holiday getaway, Vancouver should be on your travel bucket list for December. There's all kinds of fun, festive activities, including the incredible Canyon Lights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.The park is in an old-growth rainforest, and the centerpiece is the bridge, which spans 450 feet across the canyon with the river 230 feet below. For their Canyon Lights event, the already beautiful destination is transformed with millions of lights along the bridge and amongst the trees.

The lights are on from late November through mid-January, and for the first weekend of December 2024, the lights paid homage to Taylor Swift; just one of the Swift-themed events in Vancouver to honor the end of the Eras Tour. The rest of the season, there will be more traditional holiday lights on display. Even if you've visited the bridge before, it's well worth coming back again for the holiday light spectacular. Even the river is lit up, and there are activities for kids, live music, and great photo opportunities.

No matter if it's your first or your 50th visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, each crossing of the bridge can be an adventure. It can be a bit bouncy and it will move as you're on it. This is completely safe and normal, but it may be a little bit off-putting at first, especially if you have a fear of heights. Once you're on the other side, you're able to explore other parts of the park, all lit up for the holidays. The Treetops Adventure is a series of walkways and platforms up to 110 feet above the ground, and during Canyon Lights, you'll be walking amongst towering Douglas fir trees decorated with lights.

For an even more exhilarating experience, go on the Cliffwalk. It's a 700-foot-long trail along the granite cliff on the east side of the river, and you're on far narrower walkways that jut out over the canyon. And for Canyon Lights, it has a picturesque light tunnel for you to walk through. If you get hungry, there are a couple of places to eat inside the park, including sit-down dining at The Cliff House Restaurant. They have a special Canyon Lights menu with specialty cocktails and dishes like a dark chocolate raspberry Yule log.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is in North Vancouver, which is a part of the larger Vancouver metro area, about a 25-minute drive from Gastown, Vancouver's oldest neighborhood. You can get a free shuttle to and from downtown Vancouver.

It's open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for Canyon Lights, and you buy your ticket for a specific entry time. While the park is beautiful and well worth a visit during the day, no matter what time of year, it really dazzles after dark during the Canyon Lights event. Thankfully, sunset in Vancouver is between about 4:15 and 4:30 p.m. during the height of the holiday season, giving guests enough time to really see the lights at their best.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge dates back to the 1880s when George Grant Mackay, originally from Scotland, built a cabin along the Capilano River canyon, and he used the expertise and help of men from the Squamish Nation to help build the first bridge, which was made from rope and cedar. A wire cable bridge was installed in 1903, and it's now visited by over 1 million people every year.