Fall for Canada: 5 family-friendly Vancouver adventures

Scale the Greenheart Canopy Walkway — a 1,010-foot bridge — during the Apple Festival. Credit: wlcutler.

By Robyn Wosk-Peter

The leafy Northeast always gets its due as a fall vacation retreat, but our friends north of the border have it just as pumpkin-spiced and amber-hued as New England. Skip the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Here are five ways to enjoy autumn like a true Vancourite.

Ice skate outside.
I highly recommend the Robson Square ice rink, which is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Vancouver near most of the major hotels and shopping district. Skating is free for kids 12 and under.
Explore a pumpkin patch.
My favorite patch is in Richmond, a 20-25 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Enjoy a hayride, costumes, live band, animals and go home with a pumpkin. You might even spot a local celebrity or two! Last year, I enjoyed a hayride with Diana Krall, Elvis Costello and their twin boys — Dexter and Frank.
Visit the Apple Festival and Tree Walk (Oct. 15-16)
Apple pie. Cider. Sixty different varieties of apples — all of which you can taste. And here’s another sweet treat: the Greenheart Canopy Walkway, a 1,010-feet aerial trail in the David C. Lam Asian Garden that is the only one of its kind in Canada.
Ride a ghost train (Oct. 7-31)
Fare for the Stanley Park Halloween ghost train includes face painting, pumpkin carving, and entrance to the haunted maze. This year’s theme is “Circus of Disaster.” If tickets are sold out over the phone, try purchasing same-day tickets. These sell out very quickly, so be there first thing in the morning.
Hockey, obviously.
The Vancouver Canucks are definitely the hottest ticket in town but for a more budget-friendly option, the Vancouver Giants are a great alternative. The Giants are one of Canada’s top junior teams, playing just one level below the NHL professionals and a single game ticket in the gold zone costs only $21. Games are played at the Pacific Coliseum, the former home of the Canucks and just 20 minutes from downtown.