Vancouver Cherry Blossom Photos

After a dark and dreary winter there’s nothing like a walk through the blossoms in Vancouver when spring arrives. I’ve been out almost every day to capture a few of my favourite spots around the West End and Stanley Park:

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Photos

Cherry Blossoms in Vancouver

The City of Vancouver has more than 40,000 ornamental cherries at over 3,000 locations, featuring about 50 different cultivars! The plum blossoms and magnolias arrive in early March, then the sakura and akebono (and more) typically spring to life in early April. There are a few ways to locate cherry blossoms in Vancouver:

Maps

• Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Neighbourhood Map
  • Includes “blooming now” information
• The City of Vancouver Tree Registry (search by tree name)

Downtown Vancouver Highlights

• Granville Square near Waterfront Station
• Cordova Street between Burrard and Howe
• Coal Harbour Seawall
• Georgia and Denman Streets, on the north side by the reflecting pool
• Burrard Skytrain Station

My Stanley Park Picks

My favourite spots in Stanley Park, which all bloom at different times so it’s worth multiple trips, include:

• Across from the Stanley Park Rose Garden off Pipeline Rd (late March/early April)
• Around the Japanese Canadian War Memorial (late March/early April)
• Just before the roundabout when you enter the park off W Georgia
• At Brockton Lighthouse (late March/early April)
• Near the concession at Lumberman’s Arch (mid-late March)
• Cherry Grove, the World’s First-Known AIDS Memorial between Devonian Harbour Park and Stanley Park in Coal Harbour (usually the last to bloom towards late April)
• Note: the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel work near Chilco & Alberni hasn’t impacted the grove on the north side. However, the usual scenic views to Lost Lagoon are impacted and several trees along the path have been cut down.

Tip! How to tell if you’re looking at a PLUM or CHERRY blossom

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival hosts a series of events in late March and April and many of them are free to attend. Some of the most popular are The Big Picnic at David Lam Park, Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Garden (ticketed), and Blossoms After Dark at David Lam Park. Follow the festival on Facebook for updates.

Find more local events here »