Where To See Cherry Blossoms In Vancouver
Are you ready to know where to see cherry blossoms in Vancouver?
One of the most beautiful times, but also can be annoying if you’re parked under one of these trees when it rains, is during the couple weeks in spring when the 43,000 cherry blossoms trees all over Vancouver start to bloom.
While these are more well-known places, you can pretty much see a cherry blossom tree almost anywhere in the city—there are streets in my area where I can walk to see them or even outside my window.
As a Vancouverite who’s lived here her entire life, I’m here to help you find all the best places to see cherry blossoms in Vancouver.
Where To See Cherry Blossoms In Vancouver
Keep in mind that once the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, there will be lots of people taking pictures, so be respectful of others and don’t trespass onto people’s properties. Also, watch out for traffic when taking photos in the middle of the road.
💡 Note: Cultivars — A variety (type) of plant that has been produced by breeding.
🌸Vancouver has 54 different cultivars of cherry blossoms.
1. Cherry Blossom Street (Graveley Street)
The first place to see cherry blossoms in Vancouver is Cherry Blossom Street, a residential block known as Graveley Street in East Vancouver.
It’s located between Lillooet Street and Windermere Street, with trees with pink flowers blooming on both sides of the block.
2. Stanley Park
One of the best things to do in Stanley Park in spring is see the cherry blossoms bloom. The best locations are near the Rose Garden, the pathway leading to the World War I Japanese Memorial, and the eastern edge of Lost Lagoon.
3. Queen Elizabeth Park
Another top place to see cherry blossoms in Vancouver is Queen Elizabeth Park. Specifically, several trees are near the West 33rd entrance to the park.
The park is home to many different cultivars, which bloom at various times during the months of March and April.
4. VanDusen Botanical Garden
VanDusen Botanical Garden has over 7,500 plant species, so you most definitely will find at least 100 cherry blossom trees in the gardens. While this is the only place that you’ll have to pay for an entrance fee, there will also be other plants blooming during this time of year.
5. Burrard SkyTrain Station
One of my old jobs required me to get off at Burrard Skytrain Station. And let me tell you, it was always fun walking in that little patch of greenery that turned into a pink wonderland in spring. It’s beautiful.
6. David Lam Park (Yaletown)
There are cherry blossom trees scattered at David Lam Park. In fact, this is where the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival holds its Big Picnic Event.
7. UBC
Another place to see more cherry blossoms is at the UBC Campus. Lower Mall is where you can find different cultivars, or you can also head to Nitobe Memorial Garden, where several trees are scattered around the grounds.
8. Arbutus Ridge
Arbutus Ridge has a couple of places. One is on West 22nd between Arbutus and Valley Drive and West 22nd and Trafalgar Street. If you walk around the blocks from Arbutus to Carnavon along West 22nd and 21st, you’ll see cherry blossom trees in this area.
9. Cherry Blossom Avenue
Known as Cherry Blossom Avenue, this corridor of cherry blossoms on either side of the street is along Yukon Street at Winona Park.
10. Akali Singh Sikh Temple
Along East 3rd between Renfrew Street and Skeena are cherry blossom trees that perfectly align the temple in the middle.
11. Granville Plaza (Waterfront Station)
There is a section of cherry blossoms at Granville Plaza. Six are in the circle, and more are off to the side in the rectangular grass area.
12. Kerrisdale
There are four different cultivars at Kerrisdale Centennial Park, on Yew and 42nd Avenue (walk to 43rd, too). Two of them are white, and the other two are pink.
💡 Note: Click here for the map showing where all the cherry blossom trees are in Vancouver. There are places to see them in Burnaby, but the majority are in Vancouver.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Festival
The Cherry Blossom Festival, founded in 2005, celebrates a seasonal phenomenon through art, music, photography, poetry, food, and more.
Over the years, they added ways to explore the cherry blossom trees through activities like Bike the Blossoms, guided interpretive Tree Talks and Walking tours, and The Big Picnic.
Why Are There Cherry Blossoms In Vancouver
In the 1930s, the mayors of Kobe and Yokohama, both from Japan, gifted the Parks Board 500 Japanese cherry trees to plant at the monument in Stanley Park, honouring the Japanese Canadians who fought in World War I.
In the 1950s, the city realized that planting large trees like elm, maple, chestnut, and plane was a problem. Once the trees reached maturity, their roots invaded sewer lines, upped sidewalks, and crossed powerlines.
In 1958, the Japanese consul Muneo Tanabe donated 300 more cherry trees. Those trees were planted along Cambie, in Queen Elizabeth Park, and at the Japanese memorial in Stanley Park.
When Do The Cherry Blossoms Bloom In Vancouver?
Since there are a variety of cherry blossoms in Vancouver, they will all bloom at different intervals. However, they start to bloom around early March and last until the first couple of weeks of April.
How Long Do Cherry Blossoms Last In Vancouver?
On average, they last around two weeks if the weather is good.
Conclusion
As you can see, you can’t miss seeing a cherry blossom tree in the city because there are over 43,000. When you’re visiting in the spring, be sure to stop at one of these best places to see cherry blossom trees in Vancouver.
Have a good day 🙂
