North Vancouver
It doesn't get much better than North Vancouver for families and outdoor-enthusiasts with mountains offering endless trails for hiking, biking and skiing, and community-focused neighbourhoods and schools. Lower Lonsdale has you covered for dining and drinks and downtown is only a short Seabus trip away. Find out more about the area below or search for your home in North Vancouver here.
NORTH VANCOUVER PARKS
North Vancouver is separated into two municipalities: North Vancouver City and North Vancouver District. NV city is home to smaller community parks and green spaces offering residents walking trails, fields, gardens and playgrounds to enjoy. You can see a map of park spaces in CNV here.
North Vancouver District, on the other hand, has diverse park areas ranging from the waterfront destinations of Panorama Park and Cates Park near Deep Cove, to the 250 hectares of west coast rainforest (and an ecology centre) at Lynn Canyon. Find out more about DNV parks here.
NORTH VANCOUVER SKI HILLS
North Vancouver residents benefit from having two local mountains in their backyard. Seymour Mountain is the most easterly of the two being located not far from Deep Cove. Tubing, tobogganing and snowshoeing are offered in addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding.
Grouse Mountain is much more central, being only 5-10 minutes north of Edgemont Village. You will need to take the Skyride Gondola up the mountain but once you are there you will enjoy superb views that extend across Vancouver city and over the surrounding areas.
In addition to all the winter activities that Mt Seymour offers, Grouse also has an outdoor skating pond and at a light display at Christmas. In the summers, climb the trees on the Mountain Rope Adventure course or try zip-lining. Like Seymour, the mountain offers summer nature camps.
Both mountains have on-site restaurants.
DINING OUT IN NORTH VANCOUVER
Ask any North Vancouver resident what the best area is to go to for dining and drinks is and the majority will say the Shipyards District in Lower Lonsdale. Over the last decade the area has transformed into a hub of cafes, restaurants, breweries and shops. Lonsdale Avenue itself also offers an eclectic assortment of cuisines as you travel north up the street, among them: Malaysian, Persian, Greek, Indian, Thai, Mexican and Japanese.
There are great restaurants in all over North Van though.Here's a list of the top 12 restaurants in North Vancouver as decided upon by Noms Magazine.
NORTH VANCOUVER SCHOOLS
With 25 elementary schools and 8 public high schools, the North Vancouver School District offers a range of excellent options for families. Brockton, Bodwell, St Thomas Aquinas and St Pius X Schools are the most well known private schools in the area. You can see school rankings from the Fraser Institute here.
NORTH VANCOUVER RECREATION
North Vancouver has no shortage of spectacular outdoor recreation options but you will also find plenty of facilities and organised programming for all age groups.
The 15 public community centres in North Vancouver offer a range of activities from swim lessons and karate to skating and gym memberships. You will also find an outdoor skating rink in the winter at the shipyards district in Lower Lonsdale.
The North Shore Winter Club is a private club catering to families. Hockey is the primary focus of the club but they also offer tennis, fitness, pickleball and an outdoor pool.
For those that love horses, The North Shore Equestrian Centre offers the only pubic riding lessons on the North Shore, in addition to private boarding. Laura Lynn Equestrian also offers private boarding.
For golfing, Northlands Golf Course and Seymour Golf and Country Club are your best bets, but there's also pitch and putt at Murdo Frazer along with tennis courts and a playground.
This is all in addition to numerous specialised North Vancouver sports programs and leagues.
NORTH VANCOUVER TRAILS
North Vancouver has trails and hikes for all preferences: whether you're looking for a workout-focused hike like the Grouse Grind or BCMC, or you're after something more scenic like Deep Cove's Quarry Rock or Lynn Valley's Two Canyon Loop,
If mountain biking is your thing, you're also in luck. Find plenty of options on Mt Fromme and Mt Seymour. Braemar Park Reservoir is also a popular spot.
For a more casual stroll, there is the Spirit Trail in North Vancouver. It crosses through the Shipyards along the waterfront with the eventual goal being to have a continuous path all from Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. The Mosquito Creek Trails and Cleveland Dam in Capilano Regional Park also offer other more relaxed walks.
NORTH VANCOUVER SHOPPING
Capilano Mall and Lynn Valley Centre are North Vancouver's two shopping malls, but plenty of other options exist depending on what you're looking for
Edgemont Village, for one, is home to 100 family-owned shops and the destination (located not far from the Capilano Suspension Bridge) is loved by tourists and locals alike.
Lonsdale Quay is another popular spot for boutique shops and locally-owned eateries. It's waterfront location by North Vancouver's Shipyards District is inviting in and of itself.
Also on the oceanfront is Deep Cove Village. This community-oriented neighbourhood doesn't have nearly as many shops to peruse as the previously mentioned areas, but it is charming and worth a visit, if only for the atmosphere (some will tell you (Honey's Doughnuts is reason enough).
If you're looking to take care of non-fashion essentials, Park & Tilford and the area along North Vancouver's Main Street will cover most of your needs.
NORTH VANCOUVER MARINAS
Other than the Shipyards, most of North Vancouver's non-industrial waterfront is located east of the Second Narrows Bridge.
Deep Cove Yacht Club offers a learn-to-sail program and clubhouse rentals. Deep Cove Marina is located nearby and you are also able to rent boats here. Like DCYC Burrard Yacht Club is a members-only facility, but it's located further west by Lower Lonsdale. So is Mosquito Creek Marina which also offers transient moorage. Lions Gate Marine Centre offers indoor and outdoor dry boat storage in addition to boat maintenance and repair.
it's not a marina per se, but Deep Cove Kayak is the place to go if you're looking to rent kayaks or paddle boards on the North Shore.
NORTH VANCOUVER ARTS
North Vancouver has an extensive public art collection and numerous galleries.
The Gordon Smith Gallery, the Polygon Gallery are two popular viewing spaces that also offer youth-focused activities in addition to ongoing exhibitions. The Inuit Gallery of Vancouver showcases the work of first nations artists, offering a "museum-quality collection of masterwork Inuit, Northwest Coast First Nations and other Canadian art". The charitable, cultural organisation, North Van Arts also runs programming through a collection of galleries in partnership with North Vancouver City and District.
For live performances, The Presentation House Theatre and Centennial Theatre are the main venues.
In the summers, there is also live music to be found at Panorama Park in Deep Cove, Civic Plaza in Central Lonsdale, and Lynn Valley Village in Lynn Valley.
NORTH VANCOUVER HOMES
Considering becoming a North Vancouver resident yourself, or just curious about the real estate? You can search current North Vancouver home listings here.
If you are indeed looking to purchase a home in North Vancouver, get in touch to find out how we can add expertise and additional opportunities to your search.