Festive Lights Around Vancouver

Besides the many extravagantly decorated homes around Vancouver, this Christmas season there are many other colorful sights to see.  If you’re visiting here and without a car, you can still get around to many of them by foot in the downtown core, or by public transit.  If you have a car, you can enjoy some of the festive lights and decorations out in the suburbs.

This week I took advantage of a clear, mild night to check out one of the fabled Woodwards windows at the TD Bank, part of the new Woodwards complex. Then I walked through Gastown to Canada Place on a quest to see several other displays.  At Burrard and Denman Streets, I caught a bus up as far as Nelson Street to see the fantastic Lights of Hope display that covers the entire front of the St. Paul’s Hospital.  This is one of the most spectacular light shows I’ve ever seen.  So if you don’t get time to cruise around the city taking in all the other sights, be sure and see this one! Donations are accepted for the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation.

A short walk back down Burrard Street and you’ll see more pretty lights decorating several of the downtown hotels including Sutton Place and the Wall Centre.  And there are some hotels offering indoor displays such as the Hyatt where you can see their annual gingerbread house contestants entries as well as many beautiful Christmas trees.

St. Paul's Hospital "Lights of Hope"

Here’s a list of other downtown displays, some are indoors in case of inclement weather.

• Canada Place (map) features a nightly light show on the sails until December 31.
• Bright Nights in Stanley Park (map) has more than a million lights.  Animated displays, a miniature train and children’s farmyard.  Until January 2, 3 – 10 pm.  Donations to the Children’s Hospital Burn Fund. Bright Nights Train :$9/$6
• VanDusen Garden’s Festival of Lights. (map) Stroll through Candy Cane lane and enjoy lights shining over the reflective ponds.  to January 2, 4.30-9 pm (Closed Christmas Day)
• West End, on Beach Avenue.   See the 15,000 coloured lights decorating trees along Beach Avenue.  and see the decorated tree at George Wainborn Park  (map). Stroll by Lost Lagoon fountain at the entrance to Stanley Park which is decorated with lights.
• St. Paul’s Hospital, 1081 Burrard St. (map) has over 400 multi-coloured stars that shower light down onto the street.  Donations accepted for the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation.
• Bloedel Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Park.  (map) Thousands of lights and a poinsettia display are part of the Christmas decor at the botanical garden.  To January 2.  Admission $4.76 for adults, $2.43 for children.
• Festival of Trees at the Four Seasons Hotel (map) A display of beautifully decorated trees tor raise funds for BC Children’s Hospital.  Browse through and vote for your favorite tree. Proceeds for BC Children’s Hospital.  Until January 4.
• December Saturday on the Vancouver City Stage at Tom Lee Music, 929 Granville. (map)  Every Saturday in December at 2 pm.  Christmas music.
• Hyatt Regency Hotel Gingerbread Lane.  (map) See a display of fantastic gingerbread houses by culinary  pros, amateurs, corporates and secondary schools.   40 creations including award winning Chef Hans Lutz gigantic gingerbread house.  Until December 27.   Donations to Make-a-Wish-Foundation.

Photo by W. Ruth Kozak