where to find cherry blossoms in vancouver

I’m so happy spring has arrived in Vancouver. Winter this year felt unbearably long, dark, and cold. I don’t know how people in other parts of the world survive with limited daylight hours and freezing temperatures for half of the year!

One of the best things about springtime here is the chance to admire all the cherry blossom trees that start blooming all across the city. Many of these trees grow on residential streets or in parks, and access to them is completely free (yay), and the situation is definitely not as manic as sakura-chasing tends to be in other cities.

The husband and I spent a weekend driving around quieter residential streets of Vancouver in the hopes of spotting some of these pretty pale pink blooms. I believe the Japanese akebono cherry trees were flowering that particular weekend, and they were so dang gorgeous!

But enough talk - here are some of the places we visited while cherry blossom hunting, and some other popular places you should visit as well:

KITS BEACH

The cherry blossoms here are situated along the road, close to some great pubs and shops and just a little ways away from the beach. They were even flowering in the carpark lot..! It was cold and rainy when we visited that day, but it was still beautiful to behold.

H. R. MACMILLAN SPACE CENTRE

We spotted this while driving by and decided to make a pit stop. It was such a lovely little garden (apparently it’s the outdoor patio lounge but “garden” just feels a lot more suitable). If you’re looking for a photo-worthy spot full of Zen vibes, this is the place to be.

OAK AND W 47-49TH AVENUE

We chanced upon this quiet residential street while heading home after a hike, and we are so glad we stopped! Aren’t those cherry blossom-lined streets just stunning?! Oh, and there was a retro-looking Volkswagen van parked on the street that made for a great photo op :p

QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK

We visited Queen Elizabeth Park last year (hence the crazy hair in these photos) and had such a lovely time enjoying the cherry blossoms there. I remember that it was late April, and it was so sunny and warm out that we just lay on our backs on the grass for a bit. Oh, and the husband made me climb a tree too, which I don’t recall ever doing as a kid… so I guess you could call it an achievement -_-

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There are loads more cherry blossom trees all around Vancouver to check out, so do enjoy it while it lasts! This neighbourhood map by the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival has come in very handy too. And if you are local, I would love to get your recommendations in the comments box below :)

Happy cherry blossom hunting, friends!

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xx,
iz