Nature is all the rage this summer. Spending your day surrounded by nature can boost attention, reduce feelings of stress, and improve your mood. Two hours a week boosts overall health, but twenty minutes per day impacts your hormones and immune system. Vancouver has a plethora of options to reconnect with nature, but an undeniable gem is UBC Campus. With more than 400 hectares in size, the stunning campus is surrounded by forests and gardens to explore. UBC remains a mecca of public-facing spaces that blend ecological immersion and education. Here are three attractions to explore UBC’s natural and cultural ecosystems this summer.
UBC Botanical Garden
UBC Botanical Garden
Start your day at UBC Botanical Garden (book here), where you can discover a delightful selection of flowers and trees. When the temperature finally rises to summer heat in Vancouver, the paths of the garden come to life with hundreds of summer bloomers. Find a peaceful moment under the shade of one of our trees and take your time to enjoy the intoxicating smells of flowers and freshly watered dirt. Look out for our favourite residents, including slugs, dragonflies and squirrels.
Greenheart TreeWalk
If you are feeling more daring, make sure to visit the Greenheart TreeWalk (book here) for an exciting stroll in the sky. The popular TreeWalk is suspended nearly 20 meters above the forest floor in the garden and offers a 310-meter canopy walkway through our coastal rainforest. The elevated path winds through 100-year-old Douglas firs, cedars, and grand firs, without causing harm to the trees, thanks to its non-invasive design. The structure in itself is impressive, but the views from up there are breathtaking. You are welcome to join a guided tour or take a self-paced walk, but whatever you decide, make sure to be present and see, hear, and feel what the forest has to offer.
Cultivara Tree Tours
You can literally take your forest exploration to new heights by climbing into the canopy with Cultivara Tree Tours (book here). Using ropes, harness and expert guidance, you can ascend into the treetops and discover the forest from a bird’s-eye view. Each tour is led by an experienced climbing arborist and combines the thrill of climbing with educational insights about trees and the ecosystem. There are tours designed for beginners or experienced climbers alike, so no matter your skill set, you can have an unforgettable time at the garden.
After exploring, you’ll want to take a quick break and come back to civilization. You can wind down at the Shop in the Garden, located at the entrance of UBC Botanical Garden. Here, you can buy a cold drink and a sandwich and take a look at our curated selection of gardening books, tools, gifts, and locally grown plants. This shop not only offers the perfect place to get a well-deserved souvenir, but also offers some inspiration to bring some of that garden magic back home.
UBC Botanical Garden is open Tues – Sun 10:00am – 4:30pm.
Beaty Biodiversity Museum
Beaty Biodiversity Museum
After discovering BC’s natural ecosystem, travel back in time to learn more about its history. This museum houses over two million specimens, including fossils, insects, birds, and more. The Discovery Lab makes this a great spot for families, while rotating exhibits and film screenings provide something new for every visit. Once in the museum, you cannot miss the blue whale skeleton in the atrium, literally you cannot miss it, it is a whopping 26 meters long and one of only 21 worldwide. The Beaty Biodiversity Museum offers a unique perspective into the origins of our ecosystem and allows us to think about the interconnectedness of all living things and our place in the world.
Museum of Anthropology
Museum of Anthropology
To dive deeper into history, art, and architecture, you cannot miss the Museum of Anthropology at UBC. Visit the Great Hall, to see its carved house poles and explore the museum’s impressive collection of global art and artifacts. Featuring Northwest Coast sculptures, textiles, bentwood boxes, feast dishes and canoes from the past and present, the Pacific Northwest Galleries and Great Hall are also iconic spaces within the museum. Don’t forget to visit the grounds behind the museum to see the two Haida Houses.
Summer officially started June 20th. We are excited for the arrival of new blooms, warm afternoons, and picnics in the garden. Make sure to visit UBC to reconnect with nature and see some of Vancouver’s most iconic attractions.
Written by:
Fernanda Munoz
Marketing & Communications Assistant
UBC Botanical Garden