Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory

Queen Elizabeth Park is situated on the highest elevation of land within the city of Vancouver, Canada. At 152m or 500 ft, it provides panoramic views of Vancouver and the Northshore mountains. If you are cruising out of Vancouver, or just visiting friends or family, consider paying a visit to this scenic park located near the geographic center of the city. In fact, QE Park is a popular park and second only to the more famous Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver. If you’re looking for something to do in Vancouver, add Queen Elizabeth Park to your travel route.

In addition to having beautiful lush surroundings and manicured gardens, QE Park also has the Bloedel Conservatory, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a celebration pavilion for weddings, pitch and putt, and more. At this high point of land, you get some fantastic views of the surrounding city and the towering Northshore mountains. However, the nearby trees have grown tall over the years and partial block the view of downtown Vancouver.

Queen Elizabeth Park Location

Queen Elizabeth Park is located at the junction of Cambie Street and West 33rd Avenue. However, there are entrances on several sides of the park, including Ontario Street and West 33rd Avenue, or along West 37th Avenue between Columbia and Mackie streets.

The park is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm and the grounds are completely free to enjoy at your leisure.

Free parking was limited along the edges of the park and during our visit, these spots were full. Pay parking lots are located near the center of the park by the Bloedel Conservatory and Seasons in the Park Restaurant, and as of this writing, it costs $3.50/hr or $13/day (May 1 to Sep 30) and $2.50/hr or $7/day during the rest of the year. Alternatively, an annual parking pass is available for $140.

Queen Elizabeth Park Map

The map below shows the multiple entrances to the park.

“Love in the Rain” Love Locks

The Love Lock installation is a newer addition to the park and erected in 2016 to prevent further damage to the Burrard St. bridge where locks were historically placed. Entitled “Love in the Rain,” the steelworks of art, showcases four couples lovingly embracing under wire umbrellas. The installation includes a heart-shaped dropbox for padlock keys, which are generally thrown away and become litter. In addition, these keys are melted down and turned back into art installations to be installed somewhere else. What an incredible idea!

“Love in the Rain” is one of my favorite areas of Queen Elizabeth Park. Generally speaking, love locks have been a tradition that has spread around the world, with lovers looking for places to put a permanent lock as a symbol of their love.

During our visit, we placed our own love lock on the structure as a symbol of our “forever love.” Afterwards, we took some time to read the inscriptions on the locks. Furthermore, it was hard not to notice some of their unique styles and shapes.

Cherry Blossoms

While the park looks good at any time of the year, the month of April welcomes cherry blossom season. As soon as the spring weather warms in Vancouver, it is one of the most popular times of the year for the park.

Each year, Queen Elizabeth Park hosts The Big Picnic, which may be Canada’s largest picnic celebration. Inspired by Hanami (Japan’s viewing of the cherry blossoms), visitors are invited to share in the beauty of the flowers, all while picnicking under their fragrant branches. During the event, some of the parking lots are closed, so it’s best to plan your trip by public transit.

Weddings at Queen Elizabeth Park

The beautiful gardens provide an incredible setting for weddings at any time of the year. Also, the Celebration Pavilion provides the ideal venue to hold your wedding ceremony. The Bloedel Conservatory is also a popular location for wedding photos or small ceremonies. It can be used year-round and provides a lush tropical setting any time of the year without leaving Vancouver.

Celebration Pavilion

This picturesque circular venue can accommodate up to 100 people and can be rented year-round. Since prices start at $1500 (2 hrs exclusive use) depending on the season, it’s popular amongst locals. During an event, the back walls of the Pavilion can open up to a beautiful patio. This creates the perfect setting for a summer wedding, fundraiser, or speaking event.

Seasons In The Park

Positioned near the Bloedel Conservatory, is The Seasons In The Park restaurant. It offers visitors fantastic food, excellent service, and all with spectacular views of Vancouver. With its lovely ambiance, It’s the perfect place for a romantic dinner as you watch the sunset. The restaurant is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner. However, I’d definitely recommend a reservation.

The restaurant can be booked for private functions and is often used for wedding receptions.

Queen Elizabeth Park Quarry Gardens

The two individual gardens created in former rock quarries are the showcase of Queen Elizabeth Gardens. Arriving at the rim of the large quarry, (once quarried for its rock to build roadways), you can’t help but stand in awe of its incredible beauty. The sunken area exhibits immaculate landscaping and changing flowers, depending on the season. Small bridges and paved walkways meander between the fragrant blooms and enhance the visitors’ experience. The large quarry is a horticultural dream garden with beautifully curved beddings filled with exciting flowers and perennials. Even if you lack a green thumb, you can still appreciate the work that goes into maintaining this magnificent garden. Wandering through the lower terrace, a cascading waterfall and gentle stream add interest to the landscape.

Located next to the Season In The Park restaurant, is the smaller quarry. It oozes with oriental charm with plenty of Asian influences from its planting choices to its arched bridge over a dry creek bed.

Bloedel Conservatory

The Bloedel Conservatory’s name comes from Prentice Bloedel, who made his fortune in forestry in the 20th century. He donated $1.25 million to build Canada’s first geodesic conservatory. The Conservatory opened in 1969 and has been enabling visitors to enjoy more than 120 exotic birds, and 500 exotic plants in a temperature-controlled environment year-round. In 2018, over 150,000 people visited the Bloedel Conservatory.

We visited on a chilly October day, and the first thing that hits your senses is how warm and humid it is inside. As a tropical ecosystem, it is necessary to maintain a consistent climate regardless of the temperature or weather outside. Inside, the temperature remains at a constant 18-22 degrees Celsius (64-68 degrees Fahrenheit), and humidity is typically a moist 78%. 

Inside the domed gem, a meandering paved path leads you through the various areas and habitats. While the dome is not big, we could enjoy the experience at our own pace. Immediately entering the Conservatory, we experienced sensory overload with a multitude of sounds, scents, and scenery. I couldn’t help but listen to the chirps and fascinating sounds of the tropical birds. Due to the high humidity, the collection of flowers and vegetation lets off a pleasing fragrance of tropical scents. Visually, everywhere I looked, I could see a creature that I knew was not native to Vancouver or British Columbia. Overall, it was incredibly amazing.

Bloedel Conservatory Hours And Prices

The Bloedel Conservatory is within Queen Elizabeth Park and located at:

4600 Cambie St.

Vancouver, BC

CANADA  

V5Y 2M4

The conservatory is open daily (except Christmas Day)

January to March – from 10 am to 5 pm

April – from 10 am to 6 pm

May to September 2 – from 10 am to 8 pm

Sept. 3 to Oct. 31 – from 10 am to 6 pm

Nov and Dec – from 10 am to 5 pm

The admission rates are:

Adult (19-64) $6.75

Senior (65+) $4.55

Youth (13-18) $4.55

Child (5-12) $3.30

Children under 5 Free

10% off groups of 10 or more

I found the Bloedel Conservatory prices to be very reasonable (as of this writing) and excellent value for budget-minded families. While it takes less than an hour to walk through because the Bloedel floral conservatory is not massive, but every square foot provides something to see due to the optimal design. Interesting enough, the city of Vancouver almost lost the Conservatory in 2009 due to budget shortfalls. Local citizens rallied to join forces to save this valuable dome. Today, the VanDusen Botanical Garden and the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association jointly manages the Bloedel Conservatory.

What’s Inside the Conservatory

Inside you will find birds such as cockatoos, parrots, canaries, parakeets, starlings, finches, doves, robins, pheasants, and more. Throughout the conservatory, plentiful signs provide descriptions of the birds and their various traits. For example, “Ruby” (shown in the accompanying photo) “is a vibrant female who is gentle, shy, and a big groomer. She also loves to play with pinecones”.

As we arrived near the end of the pathway, one of the workers was holding “Blanca,” who is an umbrella cockatoo, born in 1998 and described as cuddly, playful, and with a big personality. While there, she would say “Hi” and “Bye-bye” to visitors. Very entertaining to everyone near her. Blanca was so close we could have touched her. You could tell she was accustomed to having people nearby and seemed to enjoy the attention.

Bloedel Conservatory Christmas – Holiday Heights

One of the special Bloedel Conservatory events is during the Holiday Heights celebration, typically from mid-December until the first week in January. With lots of festive lighting, the tropical forest transforms into a Christmas celebration, complete with all of the exotic birds! If you plan to visit The Festival of Lights at VanDusen Gardens, remember to retain your ticket stub. Your ticket usually includes free admission to the Holiday Heights at the Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Gardens.

A visit to Queen Elizabeth Park and the Bloedel Observatory will take two to three hours. However, if you plan to have dinner at Seasons in the Park, your day will be greatly extended. Enjoy your visit!