2024!
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Love illuminations? Don't miss 2024's Canyon Lights!
An original 2024 story sponsored by Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
When I was a kid, the holidays didn't start until we’d switched on the lights adorning our modest little Christmas tree. Fast-forward to now, and I never feel truly festive at this time of year until I’ve spotted some glowing multicoloured bulbs or a twinkling string of snow-white fairy lights.
But while it’s easy to find holiday illuminations in and around Vancouver, there is one epic display I never miss. Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is the region’s sparkliest winter wonderland. And while it’s jam-packed with shimmering features, it’s their toweringly huge “live Christmas trees” that transport me right back to the giddy excitement of childhood.
Lights, camera, action
On my 2024 visit, I gave myself plenty of time to explore, starting with the south side of the 27-acre park. Around the plaza area, gorgeous red and white lights adorn the foliage like wintertime fruits, while a soundtrack of festive tunes slides you into full-on holiday mode. Tip: on a small stage in front of the Trading Post gift shop here, there is also nightly live music.
Next, I descended the spiral staircase of Cliffwalk, a suspended steel and wood trail that hugs the rock face and is studded with white lights. It doesn't wobble like its famous sibling, but it makes you feel like you’re walking on air in the darkness with massive trees growing alongside and above you. The river rushes past noisily below, and on my visit I even heard an eagle screeching nearby.
Speaking of that iconic sibling, Cliffwalk also gives you an exciting first glimpse of the fully illuminated, 450-foot-long Suspension Bridge, stretching across the canyon like a gigantic glittering necklace. During Canyon Lights, the 135-year-old span looks better than ever––alive with countless computer-controlled bulbs that pulse, twinkle and gently change colour throughout the evening.
Blockbuster bridge
Ready to hit the star attraction, I soon joined the festive throng on the famously swaying crossing. If you haven’t traversed Capilano Suspension Bridge before, it’s worth noting that although it gently wobbles and wavers over the canyon, it’s relished by visitors of all-ages. In fact, as I slowly crossed I could see the jelly-legged joy on the faces of kids, seniors and adults alike.
Photos are de rigueur on this wibble-wobble wonder (don’t hold up the other walkers, though!) and once you get your bearings, you’ll also glimpse the feast of additional lights and grand installations waiting for you on the park’s west side. These start as soon as you reach the end of the bridge, where a massive illuminated creation hangs above you like an oversized jellyfish with pulsating tentacles.
Creative displays
After the bridge, I turned left along the wooden boardwalk towards the Ponds area. During Canyon Lights, these are accented with dozens of shimmering spheres that seem to float over the water. This year, they’re joined by a whimsical gaggle of glowing Canada geese perched on logs. Tip: lots of visitors shoot photos here, but be sure to master your nighttime camera settings first.
After a pit stop at some handily located washrooms, I continued along the wooden walkway, gently descending towards the roiling river on the Nature’s Edge trail. Surprisingly, it feels quieter in this part of the park, which makes communing with the magical installations a much more personal experience.
There are some lovely features to slow down for here, including glowing coloured orbs that look like they might hatch magical creatures at any moment. There’s also a shining, walk-through light tunnel that resembles an oversized illuminated slinky. I was also mesmerized by what looked like a billion-strong bee swarm of tiny multicoloured lights swirling through the forest.
Christmas tree finale
A few seconds later, I gasped at the biggest decorated trees I’ve ever seen––a gathering of eight Douglas firs stretching up to 350-feet into the inky night sky. But it’s not just the height of these humungous wonders that impresses. It’s the fact that they’re adorned from their sprawling roots to their neck-cricking canopies with cascading lights that shimmer and twinkle like fine jewellery beautifying a gathering of tree royalty.
These decorated trees have been my favourite Canyon Lights feature for several years. But you don’t just get to gaze at them from afar. A few minutes later, I’m walking between the trunks at mid-height on a series of elevated walkways known as the Treetops Adventure. It’s a great way to get close to the region’s grandest Christmas trees––and whisper to them how much you love them (or maybe that was just me).
Feeling fully festive, I re-crossed the bridge for a fortifying bowl of Capilano’s famous clam chowder at the park’s warm and welcoming Cliffhouse Restaurant. Then, I nipped into the Trading Post gift shop for some holiday shopping. I found some amazing artisan jams, several brilliant B.C. books and a cool Indigenous-designed ornament that will look great on our Christmas tree. And since it’s considerably less than 350-feet-high, it will be a lot easier to decorate.
If you go:
Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge is open daily until January 19, 2025. All the park’s attractions are included in your admission, with online-ordered tickets ranging from $24.95 for children (aged 6 to 12) to $71.95 for adults. Note: B.C. residents purchasing these tickets also receive an annual pass, enabling them to return anytime and as much as they want for the next 12 months.