Ambleside Walk in West Vancouver

A lot of people drive along Marine Drive in West Vancouver. They are heading to shop or heading towards 15th Street to access the Upper Levels Highway. But there’s something else you really ought to take a half-hour or so to do.

If you want a coffee, you can hit the Starbucks at 17th Street and Marine Drive. There is 2 hour free parking on Marine Drive, which is handy.

Then as you exit Starbucks, head right, and right again (south) on 17th Street. Go to and cross Bellevue Ave. You then get to walk over the BC Rail tracks (yes, trains do go through there) and you will be in a little kids playground with a mini water park. This is John Lawson Park.

You can proceed to the dock that juts out and see Stanley Park, The Lions Gate Bridge, UBC to the west on the south shore and if it’s clear the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island.

You can probably take much better pictures than what I did with my weenie cell phone.

There’s a path that, were it made of boards, would be a great boardwalk. Follow it west for as long as your feet or your latte lasts. No matter where you decide to stop, turn right and head back up to Marine Drive. Then you can urban walk and window-shop all the way back to your car.

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