VERDICT: We gave 5 out of 5 tickets and here’s why!
This guide forms part of our complete Canada Travel Guide featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across Canada.
Just a few recommended places in British Columbia to visit:
- Fort Langley – B.C.’s Birthplace
- Vancouver – Pacific Ocean, to Ski Hills
- Okanagan – Wine Country
- White Rock – Crescent Beach
- Steveston Village – Quaint Fishing Village
- Stanley Park – B.C.’s Biggest Park
- Hornby Island – Perfect Island Life
- Vancouver Island – Spectacular Coastline
- Harrison Hot Springs –Watersports, Beaches, Cafes & Restaurants
Cross the Famous Suspension Bridge, Walk Among the Treetops and Brave the Cliffwalk
Capilano Suspension Bridge Facts
- Opened: 1889
- Original builder: Scottish civil engineer George Grant Mackay
- Bridge length: 137 metres / 450 feet
- Height: 70 metres / 230 feet above the Capilano River
- Original construction: Hemp rope and cedar planks
- Wire cables introduced: 1903
- Major rebuild: 1956
- 1956 construction: New steel cables were anchored into 13 tons of concrete at each end
- The modern bridge is engineered to support the weight of a fully loaded 747 airliner.
Another interesting historical detail: Mackay enlisted August Jack Khahtsahlano and a team of horses to help get the original ropes across the Capilano River in 1889.
Capilano Suspension Bridge is Vancouver’s classic, touristy, yes, but you can’t deny it’s impressive when you’re standing on it.
It’s in North Vancouver, about 10 minutes off Highway 1 after you cross Lions Gate. The bridge itself is 137 meters long and hangs 70 meters above the Capilano River. When it was first built in 1889, it was made of hemp ropes and cedar planks. Now it’s steel cable, but it still wobbles and sways when people walk on it, which is half the fun.
What makes it more than just a bridge is the whole park they built around it:
Treetops Adventure, you walk on smaller suspension bridges strung between 250-year-old Douglas firs, about 30 meters up. You’re literally in the canopy. You can look down and see the forest floor drop away.
Cliffwalk; this is the scary one. A narrow walkway bolted to the granite cliff face, with glass sections under your feet. You’re hugging the rock with the canyon open below you.
The main bridge gets busy — over 800,000 people a year — so it can feel like a conga line on a summer afternoon. But in the morning right when it opens, or on a rainy day in fall, it’s actually quiet and atmospheric. The cedar smell is incredible after rain, and the river roars below you.
Tips:
Book online, it’s cheaper than gate price and you skip the ticket line Go early; 9am opening is empty, by 11am it’s packed, especially with cruise ship buses. Always check seasonal hours first! A BC resident can purchase a BC Annual Pass for the price of one regular day’s admission, providing admission for a full year, including seasonal events such as Canyon Lights, Canyon Frights and Love Lights. Reservations may still be required. Wear proper shoes, the boardwalks get slippery.
● If you don’t want to pay, the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is free and 15 minutes away, smaller, local, and still a great experience.
It’s not a wilderness hike, it’s a polished attraction, but standing in the middle of that sway with the river 70 meters below you still gives you that little stomach drop.
Capilano Suspension Bridge remains one of Vancouver’s must-see attractions. From crossing the swaying bridge to exploring Treetops Adventure and Cliffwalk, there’s much more here than we expected. Yes, it’s popular and touristy, but the rainforest setting makes it memorable. Our Ticket Rating: 5 out of 5 — absolutely worth experiencing.
Top Things to Do at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
1. Cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge
Obviously the headline experience. Walk the full 137 metres across the canyon and stop around the centre for the best perspective down to the Capilano River, assuming you’re comfortable enough to stop while the bridge moves beneath you.
2. Treetops Adventure
Seven suspension bridges connect elevated platforms among the rainforest trees, reaching as high as 33 metres (110 feet) above the forest floor.
3. Brave Cliffwalk
Cliffwalk stretches 213 metres (700 feet) along the canyon and reaches heights equivalent to around 30 storeys. Remarkably, the structure uses only 16 anchor points in the cliff and is engineered to support 45 tonnes.
4. Explore The Living Forest
Don’t rush back across the bridge. Interpretive displays explain the temperate rainforest, geology and ecosystem surrounding Capilano Canyon.
5. Visit Kia’palano
Kia’palano explores the relationship between Indigenous culture and the natural world. It adds important cultural context to a visit that could otherwise become entirely about bridges and photographs.
6. Visit the Story Centre
This is where visitors can discover how the attraction evolved from Mackay’s hemp-rope bridge in 1889 into today’s landmark through photographs, artifacts and historical displays.
7. Look for Raptors Ridge
During its seasonal operation, visitors can encounter eagles, owls and other birds of prey accompanied by handlers who discuss wildlife and conservation.
What to Watch For During Your Visit
Look down from the middle of the bridge. The Capilano River is 70 metres below you, with the steep forested canyon providing the classic Capilano view.
Look up as well. The scale of the Douglas firs is easy to miss when you’re concentrating on where you’re putting your feet.
Watch the bridge movement. It is supposed to sway. The movement becomes considerably more noticeable when groups of people are crossing.
Look for the seven Treetops bridges. From ground level you can appreciate just how high the platforms sit within the forest canopy.
Watch for birds of prey. Raptors Ridge operates seasonally, so check whether it is running during your visit.
Look for the historical displays and totem poles. Don’t treat these merely as background decoration for photographs; the Story Centre and Kia’palano provide useful historical and cultural context.
After rain, slow down. The rainforest becomes particularly atmospheric, but walkways can also become wet.
2026 Admission Prices
Current regular admission is:
| Visitor | Admission |
|---|---|
| Adult 18–64 | $76.95 |
| Senior 65+ | $71.95 |
| Student 18+ | $65.95 |
| Youth 13–17 | $49.95 |
| Child 6–12 | $29.95 |
| Child 0–5 | FREE |
Prices are before applicable GST and can change.
One useful addition for your readers: until October 8, 2026, admission after 5:00 p.m. receives a 25% Twilight discount, with current adult Twilight admission at $59.95.
Official Capilano tickets and current prices
2026 Opening Hours
Hours: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park operates year-round with seasonal opening hours. Check current hours before travelling.
The hours change substantially with the seasons.
September 8–October 8: 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
October 9–November 1: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
November 2–19: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
November 20–January 10: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Christmas Day: Closed.
Check current Capilano opening hours
Canyon Lights: Christmas at Capilano
Canyon Lights runs late November through early January. Millions of lights transform the suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure and rainforest into a Christmas light experience. There are festive treats, music, family activities and plenty of nighttime photography opportunities. Check website for details.
The event runs 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., with the park closed December 25. Best of all, Canyon Lights is included with regular admission and the BC Annual Pass.
Other Seasonal Events
Canyon Frights: October through November. The rainforest becomes a family-friendly Halloween attraction with pumpkins, spooky lighting, skeletons, giant spiders and other themed displays. It is included with admission.
Love Lights: Winter/Valentine season. Colourful lights, heart-themed installations and nighttime walks transform the bridge and rainforest. It is also included with regular admission and the Annual Pass.
These events make your point about the BC Annual Pass even stronger.
How Long Should You Allow?
I’d recommend 2–3 hours for a first visit.
The bridge itself doesn’t take long to cross, but treating Capilano as simply a suspension bridge is a mistake. Once you include Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest, Kia’palano and Story Centre, it becomes a substantial North Vancouver attraction. The park itself describes the three signature experiences as included with one admission.
During Canyon Lights, I’d allow longer because you’ll want to see the park after dark.
Attractions Near Capilano Suspension Bridge
You have several excellent options for turning this into a North Vancouver day trip.
Grouse Mountain: Only a short drive farther up Capilano Road. Ride to the mountain for panoramic Vancouver views, hiking and seasonal attractions.
Cleveland Dam: A particularly good free addition. Walk across the dam and look over Capilano Reservoir toward the North Shore mountains.
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge: The interesting comparison. Lynn Canyon offers another suspension bridge in a natural rainforest setting and doesn’t charge admission.
Nearby Attractions
- Victoria
- Whale Watching (Vancouver Island)
- Royal B.C. Museum
- Sea to Sky Highway
- Road Trip to Osoyoos
- Vancouver, BC
Planning your trip?
Before you go, don’t forget to book the essentials:
- 🏨 Hotels & unique stays
- 🚗 Rental cars
- 🎟️ Top-rated tours & attractions
- 📶 eSIMs for easy connectivity
- 🛡️ Travel insurance
- 🎒 Packing Lists
- 🎒 Travel gear from The Venturio
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
