Biking in Derby Reach Regional Park. Photo: Metro Vancouver
New year, new you? Why not make your New Year’s resolution both fun and achievable? From forest bathing to trail running, add these new hobbies to your 2024 Vancouver goals.
Winter Photography
Vancouver in winter is spectacular when the North Shore Mountains are blanketed in snow. The cold months are the perfect time to hone your winter photography skills. Try finding unique perspectives to capture the white-capped mountains with the city in the foreground. Or head up to Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour or Cypress Mountain to immerse yourself in winter. You can try your hand at macro photography as you explore ice crystals on tree branches or experiment with action photography on the ski hills.
Downtown Vancouver with snow on North Shore mountains. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Clayton Perry
Forest Bathing
Is 2024 the year you are finally going to commit to a meditation practice? Why not try forest bathing? This form of nature therapy was developed in Japan in the 1980s. It is a meditative practice that includes spending time in nature and being mindful of what you see, hear, smell, and touch. This can include slow, meditative walking, or simply sitting in a serene spot. With green spaces all around Vancouver, our city is a great place to begin your forest bathing journey.
Enjoy the beauty of the forest at Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Photo: Julien Kettmann/Unsplash
Indoor Rock Climbing
If your New Year’s resolution is to get fit or push your limits, give indoor rock climbing a try. Vancouver has tons of beginner-friendly indoor rock climbing gyms where you can get started thanks to gear rental programs and lessons.
Photo: rahadiansyah/Unsplash
Bird Watching
The Vancouver area is a great place to go bird-watching due to its location on the Pacific Flyway migration route between Alaska and Patagonia. Spring and fall are the best time to see a variety of birds as they stop to rest in Vancouver on their migration. But we have lots of year-round resident birds like eagles, woodpeckers, herons, and hummingbirds too. The BC Bird Trail highlights the best birding spots in Vancouver’s neighbourhoods.
Great Blue Heron. Photo: Shayne Kaye/BC Bird Trail
Biking
Vancouver prides itself on being a bike-friendly city. Cycling is a great way to work out and has the bonus of taking you to parts of the city you might not otherwise see. With scenic separated bike paths around the city and gnarly downhill mountain bike trails on the North Shore Mountains, there is sure to be a style of biking that you will love.
Biking along the Spirit Trail. Photo: Destination BC/@vancitywild
Cold Plunging
Cold water immersion can relieve joint pain and inflammation and has also been linked with stress relief and an increase in positive mood. In Vancouver, you can combine the benefits of a cold plunge with the beauty of nature by jumping into lakes, rivers, or the ocean. Our guide to cold plunging around Vancouver has lots of tips on where to dip.
Photo: Tsunami Green/Unsplash
Trail Running
If your New Year’s resolution is to run regularly, consider stepping it up a notch and trying trail running. It has all the health benefits of road running, but it adds in extra agility and balance as you bound over roots and rocks. Plus, you get to enjoy the beauty of nature while you run. Our guide to trail running in Vancouver has suggestions for spots to try it.
Photo: Greg Rosenke/Unsplash