I'm going through some extremely dark times right now, really depressed, and my health has taken a real toll, i've cried a lot already, real tears. i'm wondering if there's any places you guys recommend where I can just sit down and relax outside, or maybe walk around. I was walking around broadway all day today, because i'm not sure if we have any relaxing nature places, it was not exactly relaxing lol.
Posted Sep 14, 2019, 3:20 AM UTC · edited
I'm in a dark place right now too. Been sitting up at Burnaby Mtn lookout for about an hour just dealing sitting in my truck with the side windows slightly open, just enough to hear the rain drops. It has a really great spot overlooking the city.
I dont think there is a bus stop here and its a 15 minute walk up the road from the nearest bus stop.
Be strong.
I wish I could be up there too. It's too far for me :(
Nitobe garden is one of the top 10 japanese gardens in the world outside of japan. also you can walk down the "1000" steps to wreck beach. Its cold enough now there wont be that many nude people.
I had no idea we had a Japanese Garden, thanks a lot. I love Japanese culture.
It will be beautiful when the fall leaves come in. There is also a tea house in the garden where they do the tea ceremony at certain times.
My personal favorite is Terra Nova park where you get sea, river, mountain ,greens , plane , bench and washroom all in one place
Too bad they build an adventure park full of screaming kids
It's great for the kids though...!
Yeah u have to walk to the trail outside. The adventure Park is a weird setting in a tranquil trail
Thanks, i'll see if I can get there. I have to take public transit.
The walk to the park is already pretty quiet; watching the sun set and disappear behind the Island is pretty calming.
Need to go back sometime...
This may or may not work for you. It works for me.
Spanish Banks off leash. Even when its raining there are a few people there. out with their dogs.
If you like dogs, most people are just fine if you go over and pet the dogs.
Dog owners are experts in five minute friendly but not probing conversations ... its genuine human contact but at a light level
Dogs will tell you that life is happening now, it goes on, and its OK.... and when its not OK, then its OK to just find a spot, curl up and watch life go on around you.
As a dog owner, I second this. My chonky Labrador is always eager to meet new people at the park! Please come say hi.
I like Stanley park for this. And queen Elizabeth park. And Pacific spirit park
Thank you, I haven't been to elizabeth park in a while. I think stanley park is a little too far for me. Pacific spirit park I have never heard of, I will check it out.
Pacific Spirit is over on the Point Grey end, super accessible with transit. Definitely recommend, it's huge and not nearly as trafficked as most other parks here, so if that's your idea of calming then it should be right up your alley.
It looks amazing from the pictures, is there a specific trail I should follow?
Honestly, I'd say to devote a day just to wandering, it's well worth it. If you don't have the time for that, then try to stick to the areas south of West 16th, they're surrounded by more residential areas which avoids the higher-traffic beach-adjacent areas.
I like a good hike from science world to Granville island
Yeah, that's a nice stretch of seawall. Charleson Park has beautiful views.
Hiking from around the lake?
False Creek but yeah the walkway along the water
Thanks, i've never been down there actually.
Highly recommend. One of my favourite walks in Vancouver. You get a nice view of the city with the mountains in the back walking along the water.
+1 to this walk - there will be other folks there as a head's up if you want to be alone, but Hinge Park and the adjoining island are a nice place to hang out. Usually some birds chirping up a storm on a nice day.
If you don't mind spending a bit of money, go visit the Catfe in the International Village Mall and spend an hour or two petting and playing with cats and kittens.
It's a great way to relieve stress for a bit.
Catoro on E Broadway is also great. They've got different rates depending on how long you want to stay.
Trout Lake especially if you like dogs.
A fav of mine is to walk the sea wall. Never tire of the view, enjoy sitting on a bench. Van Dusen Gardens is also a great place to chill. Another fav of mine taking the seabus to Lonsdale & roaming around there. Let the rain help wash the darkness away 🙂
Where is the sea wall? sorry for the stupid question, I don't know much about Vancouver.
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/seawall.aspx
It's 28 km long and goes along the water from Canada Place to Stanley Park, around the outside of the park, past English Bay Beach, and then all the way around False Creek to Kits Beach.
Hey mate, I’m sorry your having a rough go. Remember that you get stronger even if the issues don’t resolve.
Where is your approximate starting point? There are some amazing places to sit and think in Vancouver. I personally have really liked the sea wall loop around false creek. It’s easy to get to and the walk is nice. However it can be busy.
More secluded/private is Pacific spirit or Stanley park. Even more so is Burnaby Mountain trails, which can be like being in the woods, or you could literally be in the woods on the North Shore.
Riverfront park on South Burnaby is pretty as well, but less transit friendly.
Keep going and if you need help, please call one of the many orgs that help.
Thanks man... going through some terrible serious health problems, for 2 months now, that don't seem to be getting any better. I am around cambie and marine drive in vancouver. It's not really anywhere near nature or calming places.
That’s not too bad to YVR to watch planes, but if I was you I’d get on the Canada Lone, head north and get off at Yaletown. Walk south to the sea wall, turn left and walk all the way around to either Granville or Burrard Bridge. Then cross and come back.
Good luck man, remember it’s not a problem of character, but chemistry.
I used to live around that area and really liked taking walks through Fraser River park. It's pretty close by, and on a calm evening watching the sunset and the boats slowly crawl up the river was always super calming for me.
Pacific Spirit Park for big trees, Stanley Park for big trees and also beach and seawall and some grassy areas (like the area around Lumberman's Arch and the Aquarium), Trout Lake, Queen Elizabeth Park...
If you don't mind paying an entrance fee, I recommend the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park. It's a dome with tropical plants and birds. Adult admission is $6.75, cheaper for seniors, youth and people with Leisure Access Pass.
Thank you, I am thinking about the Blodel Conservatory, I like animals.
i used to battle depression and the thing that worked for me was outdoor exercise ,usually a good bike ride or a long walk, something that will elevate your heart rate a little.
Stay strong,PMA (positive mental attitude)
Hey my friend one of the most relaxing areas is at Queens Park in New Westminster. The streets near there are good for walking too. Anither area could be deep cove, especially when its sunny. Near commercial and Broadway there are some beautiful streets with large trees, and there's a park near there too just need to find it on google maps. Take care
There are beautiful places as suggested here, but I would try to be in a place that engages your mind and makes you smile. The aquarium might be a good one. Joining a book club or a walking group is also a great idea. Volunteering would be best.
When we are too much inside of our own thoughts, those habits of negative circular thinking are too easily entrenched.
You need to make active changes to your life if you want to change your mood. Force yourself to interact with both nature and people. It will do you a world of good.
Naturally, seeing your doctor and or a counsellor is also a good suggestion if you feel overwhelmed by your mood problems.
I'm not actually able to do much thinking because of my current health symptoms. I am supposed to be doing less thinking. But something like the aquarium, I would so love...i would be so calmed by animals. It's just it's too far to make it for me with my health.
I wonder if you might be able to sit with some rescue cats and groom them etc. Check with your local shelter.
That would help so much.
For me, I cant relax anywhere in Vancouver. I go to North Van to relax.
My favourite spots are, the river behind the MEC, and the river behind Maplewood farms, both are a 10 minute walk from phibbs.
Super chill, check it out.
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Thanks, I have never heard of the vancouver lookout, are you able to spend lots of time there?
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I would just head down to the water front and start walking west. Hope it gets better!
Van dusen gardens. There’s lots of spots to escape to, and if you go on a weekday it’s really quiet
If the weather was dry outside... the parks are a nice place to go.
Are you downtown or in the suburbs? We can make some neighborhood suggestions closer to where you live.
If downtown... I find any place along the seawall is nice. English Bay and False Creek is nice.
I am around the suburbs. Im around Vancouver and marine drive. really far from any decent nature unfortunately. I actually prefer the rain to the sun.
South Vancouver has a few quiet places to enjoy the views... Some ideas...
Central Park
Everett Crowley Park
Pacific Spirit Park
Kerr Street Pier
River District... if you keep walking East into Burnaby... you'll end up with Fraser Foreshore park.
Queen Elizabeth park. Amazing garden when in bloom and if not enjoy the views at the top
From one depressed person to another: it always gets brighter, even when it doesn't seem like it will. Hang in there ♥
One of my favourite things to do in Kitsilano is just walk up to the beach at low tide, and/or at sunset. Not Kitsilano Beach itself, which tends to be very crowded - but if you go further west, there is rocky beach that stretches below the houses there and is a lot quieter. There are plenty of rocks to sit on to watch the sunset from or just chill out during the day, or when the tide is low you can just walk along and explore! You can access the beaches easily from the head of Trafalgar, Bayswater, and Balaclava streets in Kitsilano - they all have staircases down.
If you're not a rocky beach person, there are also a bunch of parks along that stretch that are lovely to sit in and watch the ocean from. Check out Margaret Piggot Park for instance - you'll see a bunch of small parks around that area on the map. And a little further west, Hastings Mill Park is a beautiful little park to watch the sunset from.
Just past that, you have Jericho Beach Park, which has a lovely sandy beach and lots of walking trails if you'd rather a slightly bigger park to walk around in for a couple of hours.
Alternatively: The Van Dusen Botanical garden is a really beautiful place and incredibly relaxing. I try to take the afternoon off and spend it there whenever I'm feeling really down. Lots of benches to sit on, many beautiful plants, super peaceful.
And if you're in the area of the botanical garden, Queen Elizabeth Park is quite beautiful as well! It's got a dynamite view of the city from the top. As well as the Bloedel Conservatory, where you can take a little walk through tropical plants and see exotic birds.
Vancouver has many beautiful spots for you! I hope you'll enjoy discovering them!
Thanks a lot, I love beaches, I have avoided the ones in Vancouver because I feel like there's a lot of people, I actually haven't been to the beaches in Vancouver in years. But I would love to see that spot you are talking about.
I hope you enjoy!! The spot can sometimes be a little crowded right at sunset during the summer, but during the day it's usually very peaceful.
If you want to wander for a while, I would head down there during the day sometime and google tide times to make sure it's low tide. (You can still go down at high tide, but there's less room to explore!)
Here's the area I'm talking about, if it helps: https://goo.gl/maps/DDyB9V1MZ5HQdCnQ7
Thank you so much.
You should go to Iona Beach near the airport then. There are very few people that visit and it is spectacular. The beach changes all the time so you could go back every two weeks and it would be different every time. I wish you all the best.
Also, walking out on the causeway and just being surrounded by ocean (and airplanes taking off) is pretty cool.
Exactly. It's an awesome place that no one seems to know about.
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Is kitsalano a good beach in the rain? I personally love the rain.
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Wreck beach is great. Iona beach too. If you go to Kits there's a good area hidden from lots of people between the main beach and Vanier. Just walk along the beach towards downtown and turn the corner you'll see it's pretty secluded.
Dropped pin Near Vancouver, BC https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZbNSvaAExaK8Axxi6