5 Stunningly Beautiful Places To Visit Near Vancouver, British Columbia

Right alongside the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs you'll find the beautiful Harrison Lake. During the summer, the lake is great for swimming, boating, and watersport activities, but its beauty can be enjoyed year-round.

The lake is wedged into a rugged valley, with mountains rising up on nearly every side - the result is simply gorgeous views no matter which way you turn.

The photo above was taken looking back across the lake towards Harrison Hot Springs, which you can see right in the center of the photo. It was a very clousy, misty day, so the picture is a bit hazy (sorry!).

Elk Mountain, a 4,700 foot tall mountain in the Cascade Mountain range just East of Vancouver, offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, rivers, and woodlands.

You can see one of my favorite photos taken from the peak of Elk Mountain above, and I've included another below! Enjoy!

Stanley Park is a simply gorgeous park, built on a point of land adjacent to downtown Vancouver and the waterfront. The famous Lion's Gate Bridge is right next to the park also.

The picture you see above was taken from Prospect Point, the "peak" of the park. The view is looking across the mouth of the harbor, out to sea.

The Chilliwack River, also called the Vedder River, is a tributary of the Fraser river, and home to some of the best whitewater in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, both the Canadian and US olympic kayaking teams practice on the Chilliwack River. The River is also simply beautiful, as it flows between grand mountains and amongst deep green conifers.

If you want to experience some of the most beautiful scenery on earth, you need to take an afternoon and just drive through the Lower Fraser River Valley. Highway 7 and Highway 1 both offer great views along the way.

The photo above was snapped as we drove along enjoying the sights.