Capilano, Lynn Canyon or the Sea to Sky Gondola bridge?
How the three compare
| Capilano | Lynn Canyon | Sea to Sky Gondola | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | North Vancouver, about 15 minutes from downtown | Lynn Canyon Park, District of North Vancouver | Near Squamish, a much longer drive up the highway |
| Cost | CAD $76.95 adult at the gate | Free | A paid gondola ticket |
| The bridge | 137 m long, 70 m above the river | Built 1912, 50 m above the canyon floor | At the top station, reached by the gondola |
| What else is on the ticket | Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, Raptors Ridge, Story Centre, Kia’palano | Swimming holes and forest trails | The gondola ride up and back |
| Without a car | Seasonal free downtown shuttle, SeaBus and bus, or a tour | No downtown shuttle | Not covered by any tour on this site |
What the Sea to Sky day is shaped like
This site prints CAD $76.95 next to $57 so that anyone can check both figures, and I hold the Squamish comparison to the same standard: the shape of the day rather than a length and a price quoted at you. It is a gondola ride with a bridge and viewpoints at the top, up the Sea to Sky Highway, and it eats the day in a way an afternoon on the North Shore does not.
Which one suits which traveller
One day in Vancouver, no car. Capilano. It is 15 minutes out, there is a seasonal free shuttle from Canada Place, the Hyatt Regency and the Blue Horizon, and the coach tours pick up at downtown hotels. Squamish is a commitment; the North Shore is an afternoon.
A car, a tight budget and a spare half day. Lynn Canyon. Free, quieter, and the bridge is a real one — the full comparison is here.
Several days and a car. Do Capilano on a weekday morning and drive up to Squamish on a different day. They are not competing for the same slot, and treating them as alternatives is what makes people pick badly.
Already committed to Capilano and want more than a bridge. Grouse Mountain is up the same road and the tours are what connect the two — the seven-hour day adds the Skyride and a stop at Cleveland Dam. The combo tours are here, and the arithmetic is here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sea to Sky Gondola suspension bridge better than Capilano?
It is a different day rather than a better one. Sea to Sky is a gondola ride with a bridge and viewpoints at the top, near Squamish and a long drive from the city. Capilano is a rainforest park 15 minutes from downtown where one ticket also covers Treetops Adventure and the 213 m Cliffwalk.
Which suspension bridge should I do with only one day in Vancouver?
Capilano, if you are without a car. It is the only one of the three with a seasonal free downtown shuttle and coach tours picking up at downtown hotels. If you do have a car and want to spend nothing, Lynn Canyon is 1912-built, 50 m above the canyon floor and free — details here.
Can I do Capilano and the Sea to Sky Gondola on the same day?
None of the six tours on this site combine them, and I would not attempt it independently on a single day. The tours that exist pair Capilano with Grouse Mountain, which is on the same road — see the combo tours.
How does Lynn Canyon compare with Capilano on height?
Lynn Canyon hangs 50 m / 160 ft above the canyon floor; Capilano is 70 m / 230 ft above the Capilano River and 137 m / 450 ft long. Lynn Canyon is the shorter and the lower of the two, and it has no Treetops Adventure and no Cliffwalk. What Capilano involves is here.