Stretching 450 feet at about 70 meters above a rocky Vancouver brook, the Capilano Suspension Bridge is the region’s oldest and perhaps most distressing attraction. For more than a century visitors have confronted any and all fear of heights as they traverse the shaky, swaying footbridge, carefully treading across its narrow wooden floor and then back again. Many try to stop mid-bridge for a photo opt, which would probably turn out superb, except, when the bridge is swarmed with people scurrying back and forth - some laughing, others pale with fright - the swaying and swinging of the bridge make it almost impossible to hold still. The only safety from falling over the side is a waist-high steel rail about the size of a coffee can, with steel netting running from the rail to the floor of the bridge (for small children), and your balance.

The bridge crosses the Capilano River Canyon, leading visitors from the tourist-trap Trading Post, with shops, food courts and hosted events, to the serene Vancouver wilderness, or close to it anyway. Once visitors have made their initial crossing, they will find evergreen-canopied trails leading to ponds, landscaped greens, and light-hiking escapes. The area marks the threshold of Grouse Mountain, one of the major outdoor getaways in Vancouver.

A great sightseeing opportunity includes the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, where every year you can observe salmon struggle upriver to the spawning grounds above. The Cleveland Dam spans 640 feet across a canyon and releases 100 million gallons of drinking water each day with 17 billion gallons in store! Exploring both sites is free, as it should be.