5 best places to go stargazing in BC this summer
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Please note: As recommended by BC’s provincial health officials, if you choose to participate in events or leisure outside of your home, please adhere to COVID-19 health and safety measures, including proper physical distancing, frequent handwashing, and keeping your groups small. If you are sick, please stay home. If you are travelling to get to one of these destinations, please read and follow the Province of BC’s COVID-19 travel tips before you go.
Yes, Vancouver has some prime spots to watch a sunset, but once that sun goes down and the nights get dark, you’ll need to leave the city for a serious view of the stars.
And with the comet NEOWISE bringing a renewed focus on the night sky, many people are looking for that perfect spot to see the stars for themselves.
Fortunately, beyond the light pollution of Vancouver is an entire ocean of twinkling lights waiting to be gazed upon, and BC has some beautiful spots to do just that—and a few aren’t even too far away from the city.
Here are some great places in BC to sit down, lay back, and look up into the shining cosmos.
For your own safety, please make sure you are prepared before heading out on your next adventure. Check current conditions before you leave and make sure that you know about the dangers involved before you set off.
Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from North Shore Rescue and AdventureSmart.
Boundary Bay Regional Park
Located in Tsawwassen just short drive south from Vancouver, Boundary Bay Provincial Park is a great area to look at the stars and still make it home in time for bed. There’s a few beaches near the area to set up a picnic blanket and stargaze the night away.
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Helmcken Falls
Helmcken Falls is just a little bit further away. Okay, it’s a road trip and a half away, but it’s no secret that the middle of nowhere tends to be the best place to see some stunning night-time sights. Throw a beautiful waterfall into the mix and you’ll be smiling the whole way home.
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Lillooet Lake
Anyone who has spent a wild weekend at Pemberton Music Festival (RIP) knows the magic of the clear skies they have there, and it is even clearer out by Lillooet lake. There’s just something about being further north that makes the air crisper, cleaner, and all the better for star-gazers.
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Whytecliff Park
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Beautiful by day, even more stunning by night, and close enough to Vancouver to make it the perfect destination for a romantic night out. Whytecliff Park sits in West Vancouver right by Horseshoe Bay, and offers a stunning view of the cosmos in all its glory. Bring a picnic, watch the sunset, then stick around for a bit—you’ll be in for a treat.
Mystic Beach
An adorable little beach with mountainous cliffs that make you feel protected and as though the place is all yours. Across the channel on Vancouver Island (near Sooke, to be precise), this beach marks the end of the Juan De Fuca trail—or the beginning, depending on where you start.
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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in July 2017, but updated to include current information.
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