Add the Greenheart Canopy Walkway at the UBC Botanical Garden to you bucket list. Talk about breath-taking beauty, fun family adventure and a little bit of education thrown in for good measure.

We opted to have a guide for our time on the Greenheart Canopy Walkway. I would strongly recommend doing the same; the guided tours leave every hour on the hour from 10am – 4pm. I’m not sure how many guides there are but we definitely lucked out with our guide, Brian. Brian was actually one of the six individuals who installed the Greenheart Canopy Walk. His hands on knowledge, his clear passion for the project and his love for Mother Nature made our visit extra special.

Now, if you are afraid of heights this may not be your thing.  However, I’m petrified of heights and managed to thoroughly enjoy myself. Truly, I’m sufficiently scared of heights that I stood at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower refusing to climb that sucker. The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge almost had me belly-crawling across the thing. I think the Greenheart Canopy Walkway’s narrow platforms on the 10 bridges and the high rope sides made me feel more comfortable. I even held it together once my children found their comfort zone and started trying to make the bridges swing!

The Greenheart Canopy Walkway is worth harnessing any fear of height you may have. In amongst sky scraping trees the walkway takes you to 50ft above the forest floor. There is a free-standing observation tower that elevates you to 70 ft. You can glimpse both the Fraser River and the Pacific Ocean through the trees.

Our guide Brian pointed out fascinating arboreal specimens, explained the environmentally-friendly way the canopy was constructed, and did a great job of engaging our 3 & 5 year old sons. We spent a wonderful hour learning about our West Coast rainforest.

Admission to the Greenheart Canopy Walkway also provides you access to the gorgeous UBC Botanical Garden. Kids 4 years and under are FREE. While there is no age limit (and carrying kids in backpacks or carriers is allowed) you aren’t allowed to just carrying your little one in your arms; they have to be strapped to you. The bridges require some coordination. Our 3.5 year old was fine but the 2.5 year old crowd may be tricky…too big for a carrier and not quite strong enough to handle the entire walk on their own.

Pack a lunch, spend the day at the UBC Botanical Garden, inhale nature, and explore the woods! You won’t be disappointed by the Greenheart Canopy Walkway.