VanRamblings’ Annual Metro Vancouver Holiday Lights Tour

VanRamblings' 2020 Metro Vancouver Holiday Lights Tour

VanRamblings’ updated 2020 Holiday Lights Tour covers the entirety of the Metro Vancouver region, starting in Vancouver & the North Shore, but now including Burnaby, the Tri-Cities / Coquitlam, Surrey / North Delta, and Richmond. No one says that the Holiday Season Lights Tour must be a single-night event — if you wanted to, you could do a two, three or four night holiday lights tour, at a pace comfortable for you and your family.

You could also do a walking tour. The area around Gravely & Commercial Drive and out to 12th and Semlin would make for a good walking tour of holiday lights. According to Environment Canada, the weather on the three days before Christmas Day will be nippy, but clear, and perfect for a walking tour if you bundle up. In addition, the area around Main and Broadway has great holiday light displays within walking distance of one another.

The Holiday Lights Tour Guide will be updated over the holidays.

We’re going to begin our Holiday Lights Tour on Vancouver’s east side.

First stop


Holiday Lights, 100 block Victoria Drive, Vancouver. Videographer: Ken Jason Dundas.


Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2702 Kitchener Street, at Slocan Street | Vancouver

2702 Kitchener Street, at Slocan; from the 2400 block of Kitchener to the 2700 block there are a number of wonderful holiday light displays, such as this one …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2621 Kitchener Street | Vancouver

2621 Kitchener Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 3163 East 16th Avenue | Vancouver

3163 East 16th Avenue

Next it’s up to the Killarney area …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 3168 East 46th Avenue, Killarney neighbourhood | Vancouver

3168 East 46th Avenue

Now, you’re going to have to decide whether you want to travel over to 6080 Ross Street, which is near 41st and Knight, a ways out of the way, 6080 Ross Street

And then it’s over to the Renfrew Collingwood neighourhood …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 3540 / 3542 Price Street | Vancouver

3540 / 3542 Price Street, near Rupert Street

3191 East 22nd Avenue , at Windermere

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | East 18th Avenue and Renfrew Street | Vancouver

East 18th Avenue and Renfrew Street

East 16th and Kaslo Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Kaslo Court and Terrace, on the Grandview Highway | Vancouver

Kaslo Court and Kaslo Terrace, 2765 Co-operative Way, just off the Grandview Highway, nearby the Italian Cultural Centre

Lakewood and East 5th Avenue

2500 block Kitchener Street | a gentrified block, almost all new, maxed out to 2400 sq. ft. homes — a well-kept street, though.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Grandview Park, along Kitchener Street | Vancouver

1800 block Grant & Kitchener, surrounding Grandview Park, including on Salsbury Drive, just off Victoria Drive

Grant Street and Semlin Drive

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2008 Victoria Drive, at East 4th Avenue | Vancouver

2008 Victoria Drive, at 4th Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 7th Avenue and Victoria Drive | Vancouver

Victoria Drive and East 7th Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 8th Avenue and Victoria Drive | Vancouver

Victoria Street and East 8th Avenue

Commercial Drive and 6th Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2002 East 12th Avenue, at Semlin Drive | Vancouver

2002 East 12th Avenue, at Semlin Drive

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 3542 Ontario Street at East 17th Avenue | Vancouver

3542 Ontario, at 17th and Ontario

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2930 Ontario Street, between East 13th and 14th avenues | Vancouver

2930 Ontario Street

Group of homes between 14th & 15th on Ontario, 2800 to 3000 block

And further afield, close to the Fraser River, in the southeastern part of the city, in the Marpole neighbourhood, there’s 2597 East Kent Avenue North.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2597 East Kent Avenue North | Vancouver

351 W 22nd Avenue (near Cambie and 18th)

Now, we have some good news: the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is open to the public, so that’s definitely on the 2020 Holiday Lights Tour.

Canuck Place is located at 1690 Matthews, which is about three blocks south of 16th Avenue and Granville — just turn right onto Matthews, drive a couple of blocks, and voilà, the spectacular, not-to-be-missed Canuck Place Children’s Hospice Christmas Lights Display!

Canuck Place Children's Hospice annual Christmas Lights Display, at 1690 Matthews in Vancouver
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice Christmas Lights Display, 1690 Matthews Avenue.

After walking around Canuck Place we’ll stay on Vancouver’s west side, driving into the Arbutus Ridge area …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | King Edward and Valley Drive | Vancouver

351 West 22nd Avenue (near Cambie and 18th)

King Edward and Valley Drive, near Arbutus Village

3708 West 27th Avenue

lights-4690-blenheim.jpg

4690 Blenheim Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Lights of the Vancouver and the North Shore, as seen from Puget Drive in Vancouver
The lights of Vancouver and the North Shore, as seen from Puget Drive, in Vancouver

2195 West 15th Avenue

Next, it’s to VanRamblings’ home neighbourhood …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2915 Waterloo Street, southwest corner of West 13th Avenue | Vancouver

2915 Waterloo Street, at 13th Avenue, on the southwest corner

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | West 12th Avenue and Blenheim NE corner | Vancouver

West 12th Avenue and Blenheim Street, NE corner

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | West 12th Avenue and Blenheim NW corner | Vancouver

West 12th Avenue and Blenheim Street, NW corner

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 2760 Waterloo Street | Vancouver

2760 Waterloo Street, east side of the street, near West 12th Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | near West 11th Avenue on Waterloo St. | Vancouver

Near West 11th Avenue, on Waterloo Street, in Kitsilano.

Next, it’s a drive down to Jericho Beach, to see the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (above) all lit up. And then for a walk down Point Grey Road.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Point Grey Road | Vancouver

Hastings Mill Park, east of both the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and Jericho Beach, next to Hastings Mill, and down from Alma Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Hastings Mill Park at night, just up from Jericho Beach | Vancouver

The photo below, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson’s home, along Point Grey Road between Alma and Macdonald streets where there are many holiday light homes to be discovered. Great for a walking tour.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Point Grey Road, Chip Wilson's house | Vancouver</ br>The The photo directly above was taken by photographer Elvira Lount, who tells us there are great many more holiday lit homes along Point Grey Road, as may be seen in on her Facebook timeline.

And now doubling back a bit to return to Waterloo Street, at 5th Avenue …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | West 5th Avenue and Waterloo Street | Vancouver

West 5th Avenue & Waterloo Street, across the street from McBride Park

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | West 5th Avenue and Balaclava | Vancouver

West 5th Avenue and Balaclava

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | West 5th Avenue and Stephens | Vancouver

In fact, the whole stretch of Stephens Street, from West 5th Avenue to Broadway — including the avenues along Stephens, on both sides — offers wondrous light displays.

West 5th Avenue and Stephens Street

Next, on the second leg of the 2020 Holiday Lights Tour (it breaks down into four parts), we drive down the hill to enjoy Granville Island’s Festive Lights Display, with a drive around the Island.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Entrance to Granville Island | Vancouver

Entrance to Granville Island

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Granville Island Festive Lights | Vancouver

And now a photo of the Burrard Street bridge and Beach Avenue, taken from Granville Island, a site not to be missed when visiting the Island …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Photo of the Burrard Street bridge, and Beach Avenue, taken from Granville Island | Vancouver

After Granville Island’s Festive Lights Display, we’ll drive over the Burrard Street bridge, and head over to …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Bute and Nelson streets | Vancouver

Bute and Nelson (and you’ll want to see St. Paul’s holiday lights, too)

Hotels: In the EVO car we’ll be renting this year, as we have in past years (we can’t wait until they start adding electric vehicles to their low emission fleet), we’ll park — for free, cuz that’s the deal EVO has cut with the city — somewhere near Sutton Place, kitty corner to the Scotiabank Cinema at Burrard and Smithe, and embark on our tour of the downtown hotels.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Sutton Place Hotel | Vancouver
The Sutton Place Hotel (formerly Le Meridien), on Burrard Street

In years past, back in the 90s, when we were an arts and entertainment editor for various newspapers and magazines, we discovered that the downtown hotels go out of their way to put up first-class holiday displays in their lobbies … so, as we’ve done for the past quarter century, we’ll start off at the Sutton Place Hotel on Burrard, and then saunter down to the Hyatt Regency, at Burrard and Georgia where there’ll be trees but unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions there’ll be no gingerbread displays made by students at public and private schools, and post secondary institutions, as in years past.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Hyatt Regency Hotel Gingerbread Lane | Vancouver
Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt will return during the holiday season, in 2021

Next, it’s over to the Hotel Vancouver, and then up the street to the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, and then back to our EVO car.

Christmas tree on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery, at Hornby and Georgia

We’ll then drive to the Pan Pacific / Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. As much as we love wandering through both those hotels, the real rationale in parking near those hotels comes with 2 engaging features: the walkway along the west side of Canada Place, and the annual Woodwards windows displays — which, sad to say, is not happening this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Woodwards windows, Canada Place | Vancouver

After we’ve enjoyed the nippy air along the Canada Place walkway, we’ll wander over to the Pan Pacific and Fairmont Waterfront, before heading out again. Ordinarily, we’d drive next to Poole Plaza for the Christmas Market, but it’s been postponed to 2021, so instead we’ll drive next to English Bay to see the lights city staff place on the trees along Pacific Avenue, after which we’ll drive along Denman Street towards Stanley Park, for a drive around the park. Ordinarily, we’d stop off at the Vancouver Fire Department’s Burn Fund Bright Nights Display (with a $10 bill ready to put into the pot) — but that’s not happening in 2020 due to COVID-19.

All and all, Bright Nights is very popular, and just jam-packed, so it seems that it’s fitting that it’s closed in 2020 … so a leisurely drive around Stanley Park (stopping for awhile at Brockton Point) it’ll be, moving onto the roadway just this side of Prospect Point to get onto the exit leading to the Lions Gate Bridge, after which we’ll take the enjoyable drive out to Horseshoe Bay, where we can see the lights of the Metro Vancouver region. In years past, at Megan’s insistence, we’d also enjoy the holiday light displays in the British Properties (little wonder, I sometimes think to myself, that Megan has turned into such a bougie woman, mother & wife at 43 years of age).

On the way back from Horseshoe Bay, we’ll take the lower road, to enjoy the closeness to the water. VanRamblings employs the royal “we”, but in fact for the first time in 50 years, “we” may consist solely of Raymond Neil Tomlin, given the exigencies of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our ever smaller bubble — which, sad to say, does not include my children. Alas.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Dundarave Festival of Lights | West Vancouver

Next up, it’s the Dundarave Festival of Lights, which as the good folks at The Daily Hive point out “offers BC’s biggest outdoor display of Christmas trees.” By this time, we’ll be famished, so it’ll be time for a bite to eat. Last year, on our Christmas Eve lights tour, a friend and I stopped off at the Park Royal Cactus Club Cafe, where we shared mini burgers, yam fries, with me enjoying a cup of clam chowder, and my friend a small Caesar salad.

By now, it’ll be about 8:30pm (we began our holiday lights tour trek just before 2:30pm, from our west side Kitsilano home), and we’re patting ourselves on the back for having completed legs two and three of our annual, of late, spectacular and revivifying four leg holiday lights tour.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Lynn Valley | North Vancouver

Reporter Elisia Sleeber at the North Shore News has compiled a definitive of the 2020 holiday light displays in North Vancouver.

1279 Keith Road

1382 Wellington Drive, Lynn Valley

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Henderson and Burrill Avenues | Lynn Valley | North Vancouver

Henderson and Burrill Avenues, Lynn Valley

1512 Ross Road

423 East 10th Street

2308 Hoskins Road

3698 Sparrow Lane

2235 Badger Road

You can create your own multi-address route guide by clicking on this video to discover how, which is what we did with the addresses directly above.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Trinity Street | Vancouver

The Trinity Street Light Festival and competition in East Vancouver stretches six blocks across the Hastings-Sunrise enclave of Burrardview, the often dazzling light displays strung up by neighbours has been a glowing holiday fixture since 2000. A must-not miss.

Now, it’s over the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to Trinity Street, on Vancouver’s east side, near the waterfront — depending on how tuckered we are, we may walk the entire length, rather than drive along the street.

There are many, many more light displays throughout Burnaby, the Tri-Cities / Coquitlam, Surrey-North Delta and Richmond, some of which may be found not only in the links below, but covered on VanRamblings, as well.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | News 1130 Christmas Lights and Event Planner

News1130 | 2020 Christmas Lights and Virtual Events Spotter.

Vancouver Sun | Vancouver Sun’s annual holiday lights map

To Do Canada | Christmas Lights & Holiday Displays In & Around Vancouver

Merry Christmas 2020

VanRamblings’ best to all of our readers during this most festive season. May you thrive this holiday season, and over the course of this most unusual pandemic holiday season find much love and solace in your life.

Now: Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey-North Delta, Langley + Richmond.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Burnaby, Tri-Cities, Surrey and Langley

Burnaby

For a list of some of the holiday light displays in the municipality of Burnaby, the fine folks at Burnaby City Hall have compiled this list of holiday light displays available to the public this pandemic holiday season.
VanRamblings adds a few more light displays in Burnaby worth catching.


Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Map of Burnaby Holiday Light Displays

Click on graphic above for Google Maps Burnaby Holiday Lights Display direction guide

We’ll start off our tour of Burnaby Holiday Light Displays on Hastings St.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Hastings Street | Burnaby

4590 Hastings Street

Eileen Dailly Recreation Centre, 240 Willingdon Avenue

McGill Branch Public Library, 4595 Albert Street

Willingdon Linear Park, 1420 Willingdon Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 6159 Curtis Street, Kensington Arena | Burnaby

6159 Curtis Street, Kensington Arena

5235 Kincaid Street (near Burnaby General Hospital)
(a massive display set up with lights synced to music every 15 minutes)

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 6550 Bonsor Avenue, Bonsor Promenade | Burnaby

6550 Bonsor Avenue

8076 Gilley Avenue

6844 Walker Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 7035 6th Street, at Rosewood | Burnaby

Late addition: 7035 6th Street, at Rosewood, in Burnaby. Says SteveO, who commented on Twitter, “The best way to get there is turn right going north, or down the hill, off Canada Way one block north of Edmonds. It’s tough trying to turn left there at busy times. 6th St is blocked going north at Edmonds so Canada Way is the ONLY route.”

7668 Endersby Street

New Westminster

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | New Westminster Shine Bright Holiday Lights Displays


Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Map of New Westminster Holiday Light Displays

Click on graphic above | Google Maps | New Westminster Holiday Lights | Direction Guide

1839 Hamilton Street
527 16th Street
1514 Nanaimo Street
712 12th Street
1007 Hamilton Street
1013 Cornwall Street
305 10th Street
226 Ninth Street
123 Seventh Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 609 Robson Avenue | New Westminster

609 Robson Avenue
419 St. George Street

Before heading out to the Tri-Cities / Coquitlam, you’re going to want to stop in to see the DuPlessis Family Christmas Display at 8222 Burnlake Drive, in Burnaby, relatively close to the Lougheed Centre.

DuPlessis Family Christmas Display, 8222 Burnlake Drive, in BurnabyDuPlessis Family Christmas Display, 8222 Burnlake Drive, in Burnaby | nightly from 4:30pm til midnight, through until January 10th, 2021

Coquitlam / Tri-Cities


Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Map of Coquitlam Holiday Light Displays

Click on graphic above | Google Maps | Coquitlam Holiday Light Display | Direction guide

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Como Lake Avenue and Claremont Street | Coquitlam</ br>

Como Lake Avenue and Claremont Street

 

Como Lake Avenue and Claremont Street
581 Foster Avenue
653 Robinson Street
700 Fairview Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 1422 Smith Avenue | Coquitam

1422 Smith Avenue
1376 Cambridge Drive
1440 Cambridge Drive
1300 King Albert Avenue
319 Decaire Street
967 Floyd Avenue

And now over to the area of Coquitlam closest to Port Coquitlam …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 1417 Garibaldi Place | Coquitam

1417 Garibaldi Place
1251 Nestor Street
3318 Caliente Place
2771 Mara Drive

Surrey / North Delta


Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Map of Surrey Christmas Light Displays | Surrey, B.C.

Click on graphic above | Google Maps | Surrey Holiday Light Displays | Direction Guide

If you click here you’ll find a more expansive list of holiday light displays, as published in the Surrey Now-Leader, but we’ll start with these sites …

13675 Grosvenor Road
14763 110a Avenue
11082 Jay Crescent
15466 91a Avenue
15097 90a Avenue
14283 85b Ave, Surrey (near Fraser Highway)
154th Street & 85A Avenue

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 16468 104 Avenue | Surrey, B.C.

16468 104 Avenue, Surrey (near Guildford)

And now out to Cloverdale, just off the Fraser Highway …

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | 16951 Jersey Drive, Cloverdale, in Surrey

16951 Jersey Drive
6369 165a Street
17022 62 Avenue
And now to North Delta …
9762 130 Street
9277 132 Street
11804 91 Avenue, Delta
11279 86a Avenue, Delta
7849 Bremridge Drive
11423 Heath Crescent

Langley


Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Langley Holiday Light Displays | Langley, B.C.

Click on graphic above | Google Maps | Langley Holiday Light Displays | Direction Guide

The Ilott Christmas Display, at 9451 216B Street, daily from 6 to 9 p.m.

Dan Warkentin’s light display, at 9211 211B Street

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Sherwood Light Display at 20656 44A Avenue | Langley, B.C.

Sherwood Light Display, at 20656 44A Avenue, daily from 4 to 10 p.m.
Candy Cane Lane, at 20388 43 Avenue, daily from 5 to 10 p.m.
Ron Farmer’s lights display, at 23924 68th Avenue
19970 46th Avenue
50th and 203 Street
Christmas in Williams Park, 238th Street & 68th Avenue, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Richmond

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Winter Wonderland at The Gordons, in Richmond

Winter Wonderland at the Gordons

Where: 9471 Kirkmond Crescent, Richmond

A winter wonderland including a light tunnel filled with snowflakes, Santa’s toy shop, reindeer stables and lots of other fun characters.

Guide to Holiday Lights Display 2020 | Steveston Village, in Richmond, British Columbia

Winter in the Village
Where: Steveston Village, Richmond
Info: visitrichmondbc.com

Winter in the Village is a collection of events and activities happening around Steveston Village in Richmond. Grab a hot drink or a bite to eat at one of the many coffee shops and restaurants, and take a free Light Up the Village self-guided tour of the light displays. Vote for your favourite decorated shop window, take in the Festival of Trees at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, or browse the exhibits at Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site.

Happy Holidays !!!