VanDusen Garden is a botanical garden in Vancouver. It’s home to events like the Sakura Days Japan Fair, All British Field Meet and Festival of Lights.
VanDusen Botanical Garden is 22 hectares (55 acres) of beautiful botanical gardens with plants from around the world. The garden is owned by the City of Vancouver.
Topics in this article include the following:
Admission Prices | When to Visit | Spring Events at VanDusen | VanDusen Video in Spring | The Garden in Autumn | VanDusen Video in Fall | VanDusen Garden at Christmas | Other Information
Click any of the above links to jump to specific information, or continue reading to learn all about Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden.
VanDusen Garden
Located at 5251 Oak Street in Vancouver, VanDusen includes a large collection of gardens full of trees and wide variety of both native and exotic plants.
At VanDusen Botanical Garden there are a couple of small lakes and ponds, a stone garden, a hedge maze and Japanese, Korean and Chinese garden areas.
The venue also boasts beautiful rhododendrons in the spring, large open lawns and beautiful plants, flower gardens and trees of all kinds throughout the property.
There is free on-site parking at the venue, as well as street parking in the area. The Oakridge 41st Avenue SkyTrain Station is also just a 15-minute or so walk away.
Click VanDusen in Spring Video for a visual tour of the site to give you an idea of what to expect at the gardens.
Admission Prices at VanDusen
The regular entrance price at VanDusen Garden is reasonable. It costs more than Stanley Park or Queen Elizabeth Park, which are free, but less than many other attractions.
Late Autumn to Early Spring Prices
Below are the general admission prices for the garden in the slow season which runs from November to March, as of early 2026.
- Adults (ages 19 to 64) – $11.19
- Seniors (ages 65+) – $8.95
- Youth (ages 13 to 18) – $7.85
- Children (ages 5 to 12) – $5.60
- Preschoolers (ages 4 and under) – Free
- Members of VanDusen Garden – Free
Mid-Spring to Mid-Autumn Prices
Below are the online general admission prices for the garden in the peak season which runs from April until October, as of early 2026. Tickets purchased at the gate cost about $1 more.
- Adults (ages 19 to 64) – $15.81
- Seniors (ages 65+) – $12.65
- Youth (ages 13 to 18) – $11.05
- Children (ages 5 to 12) – $7.90
- Preschoolers (ages 4 and under) – Free
- Members of VanDusen Garden – Free
Visit vandusengarden.org for the garden’s official website.
When to Visit VanDusen
VanDusen Garden is worth visiting any time of the year, but especially in the late spring with its blossoms and flowers in bloom. Other great times to visit include the summer, as well as in the fall when the leaves are changing colour. The holiday lights at Halloween and Christmas time are also spectacular.
Special Events and Seasons at VanDusen Garden
Exceptional times to visit VanDusen Botanical Garden are when there are special events and activities on-site in the spring, fall and at Christmas.
Spring at VanDusen Garden
In the spring VanDusen Garden has special rates and activities over the school Spring Break and May long weekend. In the past it has also had a special event at Easter, although not more recently, including not in 2026.
Below is a video showing what the gardens look like in May. It’s followed by information about the various events that take place at the venue in spring.
VanDusen Gardens in Spring Video
Check out the following video for an idea of what the gardens look like in spring. The video was taken in the middle of May in 2020, just before the Victoria Day long weekend. As you’ll see, late spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year to visit.
Spring Break at the Gardens
VanDusen Garden usually offers free admission to children under 13 years old when accompanied by an adult, senior or youth paying regular admission during the school Spring Break in March.
Easter at VanDusen
The Gardens used to be a great place to visit at Easter as that’s when the Eggciting Easter Hop (formerly called the Great A-Maze-ing Egg Hunt) took place for children ages 0 to 5.
In years when it happened, sessions typically ran hourly starting at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm. During those times kids hunted for eggs and then exchanged their findings for candy or a chocolate.
The cost for the Eggciting Easter Hop a few years ago was $18 for children (0-5 years old), $14 for adults, $11 for seniors and youth (13-18 years old), and $8 for non-egg-hunting children (ages 6-12). The price for VanDusen Garden members was about $9. The above rates included general admission to the gardens.
As of early 2026, it doesn’t appear as if the Easter event is happening this year. Hopefully it returns in the future.
Visit vandusengarden.org for the garden’s official website.
Cherry Blossom Season
April can be a pretty time to visit VanDusen Garden. That’s when leaves are slowly starting to appear on the trees, tulips are beginning to bloom and cherry trees are turning pink.
Late April is usually the prettiest time of the month, but mid-April is when the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s Sakura Days Japan Fair takes place at VanDusen. That’s when, in addition to admiring the garden’s regular botanical features, visitors can experience a Japanese-style festival featuring Oriental foods and cultural exhibits.
Admission to Sakura Days last year cost between around $24 and $26 for adults, depending on whether you bought your tickets online or on the day at the gate. 2026 prices are likely comparable.
In 2026 the Sakura Days Japan Fair happens on April 11th and 12th.
Click Sakura Days Japan Fair for more information.
May Long Weekend Car Show
Another fabulous time to visit the gardens in the spring is over the Victoria Day long weekend when the All British Field Meet (ABFM) takes place.
On the Saturday of the long weekend, hundreds of vintage British cars fill the lawns at the gardens. There are MGs, Jaguars, Rovers, Minis and all kinds of beautiful collectible vehicles!
If you like gardens and classic cars, then Saturday, May 16th, 2026, is the perfect time to visit. (TIP: VBGA members of VanDusen Botanical Garden get discounted admission to the car show with proof of membership.)
Click VanDusen British Car Show for more information.
All British Field Meet Video
Check out the video below to see what VanDusen Garden looks like when it’s full of classic British cars. The video shows scenes of the All British Field Meet when it took place a few years ago. As you’ll see, both the garden and the cars are beautiful.
VanDusen Garden in Autumn
Autumn is an exceptional time to visit VanDusen Botanical Gardens. From mid-October until the first or second week of November, the fall colours in Vancouver are usually at their best.
Harvest Days at VanDusen Garden
VanDusen Garden has celebrated the fall season the last few years with Harvest Days.
In years prior to the pandemic, late October was usually when Glow in the Garden took place at night. During that event the place was full of Jack-o-lanterns and Halloween-themed illuminations. Instead of Glow Garden at night in 2022, VanDusen Garden began its new Harvest Days event which features family-friendly things to see and do during the day.
Harvest Days operates on Saturdays and Sundays, typically between late September and mid-October. The fall-themed activities also take place on the Thanksgiving Monday in October.
VanDusen Gardens in Fall Video
Check out the following video for an idea of what VanDusen Botanical Garden looks like in autumn. The video was filmed in mid-October, 2023. You’ll see scenes from around the Winter Walk and Autumn Stroll, as well as scenes around Livingstone Lake an other areas in the in the north and northeast part of the garden.
(Music in this video is Upbeat Scandinavian Sunbathers by 22842325 from Pixabay.)
The Gardens at Christmas
For many visitors, the most beautiful time of the year to visit VanDusen Garden is at night time in December. That’s when the Festival of Lights takes place and the gardens sparkle with millions of holiday lights.
If you like Christmas and festive lights, then you’ll love the gardens in December.
Admission to the Festival of Lights ranges from $11 to $28, excluding taxes and online fees. The Christmas illuminations are usually up between end of November and early January.
Click Festival of Lights for more information.
Other Information
See the VanDusen Garden‘s official website to learn more about these beautiful gardens.
Click VanDusen Map for a map of the gardens.
See Vancouver’s Best Parks and Places in Nature which includes free venues like Stanley Park and Queen Elizabeth Park, but also comparable places to VanDusen that charge admission like the UBC Botanical Garden for similar places to visit.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Attraction Tickets Thru Tiqets.com
- Metro Vancouver’s Top 100 Places
- Vancouver on a Budget
- Vancouver’s Calendar of Events
