Exploring Your Neighbourhood
For a workout that doesn't feel like work, why not take some time to walk around and explore your neighbourhood? We're lucky to have very walkable, picturesque, culturally-diverse communities, so get out there and explore them!
Granted, some neighbourhoods are easier to walk around than others. How does your community score? Use our Neighbourhood Map or the Walkscore calculator to find out! Do you live in a "walker's paradise" in the West End (Score: 98), or a "car-dependent" neighbourhood in Tsawwasssen (Score: 33), or a "very walkable" neighbourhood in North Vancouver (Score: 77)? Find out how your neighbourhood rates, and use these tool to also check out a quick view of neighbourhood amenities, such as parks, green spaces, community centres and more to help plan your walk in advance.
There are plenty of online resources to help you plan your walk. Our TravelSmart map allows you to not only check the walkability and transit scores for your neighbourhood, but also lets you plot a destination and determine the best method and mode for your travel needs. You may also want to check out Walk Vancouver, or Tourism Vancouver, both of which provide ideas and details on walk itineraries mapped throughout Vancouver.
Not only are you improving your health, but you're improving the air quality as well.
And you can feel good about yourself during your walks. Not only are you improving your health, but you're improving the air quality as well. If you can walk somewhere instead of driving, a fun way to keep track of your contributions for a greener environment is to use a fuel consumption calculator, which will show you how much gas and money you save by not taking the car.
Additional Resources
- If you have kids, get them involved early on with walking as a form of active transportation. The Hub for Action on School Transportation Emissions (HASTE) is loaded with resources such as pedestrian safety guidelines and information on events such as the annual International Walk to School Week.
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Tourism BC has provides some great ideas for walks around Vancouver, including a list of provincial and regional parks.
- Use Google Maps to get directions and even traffic conditions (via web cams) on a specific location. You can also use this page to get directions to another location - great for finding new walking commutes!
Do you regularly explore your neighbourhood or new communities around Metro Vancouver? Share your story or add a comment below to help other users get started!