Autumn in Vancouver has a proper anchor point: Harvest Days at VanDusen Botanical Garden, back for 2026 on weekends from September 26 to October 18. For a few weekends, the garden's 55 acres get a full seasonal makeover — hay bales, cornstalks, pumpkins everywhere, and trees doing their thing in colour.
What's actually on? A corn maze to get lost in, a redecorated veggie garden, lawn games and face painting for kids, plus live bluegrass and folk acts providing the soundtrack. Food trucks handle lunch, and a Discovery Tent runs nature-based activities led by local experts if you want to sneak some education into the outing. One standout: a curated Sculpture Stroll featuring work by local artist Nickie Lewis, whose pieces are made entirely from natural, organic, fully biodegradable materials — art that quietly disappears back into the ground.
The ticketing is refreshingly simple: Harvest Days is included with regular garden admission. Adults pay $13.27 to $15.81 depending on whether you book online or at the gate, with seniors at $10.61 to $12.65, youth $9.28 to $11.05 and children $6.63 to $7.90. Garden members get in free. Given that you also get the whole botanical garden — including sugar maples, gingkos and golden larches at peak colour — it's solid value for a family day out.
Logistics are easy. The garden sits at 5251 Oak St, with free parking in the lot off West 37th Avenue (limited spots) and free street parking nearby where signs allow. Transit works too: it's about 15 minutes' walk from Oakridge station on the Canada Line, and the #17 Oak bus stops close by. Washrooms are available both as portables on-site and full-service facilities in the Visitor Centre.
A few things worth knowing before you go. The event runs 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (garden gates close at 5), rain or shine — and Vancouver in late September can absolutely mean rain, so pack a layer. Main garden paths are wheelchair-accessible, as are all the portable toilets, with an accessible drop-off in the C-Drive off Oak Street. One strict rule: no pets, guide and service dogs excepted.
Who is this for? Families with young kids, obviously — the maze, games and face painting cover that base. But it also suits anyone who wants a low-effort, high-reward autumn outing: wander the paths, grab something from a food truck, catch some bluegrass, and soak up the foliage without needing a full-day drive to the mountains. If you've ever wanted your weekend to feel like a cosy fall movie set, this is about as close as Vancouver gets.
Story via Curiocity.
