Lynn Canyon is a lovely temperate rain forest park just east of North Vancouver, only 20 minutes from downtown. Opened in 1912, the 616-acre park and is a lush second-growth rain forest (the original trees were logged in the late 1800’s), intersected by a web of good hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty. A suspension bridge stretches 50 meters above Lynn Creek, which flows through the canyon in a torrent of breathtaking waterfalls, rapids and crystal-clear pools large enough for swimming. Best of all, it’s completely free.

If you’ve got young children, this is the place to go. Level trails, cheerful creek-side beaches and the park’s famous (and free) suspension bridge make for a fantastic day. There’s also a fine Ecology Centre that offers educational nature programs, displays and videos about the park’s temperate rain forest, including an exploratorium for the kids.

Our usual route goes something like this. We sway across the suspension bridge, then veer north and headed straight for 30-Foot Pool, the most popular of the swimming holes. It’s got a sweet little beach, where we spread out a towel and enjoy a picnic. During the summer months we might brave a swim, but in colder weather we just dip our toes in the icy water.

After horsing around for an hour or so, we double back down the trail, past the suspension bridge, and take in the view from the Twin Falls bridge. Finally, we tromp up the wooden stairs back to the parking lot, where we grab a tasty lunch at the charming Lynn Canyon Cafe.

This is a rewarding day trip for anyone staying in downtown Vancouver, because it’s lush, gorgeous and easy to reach without a car. Just take the sea bus across to the Lonsdale Quay bus loop and hop on either bus #228 or #229, which will take you to Lynn Valley Center (a 10-minute walk from the park’s main entrance) or directly to Lynn Canyon Park’s main entrance. Parking is free and leashed dogs are welcome.

Yesterday my daughter and I decided to investigate the Vancouver Police Museum. It’s located in the eastern part of downtown Vancouver in the old coroner’s building. This little non-profit museum is a fun and colourful stop, but use your judgement when bringing young children, as much of the material is graphic. My daughter, a hearty and adventurous eight-year-old, was fine.

The first part of the museum is very tame, dealing mostly with the Vancouver Police Department as an organization. There are historical photos and artifacts having to do with sports leagues, uniforms, motorcycles, officers killed in the line of duty and so on. I enjoyed seeing the old police dispatch/phone system, while my daughter had a ball pretending God knows what in an old holding cell.

Things get a little juicier in the next part of the museum, which is dedicated to confiscated items: counterfeit money, marked cards, drugs and related paraphernalia, and finally, weapons. Many of the weapons are made from everyday items and are truly shocking. Honestly, I’ll never look at a fork the same way again.

While I was horrified transfixed by the weapons display, my daughter had loads of fun with a nearby indentikit computer. It works this way. The computer flashes a picture of a criminal for about ten seconds. Then you, the witness, must reconstruct the face using hundreds of facial features organized by type. My daughter loved it, though no prosecutor in their right mind will be putting her on the witness stand any time soon.

Next up: crime scenes. This room features crime-scene photos and artifacts from some of Vancouver’s most notorious crimes. Think 1940’s blood-soaked mattresses and hatchets covered with blood and hair. It’s morbidly fascinating. I spent about 20 minutes looking it over and being grateful to be alive, while my daughter worked on her witness ID. She probably could have handled this room, but to be safe we skipped it and focused instead on a staged “kidnapping” crime scene, where you analyze clues and try to determine which items are important as evidence.

Afterward we spent some time in the original autopsy room, which we both loved. Examining tables, scales and other tools of the trade remain as they were back in the 30s. On the wall are hundreds of samples: Skulls with bullet holes, organs with cancers,  you name it. Fascinating! We both loved it.

After that we wound things up with a look at the police-dog exhibit and some time in the gift shop. We had a lot of fun, and can recommend this stop for anyone visiting Vancouver. It’s an illuminating experience that won’t take more than an hour or so.

Vancouver Police Museum

On the map? You betcha!

Obviously the flame must be protected from vandals. And inebriated, wannabe, Olympic-cauldron climbers must be protected from themselves. But I think a few security guards could accomplish this much better than concrete barriers and a chain-link fence. Just a thought…

Anyway, moving on… After taking in the grim scene for a while, we headed down the steps to the seawall, which never fails to inspire, and took off toward Coal Harbor and the marinas.

Along the way we popped into Casa Dolce  for some quick paninis (prosciutto/bocconcini and turkey/Havarti) and coffee. This friendly little seawall cafe serves up tasty paninis, breakfast items, excellent gelato and other good things. Their food is better than most coffee shops, and it’s located in a great spot (510 Nicola Street, opposite Cardero’s). We always stop in when we walk that way.

Afterward we strolled a little farther before turning and heading home. All in all it was a lovely morning.