Stair-climbing is an excellent total-body workout that focuses on leg and core strength and, because all it requires is a set of stairs, it’s a workout you can accomplish just about anywhere. Take to the outdoors on a sunny day and visit these spots for stair climbing in Vancouver – they're bound to get you to the top in more ways than one!

Outdoor Stair Climbing in Vancouver

• Robson Square: Smack dab in the middle of downtown, you'd be surprised at the amount of fitness activity that happens at Robson Square. From free dance lessons to ice skating in the winter months, this little gem of a public space is bursting at the seams with fitness seekers – and also happens to boast some pretty great cement stairs for outdoor climbing.
• Third Beach: Tucked away on the seawall between Lion's Gate Bridge and English Bay, Third Beach is a wonderfully peaceful stretch of sand featuring a generous set of stairs that leads from the beach itself to the concession/washroom/parking area up top. While it tends to get super busy during the summer (try getting there before 9 a.m.), you'd be surprised at the level of calm you'll find during the off-season. We recommend pairing your Third Beach stair-climbing session with a morning run on the seawall – it's just fantastic!

• Stadium SkyTrain: Where centrality is key, look no further than the unsuspecting-yet-challenging staircase next to the Stadium/Chinatown SkyTrain station. With T&T Market at the base and Chambar Restaurant up top, you may find yourself stair climbing among transit commuters, but we feel the convenience of this central locale offsets the crowd.
• Wreck Beach: The windy wooden (challenging!) staircase that leads down the cliff from UBC to Wreck Beach is the perfect set of 400 or so steps for racing against your fitness partner – or attempting to beat your own best time. While this nude beach isn't likely to boast swimmers during the winter or fall, the chances of encountering beach-goers in their birthday suits increases during the spring and summer months (though perhaps more so on the sand at the bottom than the actual staircase itself).
• Lynn Canyon Park: If you're more of a hiker type, you'll find the wilderness staircase of your dreams at Lynn Canyon Park. While this area boasts views that are worth at least a thousand words, we'll focus on the wooden staircases for now: they are quite challenging, especially when wet, but they will absolutely bring you a long, exhilarating workout.

Interested in learning about some other creative outdoor workouts you can sign up for in beautiful Vancouver? Read our list of the 5 Most Creative Outdoor Workouts in Vancouver for 2017.