Larry Berg Flight Path Park
Markus standing on the runway with a plane flying overtop
When we think about an airport, the first thing we likely think about is the in-and-out travel that it facilitates on a daily basis. We've come to realize that one of the unique things about having an airport nearby isn't so much the airport itself, but the things that surround it. In the case of Vancouver's airport (YVR), outlet malls with restaurants and other aviation-themed stores have been put up in its proximity, but beyond the convenience of getting some shopping done immediately before or after a flight, there are plane enthusiasts who park themselves nearby to watch the planes fly overhead.
At least in Vancouver, the location of the airport is surrounded by parks and beaches that are heavily trafficked for those who want to enjoy the great outdoors by the water while getting a few glimpses of planes taking off. On this particular day, we had planned to take a walk by Iona Beach along the jetty to do just that, but it was so busy when we arrived that we decided to look for another spot to spend the time in the afternoon.
As we were exiting the area from the Main Terminal and began to meander about for our next stop, we drove past the South Terminal, a smaller one off to the side of the Main Terminal and usually used for more local charters and flights. Along the street on the way to the South Terminal, there's a small park located right below the flight path for planes landing at South Terminal (if you look at a map, planes land from east to west and the park is location right before the lower runway). While it wasn't our first choice, this stop ended up being a unique stop with our dog Markus!
About Larry Berg Flight Path Park
Type: Park
Enclosed: No
Traffic: Low to Moderate
Markus posing along the mini runway at Flight Path Park
The Larry Berg Flight Path Park was opened in 2013 and since that time, you can find plenty of plane spotters and enthusiasts with their binoculars gathering here. Located just off of YVR's south runway (you can literally walk up to the fences from the park and see the planes beyond it), the park is positioned below the flight path for incoming flights so you can watch a plane as it descends onto the runway. This spot and another viewing spot towards the end of the outfall mall are perhaps the closest you can get to an airplane without actually being inside airport grounds.
Although it's a small park and not exactly for dogs, the Flight Path Park has benches (some shaped like paper airplanes!) and picnic areas for people to relax and marvel at the planes at they fly overtop. There are short paths throughout the park - some of which was designed to mirror the actual runways at the airport - where you can walk with your dog, but if you're looking to really burn off some energy, you might need to look elsewhere. If you're planning on coming here, take a minute to look at the runways on a map and you'll see a miniaturized version of it at Flight Path Park!
Markus standing on top of the world at the Flight Path Park in Richmond, BC
In the middle of the park is an enormous top half of a globe where you'll often find kids (or dogs in our case) climbing up and playing on it. The globe is decorated with flight information about cities and counties around the world and how far they are in proximity to Vancouver. Another fun fact is if you consider that the runways at the park mirror the actual runways at the airport, this half-globe sits where the Main Terminal would be.
At first glance, the parking at the Flight Path Park doesn't appear to be very good, but perhaps what park goers don't realize (at least until they're at the park already) is that there is parking at the back. One thing you need to know is that the park is only accessible if you're heading south along Russ Baker Way. You will see the park and the 10-spot parking lot on the right side, but the entrance to the back parking is just past the grassy area and on the first right.
Markus trying to fly on one of the paper plane benches at Flight Path Park
With the opportunity to catch planes flying overhead and with climbing areas for kids to play, this aviation-themed park is a fun stop for families with children and a great way to spend an afternoon or catch the sunset in the background. Since the park is limited in size and activities for dogs, this stop is more for human experience than it would be for dogs.
What we liked
The park is uniquely positioned so that families and aviation-enthusiasts can watch planes are they fly overtop.
From a dog standpoint, the park wasn't very busy, which is nice if the dog is reactive.
At least from the handful of planes that flew by while we were there, the planes were surprisingly not as loud as we expected.
What we didn't like
There's not much for dogs since there aren't many paths to take and the park itself isn't for dogs.
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
While this park is uniquely positioned and quiet (from a dog standpoint, not the planes flying above), it's not exactly a place to burn off energy if that's what you're hoping to do with your dog outing. The park itself is small and its activities are geared towards families with only a few paths where you're not directly walking on the grass, so it's not exactly a hotspot for other dogs, but perhaps that's what you're looking for if your dog is reactive.
At least in the time that we were there, we found the planes flying overhead to not be as loud as we had expected it to be. That's likely because the planes flying into the South Terminal are more like charters and of the smaller variety rather than the jetliners flying into the main terminal.
Markus walking along one of the short paths on Flight Path Park
Since it's immediately off of the highway and dogs are likely to be leashed the entire time at the park, there shouldn't be much worry about other dogs while you're at the park. For this reason - and assuming your dog is fine with the noise - it's actually not a bad place to take your dog outdoors if they are reactive and if you're just looking for a quick stop. At the end of the day, it is a park geared for families, so just be mindful that there may be a lot of children running around in case your dog is reactive to people.
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
