Queen Elizabeth Park.

Queen Elizabeth Park is a former rock quarry that Vancouver turned into its showpiece garden, and autumn is when it earns that title most convincingly. The park crowns Little Mountain, the highest point in the city proper, which means two things: the view from the top plaza stretches from the downtown towers to the North Shore peaks, and the sunken gardens below are sheltered enough that their colour lasts.

Head first for the main Quarry Garden, directly below the plaza. A winding path drops through terraces planted with Japanese maples, dogwoods and ornamental cherries, and from mid-October the maples turn progressively from orange to a deep, almost translucent red. A small waterfall tumbles into a pond at the bottom; stand on the little bridge and look up at the rock walls and you will understand why wedding photographers queue here. The smaller North Quarry garden, a few minutes away, is quieter and often just as colourful.

A good circuit is to park near the Bloedel Conservatory, walk the plaza for the view, descend through the Quarry Garden, loop out past the lawns and the arboretum on the west slope, and climb back to the dome. That is roughly an hour with photo stops. The conservatory itself, a geodesic greenhouse full of tropical birds and plants, is a reliable rescue plan when the rain starts, though it is a ticketed attraction with its own schedule.

Families will find a playground, wide lawns and plenty of ducks in the quarry pond. The caveat is that the garden paths are steep and stepped, so strollers are easier left at the top. Parking is paid and the lots are busy on fall weekends; the Canada Line to King Edward station is a short walk away.