My 48KM Journey Through Vancouver: Walking to Raise Awareness for Canadian Startup Founders - Part I

On September 1st, 2025, I woke up at 4:00 AM and started preparing for what I planned as a 38km walk. It ended up being close to 48km as I took a scenic route with extra detours, totaling over 1,000 steps. This was my first long-distance walk to raise awareness about the challenges Canadian founders face when trying to raise funds, and to bring attention to our Indiegogo Pre-Launch page.

I chose a longer route to showcase Vancouver's scenic views and parks, hoping to inspire local and international travelers to explore every corner of the many neighborhoods in our beautiful city.

Minimal Provisions for Maximum Impact

As a bootstrapped entrepreneur keeping costs minimal, I made myself two ham sandwiches, packed a boiled egg and 15 grams of almonds, and filled two water bottles. This modest ration of food would need to sustain me for an estimated 8 hours of walking.

As I left my house, I remembered I had points for a coffee, so I made a pit stop at McDonald's for an extra-large coffee with one cream—no sugar for me.

Starting Point: Inspiration from a Canadian Hero

I headed to BC Place as my starting point. Standing by the FIFA countdown clock outside BC Place Stadium in Terry Fox Plaza, I couldn't help but feel energized. Terry Fox is one of my heroes—a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, having had one leg amputated due to cancer, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

The FIFA countdown clock for the 2026 World Cup that we'll be hosting read 282 days, 17:42:54, and here I was, ready to start my own physically and mentally challenging walk.

Perhaps it was too much excitement, but I spilled coffee on my Tourifique t-shirt! I had to go back to my house to remove the stain. Luckily, my house is nearby. After a quick wash of my t-shirt, I was ready to walk.

The World's Longest Waterfront Path

I headed to the Vancouver Seawall via the Yaletown route. Vancouver has the world's longest uninterrupted waterfront path—the 28km Seaside Greenway is an uninterrupted pathway that includes the Stanley Park Seawall and extends from the Vancouver Convention Centre to Spanish Banks Park. View the Seawall Map.

At Quayside Marina, a familiar spot since I walk this section of the seawall frequently, I took a moment to soak in the ocean views and cool breeze. Vancouver truly is a beautiful city. I walked along the seawall toward Burrard Bridge, filming and posting videos on LinkedIn, TikTok, WhatsApp status, Instagram, and Facebook to share this journey with my combined 20K followers. I should have done less filming, though—my old phone's battery drains fast, adding another challenge to the walk.

Before reaching Burrard Bridge, I stopped underneath Granville Bridge to admire the Spinning Chandelier, designed by B.C. artist Rodney Graham with a price tag of $4.8 million!

Crossing Burrard Bridge: Views and New Developments

Crossing Burrard Bridge on foot is one of the most thrilling experiences you can have in Vancouver! On the right, you have a view of English Bay, and you're walking across this Art Deco style steel truss bridge constructed between 1930–1932. The bridge has undergone major renovations recently and now has suicide barriers—I remember when I used to walk across this bridge without them.

As I neared the end of the bridge, I noticed a new building development: Sen̓áḵw, the largest CMHC-funded Indigenous-led development project in Canadian history! The name Sen̓áḵw is representative of its place: "Àḵw" means head, representing the head of False Creek; "en̓" refers to "being in the middle," representing the middle of Squamish territory in the Kitsilano area; and "S" signifies a place name. Together, Sen̓áḵw is interpreted as "The place inside the head of False Creek." This historic construction has a profound history worth exploring.

Discovering Vancouver's Beach Treasures

I continued my route to Kitsilano Beach, one of Vancouver's most popular beaches, especially during warm summer months. It was close to 7:00 AM, and I noticed people swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Our water is freezing cold—it's not a tropical beach! I rarely venture into the water myself, even though I love swimming. But on this walk, I would do something completely unexpected.

Next to Kitsilano Beach is Kitsilano Pool, and it was packed. Kitsilano Pool is Vancouver's only saltwater swimming pool. I took a trail that led me to Point Grey Road. It was my first time in this area, and I wanted to check out the most expensive house in Vancouver, valued at $82.66 million and owned by Chip Wilson. As I navigated this block, I was blown away by the many beautiful houses with architecture I can only describe as futuristic. My tourism entrepreneur mind couldn't help but wonder why we don't offer house tours similar to the celebrity house tours in Hollywood. One of the most fascinating houses is the steel-cube home that was once called "Vancouver's Most Hideous Urban Design."

A Historic Pause at Hastings Mill Park

I took a quick break at Hastings Mill Park. The historic Hastings Mill Museum draws significance to the park. The building that houses the museum was originally the Hastings Mill Store, the first general store erected in Vancouver in 1865 by British Captain Edward Stamp's British Columbia and Vancouver Island Spar, Lumber and Sawmill Company. This building was one of the few to survive the Great Fire of 1886 and was moved from Burrard Inlet by barge to its current location at the foot of Alma Street by the Native Daughters of British Columbia.

After my break, I continued and made it to Jericho Beach Park. According to Destination Vancouver, fishing and a picnic here make for a perfect evening. The east side of the beach caters to swimmers, while the west side serves sailboats and windsurfers. I love how expansive this beach is. By this point, I was feeling ecstatic and in good spirits—the scenic route had made my walk enjoyable so far, but what came next was one of the biggest surprises.

The Hidden Gem: Locarno Beach

When I arrived at Locarno Beach, designated as one of Vancouver's "quiet beaches," I couldn't believe it had taken me 23 years to make it here. I had never left Vancouver, yet I had enjoyed numerous sandy beaches! I was beginning to understand what truly makes our city special. Behind me, I could see the high-rise towers of a modern city, while I stood at a beach that wasn't crowded or hot. I turned on my phone, which was at 10% battery, and made a TikTok dance for Gen Z to see and hopefully visit this hidden gem.

Past Locarno Beach, I arrived at Spanish Banks Beach, where people were playing volleyball. Spanish Banks Beach was named after a 1792 meeting between Spanish and English naval fleets. It's known for its panoramic views of the city and mountains. Vancouver has 18km of public beaches!

Reaching UBC: Halfway Point Achieved

As I walked past the end of Spanish Banks, I was on UBC grounds! I had accomplished the first half of my goal. I still had to make it back to the city, but first—UBC (University of British Columbia)! This campus covers approximately 994 acres (402 hectares). I had two choices: cut through the campus (shortcut) or stay on the periphery near the water and walk around as I returned to Vancouver. I chose the latter.

By this time, I only had a granola bar left and a little water in my second bottle. How would I make it back to Vancouver on an empty stomach? The walk at UBC and my return to Vancouver will be covered in Part II.