Vancouver cycling bloggers publish map of the best city spots for viewing Christmas lights by bike

There’s nothing quite like the joy on Christmas Eve of touring your own neighbourhood, looking at the glowing, twinkling creations that people have made of their homes for the holidays. The warm, festive sight of house festooned with Christmas lights is right up there with the smell of a tree for some, and a leisurely stroll, taking it all in, can be the next best thing to caroling.

Even better than taking a stroll, though, is taking a ride—and it’s certainly a great way to see more of those joyful holiday sights.

Recognizing that, the CBC recently spoke with the Bruntlett family of Vancouver, a couple who are also the authors of a column published by local blog VanCityBuzz.com. For years, the Bruntletts have done exactly that: saddle up, set out, and appreciate the sights of Christmas from their bikes, carrying a pair of speakers to play holiday tunes along the way. This year, they’ve published a map for the benefit of other Vancouverites who may want to do the same, showing some of their favourite locations and, of course, how to get to there.

Speaking to her preference for viewing Christmas lights by bike, Melissa Bruntlett told CBC reporters, “It allows us to freely move around the city and also gets us to places that you can’t get to in a car.” This year, the best lights for Vancouverites to check out, she told the CBC, include those of Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre, down on the waterfront.

Listen to the Bruntletts’ full interview here. The couple also published a gallery, showing how people around the world, representing 21 countries, get their Christmas trees home—by bike.