Vancouver, British Columbia (Summer)

When Vancouver co-hosted the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, a worldwide audience was charmed by the city’s vibrant, outdoorsy atmosphere. Indeed, if you view this gleaming mountain- and sea-dominated city for the first time on a beautiful sunny day, you’re bound to fall for it in a big way. By day, the active visitor can enjoy boating right from downtown, walking and biking in Stanley park, or perhaps venture out to one of the nearby provincial parks for hiking and canoeing. More urban-oriented visitors can savor the aromas of just-brewed coffee and freshly baked bread wafting from cosmopolitan sidewalk cafes, join in the bustle at seaside ...

When Vancouver co-hosted the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, a worldwide audience was charmed by the city’s vibrant, outdoorsy atmosphere. Indeed, if you view this gleaming mountain- and sea-dominated city for the first time on a beautiful sunny day, you’re bound to fall for it in a big way. By day, the active visitor can enjoy boating right from downtown, walking and biking in Stanley park, or perhaps venture out to one of the nearby provincial parks for hiking and canoeing. More urban-oriented visitors can savor the aromas of just-brewed coffee and freshly baked bread wafting from cosmopolitan sidewalk cafes, join in the bustle at seaside markets, bake on a local beach, visit intriguing museums, or simply relax and do some people-watching in one of the city’s tree-shaded squares. By night, Vancouver’s myriad fine restaurants, hip nightclubs, and world-class performing-arts venues beckon visitors to continue enjoying themselves on into the wee hours.

About the Expert

Over the last 20 years, Andrew Hempstead has authored and updated more than 60 guidebooks for Avalon Travel, Frommer’s, Michelin, Odyssey, Dorling Kindersley, Michelin, and Sasquatch Books, including many books on Canada.