A young and vibrant city, now busily preparing to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, with events in both Vancouver and Whistler/Blackcomb, an hour away on the scenic Sea to Sky Highway. The heart of the city is on a peninsula bordered by English Bay and the Pacific, with a vast, 1,000 acre forest downtown, Stanley Park, dotted with tall totem poles and cyclng and hiking trails. There's a large Asian population, and the best Chinatown in North America after New York City and San Francisco, which don't have a classical Chinese garden in the middle of town. Take the ferry to Granville Island for a step back in time and a feast for the senses at the fresh food Public Market, walk across the pedestrian-only Capilano Suspension Bridge, which links two sides of a deep gorge via a swinging, cable construction. Take the aerial tram to Grouse Mountain, where locals ski in winter, and joggers, hikers and paragliders do their thing year-round.
Must See
- #1 Enjoy the restaurants and nightlife of Commercial Drive.
- #2 Take a morning walk or bike ride through Stanley Park.
- #3 Visit the Chinese Cultural Center Museum and its tearoom.
- #4 Head to Deep Cove on the ocean and rent a kayak.Prowl the shops and outdoor performances at Canada.
- #5 Place, the cruise ship terminal with its signature white roof mimicking five sails.
Skip It
- #1 The morgue and autopsy areas at the Vancouver Police Museum.