Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver (click here)
Vancouver cuts a dramatic urban figure. Set on Pacific coastal inlets with forested mountains beyond, it’s frequently named one of the world’s most livable cities. When you stroll along the waterfront, or through rainforest parks where evergreens reach the sky, it’s easy to see why. Steel-and-glass towers grow like cedars on the downtown peninsula, but in green Vancouver, you’re never far from a beach, a mountain, or a public park.
When the sun shines (and even when it doesn’t), Vancouverites are outdoors, running or cycling on the seaside paths, kayaking local waters, or sipping a pour-over coffee or local craft beer in a sidewalk café. And unlike in many North American cities, where the city center empties out when the office workers go home, many Vancouver residents live and work downtown, keeping the streets active from early morning into the night.
Home to roughly two million people, Vancouver looks to the Pacific Rim. More than 40 percent of the metro area’s population is of Asian descent, influencing everything from art and urban design to food. Vancouver boasts the best Chinese cuisine outside China.
The aboriginal people who’ve lived on this continent for thousands of years have also made their mark on the city. Vancouver has several museums, galleries, and other attractions where you can explore First Nations culture. An extensive collection of native art at the airport welcomes visitors to the region.
Vancouver is a convenient starting point for trips along the British Columbia coast, north to the mountain resort of Whistler or across the Strait of Georgia to B.C.’s capital city of Victoria. There’s much to explore in this part of the world, and it all starts here.
Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver (click here)
ferry traveling between Vancouver and Victoria (click here)
view from the Vancouver Lookout (click here)
Olympic rings in Whistler (click here)
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (click here)
Kitsilano Beach (click here)