British Columbia

VANCOUVER
   HISTORY
   ORIENTATION
   INFORMATION
   DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
   SIGHTS
   ACTIVITIES
   WALKING TOUR
   VANCOUVER FOR CHILDREN
   OFFBEAT VANCOUVER
   TOURS
   FESTIVALS & EVENTS
   SLEEPING
   EATING
   DRINKING
   ENTERTAINMENT
   SHOPPING
   GETTING THERE & AWAY
   GETTING AROUND
LOWER MAINLAND
   NORTH VANCOUVER
   WEST VANCOUVER
   HORSESHOE BAY & BOWEN ISLAND
   BURNABY
   RICHMOND
   STEVESTON
   Fort Langley
SEA TO SKY HIGHWAY
   SQUAMISH & AROUND
   GARIBALDI PROVINCIAL PARK
   BRANDYWINE FALLS PROVINCIAL PARK
WHISTLER
   ORIENTATION & INFORMATION
   ACTIVITIES
   FESTIVALS & EVENTS
   SLEEPING
   EATING
   DRINKING & ENTERTAINMENT
   GETTING THERE & AROUND
SUNSHINE COAST
   GIBSONS
   ROBERTS CREEK
   SECHELT
   POWELL RIVER
VANCOUVER ISLAND
   VICTORIA
   SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND
   COWICHAN VALLEY
   NANAIMO
   OCEANSIDE & AROUND
   PORT ALBERNI
   PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK RESERVE
   TOFINO & AROUND
   UCLUELET
   DENMAN & HORNBY ISLANDS
   COMOX VALLEY
   CAMPBELL RIVER
   QUADRA & CORTES ISLANDS
   STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK
   GOLD RIVER
   NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND
SOUTHERN GULF ISLANDS
   SALT SPRING ISLAND
   NORTH & SOUTH PENDER ISLANDS
   SATURNA ISLAND
   MAYNE ISLAND
   GALIANO ISLAND
FRASER & THOMPSON VALLEYS
   EC MANNING PROVINCIAL PARK
   FRASER RIVER CANYON
   KAMLOOPS
   AROUND KAMLOOPS
OKANAGAN VALLEY
   OSOYOOS
   AROUND OSOYOOS
   OLIVER
   OLIVER TO PENTICTON
   PENTICTON
   KELOWNA
   BIG WHITE SKI RESORT
   VERNON
   NORTH OF VERNON
THE KOOTENAYS & THE ROCKIES
   REVELSTOKE
   MT REVELSTOKE NATIONAL PARK
   GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
   GOLDEN
   YOHO NATIONAL PARK
   MT ASSINIBOINE PROVINCIAL PARK
   KOOTENAY NATIONAL PARK
   RADIUM HOT SPRINGS
   RADIUM HOT SPRINGS TO FERNIE
   FERNIE
   KIMBERLEY
   CRANBROOK
   CRANBROOK TO ROSSLAND
   ROSSLAND
   NELSON
   NELSON TO REVELSTOKE
CARIBOO, CHILCOTIN & COAST
   WILLIAMS LAKE TO PRINCE GEORGE
   BARKERVILLE & AROUND
   BOWRON LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK
   WELLS GRAY PROVINCIAL PARK
   CHILCOTIN: HIGHWAY 20
   BELLA COOLA VALLEY
THE NORTH
   PRINCE RUPERT
   QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS (HAIDA GWAII)
   PRINCE RUPERT TO PRINCE GEORGE
   PRINCE GEORGE
   PRINCE GEORGE TO ALBERTA
   STEWART-CASSIAR HIGHWAY
   ALASKA HIGHWAY

Canada’s third-largest province; bigger than any US state except Alaska; more than four times the area of the UK: it’s not hard to find superlatives about the vastness of British Columbia. But although visitors are moved by the sheer enormity of the towering mountains, dense forests and uncountable kilometers of crenulated coastline, it’s often the smaller details that make a trip here magical. From Zen-calm ferries sliding across glassy inlets to quirky island communities, where fresh-caught seafood beats five-star restaurants, BC is much more than Canada’s most scenic province. History fans can indulge in some fascinating aboriginal and colonial heritage, while outdoors types can enjoy a whale- or bear-watching trek.

Challenging the province’s nature-hugging tag, cosmopolitan Vancouver is a fascinating mélange of international fusion, mixing cuisines and cultures from Asia and beyond, while vibrant smaller communities like Victoria and Kelowna are increasingly driven by their student-backed populations, ensuring they don’t just rely on the past.

With the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games just around the corner, it’s worth recalling that BC has also long been a hotbed of activity. Olympic co-host Whistler is a world-renowned ski and snowboarding resort; Vancouver Island’s west coast is a surf dudes’ capital; and hikers, cyclists and kayakers can be kept blissfully occupied around the region for weeks.

But the province’s jewel-like natural setting will frame everything you do here. Adjust your camera setting to ‘panoramic’ and shoot life-enhancing images of snow-crowned mountains, shimmering lakes, sparkling waterfalls, lush rain forests and tree-covered islands. And when you finally return home, you’ll remember just what Mother Nature is all about.

HIGHLIGHTS

Stretch your legs with a seawall stroll around Vancouver’s Stanley Park and stop for a picnic at Third Beach
Scoff lip-smacking Asian hawker food at the summertime Richmond Night Market and come away with some spicy takeout
Ski the slopes at Whistler and enjoy a warming après beverage while you rub your aching muscles
Sample some fruity tipples on an impromptu Okanagan Valley winery tour
Drink in the wild, untamed beauty of Cape Scott Provincial Park on Vancouver Island’s remote northern tip
Explore the ancient and ethereal rainforest of the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and kayak the coastline for a fish-eye view of the region

History

Setting up camp here at least 15,000 years ago, BC’s Aboriginal settlers likely arrived from Asia via a land bridge across the Bering Strait. With abundant animal, marine and plant life available, coastal tribes like the Haida and Nisga’a thrived, developing sophisticated cultures and intricate trade networks. Inland, the Salish and Chilcotin people led more nomadic existences, relying on migratory caribou and salmon.

These early civilizations prospered for centuries until avaricious 18th-century European explorers appeared. The Russians and Spanish sailed in first, followed in 1778 by Britain’s Captain James Cook. He sparked a stampede of ‘fur prospectors’ from the Old World and, by the 1820s, the Hudson’s Bay Company – still around today – was operating fortified trading posts across the region. A few years later, Britain declared Vancouver Island a crown colony.

The discovery of Fraser River gold in 1858 resulted in a massive new wave of European and American economic migration, with thousands arriving in search of instant fortunes. Britain swiftly claimed the rest of the province, naming riverfront New Westminster as capital. After the gold rush lost its shine, many of these speculators stayed to form permanent settlements.

Uniting mainland BC and Vancouver Island in 1866, the Brits named Victoria as their new regional capital. Five years later, the fledgling province joined Canada, agreeing to confederation on condition that a railroad be extended from the east. The first trans-Canada train chugged across to the west coast in 1886.

While BC lumber soon began flowing across the world, fuelling the region’s growth for the next few decades, WWI and the Wall Street Crash triggered a slow and protracted depression in the province. Prosperity only returned when WWII sparked shipbuilding and armaments manufacturing, diversifying the economy away from logging.

By the 1990s, global tourism and Asian migration had become major influences on the regional balance sheet, with Vancouver particularly enjoying a huge surge in development. A second development peak was triggered when the city won hosting rights to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It’s a boom mirrored across the province, with projects mushrooming in communities from Prince Rupert to Port Alberni. The first gold rush may be over, but for BC’s developers the second one is in full swing.

Local Culture

While BC has a strong reputation as a hardy outdoor wonderland, not everyone here kayaks to work and hikes to the shops on the weekend. While Vancouver is as urban and consumer-oriented as any city, it has a world-fusion culture that’s driven by an impressively international population. Outside this metropolis, though, less cosmopolitan cities like Victoria and Kelowna combine healthy lifestyles with an artsy focus and a decidedly laid-back feel.

Beyond the main population concentrations, communities throughout the province – from waterfront Prince Rupert to the quirky Sunshine Coast and remote North Vancouver Island – often have a singular, independent spirit: you don’t have to live on an island to have an island mentality in BC. And alongside all this pioneer-like fortitude, the First Nations – with a far longer presence in the area than anyone else – remain a strong foundation. Almost wiped out by colonization, the region’s Aboriginal communities have enjoyed a cultural renaissance in recent years, often driven by the curiosity of visitors who want to find out more about these ancient, intriguing people.

Whether your visit brings you to the heart of bustling cities or to remote villages with just a few dozen locals, you’re almost guaranteed a warm welcome. BC residents are proud of their beautiful region; they will offer you an instant list of must-see places (some will likely take you there themselves) and – especially in smaller settlements – they may well invite you to grab a beer with them or join in at the next community event. If you’re invited to a pancake breakfast, one-day street festival or local BC Day celebration, don’t turn it down: scoffing or supping with the locals is the best way to find out what really makes this province tick.

Land & Climate

Rural BC can justly claim to be one of the world’s great natural wonders; an immense wilderness of verdant forests, craggy peaks and remote islands that can easily overwhelm city slickers. Prominent features include at least 7000km of crenulated western coastline, the immense Rocky Mountains range shadowing the eastern border, and the mighty Fraser River, which starts in the Rockies and snakes 1400km to the Pacific Ocean near Vancouver.

BC’s varied climate is influenced by latitude, elevation and ocean proximity but it’s generally warmer in the south and cooler in the north. Winters are mild in Vancouver and Victoria, with only brief snowfalls, while other regions – especially the north and the interior – are subject to freezing temperatures and heavy snow from November to March.

Spring and fall are often warm and pleasant but rainfall can be heavy, particularly on the coast. Summers (June to September) are mostly dry and sunny with warm temperatures, but the interior is hot in July and August, with temperatures surpassing 30°C. Check www.weatheroffice.pyr.ec.gc.ca for online forecasts.

Parks & Wildlife

For many visitors, BC is a rugged wilderness paradise. Its seven national parks include snow-capped Glacier and the Unesco World Heritage sites of Kootenay and Yoho. The newer Gulf Islands National Park Reserve protects a fragile coastal region. Contact Parks Canada (888-773-8888; www.pc.gc.ca) for more information.

The region’s 850 provincial parks offer 3000km of hiking trails and many have great visitor facilities. Notables include Strathcona and remote Cape Scott on Vancouver Island, as well as the Cariboo’s canoe-friendly Bowron Lake and the Kootenays’ Matterhorn-like Mt Assiniboine. Check the BC Parks (www.bcparks.ca) website for information.

BRITISH COLUMBIA ITINERARIES

Three Days

After fully exploring the cosmopolitan sights and sounds of downtown Vancouver, hop in the car, via Hwys 99 and 17, to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal and enjoy a languid boat trek to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. Roll-off and continue your drive to Victoria, spending an overnight exploring the pretty capital and its landmark buildings. Next day, drive north up the island on Hwy 1, stopping off at Chemainus, a former logging settlement that’s reinvented itself as an ‘art town.’ Continue north for a late lunch and an overnight in Nanaimo then, next morning, catch the ferry back to the mainland’s Horseshoe Bay terminal. It’s a short drive from here back to your Vancouver starting point.

One Week

Follow the three-day itinerary to Nanaimo then continue north on Hwy 19 to the quaint seaside towns of Qualicum Beach and Parksville. Drive on to Comox and take a ferry back to the mainland, arriving at Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. Wind south along the coast and forest road here, taking a short-hop ferry at Earl’s Cove to continue your drive, and stopping off at quirky communities like Sechelt and Roberts Creek along the way. Save time to wander around the charming waterfront village of Gibsons, before boarding the 45-minute ferry back to Horseshoe Bay near West Vancouver. If there’s no need to hurry back downtown, take a short diversion to North Vancouver and the nature-hugging Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge attractions.

In the Wild North

Northern BC’s coast is a raw and wonderful place where you’ll shrink in significance next to the forces and beauty of nature. Begin at surprising Prince Rupert, with its cultural attractions that bring this rugged land, pounding sea and intense culture to life. Then take the ferry out to Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, home of totem poles, lost villages, enormous cedars, amazing kayaking and the resurgent culture of the Haida people. Finally, return to Prince Rupert and drive four hours north to tiny Stewart. As you near this remote outpost, you’ll pass all manner of bear, moose and roadside glaciers. Cross over to the adjoining and idiosyncratic village of Hyder, Alaska, where it’s a short drive to the Salmon Glacier, a vast and jaw-dropping icefield that covers the region and gives the air a permanent chill as it pushes mountains aside.

Camping, kayaking, skiing and mountaineering are popular park activities and you’ll also likely spot some amazing wildlife. Plucked from more than 500 indigenous fowl, the black-and-blue Steller’s jay is BC’s provincial bird. Ocean visitors should keep an eye out for Pacific gray whales, while BC’s large mammals – including elk, moose, wolves, grizzlies and black bear – will have most scrambling for their cameras.

Information

Tourism BC (250-387-1642, 800-435-5622; www.hellobc.com) is a valuable initial resource for anyone planning a trip to the province. Its website has maps, transportation information and blogs from far-flung regions, as well as attractions listings and an accommodations booking engine.

Getting There & Around

See town and city listings for specific information on getting to and around the province. Check the Transportation chapter Click here for general information.

Most travelers arrive via Vancouver International Airport, with smaller gateway airports like Victoria and Kelowna servicing domestic and US routes. Click here for more details.

Driving – from across Canada or via the US border – is also popular, although US border crossings often have weekend and holiday queues. The province’s Ministry of Transportation runs a handy website called Drive BC (www.drivebc.ca) where you can check regional road conditions before you set off on a trek.

Greyhound Canada buses arrive in BC from across Canada, with US services connecting via Vancouver. US Amtrak trains arrive in Vancouver via Seattle, while homegrown VIA Rail locomotives trundle into the province from Alberta and points east.

Travelers are well-served within BC by planes and long-distance bus routes, while the BC Ferries (250-386-3431, 888-223-3779; www.bcferries.com) network plies the province’s waters. Driving is the best way to reach many far-flung areas. Some regional road distances:

Kamloops to Vancouver 355km
Prince George to Prince Rupert 772km
Vancouver to Victoria (via BC Ferries) 110km

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VANCOUVER

pop 578,000

It’s Western Canada’s largest city, a magnet for 8.7 million annual visitors and host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, but Vancouver is best known around the world as a utopia of laid-back joie de vivre ringed by dense waterfront forest and looming snow-topped mountains. But while the visual appeal is undeniable, there’s much more to this glass-towered metropolis than meets the eye.

Although international studies often put the city at the top of those infamous ‘best places to live’ rankings, hand-wringing locals frequently ask themselves whether or not Vancouver really is world-class. The solution to this conundrum is not to make futile comparisons with older, larger and more heavily populated capitals like London or Paris but to search for what makes this particular city tick. Luckily, Vancouver turns out to be a delight for travelers hungry to combine outdoor pursuits with a little urban exploration.

Circumnavigating Stanley Park’s sea-to-sky vistas, straining your neck as you stroll among ancient Douglas fir trees, skiing atop a mountain overlooking the downtown sprawl and kayaking along the crenulated coastline with its glimpses of mirrored tower blocks are activities most city dwellers can usually only dream of. And for downtown wanderers who like dipping into heart-and-soul neighborhoods, Vancouver is an urban adventurer’s delight.

From the student-chic shopping district of SoMa to the yoga-ready former hippy community of Kits, from the loft-living yuppies of Yaletown to the bohemian coffee-suppers of Commercial Dr; and from the gay-friendly streets of the West End to the clamorous thoroughfares of Chinatown, the city is a smorgasbord of explorable areas, all easily accessible to visitors and best encountered on foot.

This diversity is Vancouver’s main strength and a major reason why some visitors keep coming back for more. If you’re a first-timer, soak in the breathtaking vistas and hit the verdant forests whenever you can, but also save time to join the locals and do a little exploring off the beaten track; it’s in these places that you’ll discover what really makes this beautiful metropolis special.

HISTORY

Historians claim that First Nations people thrived in this area for as long as 16,000 years before Spanish explorers arrived and claimed the region in the late 1500s. When Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy sailed up in 1792, he met a couple of Spanish captains who informed him of their country’s longstanding claim. But although the beach they met on is now called Spanish Banks, it was Britain’s desire for the area that eventually won out; by the early 1800s, as settlers began to arrive from Europe, the British crown had an increasing stranglehold.

A burgeoning fur trade, accompanied by a feverish gold rush, soon redefined the west coast as a resource-filled Aladdin’s cave. By the 1850s thousands of fortune seekers had arrived, prompting the Brits to officially claim the area as a colony. Local entrepreneur ‘Gassy’ Jack Deighton seized the initiative in 1867 by opening a bar on the forested shores of Burrard Inlet. This triggered a rash of development nicknamed ‘Gastown’ that became the forerunner of modern-day Vancouver.

But not everything went to plan for the fledgling city. While Vancouver rapidly reached a population of 1000, its buildings were almost completely destroyed in an 1886 blaze – quickly dubbed the Great Fire, even though it only lasted 20 minutes. A prompt rebuild followed and the new downtown core soon took shape. Buildings from this era still survive, as does Stanley Park. Originally the town’s military reserve, it was opened as a public recreation area in 1891.

Relying on its port, the growing city quickly became a hub of industry, importing thousands of immigrant workers to fuel its economic development. The Chinatown built at this time is one of the largest and most historic in North America. But WWI and the 1929 Wall Street Crash brought deep depression and mass unemployment. The economy only recovered during WWII, when both shipbuilding and armaments manufacturing added to the traditional economic base of resource exploitation.

Growing steadily throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Vancouver added an NHL (National Hockey League) team and other accoutrements of a mid-sized North American city. Finally reflecting on its heritage, Gastown – by now a slum – was saved for gentrification in the 1970s, becoming a popular history-flavored tourist area.

In 1986 the city hosted a highly successful Expo world’s fair, sparking a massive wave of new development and adding the first of the mirrored skyscrapers that now define Vancouver’s downtown core. It’s anticipated that the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will have a similar positive effect on the region.

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ORIENTATION

Downtown Vancouver occupies a narrow peninsula bounded on three sides by Burrard Inlet, English Bay and False Creek, with Stanley Park at the tip. Key downtown attractions and neighborhoods are all easily accessible on foot and streets are organized on an easy-to-follow grid system. Robson St and Georgia St are the main downtown east–west thoroughfares, while Granville St is the main north–south artery.

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INFORMATION

Bookstores

Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks (Map; 604-688-6755; 1740 W 2nd Ave; 9:30am-5pm Mon-Sat) Foodie bookstore with menu of cooking classes.
Book Warehouse (Map; 604-683-5711; 552 Seymour St; 10am-9pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) Vancouver’s favorite independent bookseller.
Travel Bug (Map; 604-737-1122; 3065 W Broadway; 10am-6pm Mon-Wed & Sat, 10am-7:30pm Thu & Fri, noon-5pm Sun) Extensive travel guides, maps and accessories.

Internet Access

Electric Internet Café (Map; 604-681-0667; 605 W Pender St; per 30min $1.50; 7am-3am Mon-Fri, 8am-3am Sat & Sun) Dozens of terminals plus good food specials.
Star Internet Café (Map; 604-685-4645; 1690 Robson St; per hr $2; 10am-11pm) Favored haunt of online gamers.
Vancouver Public Library (Map; 604-331-3600; 350 W Georgia St; free; 10am-9pm Mon-Thu, 10am-6pm Fri & Sat, noon-5pm Sun) Maximum 30 mins, with limited terminals for nonmembers.

Media & Internet Resources

CKNW 980 AM (www.cknw.com) News, traffic and talk radio station.
Discover Vancouver (www.discovervancouver.com) General online visitors guide.
Georgia Straight (www.straight.com) Free listings newspaper.
Tourism Vancouver (www.tourismvancouver.com) Official online visitor site with downloadable maps.
Tyee (www.thetyee.ca) Local online news source.
Vancouver 2010 (www.vancouver2010.com) Official online info for 2010 Winter Olympics.
Vancouver Magazine (www.vanmag.com) Glossy local trend mag.
Vancouver Sun (www.vancouversun.com) City’s main daily newspaper.

Medical Services

Shoppers Drug Mart (Map; 604-669-2424; 1125 Davie St; 24hr) Pharmacy chain.
St Paul’s Hospital (Map; 604-682-2344; 1081 Burrard St; 24hr) Downtown accident and emergency.
Ultima Medicentre Plus (Map; 604-683-8138; Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir St; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) Walk-in clinic, appointments unnecessary.

Money

ATMs abound in Vancouver with bank branches congregating around the business district bordered by Burrard, Georgia, Pender and Granville Sts.

American Express (Map; 604-669-2813; 666 Burrard St; 8:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat) Full-service Amex branch.
Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange (Map; 604-685-1008; 800 W Pender St; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Best exchange rates in town.

Post

Postal outlets are often tucked at the back of drugstores – look for the blue and red signs.

Canada Post Main Outlet (Map; 604-662-5723, 349 W Georgia St; 8am-5:30pm Mon-Fri)
Georgia Post Plus (Map; 604-632-4226; 1358 W Georgia St; 9:30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat)
Howe Street Postal Outlet (Map; 604-688- 2068; 732 Davie St; 7am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm Sat)

Tourist Information

Tourism Vancouver Tourist Info Centre (Map; 604-683-2000; www.tourismvancouver.com; 200 Burrard St; 8:30am-6pm Jun-Aug, 8:30am-5pm Mon-Sat Sep-May) Free maps, city and wider BC visitor guides, automated currency exchange and a half-price theater ticket booth. Also has an outlet at the airport.

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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

Persistent street begging is an increasing issue for visitors; just say ‘Sorry’ and pass on if you’re not interested. In the city’s Downtown Eastside area – a depressing ghetto of lives wasted by drugs and prostitution – crime against visitors is not common but you are advised to be vigilant and stick to the main streets.

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SIGHTS

Vancouver’s most popular attractions are in several easily walkable neighborhoods, especially hotspots like Gastown, Chinatown, Stanley Park and Granville Island. Chichi Yaletown attracts hipster window-shoppers, while the real bohemians are more likely to be found cruising Commercial Dr or South Main (SoMa). Laid-back Kitsilano enjoys great beach access and leads out towards the tree-lined University of British Columbia (UBC) campus, a minitown on its own.

Downtown

Bordered by water to the north and south and Stanley Park to the west, downtown Vancouver combines shimmering glass apartment and business towers with the shop-lined attractions of Robson St, the city’s central promenade.

Once a disappointing regional gallery with nothing more than a clutch of Emily Carr canvases to recommend it, the Vancouver Art Gallery (Map; 604-662-4719; www.vanartgallery.bc.ca; 750 Hornby St; adult/youth/child $19.50/14/6.50, after 5pm Tue admission by donation; 10am-5:30pm, to 9pm Tue & Thu) – housed in an old courthouse but rumored to be moving to a new downtown location soon – has undergone a sweeping renaissance in recent years, becoming a much more vital part of the city’s cultural scene. Combining edgy contemporary exhibitions with blockbuster traveling shows, the gallery comes into its own on select Fridays for FUSE (admission $15), a late-night party with music, performance and chin-stroking arties.

Canada Place (Map; 604-775-7200; www.canadaplace.ca; 999 Canada Place Way) is a legacy of Expo 86 that’s now a convention center and cruise-ship terminal and is like a modern-day pier. This waterfront landmark resembles a series of soaring white sails. It’s worth strolling along its length for some picture-perfect views of Stanley Park and the mountains, punctuated by the regular splash of floatplanes out front. Inside, there’s the CN IMAX Theatre and the kid-friendly Port Authority Interpretation Centre (Map; 604-665-9179; admission free; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat & Sun), a hands-on exploration of the city’s maritime trade.

With a recent (and long-overdue) renovation, Vancouver Lookout (Map; 604-689-0421; www.vancouverlookout.com; 555 W Hastings St; adult/youth/child $13/9/6; 8:30am-10:30pm May–mid-Oct, 9am-9pm mid-Oct–Apr) is still a pricey way to get a birds-eye view of the city and its environs. Entry includes an optional guided tour of the scenery – that’s Burnaby shimmering in the haze to the east – and your ticket is valid all day so you can return for a twinkly nighttime viewing.

VANCOUVER ITINERARIES

One Day

Begin with a heaping breakfast at the Templeton before heading to the Vancouver Art Gallery. Next, take a window-shopping stroll along Robson St, then cut down towards the waterfront for some panoramic sea and mountain vistas. Walk west along the seawall, grabbing a coffee along the way, and make for Stanley Park (below). Spend the afternoon exploring the beaches, totem poles and Vancouver Aquarium (below) here before ambling back downtown for dinner.

Two Days

Follow the one-day itinerary then, the next morning, take a taxi to clamorous Chinatown (opposite). Stop at the Millennium Gate (opposite) and duck into the nearby Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. If you’re feeling peckish, head up to Hon’s Wun-Tun House for a dim-sum brunch. Next, stroll along Main St towards Science World then hop on the Sky Train at the nearby station. Head to Waterfront Station and take the scenic SeaBus ride to North Vancouver. On your way back, drop in at Gastown’s Steamwork’s Brewing Co for a beer and pizza.

The Teflon-domed BC Place Stadium (Map; 604-669-2300; www.bcplacestadium.com; 777 S Pacific Blvd) is home of the BC Lions Canadian Football League (CFL) team Click here and also a 2010 Winter Olympics venue. Sports fans can visit the BC Sports Hall of Fame & Museum (Map; 604-687-5520; www.bcsportshalloffame.com; Gate A; adult/child $10/8; 10am-5pm), complete with regional and national historic memorabilia. There’s also a guided behind-the-scenes stadium tour (604-661-7362; Gate H; adult/child $8/7; 11am & 1pm Tue mid-Jun–Aug).

Christ Church Cathedral (Map; 604-682-3848; www.cathedral.vancouver.bc.ca; 690 Burrard St; admission free; 10am-4pm Mon-Fri), the biggest and best Gothic-style church in the city, is nestled in the shadows of Vancouver’s looming glass towers. Hosting regular choir and organ recitals as well as Shakespeare readings, it offers free tours by appointment. Check out the basement’s lovely William Morris stained-glass window.

Stanley Park

Vancouver’s undoubted highlight is this magnificent edge-of-downtown park (Map) that combines excellent attractions with a mystical natural aura. Don’t miss a jog, stroll or cycle (rentals near the Georgia St entrance) around the seawall – still partly closed on our visit due to a massive storm – and consider a picnic stop at Lumberman’s Arch (off Map) or the sunset-hugging Third Beach (off Map).

If you don’t fancy walking all the way round, a free shuttle bus operates around the park from mid-June to mid-September, or you can take a plodding horse-drawn Carriage Ride (604-681-5115; www.stanleyparktours.com; adult/child $25/15; Mar-Oct). You’ll likely be fighting the tour groups for photos at the eight bright-painted totem poles (off Map) but you might also want to stop off at the nearby artist market for a painterly souvenir of your visit.

After you’ve spotted your first wild park raccoon, it’s worth checking out the Rose Garden (off Map) and Rhododendron Garden (Map) then dropping by Lost Lagoon Nature House (Map; 604-257-6908; www.stanleyparkecology.ca; admission free; 10am-7pm Tue-Sun May-Sep) to learn about the region’s varied ecology. There are also four restaurants in the park if you need a fuel-up.

Those traveling with kids could easily spend a full day in the park. Arrive early and grab your spot at the popular Second Beach swimming pool (Map; 604-257-8370; adult/youth/child $5.35/4/2.65; May-Sep) or drop by the giggle-making water park (off Map; admission free; May-Sep) at Lumberman’s Arch. You can dry the kids off on the Miniature Railway (off Map; 604-257-8531; adult/youth/child $5.50/4/3.75; 10:30am-5pm mid-May–Aug, 10:30am-5pm Sat & Sun Feb–mid-May & Sep) or at the Children’s Farmyard (off Map; 604-257-8531; adult/youth/child $5.50/4/3.75; 11am-4pm mid-May–Aug, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun Feb–mid-May & Sep).

You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the park’s biggest draw, though. The Vancouver Aquarium (Map; 604-659-3474; www.vanaqua.org; adult/youth/child $19.95/14.95/11.95; 9:30am-5pm Sep-Jun, 9:30am-7pm Jul & Aug) is home to 9000 watery creatures, including sharks, dolphins, beluga whales and Amazonian caimans. Look out for the iridescent jellyfish tank and the two playful sea otter as well as the stroll-through butterfly environment. If you have time, consider a behind-the-scenes trainer tour (from $25).

West End

A dense nest of low-rise older apartment buildings occupying a tangle of well-maintained residential streets, the West End is the city’s chatty heart. Dripping with wooden heritage homes and lined on one side by a clamorous seawall promenade, it has plenty of dining and shopping options and is also the center of Vancouver’s gay community.

Whether it’s a languid early evening in August with buskers, sunbathers and volleyballers sharing the beach, or a cold, blustery day in November with just you and a dog-walker staring at the waves, English Bay (Map; cnr Denman & Davie Sts) is a key West End highlight. Just a few steps from the city bustle and a 10-minute walk from the center of downtown – Stanley Park beckons next door if you also fancy adding a seawall hike – this is the home of the annual Celebration of Light fireworks festival Click here.

For a glimpse of what pioneer town Vancouver looked like before the glass towers, drop by Roedde House Museum (Map; 604-684-7040; www.roeddehouse.org; 1415 Barclay St; admission $5; 10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat, 2-4pm Sun). This handsome 1893 mansion is one of several attractive timber-framed old homes lining Barclay Heritage Sq. It’s packed with period antiques and is a superb recreation of how well-heeled Vancouverites used to live. Sunday entry, including tea and cookies, costs $1 extra.

Yaletown

An old brick-warehouse district transformed into chichi apartments, swanky bars and bling-bling boutiques, pedestrian-friendly Yaletown – Vancouver’s ‘little Soho’ – is where the city’s beautiful people come to be seen, especially at night when the restaurants are often packed with designer-trendies and visiting celebs.

Roughly bordered by Nelson St, Homer St, Drake St and Pacific St, the area has not completely abandoned its grungy industrial past: old railway tracks remain embedded in the roads and the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre (Map; 604-713-1800; www.roundhouse.ca; 181 Roundhouse Mews, cnr Davie St & Pacific Blvd), home of eclectic theater productions and cultural events, occupies a revamped train shed complete with a restored steam locomotive.

Check out the Contemporary Art Gallery (Map; 604-681-2700; www.contemporaryartgallery.ca; 555 Nelson St; admission free; noon-6pm Wed-Sun) for a glimpse of what local modern artists are up to. And, if you’re here in October, the annual Taste of Yaletown event offers well-priced three-course tasting menus at area restaurants. The city’s annual Jazz Festival also colonizes the David Lam Park here every July for free outdoor performances. See www.yaletowninfo.com for maps and additional insights on the ’hood.

Gastown & Chinatown

Vancouver’s most historic district, the cobbled streets of Gastown is where the city began – look out for the jaunty bronze of early resident Gassy Jack Deighton teetering on his beer barrel. It’s a former skid row area that’s slowly been restored since the 1970s. The heritage buildings are mostly still here but they now house souvenir shops, popular tourist restaurants and a growing clutch of trendy clothing stores. The landmark hissing steam clock (Map) is halfway along Water St. A snapshot favorite, it’s actually powered by electricity. For local info and events – including the annual Tour de Gastown cycle race – check www.gastown.org.

The nearby Chinatown – one of North America’s largest – is one of the city’s most enticing areas. An explosion of sight, sound and aromas, this bustling district teems with shops hawking exotic fruits, ancient remedies and the occasional bucket of live frogs. Check out the towering Chinatown Millennium Gate (Map; W Pender &Taylor Sts), the area’s new entry point, and don’t miss the bustling summer night market. For information on area attractions and events – including the two-day summer festival and the annual New Year parade – visit www.vancouverchinatown.ca.

HOT TOPIC: VANCOUVER’S DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE TRAGEDY

While Vancouver is not the only North American metropolis with a large vagrant population, visitors to what is often described as the world’s most livable city are usually shocked to find themselves accosted by persistent, sometimes aggressive panhandlers. While it’s easy to sneer and dismiss these shuffling beggars, they are indicative of a decades-long failure to come to grips with the city’s biggest social problem.

The issue can be traced back to the creation of Vancouver’s own ghetto in the infamous Downtown Eastside area, frequently described as Canada’s poorest neighborhood. Bordered by Gastown, Chinatown and East Vancouver, the area – once a thriving business district – began its graceless decline in the 1940s, when city and provincial policies started concentrating the destitute here. It’s since become a breeding ground for tragedy, exponentially increasing its population of destitute, vulnerable and mentally disturbed residents.

The area’s squalid rooming houses reside above sketchy pawnshops and dodgy pubs, where the cheapest beer is always the most popular. Drugs are offered openly on the streets – peddlers whisper the words as they pass – and prostitution is a way of life: bone-rack women with heavy make-up loiter in short skirts on even the coldest nights.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics due to throw the international spotlight on Vancouver once again, many locals are asking city, regional and national politicians for a dramatic intervention to address the city’s deepest scar.

Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (Map; 604-662-3207; www.vancouverchinesegarden.com; 578 Carrall St; adult/child $8.75/7; 10am-6pm May–mid-Jun & Sep, 9:30am-7pm mid-Jun–Aug, 10am-4:30pm Oct-Apr) is a tranquility break from clamorous Chinatown. This intimate ‘garden of ease’ reveals the Taoist symbolism behind the placing of gnarled pine trees, winding covered pathways and ancient limestone formations. Entry includes a fascinating guided tour – look out for lazy turtles bobbing in the water – and concerts are held here on summertime Friday evenings.

Charting the city’s murky criminal past – complete with confiscated weapons, counterfeit currencies and a mortuary exhibit that’s not for the faint-hearted – the excellent little Vancouver Police Centennial Museum (Map; 604-665-3346; www.vancouverpolicemuseum.ca; 240 E Cordova St; adult/child $7/5; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat) is one of the best historic attractions around. If you have time, its gripping Sins of the City walking tour ($12) escorts curious visitors around the dodgy Downtown Eastside, exploring some eye-popping vice- and crime-fighting history along the way.

Science World at TELUS World of Science (Map; 604-443-7443; www.scienceworld.bc.ca; 1455 Quebec St; adult/youth/child $16/13/11; 10am-6pm) is a great place to bring the kids. Science World occupies the mirrored geodesic ‘Golf Ball’ that was built for Expo ’86. It’s a high-tech playground of interactive exhibits and live presentations on nature, space, physics and technology and there’s enough to keep parents occupied, too. The on-site OMNIMAX Theatre (tickets $10) shows large-screen documentary movies if you need a sit down.

South Main (SoMa) & Commercial Drive

Eschewing the fake tans of the Robson St shoppers, Vancouver’s indie crowd has colonized an area of town that used to be a byword for down-at-heal. Starting at the intersection of Main St and Broadway, South Main (Map) – now known as SoMa – is home to a clutch of alternative shops and designers. Bohemian coffee bars, vegetarian-friendly eateries, one-of-a-kind boutiques and bold little artist-run galleries are blooming in this area.

Jump back on Main St bus 3 from downtown until you hit Main and 48th and you’ll find yourself in the Punjabi Market area. Also known as ‘Little India,’ this enclave of sari stores, Bangra music shops and some of the region’s best-value curry restaurants is a good spot for a spicy all-you-can-eat lunch followed by a restorative walkabout.

Culinary adventurers should also consider trekking along funky Commercial Dr, where decades of European immigrants – especially Italians, Greeks and Portuguese – have created a United Nations of restaurants, coffee bars and exotic delis. This is the best spot in town to watch international soccer games among the city’s most passionate fans, and it’s also a promenade of espresso-supping patio dwellers on languid summer afternoons when it becomes the city’s alternative promenade for young bohemians and student types.

Granville Island

Fanning out under the giant iron arches of Granville Bridge, this gentrified former industrial peninsula – it’s not actually an island – is one of the best spots to spend a lazy afternoon in the city. Combining restaurants, bars, theaters and artisan businesses, it’s usually crowded here on summer weekends, as visitors chill-out with the buskers and wrestle the seagulls for their fish and chips. For information on happenings, check www.granvilleisland.com.

Granville Island’s highlight is the covered Public Market (Map; 604-666-6477; Johnson St; 9am-7pm), a multisensory deli specializing in gourmet fish, cheese, fruit and bakery treats. It has an international food court (eat lunch early or late to avoid the rush) and a kaleidoscope of cool craft stalls. Popular three-hour tasting tours of the market are offered by Edible BC (604-662-3606, 888-812-9660; www.edible-britishcolumbia.com; tours $55; 8:30am Wed & Sat).

You can also take a tour at nearby Granville Island Brewing (Map; 604-687-2739; www.gib.ca; 1441 Cartwright St; tours $9.75; noon, 2pm & 4pm). The guides here walk you through the tiny brewing room (production has mostly shifted to larger premises) before depositing you in the taproom for samples including Cypress Honey Lager and the recommended Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale.

A visit to the three public galleries at the highly regarded Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design (Map; 604-844-3800, 800-832-7788; www.eciad.ca; 1399 Johnson St; admission free; 10am-6pm) is also recommended; it offers an eye-opening glimpse into the minds of up-and-coming artists. There’s also an excellent art bookstore on site.

Once you’ve finished trawling the shops and attractions, hop aboard the Downtown Historic Railway (www.trams.bc.ca; adult/child $2/1; 12:30-5pm Sat, Sun & holidays May-Oct), which runs two clackety old streetcars between the entrance to Granville Island and Science World.

Kitsilano

A former hippy haven where the counter-culture flower children grew up to reap large mortgages and professional jobs, ‘Kits’ is a pleasant neighborhood of pricey heritage homes, cozy coffee bars and highly browsable shops. Recommended for a lazy afternoon of street strolling – especially along store-lined W 4th Ave. It also has a couple of great waterfront stretches at Jericho Beach Park and Kitsilano Beach Park (Map), both lovely sunset spots.

A short waterside walk from Granville Island, Vanier Park hosts the stripy tents of the annual Bard on the Beach Festival and is also home to a clutch of small, family-friendly museums.

Among these, Vancouver Museum (Map; 604-736-4431; www.vanmuseum.bc.ca; 1100 Chestnut St; adult/child $10/6.50; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu) has some unique aboriginal artifacts – although they’re not as well presented as those at the Museum of Anthropology. Recent history is also on offer, with colorful displays covering 1950s pop culture and 1960s hippy counter-culture.

The adjacent HR MacMillan Space Centre (Map; 604-738-7827; www.hrmacmillanspacecentre.com; 1100 Chestnut St; adult/child $15/10.75; 10am-5pm, Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Sep-Jun) is popular with kids, who hit the hands-on exhibits with maximum force. There’s an additional free-entry stand-alone observatory (open weekends, weather permitting) and a planetarium that runs weekend laser shows (tickets $10.50) with music by the likes of Pink Floyd.

The final member of the triumvirate, the Vancouver Maritime Museum (Map; 604-257-8300; www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com; 1905 Ogden Ave; adult/child $10/7.50; 10am-5pm May-Aug, 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun Sep-Apr) combines dozens of intricate model ships with some detailed re-created boat sections and a few historic vessels. Highlight exhibits here include the St Roch, an arctic patrol vessel that was the first to navigate the Northwest Passage in both directions.

University of British Columbia

West from Kits on a 400-hectare forested peninsula, UBC (604-822-2211; www.ubc.ca) is the province’s largest university. Its concrete campus is surrounded by the University Endowment Lands, complete with accessible beach and forest areas and a smattering of recommended visitor attractions.

With Canada’s best display of northwest coast aboriginal artifacts, the Museum of Anthropology (Map; 604-822-3825; www.moa.ubc.ca; 6393 NW Marine Dr; adult/child $9/7, after 5pm Tue admission by donation; 10am-5pm Wed-Mon, 10am-9pm Tue mid-May–mid-Oct, 11am-5pm Wed-Sun, 11am-9pm Tue mid-Oct–mid-May) is a must-see museum. The totem poles alone – displayed against a wall of glass overlooking the coastline – are worth the admission. Ask about the free, twice-daily gallery tours to get the most from your visit. Designed by Arthur Erickson, the museum building mirrors the post-and-beam construction of early aboriginal structures.

Green-thumbed visitors will enjoy the UBC Botanical Garden (Map; 604-822-9666; www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org; 6804 SW Marine Dr; adult/child $7/free; 10am-6pm mid-Mar–mid-Oct, 10am-3pm mid-Oct–mid-Mar), a renowned 28-hectare clutch of themed gardens, which includes Canada’s largest collection of rhododendrons, an apothecary garden and a winter garden of plants that bloom outside spring and summer. Combined entry with the nearby Nitobe Memorial Garden is $10.

Designed by a top Japanese landscape architect, the lovely Nitobe Memorial Garden (Map; 604-822-6038; www.nitobe.org; 6804 SW Marine Dr; adult/child $5/free; 10am-6pm mid-Mar–mid-Oct, 10am-2:30pm Mon-Fri mid-Oct–mid-Mar) is a perfect example of the Asian nation’s symbolic horticultural art form. Aside from some traffic noise and summer bus tours, it’s a tranquil retreat, ideal for quiet meditation. Combined entry with the UBC Botanical Garden is $10.

Follow Trail 6 into the woods then head down the steps to the waterfront to find Wreck Beach (Map; www.wreckbeach.org), a naturist haven of counterculture locals, independent vendors and in-the-know visitors sharing this 7.8km stretch of sand. The regulars are in a continuing battle with the university over the building of residential towers that threaten their privacy, so be sure to offer your support as you peel off. There’s no need to bring lunch: wandering food sellers here range from Stormin’ Norman’s buffalo burgers to Marco’s organic fruit juices.

West Side

With sports fields, manicured lawns and formal botanical gardens, the 53-hectare Queen Elizabeth Park (Map) – located between Cambie and Ontario Sts near 33rd Ave – also serves up some of Vancouver’s best city views. Cresting the park’s hill is the triodetic dome of the Bloedel Floral Conservatory (Map; 604-257-8584; adult/child $4.50/2.25; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-9pm Sat & Sun Apr-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-Mar) where tropical birds and plants populate three climate-controlled environments.

If you want to be taken out to the ball game, the park’s recently-restored old-school Nat Bailey Stadium is a popular summer afternoon destination for fans of the Vancouver Canadians baseball team Click here.

Four blocks west of the park, VanDusen Botanical Garden (Map; 604-878-9274; www.vandusengarden.org; 5251 Oak St; adult/youth/child Apr-Sep $7.95/6/4.50, Oct-Mar $5.70/4.25/2.75; 10am-4pm Nov-Feb, 10am-5pm Mar & Oct, 10am-6pm Apr, 10am-8pm May, 10am-9pm Jun-Aug, 10am-7pm Sep) offers a highly ornamental confection of sculptures, Canadian heritage flowers, rare plants from around the world and a popular hedge maze. The garden is one of Vancouver’s top Christmastime destinations, complete with thousands of twinkling fairy lights.

If you fancy an enjoyable window-shopping stroll, South Granville (www.southgranville.org) – an 11-block stretch of galleries, restaurants and browsable shops between 5th and 16th Aves on Granville St – is worth an afternoon of anyone’s time.

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ACTIVITIES

With a reputation for outdoorsy locals who like nothing better than an early morning 10km jog and a lip-smacking feast of rice cakes for breakfast, Vancouver is all about being active. Popular pastimes here include running, biking and kayaking, while you’re also just a short hop from some serious winter sport action in North Vancouver and West Vancouver.

Hiking and Running

For arm-swinging strolls or heart-pounding runs, the 9km Stanley Park seawall is mostly flat – apart from a couple of uphills where you might want to hang onto a passing bike. A devastating late-2006 storm affected many of the forested trails within the park – even the seawall was still being cleared on our visit – but most are expected to be restored, including the popular 4km trek around Lost Lagoon. UBC is another popular running spot with trails marked throughout the University Endowment Lands. Visit North Vancouver for the Grouse Grind, an uphill slog that’s a rite of passage for many locals.

If you want to hook up with some Vancouver joggers, drop by the Nike Runner’s Lounge (Map; 778-786-7463; www.nikerunning.ca; 510 Nicola St; 4-8pm Mon-Thu, 8am-1pm Sat & Sun) on the Coal Harbour side of Stanley Park. You can check your bags, collect an area running map and borrow an iPod for your trek.

Cycling

Joggers share the busy Stanley Park seawall with cyclists (and in-line skaters), necessitating a one-way traffic system that also acts to prevent bloody pile-ups. The sea-to-sky vistas are breathtaking, but the exposed route can be hit with crashing waves and icy winds in winter. Since slow-moving, camera-wielding tourists crowd the route during summer peaks, it’s best to come early in the morning or later in the evening.

After circling the park to English Bay, cyclists with energy to spare can continue along the north side of False Creek towards Science World, where the route heads up the south side of False Creek towards Granville Island, Vanier Park, Kitsilano Beach and, finally, UBC. This extended route, including Stanley Park, is around 25km. Olympic Village construction was affecting parts of this route on our visit, so watch out for diversions.

There are several bike and blade rental outlets near the park around the Georgia and Denman Sts intersection. One of these, Spokes Bicycle Rentals (Map; 604-688-5141; www.vancouverbikerental.com; 1798 W Georgia St) offers 90-minute guided tours around the seawall.

Kayaking & Windsurfing

It’s hard to beat the joy engendered by a sunset paddle around the coastline here, with the sun sliding languidly down the mirrored glass towers that forest the city like modern-day totem poles. With its calm waters, Vancouver is a popular spot for both veteran and novice kayakers.

Headquartered on Granville Island, the friendly folk at Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre (Map; 604-689-7575, 888-425-2925; www.ecomarine.com; 1668 Duranleau St; rentals 2hr/day $34/59, tours from $54; 10am-6pm Jan-May, 9am-6pm Sun-Thu, 9am-9pm Fri & Sat Jun-Aug, 10am-6pm Sep-Dec) offer guided tours and equipment rentals – Tuesday is two-for-one rental day. The Jericho Beach branch (Map; 604-222-3565; Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery St; 10am-dusk Mon-Fri, 9am-9pm Sat & Sun May-Aug, 10am-dusk Sep) in Kits also organizes events and seminars where you can rub shoulders with local paddle nuts.

For those who want to be at one with the sea breeze, Windsure Adventure Watersports (Map; 604-224-0615; www.windsure.com; Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery St; surf board/skim board rentals per hr $17.55/4.39; 9am-8pm Apr-Sep) specializes in kiteboarding, windsurfing and skimboarding and offers lessons and equipment rentals from its Jericho Beach base.

Once you’ve finished your watery shenanigans here, grab a beer and some pub grub at the Jericho Sailing Centre (Map; 1300 Discover St). Try to find a seat on the patio for what may turn out to be the best sunset view of your life.

Swimming

Vancouver’s best beaches – English Bay, Kitsilano Beach, Jericho Beach and Stanley Park’s Second Beach and Third Beach – bristle with ocean swimmers in summer. For the nakedly inclined, Wreck Beach is the city’s popular naturist haven.

Popular with families, there’s an excellent outdoor swimming pool near Second Beach in Stanley Park. Alternatively, Kitsilano Beach has a large heated outdoor saltwater pool (Map; 604-731-0011; 2305 Cornwall Ave; adult/youth/child $5.35/4/2.65; 7am-8:45pm mid-May–mid-Sep). If it’s raining, you’ll likely prefer the indoor Vancouver Aquatic Centre (Map; 604-665-3424; 1050 Beach Ave; adult/youth/child $5.35/4/2.65; 6:30am-9:30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm Sat & Sun), which has a sauna, whirlpool and diving tank.

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WALKING TOUR

Overlooking the glassy waters of Coal Harbour (1), follow the curving seawall path to the Stanley Park Information Centre (2), picking up a map (and maybe an ice cream) for your trek. Pull out your camera for some photos of the nearby totem poles (3), then turn around and shoot the downtown towers and maybe a floatplane or two landing in False Creek. Continue on towards the Nine O’clock Gun (4), which still booms across the city every night, then wind north to Brockton Point (5) with its little white lighthouse. The adjoining downhill stretch will bring you to the oft-photographed Girl in a Wetsuit (6) sculpture and the undercarriage of the towering Lions Gate Bridge (7). You’ll get a blast of sea breeze as you round Prospect Point (8) as well as some spectacular sea-to-sky vistas; pause to reflect on the late-2006 storm that uprooted many of the old trees in this area. Take out your camera again for some shots of Siwash Rock (9), an offshore outcropping that’s part of First Nations legend. If your legs are feeling wobbly, you can pick up the free shuttle bus here to return you to the park entrance. But it’s certainly worth pushing on to Third Beach (10), where you can rest on a log and unpack a picnic to enjoy the panoramic sea views. Pick up the pace after your break, stroll past the swimming pool at Second Beach (11) and hit the home stretch to English Bay (12), where coffee shops and restaurants abound.

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VANCOUVER FOR CHILDREN

If you’re dragging kids around with you, luckily Vancouver has plenty of options to keep both you and your sprogs happy. Check www.kidsvancouver.com for ideas or pick up a free copy of Kids’ Guide Vancouver from the visitor center.

Stanley Park can keep most families occupied for a full day. If it’s hot, make sure you hit the water park at Lumberman’s Arch or try the swimming pool at Second Beach; also consider the miniature railway and children’s farmyard here. The park is a great place to bring a picnic and its beaches – especially Third Beach – are highly kid-friendly. Make sure you save time for the Vancouver Aquarium and, if your kids have been good, consider a behind-the-scenes trainer tour.

The city’s other educational family-friendly attractions include Science World and the HR MacMillan Space Centre. If it’s raining, you can also duck inside at downtown’s Canada Place for the hands-on Port Interpretation Centre and the large-format CN IMAX Theatre.

Sporty kids will enjoy the plethora of exertive activities at the BC Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. If the sun comes back out, they’ll also have a swaying good time over at the North Shore’s Capilano Suspension Bridge.

If you time your visit right, the city has an array of family-friendly festivals, including the Pacific National Exhibition, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival and the fireworks fiesta known as the Celebration of Light.

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OFFBEAT VANCOUVER

For curious visitors tired of the predictable tourist haunts or well-worn neighborhood areas, it’s worth scratching beneath the surface in Vancouver to find a few activities that only the locals seem to know about.

While strong ‘BC Bud’ usually appears at a certain time of night at most city house parties – you’ll likely also catch a whiff of it as you walk around the streets – many visitors are still mildly shocked to see hemp shops and hydroponics stores openly selling the required paraphernalia (although not the weed itself). For arguments in support of legalization, duck into the shop and offices of the BC Marijuana Party at Cannabis Culture Headquarters (Map; 604-682-1172; www.bcmarijuanaparty.ca; 307 W Hastings St; 10am-7pm Mon-Thu, 10am-8pm Fri & Sat, noon-6pm Sun). It also houses the Vapour Lounge, where you can chill-out with some like-minded new buddies.

You can strikeout in a more wholesome way at one of the last remaining downtown bowling alleys in Canada. Like stepping back in time, the subterranean Art Deco Commodore Lanes (Map; 604-681-1531; 838 Granville St; per game from $4; 11am-midnight Sun-Thu, 11am-1am Fri & Sat) hides underneath the downtown shops on Granville St. Nostalgic oldsters and kitsch-loving Japanese language students pretending they’re in an Archie comic hog the lanes on weekend nights here – pool tables and local beer at the bar will keep you busy if you have to wait.

Some visitors might have more fun losing their shirts at Hastings Racecourse (Map; 604-254-1631, 800-677-7702; www.hastingspark.com; Hastings & Renfrew Sts; Apr-Nov), which offers a recipe for an unusual day out just 10 minutes from downtown. Novice betters are welcome and, when you’re not watching the gee-gees, there are some great views of the mountains – although this probably won’t console you when you’re down to your final dollar.

You’ll have to lose more than your shirt if you want to hit UBC’s Wreck Beach, the city’s naturist stretch that’s also a wrinkled reminder of Vancouver’s once-dominant counterculture past. There are several good food vendors here if you’re keen on having a naked lunch.

If you’re inspired by some of the bodies languishing around you, check out Art of Loving (Map; 604-742-9988; www.theartofloving.ca; 1819 W 5th Ave; 10am-7pm Mon-Wed & Sat, 10am-10pm Thu & Fri, noon-7pm Sun), a tasteful sex shop for the non–dirty-mac brigade. Among its popular products are the Love Swing (ask for a demo) and glow-in-the-dark condoms (don’t ask for a demo). The store also hosts classes with titles like ‘the Joy of Flirting.’

If you prefer to woo your object of desire with old-fashioned methods, drop by the Regional Assembly of Text (Map; 604-877-2247; www.assembleyoftext.com; 3934 Main St; 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun) shop, where you can join the hipsters for a monthly letter-writing club (7pm, first Thursday of every month), complete with stationery, tea, cookies and encouragement. This highly quirky store is also brimming with handmade journals, T-shirts and lexicographic paraphernalia – staff might even let you try one of the vintage typewriters if you ask nicely.

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TOURS

Bike Tours

City by Cycle Tours (604-730-1032, 888-599-6800; www.citybycycle.com; adult/child $69/59; 9am & 2pm) Offering excellent four-hour guided rides around the city’s highlights, including Stanley Park, English Bay, Chinatown and Granville Island. Rates include bikes and helmets.

Boat Tours

Accent Cruises (604-688-6625; www.dinnercruises.com; 1676 Duranleau St; dinner cruise $60; May–mid-Oct) Popular sunset cruise with salmon buffet option. Departs from Granville Island.
Harbour Cruises (604-688-7246, 800-663-1500; www.boatcruises.com; adult/youth/child $25/21/10; mid-Apr–mid-Oct) View the city – and some unexpected wildlife – from the water on a 75-minute Harbour Tour, which departs from the north foot of Denman St.

Bus Tours

Big Bus (604-299-0700, 877-299-0701; www.bigbus.ca; adult/youth/child $35/30/17) Two-day hop-on-hop-off ticket covering 20 attractions.
Gray Line West (604-879-3363, 800-667-0882; www.graylinewest.com; adult/child $62/42) Four-hour Deluxe City Tour, including Chinatown, Stanley Park and Granville Island.
Vancouver Trolley Company (604-801-5515, 888-451-5581; www.vancouvertrolley.com; adult/child $35/18.50) Red replica trolley buses offering one-day hop-on-hop-off transportation around 24 popular stops.

GAY & LESBIAN VANCOUVER

Vancouver’s West End district, complete with its pink-painted bus shelters, houses Western Canada’s largest ‘gayborhood.’ Pick up a free copy of Xtra! West here for a crash-course on the local scene, and check www.gayvancouver.net and www.superdyke.com for pertinent listings and resources.

With its rainbow flags and hand-holding locals, Davie St is the vibrant heart of the West End’s gay culture. It’s scattered with friendly cafés, bars, stores and the city’s best resource center for gay and lesbian visitors: Little Sisters Book & Art Emporium (Map; 604-669-1753; 1238 Davie St; 10am-11pm). With a giant selection of specialist literature, an active bulletin board and a hyper-knowledgeable staff, it’s a good first stop for Vancouver first-timers. Pick up a free copy of the glossy Gay & Lesbian Business Directory while you’re there for an exhaustive list of other relevant local enterprises, then head down to Denman St and read it at Delany’s (Map; 604-662-3344; 1105 Denman St), a laid-back neighborhood coffee bar that’s a popular hangout for local scenesters.

If you arrive early enough to find a seat, this is a good spot to catch the mammoth Pride Week (opposite) parade, staged every August – although you might have to stand on your chair for a better view. Along with this family-friendly street fiesta, there are dozens of pre- and post-parade events covering all kinds of interests and desires.

Among the city’s most popular gay-friendly nightlife options are the Pump Jack (Map; 604-685-3417; 1167 Davie St), a loud and proud pub with a noisy patio, and the Odyssey (Map; 604-689-5256; 1251 Howe St), the city’s number-one gay nightclub, combining regular drag nights on Wednesdays and Sundays with a host of ever-changing special events. New kid on the block 1181 (Map; 604-687-3991; 1181 Davie St) combines a cool cocktail-lounge ambiance with Saturday night’s DJ-led dance party.

For support of all kinds, the Centre (Map; 604-684-5307; www.lgtbcentrevancouver.com; 1170 Bute St) provides discussion groups, a health clinic and legal advice for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and the transgendered. These friendly folk also staff the Prideline (604-684-6869; 7-10pm), a telephone peer support, information and referral service.

Guided Walking Tours

Edible BC (604-662-3606, 888-812-9660; www.edible-britishcolumbia.com; Granville Island Public Market; tours $55) Colorful three-hour foodie treks around Chinatown, Commercial Drive or Granville Island.
Gastown Historic Walking Tours (604-683-5650; www.gastown.org; tours free; 2pm mid-Jun-Aug) A 90-minute tour on the history and architecture of Vancouver’s birthplace. Departs from Gassy Jack Statue.

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FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Chinese New Year (604-632-3808; www.vancouver-chinatown.com) Festive kaleidoscope of dancing, parades and great food held in January or February.
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival (604-872-6622; www.playhousewinefest.com) The city’s oldest and best annual wine celebration takes place in late March.
Vancouver International Children’s Festival (604-708-5655; www.childrensfestival.ca) Storytelling, performance and activities in the tents at Vanier Park in mid-May.
Bard on the Beach (604-739-0559; www.bardonthebeach.org) A season (June to September) of four Shakespeare-related plays in the Vanier Park tents.
Vancouver International Jazz Festival (604-872-5200; www.coastaljazz.ca) City-wide cornucopia of superstar shows and free outdoor events from mid-June.
Alcan Dragon Boat Festival (604-688-2382; www.adbf.com) In the third week of June, a two-day splashathon of boat racing shenanigans.
Canada Day (604-775-8025; www.canadaday.canadaplace.ca) Exhibits, food and live performances help Canadians celebrate the nation on July 1.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival (604-602-9798; www.thefestival.bc.ca) Folk and world music shows at Jericho Beach in mid-July.
Celebration of Light (604-641-1193; www.hsbccelebrationoflight.com) Free international fireworks extravaganza in English Bay from late July.
Pride Week (604-687-0955; www.vancouverpride.ca) From late July, parties, concerts and fashion shows culminating in giant pride parade.
Festival Vancouver (604-688-1152; www.festivalvancouver.bc.ca) Showcasing of choral, opera, classical, jazz and world music performances in mid-August.
Pacific National Exhibition (604-253-2311; www.pne.bc.ca) Family-friendly shows, music concerts and a fairground from mid-August.
Vancouver International Fringe Festival (604-257-0350; www.vancouverfringe.com) Wild and wacky theatricals at mainstream and unconventional Granville Island venues in mid-September.
Vancouver International Film Festival (604-685-0260; www.viff.org) Popular two-week showcase (from mid-September) of Canadian and international movies.
Vancouver International Writers Festival (604-681-6330; www.writersfest.bc.ca) Local and international scribblers populate literary seminars, galas and public forums in mid-October.
Santa Claus Parade Christmas procession in mid-November, complete with the great man himself.

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SLEEPING

With around 25,000 Greater Vancouver hotel, hostel and B&B rooms available, the city has plenty of options to suit all tastes and budgets. While rates peak in the summer months, there are some great deals available in fall and early spring when the weather is often amenable and the tourist crowds mercifully reduced. The website of Tourism Vancouver (www.tourismvancouver.com) lists options and packages and the province’s Hello BC (604-663-6000, 800-663-6000; www.hellobc.com) service provides further information and bookings. Be aware that many hotels charge $10 to $15 for overnight parking.

Downtown

SameSun Backpackers Lodge (Map; 604-682-8226, 877-972-6378; www.samesun.com; 1018 Granville St; dm/r $25/65; wi-fi) Expect a party atmosphere at this lively hostel in the heart of the Granville nightclub area – there’s also a hopping on-site bar if you don’t quite make it out the front door. The dorms, complete with funky paint-jobs, are comfortably small and there’s a large kitchen plus a strong line-up of social events.

HI Vancouver Central (Map; 604-685-5335, 888-203-8333; www.hihostels.ca/vancouvercentral; 1025 Granville St; dm/r $27.50/66; wi-fi) Opposite the Samesun, this labyrinthine former hotel building has a calmer ambience, small dorms with sinks and lots of private rooms – some with en suites. If you’re new to the city, ask about taking a tour with the legendary Erik, HI volunteer extraordinaire. Rates include continental buffet breakfast.

Bosman’s Hotel (Map; 604-682-3171, 888-267-6267; www.bosmanshotel.com; 1060 Howe St; d from $109; wi-fi) Clean, comfortable and good-value, heart-of-the-action Bosman’s is a city-center motel with large, slightly faded rooms heavy on the pink decor. The front-desk staff is adept at helping with your day-out plans, there’s a popular on-site restaurant serving comfort-food classics and, like all good motels, there’s a small, kidney-shaped pool to cool-off after your long drive.

Moda Hotel (Map; 604-683-4251, 877-683-5522; www.modahotel.ca; 900 Seymour St; d from $119; wi-fi) The old rough-and-ready Dufferin Hotel has been reinvented as this white-fronted, designer-flecked boutique property one block from the Granville St party area. The new rooms have loungey flourishes like mod furnishings and bold paintwork and the bathrooms have been given a swanky makeover. The flat-screen TVs are a nice touch if you decide to have a night in.

Comfort Inn Downtown (Map; 604-605-4333, 888-605-5333; www.comfortinndowntown.com; 654 Nelson St; d/tw $129/149) With a great central location, the Comfort Inn’s rooms are bright and jazzy, combining cheetah-print curtains with wall prints of old Vancouver. The corner suites, with fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs, are the best rooms. Continental breakfast and access to a nearby health club are included and there’s a popular Irish bar on site if you need to wave your shillelagh around.

Kingston Hotel (Map; 604-684-9024, 888-713-3304; www.kingstonhotelvancouver.com; 757 Richards St; s/d/tw $115/145/160) While some recent revamping has taken place, most rooms at this Euro-style pension property are still basic and a bit worn – except for the recommended en-suite rooms, which have new furniture, flat-screen TVs and fresh floral bedspreads. Rates include continental breakfast and there’s a popular on-site patio bar: you’re also walking distance from most of the city’s main action.

Wedgewood Hotel & Spa (Map; 604-689-7777, 800-663-0666; www.wedgewoodhotel.com; 845 Hornby St; r from $350; ) The last word in boutique luxury, this elegant place is dripping with top-hatted charm. The friendly staff is second to none, the rooms are stuffed with reproduction antiques and the balconies enable you to smirk at the grubby plebs shuffling past below. Steam up your monocle with a trip to the spa where a Shiatsu massage should work off those sore shopping muscles.

Stanley Park & West End

HI Vancouver Downtown (Map; 604-684-4565, 888-203-4302; www.hihostels.ca/vancouverdowntown; 1114 Burnaby St; dm/r $27.50/66; wi-fi) Actually located in the West End, close to Davie St’s pubs and clubs, this purpose-built hostel has a more institutional feel than its Granville St brother. It’s also quieter and more popular with families. The dorms are all small and added extras range from bike rentals to internet-access computers. Rates include continental breakfast.

Buchan Hotel (Map; 604-685-5354, 800-668-6654; www.buchanhotel.com; 1906 Haro St; r from $72) This cheerful, tidy and good-value heritage sleepover near Stanley Park combines cheaper rooms – many with shared bathrooms, elderly furnishings and older blankets – with higher quality and pricier en suites. The smiley front-desk staff is excellent and there are storage facilities for bikes and skis.

Tropicana Suite Hotel (Map; 604-687-6631; www.tropicanavancouver.com; 1361 Robson St; s/d $129/139; ) Best of the three self-catering hotels crowding the corner of Robson and Broughton Sts, rooms at the Tropicana combine faded pink-trimmed walls and clashing green comforters. While it will never be cool, it’s good-value and has a great location. Most suites have full kitchens with stoves and large refrigerators and there’s a heated indoor pool and sauna.

Blue Horizon Hotel (Map; 604-688-1411, 800-663-1333; www.bluehorizonhotel.com; 1225 Robson St; d from $164; wi-fi) Sleek and comfortable, this slender tower-block property offers quality rooms with the kind of business-hotel furnishings common in pricier joints. All rooms are corner suites and each has a balcony – the top floors look across to English Bay or the North Shore. The on-site restaurant has a street-side patio and serves up West Coast reinventions of traditional breakfasts – look out for the blueberry pancakes.

Sylvia Hotel (Map; 604-681-9321; www.sylviahotel.com; 1154 Gifford St; s/d/ste from $110/165/195) This charming, ivy-covered landmark is an old-school English Bay hangout that’s never forgotten what good service means. With the lobby of a Bavarian pension – stained-glass windows and dark wood paneling – there’s a wide array of comfortable, home-style room configurations. The best rooms are the 12 apartment suites, each with full kitchens and panoramic waterfront views. Book ahead and you’ll have a front-row seat for the fireworks festival Click here.

Listel Vancouver (Map; 604-684-8461, 800-663-5491; www.listel-vancouver.com; 1300 Robson St; d from $179; wi-fi) A self-described ‘art hotel’, the Listel attracts grown-up sophisticates with its on-site installations and package deals with local art galleries. There’s also original artwork including some aboriginal creations in the rooms, which all have a relaxing, mood-lit West Coast ambiance. Adding to the artsy appeal, the hotel’s on-site O’Doul’s restaurant hosts nightly jazz performances.

O Canada House B&B (Map; 604-688-0555, 877-688-1114; www.ocanadahouse.com; 1114 Barclay St; d from $210; wi-fi) The home where Canada’s national anthem was penned is now an immaculate, adult-oriented B&B packed with antiques and Queen Anne flourishes. Its seven elegant rooms are a haven from the city bustle – the wrap-around veranda is a popular spot to watch the world go by – and there’s a guest pantry with sherry and baked goodies if you can’t wait for your next meal.

Yaletown & Gastown

YWCA Hotel (Map; 604-895-5830, 800-663-1424; www.ywcahotel.com; 733 Beatty St; s/d/tr $64/77/102; ) One of Canada’s best Ys, this popular tower near Yaletown is a useful option for those on a budget. Accommodating men, women, couples and families, it’s a bustling place with a communal kitchen on every other floor and rooms ranging from compact singles to group-friendly larger quarters. All are a little institutionalized – think student study bedroom – but each has a sink and refrigerator.

Victorian Hotel (Map; 604-681-6369, 877-681-6369; www.victorianhotel.ca; 514 Homer St; r with/without bathroom from $129/99; wi-fi) Housed in a couple of expertly renovated older properties, high-ceilinged rooms at the Victorian combine glossy hardwood floors, a sprinkling of antiques and bags of heritage charm. Most are en suite with summer fans, TVs and robes provided but the best rooms are in the extension, complete with its marble-floored bathrooms. Rates include continental breakfast.

St Regis Hotel (Map; 604-681-1135, 800-770-7929; www.stregishotel.com; 602 Dunsmuir St; r from $149; wi-fi) Upgraded in recent years from its previous down-at-heel incarnation, this well-located heritage hotel combines fairly pokey standard rooms with swankier quarters on its higher floors. Rates include continental breakfast, access to a small on-site business center and entry to the gym across the street. It’s a busy part of town, so ask for a back room if noise is an issue.

Georgian Court Hotel (Map; 604-682-5555, 800-663-1155; www.georgiancourt.com; 773 Beatty St; r from $195; wi-fi) A recent makeover for this discreet, European-style property hasn’t changed its classic approach to high service levels and solid, dependable amenities. The spruced-up standard rooms have new carpets and curtains but the apartment-style corner suites, with their quiet, recessed bedrooms, are recommended. There’s a small on-site fitness room and the Swiss-flavored William Tell Restaurant draws plenty of outside diners.

Opus Hotel Vancouver (Map; 604-642-6787, 866-642-6787; www.opushotel.com; 322 Davie St; d/ste from $340; wi-fi) While the city’s hotly anticipated Lodon and L’Hermitage hotels had yet to open during the research period for this book, the Opus was still clinging on as Vancouver’s best contemporary boutique property. Not quite ready to surrender its title as the city’s most talked-about sleepover, this stylish Yaletown spot combines designer esthetics with loungey west coast comforts. The rooms – especially the corner suites with their feng-shui bed placements – offer laid-back coziness, mod furnishings and earth-tone bedspreads.

Granville Island & Kitsilano

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach (Map; 604-224-3208, 888-203-4303; www.hihostels.ca; 1515 Discovery St; dm/r $27/71; May-Sep; ) A waterfront retreat that’s a bus ride from downtown, this giant HI sleepover attracts beach bums and activity nuts in equal measure. Outdoors types can rent bikes and sports equipment on site or stroll to the nearby kayaking and surfing operators. The large, basic dorm rooms are fine if you like a crowd – book ahead if you want one of the private rooms.

Maple House B&B (Map; 604-739-5833; www.maplehouse.com; 1533 Maple St; d $130; wi-fi) Although located in an old heritage property close to Kits Beach, this cozy little B&B is less about antique knick knaks and more about home comforts. Fusing elegant old flourishes with modern chintz touches, each of the three rooms has a private bathroom – the hardwood-floored blue room is our favorite. Your cooked breakfast is served in the high-ceilinged dining room downstairs.

Mickey’s Kits Beach Chalet (Map; 604-739-3342, 888-739-3342; www.mickeysbandb.com; 2142 W 1st Ave; d $120-160; wi-fi) This Whistler-style chalet property has three rooms and a hedged-in garden terrace. Behind its slender, chimney-dominated exterior, its quarters – including the gabled, top-floor York Room – are decorated in a comfortable contemporary style, although only the York Room has an en suite. Family-friendly, the hosts can supply toys, cribs and even babysitters. Rates include continental breakfast.

Granville Island Hotel (Map; 604-683-7373, 800-663-1840; www.granvilleislandhotel.com; 1253 Johnston St; d from $215; wi-fi) Hugging the waterfront on the quiet eastern tip of Granville Island, this laid-back hotel is characterized by its tranquil west coast ambiance. The rooms have exposed beams and earth-toned walls – the suites with their floor-to-ceiling waterfront views are recommended – and there’s a good on-site brewpub with beers like Johnston Pilsner and Cartwright Pale Ale.

UBC & West Side

Douglas Guest House (Map; 604-872-3060, 888-872-3060; www.dougwin.com; 456 W 13th Ave; r/ste from $75/145) A bright orange-painted home-style B&B in a quiet character neighborhood near City hall, the Douglas offers good rates (especially in winter). Its six rooms – comfortable and traditional rather than antique-lined – include two flowery singles with shared bathrooms, two larger doubles with en suites and two family-friendly suites. The top-floor penthouse has a nice private balcony while the downstairs Garden Suite has a kitchenette.

Shaughnessy Village (Map; 604-736-5511; www.shaughnessyvillage.com; 1125 W 12th Ave; s/d $78.95/88.95; ) Like staying in a 1950s Vegas hotel, this uniquely kitsch sleepover – think pink carpets, flowery sofas and maritime memorabilia – describes itself as a tower-block ‘B&B resort.’ Where else can you find a petrified rock display, a gym with a bum-shaking belt machine and a tree-lined garden with crazy golf? Despite the retro approach, the hotel is perfectly ship-shape, right down to its clean, well-maintained rooms. Like boat cabins, they’re lined with wooden cupboards and include microwaves, refrigerators and tiny en suites. Extras include cooked breakfasts, an outdoor pool, large laundry and an on-site hairdresser where you can book that beehive hairdo you always wanted.

Vancouver School of Theology, Iona Hotel (Map; 604-822-9031, 888-822-9031; www.vst.edu/housing/hotel.php; 6000 Iona Dr; d/ste $85/170; wi-fi) This historic college building on the UBC campus has been recently renovated and now offers good-value accommodations suitable for everyone from singles to small families. The standard rooms, complete with IKEA-esque furnishings, all have fridges and en suites, while the larger two-bedroom suites have handy kitchenettes. The building has a coffee shop and a coin-operated laundry and there are several UBC restaurants within walking distance.

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EATING

Celebrated for an international diversity that even rival foodie cities like Toronto and Montréal can’t match, Vancouver visitors can fill up on great ethnic dishes before they even start on the region’s flourishing west coast cuisine. To sample the best, just combine both approaches: try some of North America’s finest sushi for lunch, then sample Fraser Valley duck or Vancouver Island lamb for a sophisticated dinner. Whatever you choose, don’t miss the seafood – it’s BC’s greatest culinary asset.

With the city in the midst of a restaurant renaissance – barely a week goes by without a new eatery launching itself on the scene – you can tap into the latest vibe with the online reviews at www.urbandiner.ca or pick up a free copy of either Eat Magazine or City Food.

Downtown

Templeton (Map; 604-685-4612; 1087 Granville St; mains $6-11; 9am-11pm Mon-Wed, 9am-1am Thu-Sun) A funky chrome-and-vinyl 1950s diner with a twist, Templeton chefs up organic burgers, fair trade coffee, vegetarian sausages and perhaps the best breakfast in town (served until 3pm). Sadly, the mini jukeboxes on the tables don’t work but you can console yourself with a waistline-busting chocolate ice-cream float.

Culinaria Restaurant (Map; 604-639-2055; 609 Granville St; mains $8-24; 11:30am-2pm Mon-Fri, 5:30-10pm Tue-Sat) The training restaurant for the Dubrulle Culinary Arts program, this dining spot in the center of the downtown shopping district focuses on west coast cuisine. Support the cooking and wait staff students as they try to learn the tricks of the trade: the menu changes every week and, if you don’t want to gamble on dinner, the lunch menu is a good deal with sandwiches, pastas and salads mostly under $10.

Sanafir (Map; 604-678-1049; 1026 Granville St; mains from $14; 5pm-midnight) A beacon among Granville’s grubby sex shops, Sanafir is a loungey, Bedouin-themed eatery dripping with North African style. But it’s not all about looks. The menu’s small plates are designed for sharing and range from wine-braised short ribs to Indian-spiced scallops. Head to the decadent mezzanine level where you can lie down and feed like a king.

Metro (Map; 604-662-3463; 200 Burrard St; mains $14-38; 11am-10pm) This new eatery near the foot of Burrard St offers a galloping romp through contemporary Canadian fusion cuisine but its unusual pay-by-the-ounce approach to dishes can be pricey if you want to try a few different flavors. If you’re put off by the giant 50-item selection, head to the oyster bar and shuck your way through a few, complemented by a fruity bottle of BC wine.

Nu (Map; 604-646-4668; 1661 Granville St; mains $16-24; 11am-1am Mon-Fri, 10:30am-1am Sat, 10:30am-midnight Sun) An attractive waterfront location and a funky 1970s interior makes this feel like the set of an old Cinzano Bianco advert. Encouraging diners to be adventurous and share the unfamiliar French-influenced dishes with their friends, highlights here include tempura-battered olives and duck confit with liquefied foie gras. Don’t forget to try a few cocktails as well, preferably on the sunset-viewing deck.

C Restaurant (Map; 604-681-1164; 1600 Howe St; mains $18-46; 5:30-11pm) This pioneering west coast seafood restaurant overlooking False Creek isn’t cheap but its revelatory approach to fish and shellfish makes it probably the city’s best seafood dine-out. Scallops wrapped in octopus bacon and served with foie gras is a signature, deceptively uncomplicated dishes of side stripe prawns and Queen Charlotte scallops are highly recommended. Chef Rob Clark spearheads a local drive against farmed salmon and only uses superior-tasting wild sockeye.

West End

Asahi-Ya (Map; 604-688-8777; 1230 Robson St; mains $6-10; 11:30am-10pm) You’ll be rubbing shoulders with Asian language students who know a good deal when they see one at this friendly and decidedly unpretentious Japanese diner. Good-value sushi and sashimi classics are fresh and well presented but it’s the hearty cooked combo meals – especially the sizzling chicken teriyaki – that will bring you back for more.

Spice Alley (Map; 604-685-4468; 1333 Robson St; mains $8-14; 5pm-2am) Another popular language-student hangout – especially due to its late-night hours – this chatty Korean eatery often has a line-up winding along Robson. The animated youngsters come for the laid-back vibe and ever-popular spicy chicken stir-fry signature but the squid alternative is also recommended if you fancy something different.

Lift Bar & Grill (Map; 604-689-5438; 333 Menchions Mews; mains $17-23; 11:30am-midnight Mon-Fri, 11am-midnight Sat & Sun) Hanging over the seawall in Coal Harbour near Stanley Park, Lift serves unrivalled views of the verdant rainforest and mist-cloaked mountains from its wraparound windows and heated deck. If you can pull yourself away from the vistas, dip into gourmet comfort dishes like bison strip loin and prosciutto-wrapped salmon.

Raincity Grill (Map; 604-685-7337; 1193 Denman St; mains $20-30; 11:30am-2:30pm, 5-10pm Mon-Fri, 10:30am-2:30pm & 5-10pm Sat & Sun) This excellent English Bay restaurant was sourcing and serving unique BC ingredients long before the fashion for Fanny Bay oysters and Salt Spring Island lamb took hold. It’s a great showcase for fine west coast cuisine: the $30 three-course tasting menu (served between 5pm and 6pm) is an absolute bargain and the weekend brunch here is a local legend. If you’re on the move, drop by the takeout window and pick up a gourmet $10 sandwich for your jaunt around nearby Stanley Park.

Cin Cin Ristorante (Map; 604-688-7338; 1154 Robson St; mains $22-36; 5-11pm) Tuscan ambience fused with west coast sophistication means a host of homesick Hollywood movie stars keep coming back to this convivial high-end Italian eatery. If they’re not gorging on alder-smoked wild salmon pizza, they’re salivating over local fish and game prepared in a simple yet always elegant manner. Reservations recommended, especially if you want to sit on the patio with the likes of Halle Berry and Robin Williams.

Yaletown

Gorilla Food (Map; 604-722-2504; 422 Richards St; mains $4-7.50; 11am-6pm Mon-Fri) More guerrilla than gorilla, this tiny hole-in-the-wall takeout is a pilgrimage spot for raw-food devotees. Mimicking the diet of its namesake, nothing is cooked, leading to innovative treats like crunchy lasagna (strips of zucchini substitute for pasta) and pizza made from a dehydrated-seed crust and topped with tomato sauce, tenderized zucchini and mashed avocado. Save room for an icy almond shake dessert.

La Bodega (Map; 604-684-8814; 1277 Howe St; mains $5-11; 4:30pm-midnight Mon-Fri, 5pm-midnight Saturday, 5-11pm Sun) It’s all about the tasting plates at this authentic, country-style Spanish tapas bar. Pull up a chair, order a jug of sangria and decide on a few shareable treats from the extensive menu – if you’re feeling spicy, the chorizo sausage hits the spot and the Spanish meatballs are justifiably popular. There’s a great atmosphere here so don’t be surprised if you find yourself staying for more than a few hours.

Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar (Map; 604-602-0835; 1079 Mainland St; mains $14-26; 11:30am-midnight Mon-Fri, 10:30am-midnight Sat & Sun) Hip but unpretentious, this often clamorous restaurant has a comfortable loungelike feel and a menu of classy dishes fusing west coast ingredients with Asian and Mediterranean flourishes. The grilled halibut, served with scampi butter, Dungeness crab and roasted tomato risotto, is hard to beat but save room for some finger-licking satay-stick chasers or a strong Québecois ale in the backroom lounge.

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen (Map; 604-689-8318; 1118 Mainland St; mains $14-30; 4-11pm) Don’t be blinded by the dazzling blue marble bar and bustling open kitchen at this bold new eatery; it’s the menu that should catch the eye. Fusing west coast seafood with gentle Asian nudges – delivering treats like roast halibut with pea leaf and coconut-pineapple sauce – this is worth a night out if you’re looking for an alternative to the regular Pacific Northwest salmon dinner.

Blue Water Café (Map; 604-688-8078; 1095 Hamilton St; mains $22-44; 5pm-midnight) Vancouver’s best oyster bar also serves excellent sushi and an array of lovingly simple seafood dishes in a warm brick-and-beam dining room. If you feel like an adventure, head straight to the semicircular raw bar and watch the chef’s whirling blades prepare delectable sushi and sashimi, served with the restaurant’s signature soya-seaweed dipping sauce.

Gastown & Chinatown

Mouse & the Bean Café (Map; 604-633-1781; 207 W Hastings St; mains $4-12; noon-6pm Mon-Thu, noon-8pm Fri & Sat) Tucked under the Dominion Building, you’ll find this great-value family-run Mexican joint. Everything – including the salsa and refried beans – is lovingly made in-house and the prices are eye-opening low, which probably explains why the floor is still unfinished concrete. With lots of vegetarian options, try the feastlike Plato Mixteco if you want to share.

Salt Tasting Room (Map; 604-633-1912; Blood Alley; mains $5-15; noon-midnight) Located along a darkened nook off Carrall St, this brick-lined wine bar and charcuterie is a protein-lover’s delight with a deceptively simple approach. Pull up a bar stool at the long table and choose from the blackboard of cured meats and local cheeses, accompanied by a glass or two of great wine. Restoring the social aspect to dining, the warm room is usually noisy with chat by the end of the night.

Hon’s Wun-Tun House (Map; 604-688-0871; 268 E Keefer St; mains $6-18; 11am-11pm Sun-Thu, 11am-midnight Sat & Sun) Vancouver’s favorite Chinese restaurant minichain, Hon’s flagship Chinatown branch is suffused with inviting cooking smells. Dishes range from satisfying dim sum to steaming wonton soup bowls, bobbing with juicy dumplings. Try the congee rice porridge: a fancy-free soul food dish that takes three hours to prepare and comes in seafood, chicken and beef varieties.

Wild Rice (Map; 604-642-2882; 117 W Pender St; mains $10-18; 11:30am-midnight Mon-Thu, 11:30am-1am Fri, 5pm-midnight Sat & Sun) A loungey, minimalist reinvention of the traditional Chinese restaurant, Wild Rice fuses classic dishes with unexpected culinary influences from around the world. Wild boar with jasmine rice and plantain chips is particularly recommended, as is the comprehensive martini list. This is a popular late-night hangout on Fridays and Saturdays.

Social at Le Magasin (Map; 604-669-4488; 332 Water St; mains $22-28; 11am-midnight Mon-Fri, 10:30am-midnight Sat, 10:30am-10pm Sun) The downstairs oyster bar will entice you through the door but the upstairs dining room with its ornate tin ceiling is worth the climb. Recommended for brunch – try the duck-confit eggs Benedict – it’s also a comfortable dinner spot with west coast specials including a mouthwatering lamb shank. If you’re on the run, the on-site deli serves bulging gourmet sandwiches ($4 to $9) and heaping bowls of pulled-pork chili ($4).

South Main (SoMa) & Commercial Drive

Foundation (Map; 604-708-0881; 2301 Main St; mains $6-12; 5pm-1am) SoMa’s liveliest hangout, this funky vegetarian (mostly vegan) restaurant is the kind of place where artsy students and chin-stroking young intellectuals like to be seen. To fuel all that brainpower, dishes include adventurous treats like mango-and-coconut pasta and the beer comes from regional fave Storm Brewing, all served on the eatery’s signature mismatched Formica tables.

Charlatan (Map; 604-253-2777; 1446 Commercial Dr; mains $6-16; 11:30am-midnight) Reflecting a recent dine-and-drink resurgence on ‘the Drive’, this laid-back pub-style hangout caters to myriad tastes. Sports fans can perch at the bar under the flat-screen TVs to catch a game; drinkers – the Big Rock Traditional Ale is recommended – can hit the patio to watch the buzzing streetscape; and diners can chow down upstairs on comfort food like crab cakes with avocado salsa and mussels in exotic broths.

Nyala (Map; 604-876-9919; 4148 Main St; mains $8-16; 5:30-11pm Tue-Sun) Served in traditional clay pots made by the owner, the signature dish at this colorful African eatery is mafe, a spicy Creole-style chicken-and-vegetable creation that features a warming fusion of tomato, okra, coriander and hot chili. If you’re feeling more adventurous, sample the Ethiopian slow-cooked goat stew and drop by on Thursday when live music fills the room.

Havana (Map; 604-253-9119; 1212 Commercial Dr; mains $10-20; 11am-11pm Mon-Thu, 10am-midnight Fri, 9am-midnight Sat & Sun) The granddaddy of Commercial Dr has still got it, hence its teeming patio on most summer nights. Combining a rustic Latin American ambiance with a roster of satisfying Afro-Cuban-Southern soul-food dishes, highlights range from yam fries to slow-roasted lamb curry and a shellfish platter of clams, mussels and oysters. Arrive early for dinner or you’ll be fighting the crowds.

Granville Island

Go Fish (Map; 604-730-5040; 1505 W 1st Ave; mains $8-13; 11:30am-6:30pm Wed-Fri, noon-6:30pm Sat & Sun) On the amble-friendly seawall between Granville Island and Vanier Park, this waterfront shack serves Vancouver’s best fresh-caught fish and chips, along with excellent wild salmon tacos, scallop burgers and ahi tuna sandwiches. Favored by in-the-know locals, hence the frequent line-ups, all dishes are made to order and include house-chopped coleslaw. There’s not much seating – although it’s nice to perch on a stool facing the waterfront towers of north False Creek – so take your grub to nearby Vanier Park for a sunset dine-out.

Dockside Restaurant & Dockside Brewing Company (Map; 604-685-7070; 1253 Johnston St; mains $14-26; 7am-10pm) Wood-grilled steaks and grilled wild salmon are among the highlights in the dining room here at the Granville Island Hotel, but you can also kick back and enjoy a more casual (and less pricey) meal in the adjoining microbrew lounge. Both rooms have an intimate, wood-lined feel with their shared waterfront patio becoming a chatty al fresco hangout on most summer evenings.

Sandbar (Map; 604-669-9030; 1535 Johnston St; mains $18-35; 11:30am-11pm Sun-Thu, 11:30am-midnight Fri & Sat) West coast seafood dominates at this adult-oriented, high-ceilinged view restaurant under Granville St Bridge. The oysters, best enjoyed on the rooftop deck, are recommended and the 1800-strong wine list is something to write home about. Live music is served up Thursday to Saturday when the urban professionals drop by and loosen their ties.

Kitsilano & West Side

Naam (Map; 604-738-7151; 2724 W 4th Ave; mains $7-14; 24hr) Luring city vegetarians for 30 years, this casual 24-hour Kits eatery still has the ambiance of a cozy hippy hangout. But the menu and weekend brunch queues show that these guys mean business, encouraging legions of repeat diners who keep coming back for stuffed quesadillas, hearty Farmers Breakfasts and sesame-fried potatoes with miso gravy. Live music is a nightly fixture and there’s a convivial covered patio.

Sophie’s Cosmic Café (Map; 604-732-6810; 2095 W 4th Ave; mains $6-14; 8am-9:30pm) A local legend for nearly 20 years, Sophie’s is one of Vancouver’s best breakfast and weekend brunch spots. The memorabilia-lined diner ambiance only adds to the taste of the great eggs Benedict but, if you’re not here early enough, you may have a long wait for your greasy hangover cure. Consider coming back later in the day for a slice of mountain-sized apple pie.

Gastropod (Map; 604-730-5579; 1938 West 4th Ave; mains $24-32; noon-2:30pm Wed-Sat, 5:30-10:30pm daily) Part of the new restaurant renaissance sweeping Kits, this striking wood-lined contemporary dining room is the prefect setting for a modern, French-tweaked menu. Surprisingly well priced despite its high-end flourishes, its highlights are delectable and mostly organic meat and fish dishes, including an unusual oyster-and-horseradish ‘snow’ creation.

Fuel (Map; 604-288-7905; 1944 W 4th Ave; mains $27-34; noon-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 5:30-10:30pm daily) Despite the utilitarian name, this seminal Kits eatery sources exceptional regional ingredients and transforms them with a knowing cosmopolitan flair and expert service. Everything is seasonal, so expect regular menu changes – if you’re lucky, the crispy rainbow trout with sidestripe shrimp ravioli will be available. If not, console yourself with some Okanagan cherry tart.

Lumière (Map; 604-739-8185; 2551 W Broadway; mains $18-45; 5:30-11pm Tue-Sun) A repeat offender in the ‘best Vancouver restaurant’ stakes, this stylish eatery from Rob Feenie – the city’s most famed chef – deploys deceptively unfussy preparations to create an array of French-inspired, Asian-brushed masterpieces. Choose from mouthwatering mains like sake-and-maple-syrup–baked sablefish or loosen your belt and launch into one of the three multicourse tasting menus (from $110).

Tojo’s (Map; 604-872-8050; 1133 W Broadway; mains $16-26; 5-10pm Mon-Sat) Hidekazu Tojo’s legendary skill with the sushi knife has created one of North America’s most revered sushi restaurants. Among his exquisite dishes are favorites like lightly steamed monkfish, sautéed halibut cheeks and fried red tuna wrapped with seaweed and served with plum sauce. The maplewood sushi bar seats here are more sought-after than a couple of front-row Stanley Cup tickets, so reserve as early as possible and make sure you sample a selection or two from the sake menu.

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DRINKING

Distinctive new lounges and pubs are springing up in Vancouver like persistent drunks at an open bar. Wherever you end up drinking, check out some of the region’s excellent craft brews, including ales and lagers from Nelson, Granville Island and Crannóg breweries.

Bars & Nightclubs

Bar None (Map; 604-684-3044; 1222 Hamilton St; 9pm-2am Mon-Thu, 9pm-3am Fri & Sat) Yaletown’s favorite haunt for young professionals has a scrubbed beatnik appearance, but within its exposed-brick and beam shell the main topic of conversation is perfect cocktails and real-estate prices. The great and good come to sip alongside live soul music on Monday and Tuesday, while Thursday to Saturday combines house and Top 40 tunes on the dance floor.

Calling (Map; 604-801-6681; 1780 Davie St; 11am-2am Mon-Fri, 10am-2am Sat, 10am-midnight Sun) A small but swanky reinvention of the neighborhood pub – think silky hardwood floors, mod furnishings and black-clad wait staff. The main draw here is the slender covered patio overlooking English Bay: it’s perfect for sunsets and storm-watching. Serves gourmet pub grub like smoky-bacon-and-gorgonzola burgers alongside exotic European brews like Belgian cherry beer.

Honey (Map; 604-685-777; 455 Abbott St; noon-late) A refreshing alternative to the Granville St party rabble, this resto-lounge venue transforms into a club on weekends and is especially renowned for its Friday-night Mod Club, when a welcoming and pretense-free crowd of young coolsters dresses up for a night of pop-soul-and-everything-else partying. Good drinks specials, too.

Republic (Map; 604-669-3266; 958 Granville St; 6pm-3am Sun-Wed, 4pm-3am Thu-Sat) The city’s best new club combines a stylish high-ceilinged ground floor with a dramatic backlit bar and a hopping upstairs dance floor dripping with grinding bodies – especially on weekends when the Granville strip turns into a carnival of all-night partyers. You can watch over the anarchy unfolding outside from Republic’s glass-encased patio.

Shine (Map; 604-408-4321; 364 Water St; 9pm-2am) With music from electro to funky house and hip-hop, Gastown’s subterranean Shine attracts a younger crowd and is divided into a noisy main room and an intimate cozy cave with a 40ft chill-out sofa. The club’s Saturday night ‘Big Sexy Funk’ (hip-hop and rock) is a local legend but Thursday’s 1990s retro night appeals to all those ancient 25-year-old hipsters out there (you know who you are).

Lounges

Afterglow (Map; 604-602-0835; 1082 Hamilton St; 11:30am-midnight) Tucked at the back of Yaletown’s Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar, the city’s tiniest lounge is an intimate, pink-hued room lined with naked women – at least, their silhouettes appear on the walls. Pull up a vinyl block stool and experiment with cocktails like You Glow Girl and Pink Pussycat or knock yourself out with a few bottles of ultrastrong Québecois beer – then try to remember where your hotel is.

Alibi Room (Map; 604-623-3383; 157 Alexander St; 5pm-midnight Mon-Thu, 4:30pm-2am Fri, 10am-2am Sat & Sun) It’s all about great conversation at this edge-of-Gastown spot, where the design and film industries crowds congregate at long tables or hunker down in the low-ceilinged basement to bitch about work. A comfort food menu perfectly matches the drinks selection of fortifying martinis.

George Ultra Lounge (Map; 604-628-5555; 1137 Hamilton St; 4pm-2am Mon-Sat) One of hedonistic Yaletown’s favorite haunts, the moodily-lit George attracts the laser-whitened-teeth crowd with its giant list of high-concept cocktails – anyone for a Sazerac, featuring bourbon in an ‘absinthe-washed glass’? Work your way down the list, sink further into your comfy chair and try to figure out what the giant swirly glass thing above the bar is supposed to be.

Pubs

Irish Heather (Map; 604-688-9779; 217 Carrall St; noon-midnight) Vancouver’s best traditional pub, the Heather is an unpretentious labyrinth of brick-lined rooms and a cozy rear conservatory serving properly poured Guinness and great gourmet pub grub. Warm up in winter with a restorative Hot Irish, a concoction of whisky, lemon, cloves, sugar and boiling water, or head straight for the hidden Shebeen Whisky House out back, complete with the city’s largest malt selection. Both bars were planning a possible move across the street on our visit.

Seventy Two Sports Bar (Map; 604-646-4031; 1025 Robson St; 11:30am-11pm) Right in the heart of Robson St, you can pull up a patio chair on the 2nd floor here and still hear the chatty shoppers shuffling past below. Head inside if you want to catch a game at a booth with its own built-in TV or stay outside and combine good-quality pub grub (try the chicken quesadillas) with a full complement of local Russell Brewing beers – the cream ale is recommended.

Six Acres (Map; 604-488-0110; 203 Carrall St; noon-midnight Tue-Thu, noon-1am Fri & Sat) A convivial brick-lined nook capturing the spirit of what a chatty pub should feel like and fusing it with some knowing quirky flourishes – hence the menus enclosed by used book covers and the bathrooms playing old language tapes. Excellent beer selection – try the Draft Dodger from Phillips Brewing – and inspired pub grub like the Berlin, a shareable plate of cheese and sausage.

Steamworks Brewing Co (Map; 604-689-2739; 375 Water St; 11:30am-midnight Sun-Wed; 11:30am-1am Thu-Sat) A giant Gastown microbrewery in a cavernous converted brick warehouse. The signature beer here is Lions Gate Lager, a good summer tipple. A favorite place for the city’s after-work crowd, the pubby downstairs can get noisy while the upstairs is all about serene views across to the North Shore. The menu is packed with pub standards, but the pizzas are a stand-out.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Pick up the Georgia Straight or West Coast Life section of the Vancouver Sun – both out on Thursdays – to tap into local happenings. Tickets for many events are available from Ticketmaster (performing arts 604-280-3311, concerts 604-280-4444, sports 604-280-4400; www.ticketmaster.ca) but Tickets Tonight (Map, 604-684-2787; www.ticketstonight.ca) in the Tourism Info Centre also sells half-price day-of-entry tickets to many events.

Live Music

The city’s most authentic live music venue, the Railway Club (Map; 604-681-1625; www.therailwayclub.com; 579 Dunsmuir St; most shows $4-10; noon-2am Mon-Thu, noon-3am Fri & Sat, 4pm-midnight Sun) combines a grungy Brit-pub feel with an eclectic nightly roster of indie, folk, punk, soul and everything in between. Drafts from BC-favorites Granville Island Brewing and Okanagan Spring dominate the bar, served in traditional dimpled glasses.

It’s a similar crowd over at the dark and intimate Media Club (Map; 604-608-2871; www.themediaclub.ca; 695 Cambie St; most shows $5-20), where acts range from indie to acoustic metal to rap.

The city’s best mid-sized venue, the Art Deco Commodore (Map; 604-739-4550; 868 Granville St; most shows $20-35) is an old but lovingly renovated upstairs ballroom. Complete with a bouncy dance floor, it showcases great visiting bands and the best in local talent.

Across the street, the Plaza Club (Map604-646-0064; www.plazaclub.net; 881 Granville St; most shows $5-25) has added an expanding roster of live music shows to its regular nightclub duties. The venue hosts a varied array of rising and smaller visiting talent.

Blues fans should head along Granville to the Yale (Map; 604-681-9253; www.theyale.ca; 1300 Granville St; most shows $10-25; 11:30am-2am Mon-Thu & Sun, to 3am Fri & Sat), a blowsy, unpretentious joint with a large stage, devoted clientele and a beer-sticky dance floor. Chin-stroking jazz nuts might instead find themselves drawn to the subterranean Cellar Restaurant & Jazz Club (Map; 604-738-1959; www.cellarjazz.com; 3611 W Broadway; most shows $5-15; 8pm-midnight Mon-Wed, 7pm-midnight Thu-Sun) where serious tunes are reverentially performed.

Theater & Cinemas

Mainstream live theater in the city is staged primarily at downtown’s Vancouver Playhouse (Map; 604-873-3311; www.vancouverplayhouse.com; cnr Hamilton & Dunsmuir Sts; tickets $40-55), which presents a six-play season at its large civic venue in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre complex.

Popular world classics and works by contemporary Canadian playwrights are also part of the mix offered by the Arts Club Theatre Company (604-687-1644; www.artsclub.com; tickets $30-60), which performs at the Granville Island Stage (Map; 1585 Johnston St) and Stanley Theatre (Map; 2750 Granville St).

Those looking for more challenging fare might prefer the Firehall Arts Centre (Map; 604-689-0926; www.firehallartscentre.ca; 280 E Cordova St; tickets $15-30), an intimate studio venue where ‘difficult’ works are presented to an artsy crowd.

For multiplex movie fans, the Scotiabank Theatre (Map; 604-630-1407; www.cineplex.com; 900 Burrard St; tickets $11.95) is a magnet for the latest blockbusters. Mixing its own blockbuster offerings with festival flicks, Tinseltown Cinemas (Map; 604-806-0799; www.cinemark.com; 88 W Pender St; tickets $10.75) is another downtown favorite.

Alternative movie buffs can hit the Vancity International Film Centre (Map; 604-683-3456; www.viff.org; 1181 Seymour St; tickets $9.50) or the older Pacific Cinèmathéque (Map; 604-688-3456; www.cinematheque.bc.ca; 1131 Howe St; tickets $9.50). In contrast, Canada Place’s CN Imax Theatre (Map; 604-682-4629; www.imax.com/vancouver; 201-999 Canada Place; tickets $12) screens worthy documentaries and the occasional reformatted blockbuster.

Classical Music & Dance

Often setting up shop at the beautiful Orpheum Theatre (Map; 604-876-3434; 601 Smithe St; tickets $25-60), the city’s Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (www.vancouversymphony.ca) fuses complex and stirring recitals with crossover shows of movie music, opera and even Shakespearean sonnets.

The innovative Scotiabank Dance Centre (Map; 604-606-6400; www.thedancecentre.ca; 677 Davie St; tickets from $10) is the home of BC’s dance community, staging entertaining and often challenging recitals by professional and student dancers. Ballet BC (604-732-5003; www.balletbc.com) is headquartered here and frequently performs at the venue when not on tour.

Sports

The Vancouver Canucks (604-899-4600; www.canucks.com) NHL hockey team is the city’s leading sports franchise. Book your seat at their GM Place (Map; 604-899-7469; www.canucks.com; tickets $33-94; Oct-Apr) home way in advance – most games are sold to capacity.

If you’re out of luck with the Canucks, the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants (604-444-2687; www.vancouvergiants.com; Pacific Coliseum, 100 N Renfrew St; tickets $21.50-23.50; Oct–mid-Mar) is a good-value alternative. They play at the Pacific Coliseum, east of downtown.

Canadian Football League (CFL) side BC Lions (604-589-7627; www.bclions.com; BC Place Stadium; tickets $27-70; Jun-Oct) strut their stuff at downtown’s covered BC Place Stadium (Click here). Tickets are generally easy to come by – unless they’re closing in on the Grey Cup, last won in 2006.

For a nostalgic (and cheap) afternoon of baseball and beer in plastic cups, it’s hard to beat a Vancouver Canadians (604-872-5232; www.canadiansbaseball.com; Nat Bailey Stadium; tickets $8-12.50; mid-Jun–mid-Sep) game at the recently renovated Nat Bailey Stadium (Map).

And if you want to see the Vancouver Whitecaps (604-669-9283; www.whitecapsfc.com; Swangard Stadium, Burnaby; tickets $16-35; May-Sep) Western League soccer team before they head to their proposed new downtown stadium, you’ll have to hit the Sky Train to Burnaby and their old Swangard Stadium venue (Map).

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SHOPPING

While Robson St is fine if you’re looking for chain fashion stores of the American Eagle and Banana Republic variety, its intersection with Granville St throws up some pricey designer boutiques from the likes of Puma and Adidas. If you prefer an edgier look, it’s hard to beat the quirky SoMa boutiques between 19th and 23rd Aves (Map). For window-shopping, Granville Island, South Granville (especially from Broadway onwards) and Kitsilano’s 4th Ave usually hit the spot. Gastown is increasingly joining the independent designer fray but it’s also dripping with souvenir stores if you really must buy that Steam Clock T-shirt or bag of chocolate ‘moose droppings.’

Clothing

Eugene Choo (Map; 604-873-8874; 3683 Main St; 11am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun) Behind the double-fronted, blue-painted exterior of this Main St favorite beats the heart of a store that reflects the emergence of this area as Vancouver’s hip-clothing capital. Once a grungy vintage store, it’s now a hotbed of local designer duds for the city’s pale and interesting slim-fit set.

John Fluevog Shoes (Map; 604-688-2828; 837 Granville St; 11am-7pm Mon-Wed & Sat, 11am-8pm Thu & Fri, noon-6pm Sun) While some of the footwear looks like Doc Martens on acid and others could poke your eye out from 20 paces, many of Fluevog’s funky shoes also have a reduced ‘green footprint.’ Check out the synthetic vegetarian shoes and the completely biodegradable ‘Earth Angels’ range.

Mountain Equipment Co-op (Map; 604-872-7858; 130 W Broadway; 10am-7pm Mon-Wed, 10am-9pm Thu & Fri, 9am-6pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) Outdoorsy visitors usually gravitate towards this gear-store mecca, stuffed with clothing, kayaks, sleeping bags, clever camping gadgets and a respectable array of regional and international travel books. You’ll have to be a lifetime member to buy, but that’s easy to arrange and only costs $5.

Smoking Lily (Map; 604-873-5459; 3634 Main St; 11am-5:30pm Thu-Sat, noon-5pm Sun & Mon) Quirky art-student cool is the approach at this SoMa store, where skirts, belts and halter tops are whimsically accented with prints of ants, skulls or the Periodic Table, making their wearers appear interesting and complex. Men’s clothing is slowly creeping in to the mix, with some fish-, skull- and bird-sketch T-shirts available. It’s a fun spot to browse and the staff is friendly and chatty.

Markets

Chinatown Night Market (Map; 604-682-8998; www.vcma.shawbiz.ca; 100-200 Keefer St; 6:30-11pm Fri-Sun mid-May–mid-Sep) This colorful downtown evening bazaar lures locals with its sensory combination of cheap trinkets, knock-off designer goods and aromatic hawker food – it’s like a walk-through buffet of noodles, fish balls and bubble tea. There’s also a live music stage on most nights.

OLYMPICS COUNTDOWN

During research for this book, Vancouver was feverishly renovating existing sites or building new venues for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (www.vancouver2010.com). These sites include BC Place, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as nightly medal presentations; Pacific Coliseum in Hastings Park, which will host figure skating, short-track and speed-skating; the UBC Winter Sports Centre, which will host hockey and Paralympic sledge hockey; Hillcrest Curling Centre, which will host curling and wheelchair curling; GM Place, which will host ice hockey; Cypress Mountain, which will host freestyle skiing and snowboard; and the Richmond Speed Skating Oval, which will be the home of long-track speed-skating. Other events will take place in and around Whistler.

Granville Island Public Market (Map; 604-666-6477; www.granvilleisland.com; Johnson St; 9am-7pm) Towering peaks of fruit and veg dominate at the city’s leading covered market, which also acts as a great picnic-foraging spot if you trawl the deli stands and tempting bakeries. There’s a good food court here if you don’t have time for a picnic, and there are also many temporary stalls hawking quirky arts and crafts.

UBC Farm Market (Map; 604-822-5092; 6182 South Campus Rd; 9am-1pm Sat mid-Jun–Sep) A tasty cornucopia of regional BC farm produce hits the stalls here in summer. Highlights can include crunchy apples, lush peaches and juicy blueberries; home-baked cakes and treats are frequent accompaniments. There are additional summer markets throughout the city at Nelson Park, Kitsilano Community Centre, Trout Lake and Nat Bailey Stadium – check www.eatlocal.org for info on these.

Vancouver Flea Market (Map; 604-685-0666; www.vancouverfleamarket.com; 703 Terminal Ave; admission 75c; 9am-5pm Sat & Sun) If sifting through boxes of dusty LPs or trying on authentic 1970s trucker baseball caps is your thing, the giant, musty-smelling Vancouver Flea Market is the place for you. Its barnlike venue near the Main St SkyTrain station houses dozens of semiprofessional and amateur hawkers, giving it the feel of a sprawling indoor garage sale.

Specialty Items

Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery (Map; 604-685-9298; 1024 Mainland St; 10am-7pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun) This sumptuous Yaletown store houses a fine selection of Northwest Coast and Inuit aboriginal jewelry, carvings and prints. Focusing on the arts-end of native crafts, you’ll find some exquisite items here that will likely have your credit card sweating within minutes.

Dream Designs (Map; 604-254-5012; 956 Commercial Dr; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11:30am-5pm Sun) Visiting greenies will enjoy dipping into this small organic home store that sells everything from yoga knick knacks to linen pajamas and hemp bed-sheets. Check out the local pottery selection and enjoy a calming chat with the staff about your favorite natural spa treatments.

Meinhardt Fine Foods (Map; 604-732-4405; 3002 Granville St; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-9pm Sun) There’s a great deli and a handy next-door takeout service at this South Granville cuisine-lover’s paradise – the culinary equivalent of a sex shop for fine-food fans. Check out the narrow aisles of international condiments, then start building your ideal picnic from the impressive bread, cheese and cold-cuts selection.

Mink Chocolates (Map; 604-633-2451; 863 W Hastings St; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) Avoid the usual Canuck souvenirs of maple-syrup cookies and vacuum-packed salmon at this decadent designer chocolate shop in the downtown core. Trouble is, once you’ve selected a handful of choccy bonbons – little edible artworks embossed with prints of trees and coffee cups – you’ll be lured to the drinks bar for a velvety hot chocolate. Next stop: years of addiction therapy.

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GETTING THERE & AWAY

Air

Vancouver International Airport (Map; 604-207-7077; www.yvr.ca) is the main west coast hub for airlines from Canada, the US and international locales. It’s in Richmond, a 13km/30-minute drive from downtown.

Intra-Canada flights include regular Westjet (800-538-5696; www.westjet.com) services from Calgary ($160, 90 minutes) and Air Canada Jazz (514-393-3333, 888-247-2262; www.aircanada.com) services from Victoria (from $91, 25 minutes). Linked to the main airport by shuttle bus, the South Terminal receives BC-only flights from smaller airlines and floatplane operators.

Several handy floatplane services can also deliver you directly to the Vancouver waterfront’s Seaplane Terminal in 35 minutes. These include frequent Harbour Air Seaplanes (604-274-1277, 800-665-0212; www.harbour-air.com; $120) and West Coast Air (604-606-6888, 800-347-2222; www.westcoastair.com; $119) services from Victoria’s centrally-located Inner Harbour.

Boat

BC Ferries (250-386-3431, 888-223-3779; www.bcferries.com) services arrive at Tsawwassen – an hour outside downtown – from Vancouver Island’s Swartz Bay (passenger/vehicle $10.55/35, 90 minutes, eight to 12 daily) and Nanaimo’s Duke Point (passenger/vehicle $10.55/35, two hours, six to 10 daily). Services also arrive here from the Southern Gulf Islands.

Additional ferries arrive at West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay – 30 minutes from downtown – from Nanaimo’s Departure Bay (passenger/vehicle $10.55/35, 90 minutes, eight to 12 daily). Services also arrive here from Bowen Island (passenger/vehicle $7.10/22.40, 20 minutes, 13-16 daily) and from Langdale (passenger/vehicle $9.60/34, 40 minutes, eight to 12 daily) on the Sunshine Coast.

Bus

Most out-of-town buses grind to a halt at Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station (Map; 1150 Station St).

Greyhound Canada (800-661-8747; www.grey hound.ca) services arrive here from Whistler ($18.80, 2½ hours, eight daily), Kelowna (from $30, six hours, seven daily) and Calgary (from $70, 14 to 17 hours, six daily) among others. Traveling via the BC Ferries Swartz Bay–Tsawwassen route, frequent Pacific Coach Lines (250-385-4411, 800-661-1725; www.pacificcoach.com) services trundle in here from downtown Victoria ($37.50, 3½ hours).

Perimeter Tours (604-266-5386, 877-317-7788; www.perimeterbus.com) services arrive in the city from Whistler ($67, 2½ hours, seven to 11 daily), while a similar winter-only service ($21, 2½ hours, two daily) is operated by Snowbus (604-685-7669, 866-7669-287; www.snowbus.ca).

Quick Coach Lines (604-940-4428, 800-665-2122; www.quickcoach.com) runs an express shuttle between Seattle and Vancouver, departing from downtown Seattle (US$34.20, four hours, six daily) and the city’s Sea-Tac International Airport (US$46.55, 4½ hours, seven daily).

Car & Motorcycle

If you’re coming from Washington State in the US, you’ll be on the I-5 until you hit the border town of Blaine, then on Hwy 99 in Canada. It’s about an hour’s drive from here to downtown Vancouver. Hwy 99 continues through downtown, across the Lions Gate Bridge to Horseshoe Bay, Squamish and Whistler.

If you’re coming from the east, you’ll probably be on the Trans-Canada Hwy (Hwy 1), which snakes through the city’s eastern end, eventually meeting with Hastings St (Map). If you want to go downtown, turn left onto Hastings and follow it into the city center, or continue on along the North Shore toward Whistler.

If you’re coming from Horseshoe Bay, Hwy 1 heads through West Vancouver and North Vancouver before going over the Second Narrows Bridge into Burnaby. If you’re heading downtown, leave the highway at the Taylor Way exit in West Vancouver and follow it over the Lions Gate Bridge toward the city center.

All the recognized car rental chains Click here have Vancouver branches. Avis, Budget, Hertz, Lo-Cost and Thrifty also have airport branches.

Train

Trains trundle in from across Canada and the US at Pacific Central Station (Map; 1150 Station St).

VIA Rail (888-842-7245; www.viarail.com) trains arrive here from Kamloops North ($115, nine hours, three weekly), Jasper ($240, 17½ hours, three weekly) and Edmonton ($325, 24 hours, three weekly) among others.

Amtrak (800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com) US services arrive from Eugene (US$56, 13½ hours, two daily), Portland (US$42, eight hours, three daily) and Seattle (from US$28, 3½ hours, five daily).

Note that only the first service of the day from Seattle is by train, with buses used for the remaining four services.

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GETTING AROUND

To/From the Airport

With the new SkyTrain rapid transit airport line not expected to open until late 2009, budget up to $35 for the 30-minute taxi ride from the airport to downtown Vancouver. Alternatively, the Vancouver Airporter (604-946-8866, 800-668-3141; www.yvrairporter.com; one-way/return $13.50/21; 5:30am-11:45pm) shuttle bus delivers passengers to many city-center hotels (operating hours are reduced in winter).

Bicycle

With routes running across town, Vancouver is a relatively good cycling city. Pick up a Greater Vancouver Cycling Map & Guide ($3.95) at convenience stores and bookshops for area information. Cyclists can take their bikes for free on SkyTrains, SeaBuses and rack-fitted transit buses.

Bike rentals:

Reckless Bike Stores (Map; 604-731-2420; www.rektek.com; 1810 Fir St; half/full-day $25/32.50; 9am-7pm Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Sun May-Aug, 10am-dusk Sep-Apr) Near entrance to Granville Island.
Spokes Bicycle Rental (Map; 604-688-5141; www.vancouverbikerental.com; 1798 W Georgia St; 1hr/6hr adult from $7/20; 9am-7pm May-Aug, 10am-dusk Sep-Apr) One block from Stanley Park’s main entrance.

Boat

Running mini vessels (some big enough to carry bikes) between the foot of Hornby St and Granville Island, Aquabus Ferries (Map; 604-689-5858; www.theaquabus.com; adult/child from $2.50/1.25) services spots along False Creek as far as Science World.

Its cutthroat rival is False Creek Ferries (Map; 604-684-7781; www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca; adult/child from $2.50/1.25), which operates a similar Granville Island service from the Aquatic Centre, plus additional ports of call around False Creek.

Car & Motorcycle

The rush-hour vehicle line-up to cross the Lions Gate Bridge to the North Shore frequently snakes far up Georgia St. Try the alternative Second Narrows Bridge. Other peak-time hotspots to avoid are the George Massey Tunnel and Hwy 1 to Surrey.

Parking is at a premium downtown: there are few free spots available on residential side streets and traffic wardens are predictably predatory. Some streets have metered parking but pay-parking lots (from $4 per hour) are a better proposition – arrive before 9am at some for early-bird discounts. Underground parking at either Pacific Centre shopping mall or the Central Library will have you in the heart of the city.

Public Transportation

The website for TransLink (604-953-3333; www.translink.bc.ca) bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus services has a useful trip-planning tool, or you can buy the handy Getting Around route map ($1.95) from convenience stores.

A ticket bought on any of the three services is valid for 90 minutes of travel on the entire network, depending on the zone you intend to travel in. The three zones become progressively more expensive the further you journey. One-zone tickets are adult/child $2.50/1.75, two-zone tickets $3.75/2.50 and three-zone tickets $5/3.50. An all-day, all-zone pass costs $9/7. If you’re traveling after 6:30pm or on weekends or holidays, all trips are classed as one-zone fares and cost $2.50/1.75.

BUS

The bus network is extensive in the downtown area – especially along Granville St, Broadway, Hastings St, Main St and Burrard St. Many buses have bike racks and are wheelchair accessible. Exact change (or more) is required since all buses use fare machines and change is not given.

B-Line express buses operate between Richmond and downtown Vancouver (98 B-Line) and between UBC and the Broadway and Commercial SkyTrain stations (99 B-Line). These buses have their own limited arrival and departure points and do not use regular bus stops.

There is also a 12-route night bus system that runs every 30 minutes between 1:30am and 4am across the Lower Mainland. The last bus leaves downtown Vancouver at 3:10am. Look for the night-bus signs at designated stops.

SKYTRAIN

At the time of research for this book, the SkyTrain network consisted of two routes with a third Canada Line route from downtown to the airport due to open in 2009.

The original 35-minute Expo Line takes passengers to and from downtown Vancouver and Surrey, via stops throughout Burnaby and New Westminster. The newer Millennium Line alights near shopping malls and suburban residential districts in Coquitlam and Burnaby.

Trains depart every two to eight minutes between 5am and 1:30am Monday to Friday (6am to 12:30am Saturday, 7am to 11:30pm Sun). All SkyTrain services are wheelchair accessible.

SEABUS

The aquatic shuttle SeaBus (604-682-7887; www.translink.bc.ca) operates every 15 to 30 minutes throughout the day, taking 12 minutes to cross the Burrard Inlet between Waterfront Station and Lonsdale Quay. At Lonsdale there’s a bus terminal servicing routes throughout North Vancouver and West Vancouver. Services depart from Waterfront Station between 6:15am and 12:45am Monday to Saturday (8:15am to 11:15pm Sunday). Vessels are wheelchair accessible and bike-friendly.

TAXI

Flagging a downtown cab shouldn’t take too long, but it’s easiest to get your hotel to call you one. Operators include Vancouver Taxi (604-871-1111) and Black Top & Checker Cabs (604-731-1111). For green travelers, Yellow Cab (604-681-1111) has a large fleet of low-emission vehicles. Vancouver taxi meters start at $2.70 and add $1.58 per kilometer.

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LOWER MAINLAND

While downtown Vancouver and its accessible environs always get the lion’s share of attention from visitors, smart travelers with time on their hands usually explore a little further than the boundaries of their free Tourism Vancouver map. A drive or transit trek over the soaring Lions Gate Bridge will deliver you to the forest-fringed doorstep of North Vancouver and West Vancouver, complete with their outdoors attractions and waterfront views, while a short-hop ferry from Horseshoe Bay takes you over to Bowen Island for a rustic day excursion. Closer to town, Richmond is a bustling Asian-flavored metropolis; Burnaby houses the region’s biggest shopping attraction; and Fort Langley is a historic village that recalls the region’s colorful pioneer days.

NORTH VANCOUVER

pop 45,000

A commuter ’burb for downtown professionals, the multitreed city of ‘North Van’ nevertheless has some of the Lower Mainland’s top visitor attractions. For information on what to do here, check out the municipal website (www.cnv.org) or pick up the free North Shore News paper.

Sights & Activities

The Lower Mainland’s most popular attraction is Capilano Suspension Bridge & Park (Map; 604-985-7474; www.capbridge.com; 3735 Capilano Rd; adult/youth/child $26.95/15.65/8.30; 9am-5pm Nov-Mar, 9am-6:30pm Apr, 9am-7:30pm May, 8:30am-8pm Jun & Sep, 8:30am-9pm Jul & Aug, 9am-6pm Oct). This 140m-long cabled walkway sways over the roiling waters of tree-lined Capilano Canyon: an awesome sight even for the most jaded traveler – especially when your legs turn to jelly halfway across. The grounds also include rainforest walks, totem poles and a swinging network of smaller cable bridges strung between the trees.

Calling itself the ‘Peak of Vancouver,’ Grouse Mountain (off Map; 604-980-9311; www.grouse mountain.com; 6400 Nancy Greene Way; adult/youth/child summer $33/19/12, winter $45/35/20; 9am-10pm) offers some jaw-dropping views of downtown Vancouver. In summer, Skyride gondola passengers can access mountain restaurants, lumberjack shows, alpine hiking trails and a grizzly-bear refuge. You can also harden your calf muscles on the Grouse Grind, a steep 2.9km wilderness trek, which takes most people around 90 minutes. In winter, Grouse becomes the locals’ favorite snowy playground with its 25 ski and snowboard runs, outdoor ice-skating rink and large helping of Christmastime shenanigans.

Lynn Canyon Park (Map; 604-984-3149; Park Rd; admission free; 7am-9pm May-Aug, 7am-7pm Sep-Apr), the free alternative to Capilano, is a verdant North Van spot with its own slightly smaller suspension bridge. There are also plenty of excellent hiking trails and some great picnic spots. Check out the park’s Ecology Centre (604-981-3103; www.dnv.org/ecology; 3663 Park Rd; admission by donation; 10am-5pm Jun-Sep, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri & noon-4pm Sat & Sun Oct-May) for displays on the area’s rich biodiversity.

A popular nature escape from the city, Mt Seymour Provincial Park (Map; 604-986-2261; www.bcparks.ca; 1700 Mt Seymour Rd) is a tree-lined park space suffused with summertime hiking trails that suit walkers of all abilities. Like Grouse, the area transforms in winter, when Mt Seymour Resorts (604-718-7771; www.mountseymour.com; adult/youth/child $39/32/19; 9:30am-10pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-10pm Sat & Sun Jan-Mar) runs three lifts to take you skiing or snowboarding on its 21 runs. There’s also a toboggan area ($7) and snow-tubing course ($15, two hours).

Sleeping & Eating

Grouse Inn (Map; 604-988-1701, 800-779-7888; www.grouseinn.com; 1633 Capilano Rd; s/d/ste from $99/109/145; ) While it looks like a small shopping mall from the outside, this family-friendly motel is favored by winter skiers and summer wilderness explorers and is stuffed with amenities. It has a playground, outdoor pool and free continental breakfast. Rooms have bright and breezy interiors – especially if you like busy, 1980s-style bedspreads – and come in a wide array of configurations, including Jacuzzi suites and larger rooms for groups.

Lonsdale Quay Hotel (Map; 604-986-6111; www.lonsdalequayhotel.com; 123 Carrie Cates Ct; d/ste $149/189; wi-fi) Steps from the SeaBus terminal and offering easy access to the mountains, the best rooms at this midsized hotel overlook the Burrard Inlet and Vancouver skyline. Interiors will be familiar to the business-traveler crowd but there are also two colorful family rooms with bunk beds and bath toys. There are plenty of shops and restaurants nearby to keep you occupied.

Tomahawk Restaurant (Map; 604-988-2612; 1550 Philip Ave; mains $6-14; 8am-9pm Sun-Thu, 8am-10pm Fri & Sat) This family-owned, blast-from-the-past local legend has been heaping its plates with hearty comfort food since 1926. The North Shore’s best weekend breakfast spot – if this place doesn’t kill your throbbing hangover, nothing will – it’s also great for a chatty lunch or dinner, when chicken potpies and organic meatloaf hit the tables.

Observatory (off Map; 604-980-9311; Grouse Mountain; mains $35-40; 5-10pm) Clinging gamely to the top of Grouse Mountain, this fine dining spot serves up dishes of seared scallops and beef tenderloin along with the region’s best views of nighttime Vancouver, twinkling in the valley far below.

Altitudes Bistro (off Map; 604-984-0661; mains $7-17; 11:30am-10pm) Adjoining the Observatory, here the views are almost as good and the atmosphere is decidedly more laid-back. Quality pub food in a ski-lodge setting.

Getting There & Around

SeaBus vessels arrive at Lonsdale Quay from Vancouver’s Waterfront Station ($3.50, 12 minutes) every 15 to 30 minutes throughout the day. From the bus terminal at the quay, bus 236 runs to Capilano Suspension Bridge then up to the base of Grouse Mountain.

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations runs its popular Whistler Mountaineer (604-606-8460, 888-687-7245; www.whistlermountaineer.com) train into North Vancouver from Whistler (from $105, three hours, once a day May to mid-October).

For a locals’ take on the area, consider the friendly folk at North Van Green Tours (604-290-0145; www.northvangreentours.com; adult/child $35/20). They run a four-hour guided trek of the North Shore’s natural treasures in an ecologically friendly biofuel van.

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WEST VANCOUVER

pop 42,000

Adjoining North Vancouver, the considerably more wealthy ‘West Van’ is colored by the multilevel mansions that cling to the cliff tops here and look down – in more ways than one – across the region. It’s a stop-off point on the drive from downtown to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal and points north to Whistler. You can check out all the local information and parochial intrigue at the city council (www.westvancouver.ca) website.

Sights & Activities

Some of the region’s oldest and most spectacular trees live within the 75-hectare Lighthouse Park (Map; 604-925-7200; cnr Beacon Lane & Marine Dr), including a rare stand of original coastal forest and plenty of copper-trunked arbutus trees. About 13km of hiking trails crisscross the area, including a recommended trek that leads to Point Atkinson Lighthouse and some shimmering views across lovely Burrard Inlet. If you’re driving from downtown, turn left on Marine Dr after crossing the Lions Gate Bridge.

Around 8km north of West Van via Hwy 99, Cypress Provincial Park (off Map; 604-924-2200; www.bcparks.ca; Cypress Bowl Rd) offers great summertime hiking trails, including the fairly challenging Black Mountain Loop. In winter, the park’s Cypress Mountain (604-926-5612; www.cypressmountain.com; lift ticket adult/youth/child $47/40/21; 9am-4pm Dec, 9am-10pm Jan-Mar) attracts well-insulated sporty types with its 38 ski runs and popular snowshoe trails. As the snowboarding and freestyle skiing venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics, new facilities and upgrades are being added – including a new high-speed chair lift and eight new runs.

Head to the marina near Horseshoe Bay to book a seat on a rigid-hulled inflatable for your two-hour, high-speed ride out to sea with Sewell’s Sea Safari (off Map; 604-921-3474; www.sewellsmarina.com; 6409 Bay St; adult/youth/child $67/59/37; Apr-Oct). With the spray in your face and the wind rattling your sunglasses, keep your eyes open for possible whale-pod sightings – barking seal and soaring eagles are almost guaranteed.

Sleeping & Eating

Horseshoe Bay Motel (off Map; 604-921-7454; hbaymotel@telus.net; 6588 Royal Ave; s/d $99/119) Unless you can persuade one of the wealthy locals to offer you a spare room, this plain-Jane, nothing-to-write-home-about motel is one of the few options available for a West Van sleepover. Its 23 rooms are standard motel fare but if you have an early morning ferry to catch from nearby Horseshoe Bay, you’ll be happy with even the minimum home comforts.

Lighthouse Park B&B (Map; 604-926-5959, 800-926-0262; www.lighthousepark.com; 4875 Water Lane; ste $165) This elegant two-suite sleepover, complete with private entrances and a flower-decked courtyard, will have you feeling like a West Van aristo in no time. Each suite has a fridge and DVD player, as well as a decanter of sherry for that essential al fresco evening tipple. You can sober up with a stroll to nearby Point Atkinson Lighthouse.

Caspian (Map; 604-921-1311; 1495 Marine Dr; mains $10-18; 11:30am-10pm) One of the region’s rare Iranian restaurants, Caspian is a hidden gem that attracts a knowing local crowd. Proving just how authentic the food is, there are usually a few expat Iranians here, tucking into large platters of Barbary bread (with eggplant dip) and long-simmered stews. The recommended fish, chicken and beef kabobs dominate the menu.

Salmon House (Map; 604-926-3212; 2229 Folkestone Way; mains $24-30; 11:30am-2pm, 5-10pm) While its buttery-soft salmon dishes are always worthwhile, the landmark Salmon House also offers an ever-changing array of seasonal BC seafood treats, including delectable Fanny Bay oysters and Hecate Strait halibut. The cedar-lined, high-ceilinged dining area is packed with First Nations art and there’s an adjoining lounge area specializing in small plates for those who like to sample.

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HORSESHOE BAY & BOWEN ISLAND

Horseshoe Bay marks the end of the North Shore and the start of trips to Whistler, via the Sea to Sky Hwy (Hwy 99), or Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast via the ferry. You can also catch a 20-minute ferry ride to Bowen Island from here. For Horseshoe Bay information, check www.horseshoebaybc.ca. Bowen Island has its own Visitor Centre (604-947-9024; www.bowenisland.org; 432 Cardena Rd; 9:30am-4pm mid-May–mid-Oct, 10am-3pm Tue-Sat mid-Oct–mid-May).

West of Horseshoe Bay, Whytecliff Park (off Map; 604-925-7200; 7100 block Marine Dr) attracts scuba divers to its protected waters, hikers to its rocky trails and rock climbers to its granite cliffs. It’s also a fun place for families, who come for its picnic areas and marine views.

Hiking trails and picnic grounds similarly abound on Bowen. Scenic kayaking tours are offered by Bowen Island Sea Kayaking (604-947-9266, 800-605-2925; www.bowenislandkayaking.com; rentals 3hr/5hr/day $45/55/65, tours from $65), and its two-day Round Bowen tour ($375) is recommended, if you have the time.

A stroll from the Bowen ferry dock, Lodge at the Old Dorm (604-947-0947; www.lodgeattheolddorm.com; 460 Melmore Rd, Bowen Island; r $90-140) is a character B&B dripping with art deco and arts and crafts accents and is a warm and convivial sleepover. The six rooms are bright and comfortable – the Lady Alexandra room with its own private garden is our favorite – and the continental buffet breakfast, served on a central counter in the kitchen, is full of yummy home-baked treats.

You can also fuel-up at Bowen’s Doc Morgan’s Inn (604-947-0808; mains $8-22; 11:30am-11pm) where the chatty patios overlook the park and the harbor. Pub grub is the main focus here and the fish and chips are recommended.

BC Ferries (250-386-3431, 888-223-3779; www.bcferries.com) plies the waters between Horseshoe Bay and Bowen Island (adult/child/vehicle $7.10/3.55/22.40, 20 minutes, 16 daily). The Bowen Island Community Shuttle (604-947-0229; single ticket $2.25) trundles locals and visitors around the area.

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BURNABY

pop 203,000

East of Vancouver, no-nonsense Burnaby is a residential suburb with a strip-mall feel. In addition, a handful of attractions aim to keep you away from the shops. For information, contact Tourism Burnaby (604-419-0377; www.tourismburnaby.com).

Offering a peaceful environment minus the hectic energy of downtown, the pathways of Deer Lake Park (Map) crisscross the meadows and woodlands, circling the lake where fowl and other wildlife hang out. The adjoining Burnaby Village Museum (Map; 604-293-6515; www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca; 6501 Deer Lake Ave; adult/youth/child $10/7.50/5; 11am-4:30pm May-Aug) colorfully recreates a BC pioneer town, complete with replica homes, businesses and a handsome 1912 carousel. To get there, take the Sperling Ave exit off Hwy 1 and follow the museum signs.

An ever-expanding homage to materialism, Metropolis at Metrotown (Map; 604-438-4715; www.metropolisatmetrotown.com; 10am-9pm Mon-Fri, 9:30am-9pm Sat, 11am-6pm Sun) is the biggest shopping center you’ll ever need to visit. Savvy shoppers arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds then rest their weary credit cards at the sprawling food court – Indian, Japanese and Chinese cuisines are recommended here. The mall is a 20-minute SkyTrain ride from downtown Vancouver.

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RICHMOND

pop 174,000

The region’s latter-day Chinatown – spot the difference between Vancouver’s old-school version and this hopping, Hong Kong–style alternative – the city of Richmond combines bustling Asian malls and clamorous restaurants in a concrete-clad suburban setting. Easy to access from downtown Vancouver, most of the action lines the area’s neon-signed No 3 Rd. For information, drop into the Visitor Centre (Map; 604-271-8280, 877-247-0777; www.tourismrichmond.com; North East Plaza; 10am-4pm Tue-Sat Nov-Feb, 9:30am-5pm Mar-Apr & Sep-Oct, 9am-5pm May, 9am-8pm Jun-Aug).

Sights & Activities

Richmond Night Market (Map; 604-244-8448; www.richmondnightmarket.com; 12631 Vulcan Way; 7pm-midnight Fri & Sat, 7-11pm Sun mid-May–mid-Oct) is much bigger than downtown’s Chinatown version. Richmond’s 350 vendors offer a glimpse of what clamorous Asian bazaars are all about. Don’t eat before arriving and you can taste-trip among the 65 food stalls, including steaming Malaysian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese treats. At the time of writing, the market was considering a new location: check its website for location updates before you set off.

Kuan Yin Temple (Map; 604-274-2822; www.buddhisttemple.ca; 9160 Steveston Hwy; admission free; 9:30am-5:30pm) was modeled on the architecture of Beijing’s Forbidden City. The temple’s highlight is its sumptuous Gracious Hall, complete with deep-red and gold exterior walls and gently flaring orange porcelain roof. Don’t miss the calm-inducing classical garden and save time for a lip-smacking vegetarian lunch in the ground-floor cafeteria.

Sleeping & Eating

Stone Hedge B&B (Map; 604-274-1070; www.thestonehedge.com; 5511 Cathay Rd; s/d from $125/140; wi-fi) This surprisingly peaceful B&B is named after the large stone wall and formidable cedar hedge surrounding the property. Rooms are tastefully lined with reproduction antiques and landscape paintings. The best feature is the chintzy guest lounge, which opens directly onto a large, secluded swimming pool.

Fairmont Vancouver Airport (Map; 604-207-5200, 800-441-1414; www.fairmont.com/vancouverairport; Vancouver International Airport; r from $210; ) You can’t stay any closer to the airport than this luxury, amenity-laden hotel, reached via a walkway from the US departure hall. A great option for boarding your long-haul flight in trance-like state of calm. The rooms are elegantly furnished with high-end flourishes including remote-controlled drapes and marble-lined bathrooms.

WORTH THE TRIP: BUNTZEN LAKE

If you’ve had your fill of city crowds, this dramatic, sigh-inducing natural retreat will remind you just why you came to BC in the first place. The giant, naturally occurring Buntzen Lake (off Map; 604-469-9679) reservoir is surrounded on three sides by steep, tree-covered mountains and on its fourth side by a gently curving beach, complete with picnic tables, old-growth trees and those ambling, ever-present Canada geese. There’s an array of well-marked hiking and mountain-bike trails through the forest and if you haven’t packed your own canoe there’s a handy rental store (604-469-9928; Sunnyside Rd) near the park entrance.

If you’re driving to Buntzen from Vancouver, follow Hastings St (Hwy 7A) east through the city to Burnaby and Coquitlam, where it becomes Barnet Hwy. Take the Ioco exit and follow Ioco Rd to the left. Turn right on First Ave and continue to Sunnyside Rd. Turn right again and continue to the Buntzen Lake entrance. The journey should take around an hour. It can get crowded here in summer, so arrive early if you want your pick of the picnic tables.

Kelong Singapore Cuisine (Map; 604-821-9883; 130-4800 No 3 Rd; mains $8-18; 11am-10pm) Spicy Malaysian and Singapore approaches rule the roost in this bright and breezy restaurant. Vegetarians are also well served on a menu that stretches to almost 50 dishes. If you’re starving, tuck into the popular Hainanese chicken rice or dip into a yummy bowl of laksa, featuring spicy-broth noodles with fishcake, prawns and chicken.

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STEVESTON

A heritage fishing village in Richmond’s southeast corner, waterfront Steveston is a popular destination for sunset-viewing locals. It’s also a hot spot for great fish and chips. Drive here from Vancouver via the Steveston Hwy exit off Hwy 99 for an early-evening stroll along the boardwalk.

Once you’ve perused the boats hawking the day’s fresh catch, the main attraction here is the Gulf of Georgia Cannery (Map; 604-664-9009; 12138 4th Ave; adult/child $7.15/3.45; 10am-5pm Thu-Mon May & Sep, 10am-5pm daily Jun-Aug), a family-friendly National Historic Site and former fish-processing plant. Most of the machinery is still in place and you can learn all about what a horrible job it was working the production line here.

If that hasn’t put you off your dinner, head to the unassuming but nevertheless legendary Dave’s Fish & Chips (Map; 604-271-7555; 3460 Moncton St; mains $6-8; 11am-8pm) for great-value, melt-in-your-mouth treats like golden battered salmon and oysters and chips.

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Fort Langley

pop 2600

Little Fort Langley’s tree-lined streets and 19th-century storefronts make it one of the Lower Mainland’s most picturesque historic villages. Its undoubted highlight is the Fort Langley National Historic Site (604-513-4777; www.pc.gc.ca/langley; 23433 Mavis Ave; adult/child $7.15/3.45; 9am-8pm Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm Sep-Jun), one of BC’s most important landmarks, a fortified trading post since 1827. James Douglas announced the creation of BC here in 1858, giving Fort Langley a legitimate claim to being the province’s birthplace. With costumed re-enactors, re-created artisan workshops and a gold-panning area that’s very popular with kids – they also enjoy charging around the wooden battlements – this is an ideal place for families who want to add a little education to their trips. Fort Langley is 45 minutes southeast of Vancouver via Hwy 1.

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SEA TO SKY HIGHWAY

Otherwise known as Hwy 99, this picturesque cliff-top roadway links the communities between West Vancouver and Lillooet and is the main route to Whistler from Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Undergoing a multiyear upgrade that aims for completion before the 2010 Winter Olympics, the winding route has several worthwhile stops – especially if you’re an outdoor-activity fan, history buff or lover of BC’s variegated mountain landscape. ‘The Mountain’ radio station (107.1FM in Squamish; 102.1FM in Whistler) provides handy traffic and road-condition reports for the route.

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British Columbia

HIGHLIGHTS

History

Local Culture

BRITISH COLUMBIA FACTS

Land & Climate

Parks & Wildlife

BRITISH COLUMBIA ITINERARIES

Three Days

One Week

In the Wild North

Information

Getting There & Around

VANCOUVER

HISTORY

ORIENTATION

INFORMATION

Bookstores

Internet Access

Media & Internet Resources

Medical Services

Money

Post

Tourist Information

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

SIGHTS

Downtown

VANCOUVER ITINERARIES

One Day

Two Days

Stanley Park

West End

Yaletown

Gastown & Chinatown

WHAT THE…?

HOT TOPIC: VANCOUVER’S DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE TRAGEDY

South Main (SoMa) & Commercial Drive

Granville Island

Kitsilano

University of British Columbia

LOCAL VOICE

West Side

TOP FIVE VANCOUVER PICNIC SPOTS

ACTIVITIES

Hiking and Running

Cycling

Kayaking & Windsurfing

Swimming

WALKING TOUR

STANLEY PARK SEAWALL

VANCOUVER FOR CHILDREN

OFFBEAT VANCOUVER

TOURS

Bike Tours

Boat Tours

Bus Tours

GAY & LESBIAN VANCOUVER

Guided Walking Tours

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

SLEEPING

Downtown

Stanley Park & West End

Yaletown & Gastown

Granville Island & Kitsilano

UBC & West Side

EATING

Downtown

West End

Yaletown

Gastown & Chinatown

DON’T MISS

South Main (SoMa) & Commercial Drive

Granville Island

Kitsilano & West Side

DRINKING

Bars & Nightclubs

Lounges

Pubs

ENTERTAINMENT

Live Music