Vancouver’s Stunning Setting amidst Mountains and Water 1

One only has to look around to be inspired in Vancouver. Spectacular mountains reach up out of the ocean and rub shoulders with gleaming urban high-rises, stunning coastal waters intermingle with a vibrant cosmopolitan centre and its people embrace each other, the environment and a healthy dose of culture. Not surprisingly then, Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the world in which to live by United Nations quality of life surveys.

Collecting such accolades as host to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the city offers an impressive number of shops, galleries, restaurants, parks and paths and whether wanting to enjoy the city’s outdoor environs or its hip, city lifestyle, Vancouver has no shortage of options. Highlighting the city’s best, therefore, is at once limitless and daunting but the following are a few of Vancouver’s finest places, spaces, jaunts and haunts.

THE BEST OF SCENIC VANCOUVER

Renowned for its temperate marine climate, Vancouver boasts a remarkable natural setting and as a result, the outdoors play a large role in the city’s appeal. From beaches and seawalls to gardens and hiking trails, not to mention those ever-present mountains, Vancouver is an outdoor splendour as good as it gets.

Best Scenic View

	The Sun Sets on English Bay 2

There is no shortage of vantage points from which to view Vancouver’s mix of city lights, sparkling waters and coastal mountains. And while views are often best from above–and those from a 40-plus floor of a hotel or lounge like Cloud Nine are impressive–many agree that Vancouver is best viewed through the lens of a sunset at English Bay Beach.

The beach, less than a 10-minute walk from the city’s downtown, isn’t Vancouverites’ favourite beach for no reason. Whether it’s a sunny afternoon in summer or a drizzly morning in winter, Vancouver’s notable sights never fail to converge at English Bay. The skyscrapers of the West End and Denman Street, the beauty of Stanley Park and the dazzling mountains are striking at any time but perhaps never more so than when the sun’s rays are dipping behind the distant shores of Vancouver Island and basking the city in a warm radiance.

Runner up: the year-round slopes of nearby Grouse Mountain, Vancouver’s winter playground

Best Outdoor Attraction
Tranquil surroundings, 15th century garden architecture and Chinese culture all come together at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, a Vancouver gem and perhaps the most Zen-like place in Canada. The garden is known for being the first full-scale Ming Dynasty-style garden outside of China and is a careful study of rocks, wood, water and plants brought together to create a landscape masterpiece. Its covered walkways, tranquil pools of jade green water and imported rocks from Shizhou Province not only offer a peaceful respite from Vancouver’s big-city buzz, but also an outdoor space of balance, harmony and natural wonder. The garden can be enjoyed via private strolls, guided tours or during its summer concert series, winter festivals and Chinese New Year celebrations.

A close second: the popular and historic Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver

BEST OF CHILDREN’S VANCOUVER Best Waterpark and Market The ever popular Granville Island has a free Waterpark as well as an indoor Kids Market, which features clowns, magicians, face-painting and toy stalls. Best Petting Zoo One of Stanley Park’s many attractions, the Variety Kids Farmyard is home to over 200 animals and introduces children to rural life and its inhabitants. Best Sleepover with Beluga Whales The Vancouver Aquarium offers the unique experience of sleeping in front of its charming Belugas with family and children sleepover programs.

Best Playground
While Vancouver is well-endowed with more than its share of green spaces, its best playground is also its most popular. Stanley Park is said to be adored by the city’s residents and no tourist trip to Vancouver would be complete without a visit to this urban oasis. The 404 ha (1,000 acre) sanctuary is one of North America’s largest city parks and is home to a combination of towering ancient evergreens, totem poles, hiking, biking and jogging trails, a scenic seawall, beaches and so much more. The 10 km (6.2 mi) seawall encircles the entire park and grants views of the landmark Lions Gate Bridge, the Strait of Georgia and the North Shore Mountains, making it especially popular with cyclists, in-line skaters and pedestrians. A free shuttle bus operates within the park during summer months.

Honourable mention: Kayaking, cycling and in-line skating around the False Creek area

Best Nature Tour
Vancouver is surrounded on three sides by water so a harbour tour is practically a must-do and getting on the ocean and rivers is not difficult. Tour-goers need not settle for a run-of-the-mill harbour cruise shared with hundreds of other passengers when Sewell’s Sea Safaris combine the city, scenery, wilderness and action all in one trip. Leaving from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, the two-hour, eco-friendly nature tours contrast the spectacular scenery of Howe Sound with city views of Vancouver, coastal wildlife with extravagant waterfront residences and adrenalin-packed, high-speed boat travel with exploring quiet caves.

Not so shabby: A luncheon cruise to the Indian Arm coastal fjord aboard Harbour Cruises & Events

THE BEST OF CULTURAL VANCOUVER

As impressive as Vancouver’s setting is, it is not all that the city has going for it. With a menu of cosmopolitan experiences that rival the best of cities, a vibrant and diverse atmosphere courses through the streets and while some cities are packed with energy and frenetic activity, Vancouver’s cultural identity takes on a more relaxing persona.

Best Sidewalk District

	Historic Gastown 3

When Canada was founded, so was Gastown and it quickly became the country’s third largest city. Named after John "Gassy Jack" Deighton, a gold prospector, saloonkeeper and storyteller of the time, the area is now a mere district of Vancouver but retains the dreams, charm and intrigue of its namesake.

From famed cobbled streets to the summertime guides dressed in period costumes, Gastown is rich with Victorian history. What makes it the best district, however, is its present-day blend of old and new. Century-old buildings and streets adorned with old-fashioned lamp posts are now home to the city’s hottest restaurants, trendy art galleries and cool shops such as Dream–a fashion boutique, Koolhaus–for furniture and home decor and Kimprints–a card and gift emporium. This is a wonderful place to amble along taking in the sights and sounds, stop at a street-side café or lounge for a James Bond-style martini or people-watch the eclectic mix of business executives, out-of-town tourists and the occasional celebrity.

Not so shabby: Kitsilano, the city's former hippie hang-out is now a trendy neighbourhood with side-walk cafes, alternative stores, a popular beach and a laid-back vibe

Best Cultural Attraction
Given that Vancouver has developed into a cosmopolitan city while still nurturing the natural and stunning setting from which it sprang, it would be almost rude not to visit the Museum of Anthropology. The spectacular cliff-top facility, overlooking the ocean, is something of a modern man-made wonder that celebrates the very people who came before it.

The attraction, which is also Canada’s largest teaching museum, has a reputation for providing unprecedented access and information about indigenous communities around the globe, most specifically the culture and history of British Columbia’s own First Nations peoples. The Great Hall–a glass-fronted space with commanding views of the sea and the mountains–features a magnificent collection of carved feast dishes and massive totem poles, while other galleries showcase renowned Haida sculptures, masks, textiles, ceramics and precious metals.

Runner up: the Granville Island Public Market, a fantastic medley of merchants, market shops and more

A Merry Evening of Opera (2007) at the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival 4

Best Festival
Festivals seem to be on the up and up and nowhere is this more the case than in ever-festive Vancouver. One of the city’s best annual events is Bard on the Beach, an affordable, entertaining Shakespearian theatre in a fabulous natural setting. While the Elizabethan playwright and the beach might seem at odds with each other, year after year Shakespeare has been performed on the waterfront in Vancouver’s Vanier Park to wide acclaim.

Accommodating over 500 theatre-goers in a huge open-ended tent, Bard on the Beach is no tin-pot production. The professional theatre company presents four or five different Shakespeare plays from May through September and–combined with a second smaller stage for lesser-known productions and several ancillary tents providing concessions, bars and boutiques–the festival has become a veritable village for over 80,000 attendees each year. Whether for its Shakespeare productions or the festival's word and music concerts, this thespian experience is truly unmatchable.

A close second: the Powell Street Festival in early August is the city's largest community festival as well as being Canada's biggest Japanese celebration