Vancouver

Vancouver sits between ocean and mountains in British Columbia with incredible natural beauty. The city has beaches, rainforest, and ski hills all close together. It rains a lot especially from November to March. Summer is perfect with long sunny days. A week covers the city and day trips. It’s expensive and the housing crisis is real. The city feels outdoorsy and multicultural.

Vancouver Downtown and Stanley Park

Downtown Vancouver has glass towers and the waterfront seawall for walking and biking. Canada Place has the convention center with white sails. Gastown is the old town with cobblestone streets and a steam clock. The area has restaurants and souvenir shops now. Granville Island under the bridge has a public market with food vendors and artists. Stanley Park is huge urban forest with trails and beaches. The seawall path goes around the whole park. Totem poles near Brockton Point show indigenous art. Lost Lagoon has birds and turtles.

Vancouver Neighborhoods and North Shore

Kitsilano has the beach and yoga studios and organic cafes. The vibe is healthy and outdoorsy. Commercial Drive is the hipster street with international restaurants. Chinatown has the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden and dim sum spots. North Vancouver across the bridge has mountains right there. Grouse Mountain has a gondola up with views over the city. The Capilano Suspension Bridge swings over a canyon through the rainforest. It’s touristy but impressive. Lynn Canyon has free suspension bridges if you skip the crowds.

Vancouver Whistler and Surroundings

Whistler is two hours north up the Sea to Sky Highway. The drive along the coast and through mountains is beautiful. Whistler village has ski hills in winter and mountain biking in summer. Peak 2 Peak gondola connects the mountains. The village is built for tourists with shops and restaurants. Richmond south of Vancouver has amazing Asian food especially in the night markets. The University of British Columbia campus has beaches and the Museum of Anthropology with indigenous art.

Food is sushi, ramen, dim sum, salmon, poutine, food trucks everywhere.