Vancouver

Vancouver is a beautiful and vibrant city on the West Coast of Canada with stunning beaches, large natural parks, unique neighbourhoods and diverse culture. It is continually voted one of the top three most livable cities in the world and is about to open its doors for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. When in BC, experience the natural beauty and spectacular scenery by skiing, snowboarding, golfing, fishing, whale watching, wine tasting, and much more. This city, after all, is known for its environmental appeal; it is surrounded by water and mountains, and has the most temperate climate in Canada.

There are many cool neighbourhoods to discover in Vancouver, that can take up a whole day of exploring. Downtown, there is Robson Street that has tons of amazing shopping, restaurants, nightclubs and unique architecture.

Yaletown is an old warehouse district transformed into a trendy area of boutique shops, restaurants and high-rise condominiums.

Gastown, a hipster neighbourhood with cobblestone streets, is where the more laid back culture of Vancouver resides and should not be missed.

Kitslano is another charming area to visit while in Vancouver, located just over the bridge. This area is known for having amazing beaches – perfect for swimming and skim-boarding – and a great view of the city skyline. Here you will find one-of-a-kind restaurants, pubs and cafés, breathtaking mountain views, and a young, active community.

Stanley Park is 1000 acres of natural parkland that stretches from the downtown core to the North Shore and is the third largest urban park in North America. The park is framed by a necklace of beaches along English Bay, with two open for swimming. Other beaches are more rocky, teeming with wildlife including shellfish and starfish.

Granville Island is a must see destination when visiting Vancouver; where else can you see an island right in the middle of the city? Granville Island is a buzzing scene of art, waterfront restaurants, cafés and lots of activities in a diverse atmosphere. It is easy to spend a whole day on the island and is a place where tourists and locals alike enjoy visiting.

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is the first of its kind outside of China. The garden is a representation of an old

garden tradition from the Ming Dynasty and it's based on four elements: rock, water, plants, and architecture.

The 55-acre VanDusen Botanical Garden, located in the heart of the city, has been growing since 1975. Because of the mild climate in Vancouver, over 255,000 plants, from all over the world, are on display year round. There are many routes to take through the gardens, set around serene lakes with rolling, green lawns and picturesque mountains in the background.

Grouse Mountain is another top tourist destination for skiing, snowboarding, outdoor ice skating, ziplining, dining, shopping, and much more. And the best part is: it is only 15 minutes away from downtown. There is no resort closer to a metropolitan city than Grouse Mountain is to Vancouver, and no better way to see the cityscape than from way up on the hills.

As the host of the upcoming 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Vancouver will have many competition venues throughout the city, in nearby Richmond, and up in the Whistler Mountain.

Vancouver venues include: Canada Hockey Place (aka General Motors Place), Vancouver Olympic Centre, Pacific Coliseum, UBC Thunderbird Arena, and Cypress Mountain.

Richmond: Richmond Olympic Oval

Whistler: The Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler Creekside, and Whistler Olympic Park.

To get to any Olympic venue, public transportation is your best bet. Always try to arrive early to avoid long lines and there will be no spectator parking at the Olympic venues. Both Cypress and Whistler Mountain can be reached using the Olympic bus

network from Vancouver. Contribute to Vancouver's much talked about green initiatives by using the rapid transit, the SeaBus, the Olympic Line, Vancouver’s 2010 Streetcar (that is free of charge), the West Coast Express, and regular city buses.

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be held at Vancouver’s BC Place and are promising to be extraordinary experiences! The Opening Ceremony is held on February 12; gates open at 2:00pm. The Closing Ceremony will take place on February 28; gates open at 1:00pm.

Try to make it to a few Victory Ceremonies if attending the Olympics. It is always exciting when the athletes step up to the podium to receive their medals. Victory Ceremonies are held every night, followed by a concert, at the BC Place and Whistler Medals Plaza.

Vancouver has one of the mildest climates in Canada; very mild winters with little snow and mild summers that do not get too hot. The rest of Canada is swept over by cold Arctic winds in the winter, but the Rocky Mountains block these winds from ever reaching the city of Vancouver.

Being located on the Pacific shore has a great influence on Vancouver’s weather; it happens to be one of the wettest and foggiest cities in the country, especially during winter months. Summer in Vancouver is always beautiful and it's best spent on Kitslano Beach.

Current Vancouver Weather:

There are many ways to get to Vancouver. Greyhound buses are a convenient choice, and if you wish to take a train, Pacific Central Station has transcontinental services using VIA Rail. Whether you want to travel by air, water, or car, Vancouver is highly accessible.

There are plenty of options to get around the city once you have arrived. If coming from the airport, Canada Line provides an express rail service to Vancouver and Richmond. There is also an Airport Bus Service that connects downtown and the airport, as well as

TransLink Bus, which is just a regular city bus that will take you to the airport with only one transfer.

To get around the city, the Vancouver transit system has a series of public transit options, including the SeaBus and SkyTrain, that connect the Greater Mainland of Vancouver. For a tourist perspective – with stops at 22 of the most unforgettable areas of the city – take the Big Bus (a vintage double-decker with an open roof). Stops include Gastown, Chinatown, Stanley Park, Granville Island, English Bay, Robson Street and more. It's a 24-hour hop on / hop off pass. However, the best way to experience Vancouver and the BC coast is to travel by water, using BC Ferries or one of the many boat cruises available.