Charming cosmopolitan seaside city in the mountain settings of Western Canada, Vancouver hosts fascinating cultural attractions and has been rated as one of the most wanted living surroundings in Northern America. Given that information, it is not difficult to believe that Vancouver is also a very popular and varied travel destination with attractions to offer to city people as well as to outdoor enthusiasts and history lovers.
Apart from hiking, you might also want to do some skiing in Vancouver in the mountainous surroundings of the city. After this, you can continue by kayaking in Vancouver's lovely Pacific surroundings, after which you might still have time to enjoy some golf in Vancouver's lovely golf courses, or to explore the fascinating trails made for biking in Vancouver. If you still crave for more excitement, you can also take part in tree-top adventures providing a possibility to explore the natural beauty of Vancouver's forests from above. With all these facilities provided in the close surroundings of a big city, Vancouver sure is a haven for outdoor-loving people!
Shopping and services. In addition to its natural beauty, Vancouver is also a vibrant and multicultural city of welfare and of modern services. The possibilities for shopping in Vancouver are excellent with numerous shopping malls available as well as small shops selling fashionable clothing and household items. The restaurants of Vancouver offer endless variety of ethnic cuisines from around the world, and also the hotels in Vancouver take good care of the millions of visitors arriving to this seaside city annually.
Entertainment and culture. The nightlife in Vancouver is varied with dance clubs and late-night restaurants just as common sights as smoky pubs and youth discos. For those wanting to explore the sights of Vancouver on a tailored tour, there are cruises and bus tours available, as well as interesting museums and scenic bridges for the taste of the lovers of architecture and history.
Vancouver, an outdoor city where mountains meet the sea
With coastal mountains and Pacific Ocean located next to the city, Vancouver is an outstanding place for outdoor enthusiasts. It is one of the few places on earth where you can easily ski, hike, practice water sports and enjoy modern city services during the very same day. You can start your day by trekking in Vancouver's lovely outdoor parks such as Stanley Park, which is one of the largest urban outdoor parks of the world and offers also interesting ethnic features such as Indian totem poles for visitors to admire.Apart from hiking, you might also want to do some skiing in Vancouver in the mountainous surroundings of the city. After this, you can continue by kayaking in Vancouver's lovely Pacific surroundings, after which you might still have time to enjoy some golf in Vancouver's lovely golf courses, or to explore the fascinating trails made for biking in Vancouver. If you still crave for more excitement, you can also take part in tree-top adventures providing a possibility to explore the natural beauty of Vancouver's forests from above. With all these facilities provided in the close surroundings of a big city, Vancouver sure is a haven for outdoor-loving people!
Shopping and services. In addition to its natural beauty, Vancouver is also a vibrant and multicultural city of welfare and of modern services. The possibilities for shopping in Vancouver are excellent with numerous shopping malls available as well as small shops selling fashionable clothing and household items. The restaurants of Vancouver offer endless variety of ethnic cuisines from around the world, and also the hotels in Vancouver take good care of the millions of visitors arriving to this seaside city annually.
Entertainment and culture. The nightlife in Vancouver is varied with dance clubs and late-night restaurants just as common sights as smoky pubs and youth discos. For those wanting to explore the sights of Vancouver on a tailored tour, there are cruises and bus tours available, as well as interesting museums and scenic bridges for the taste of the lovers of architecture and history.
Photo: Jmv, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Culture fans on their behalf might enjoy the many theaters, festivals and concerts in Vancouver.
Practical information for your stay in Vancouver
The climate in Vancouver is mild with warm summers and cool winters. Summertime average monthly high temperatures in Vancouver are around 20-25 degrees of Celsius. During the winter temperatures usually drop to 10-15 degrees Celsius, but freezing weather is rarely met. The most popular time to visit Vancouver is during the summer from May to September, but if sunbathing is not your purpose, the city is worth a visit anytime.How to get there. Flights to Vancouver are widely available from any US and Canadian locations, as well as from some major European and Asian airports. Additionally, you can travel to this seaside city in British Columbia by train or by bus from the US or elsewhere in Canada. There is a frequent public transport network in Vancouver available for getting around. This system called TransLink consists of a combination of bus, ferry and sky-train services, which together form an efficient network for transportation in the geographically diverse Vancouver area. If you want more independent transport, you can also use rental cars in Vancouver for moving around.
Safety. Vancouver is a quite safe destination for a big city, and has no major crime problems. Some poorer areas of the city, such as Downtown Eastside should still be avoided.
