Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to
Vancouver
Cool neighborhoods, drink-and-dine hot spots and
spectacular vistas: all good reasons why visitors fall for this
lovely lotusland metropolis.
Neighborhood Villages
Don't make the mistake of thinking that downtown is exclusively what Vancouver is
about. Walk or hop on public transportation and within minutes you'll be hanging with
the locals in one of the city's distinctive 'hoods. Whether you're discovering the coffee
shops of Commercial Dr, the hipster haunts of Main St, the indie bars and restaurants of
Gastown or the heritage-house beachfronts of Kitsilano, you'll find this city perfect for
easy-access urban exploration. Just be sure to chat to the locals wherever you go: they
may seem shy or aloof at first, but Vancouverites love talking up their town.
Epicurean Adventures
Don't tell Montreal or Toronto but Vancouver is the culinary capital of Canada. Loosen
your belt and dive right into North America's best Asian dining scene, from chatty
Chinese restaurants to authentic
izakayas
(Japanese neighborhood pubs), and taste a rich
smorgasbord of freshly caught seafood, including seasonal spot prawns and juicy wild
salmon. The farm-to-table movement here has revitalized the notion of West Coast
cuisine - anyone for succulent Fraser Valley duck and a side dish of foraged morels?
And we haven't even started on the craft-beer scene that has led the nation in recent
years.
Outdoor Wonderland
Those snow-dusted mountains that peek between downtown's glass towers? They're less
than 30 minutes away by car. Vancouverites really can ski in the morning and hit the
beach in the afternoon - although it's more relaxing to chill out and take your time. The
city's North Shore nature doorstep offers snow sports, mountain biking and leisurely
rainforest viewing, while the city itself is studded with sandy beaches, forest trails,
