Vancouver

Canada’s third largest city and chief port on the Pacific Ocean is Vancouver. It owes its development largely to the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Panama Canal. The Canadian Pacific’s directors chose the site of the present city as the western terminus of the railway because of the fine natural harbor there. One of the world’s best harbors, it has almost 100 miles of water frontage, is protected from coastal storms, and is ice-free the year round.

Vancouver is a dynamic, multicultural city set in a spectacular natural environment. No matter what time of the year you visit, there are indoor and outdoor activities. Vancouver looks ahead to ongoing growth and great success in tourism, hospitality and business services each year.

Archeological records indicate the presence of Aboriginal peoples for at least 3,000 ago. The traces indicate a food gathering people with a complex social system.

The first settlement on the site of Vancouver grew up around a sawmill at Hastings about 1865, this settlement began the city’s long relationship with lumbering, and was quickly followed by mills in the south shore of the inlet owned by Captain Edward Stamp.

The decision to make this point the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway led to the founding of the city in 1886, that same year the first transcontinental train arrived. It was named for Captain George Vancouver, who surveyed the coast in 1792.

Fire destroyed the city the year it was founded, but it was quickly rebuilt. Vancouver’s population tripled during the first decade of the twentieth century, and along with it came a construction boom. By 1890 the beginnings of one of the world’s first electric street railways were promoting growth along what are now the city’s main arterials, powered by hydroelectricity generated from rivers and lakes. In 1929 Point Grey and South Vancouver were annexed.

Vancouver is noted for its mild climate. After Victoria is the second warmest city in Canada. In winter (January-March) the temperature seldom drops below 35 F. Rainfall is frequent in winter; more than half of all winter days there will be precipitation. Snowfall during winter averages only 9 winter days. Summer months (July- September) are generally sunny and dry with moderate temperatures, the average summer temperature is about 60 F. Precipitation varies from about 43 inches at Point Grey to 137 inches near shore mountains. Thunderstorms are rare, with about four to six per year.

Vancouver is located on the Pacific Rim and at the western terminus of Canada’s transcontinental highway and rail routes. The port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest and most diversified trades with over 90 countries annually, Georgia Strait is part of the inland water route to Alaska, shipping services link the city with Pacific ports of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Far East, and through the Panama Canal, with the Atlantic seaboard and Europe.

Exports include grain, lumber, canned fish, metals and minerals. The chief industries are shipbuilding; sugar refining; salon, fruit and vegetable canning; meat packing; and paper, pulp, iron, and steel manufacturing. Electricity is provided at low rates by hydroelectric plants. In recent years, Vancouver has become an important center for the film industry, software development and biotechnology.

The city’s scenic location makes it a popular tourist destination. The views of the city and its surroundings have made it renowned for its beauty. Vancouver is famous for its gardens, ocean, combination of mountains, forest and parklands that surround the city.

Vancouver Look out
The Vancouver Lookout is the first stop for all visitors to the city. You can take a ride up on the exterior glass elevator and arrive atop of Vancouver 45 seconds later to a spectacular 360° view of the city.
Grouse Mountain The Peak of Vancouver
North America's largest aerial tramway, the Skyride is a great way to take in the sea, city, and mountain views. The Skyride makes a 1-mi climb to the peak of Grouse Mountain. Once at the top you can take in a half-hour video presentation at the Theatre in the Sky. Other mountaintop activities include, in summer, lumberjack shows, chairlift rides, walking tours, hiking, falconry demonstrations, and a chance to visit the grizzly bears and grey wolves in the mountain's wildlife refuge. In winter you can ski, snowshoe, snowboard, ice-skate on a mountaintop pond, or take Sno-Cat-drawn sleigh rides.

Capilano Suspension Bridge
You can cross this 450-foot suspension bridge, which provides a look down at the magnificent Capilano River raging 230 feet below. This popular attraction, is the city's oldest.

Vancouver Aquarium
This aquarium is one of the biggest in North America. You will find more than 8,000 aquatic animals. The main attractions, are the Orca, beluga and dolphin shows.

Stanley Park Vancouver's first park and the largest of more than 100 parks, is an oasis of 1,000 acres close to the heart of Vancouver's downtown core. Its nat ural west coast atmosphere offering a back drop of majestic cedar, hemlock and fir trees embraces visitors.

Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden is the first Ming Dynasty style classical garden created outside of China. It is a feast for the senses and the mind and is acclaimed for providing peace, tranquility and harmonious delight of the nature.

Storyeum
Underground a 65-minute theatrical adventure that takes you on a journey through the province’s dramatic past.

Science World
You will find a whole world of wonder at TELUS World of Science, including popular, hands-on, interactive displays and great OMNIMAX films on one of the world’s largest dome screens.

Burnaby Village Museum
A visit to the Burnaby Village Museum is a step back in time to 1920s. Experience life as it might have been in Burnaby.

Minter Gardens
Nestled against 7000 ft. Mt. Cheam sits a work of art, a wonderful gathering of distinctly different gardens. Minter Gardens is set within 32 acres of floral artistry, with 11 themed gardens.

Hell´s Gate Airtram
It is a spectacular drive through the scenic Fraser Canyon and its seven highway tunnels. Ride the tram over the narrowest part of the Fraser River gorge where at high water level, 200 million gallons of water per minute rush through. Simon Fraser named this place “Hell’s Gate”.

Vancouver Art Gallery
Housed in the former provincial courthouse, the gallery’s permanent collection includes a number of paintings by Emily Carr. The permanent collection also includes works by Canadian and international artists and is supplemented by a variety of touring exhibitions.

Granville Island
Granville Island is home to a lively mix of entertainment and eating spots, shops and a large public market. Visitors can watch potters, weavers and glassblowers as they work. There are often concerts and outdoor events during the summer months.

The West End
Running from Burrard to Denman in between Robson and Beach, it has the best mix of beautiful views of the ocean, relaxing parks and any type of food you might be craving. What 's great about the West End is it is down-to-earth, welcoming and even stylish.

Gastown
The reconstructed old centre of Vancouver, is a pleasant array of cobblestone streets, cafés and shops. It is named after Gassy Jack, a voluble saloon owner who offered the local mill-workers all the whisky they could drink if they helped construct his saloon. Gastown is also the site of the unique Steam Clock, driven by steam from the system used to heat Downtown’s office buildings. It is one of the best spots in the city in which to find souvenirs such as Inuit art and works by native Pacific Northwest artists.

Chinatown
This is North America's second biggest Chinatown, after San Francisco's. Mandarin and Cantonese are the mother tongues in 30 per cent of Vancouver homes, which makes Chinese the largest "minority" ethnic group. You will find lots of interesting markets.

Commercial Drive
As one of the ethnic and cultural hubs of the city, Commercial Drive has a largely food-based economy. From Italian bakeries and coffee shops, to the Portugese Club of Vancouver . Bustling on weekends and weekdays alike, the street is home to some of the city's best restaraunt patios.

Main Street
It is the place to go for clothes and antiques. It's quickly becoming the city's coolest neighborhood to live. Great second-hand clothing, kitsch and antique stores are everywhere, along with funky restaraunts and coffee shops.

Granville Street
It is fast becoming the club district. Bars, clubs, and lounges of all flavours have sprung up in the last few years. If you're looking for a place to have a few drinks, s at Granville and Robson you will find what you want. The street is changing to a club district from being a popular squatting area for homeless people and runaway teens, but it is generally safe given.

Guided Walk through the Rainforests
Duration: 4 - 6 hours
Only 30 minutes from Vancouver, you will enter a magical world of giant Douglas firs. Breathe in the cool, clean mystery of the West Coast rainforest. Guided tours take you through the landscape.

Ocean Kayaking
Duration: 2 - 6 hours
Swim with the sea lions. Paddle along Vancouver's coastline and experience nature from a different perspective. See sights only accessible by water.

North Shore & Grouse Mountain Tour
Duration: 4 hours
From Stanley Park, you will travel across the Lions Gate Bridge to North Vancouver. Swing 230 feet above the Capilano River as you cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Stop at the salmon hatchery before arriving at the Lonsdale Quay. A short SeaBus ride across Burrard Inlet will bring you back downtown.

Parks & Gardens
Duration: varies
Vancouver has some of the finest gardens on the West Coast. The UBC Botanical Gardens and the Nitobe Memorial Japanese Gardens, VanDusen Botanical Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Parks garden under glass, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, and Stanley Park are only an assortment of the wonderful gardens and parks in Vancouver.

Salmon Fishing
Duration: 5 hours
One of the most popular activities in BC. Head out to the open water and experience a West Coast adventure. You can board a vessel from a number of marinas located downtown and throughout the city.

Vancouver City & Granville Island Tour
Duration: 4 hours
Vancouver's famous sites including Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown, Shaughnessy, English Bay, and Queen Elizabeth Park. Stop at Granville Island and marvel at the selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, pastries, breads and gourmet fare at the Public Market.

Scuba Diving
Vancouver has some of the best cold water scuba diving in the world. Scuba divers plunge the frigid waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland to view marine species like the wolf eel and octopus, as well as a brilliant red coral found in few other places around the world.
Cates Park in Deep Cove and Whytecliff Park near Horseshoe Bay are popular diving sites. On the Sunshine Coast, the jagged coastal fjord of Jervis Inlet near Powell River provides a great backdrop for finding a sunken mermaid that has been submerged by local diving enthusiasts.

Sea Kayaking
Any day of the week on the water of Burrard Inlet you'll find, sea kayaks gliding along the shores. Sea kayaks are the smallest and most maneuverable craft on the water. Vancouver's two most popular paddling destinations are equally unique. The placid waters of False Creek, ringed by bustling Yaletown to the north and Granville Island to the south. On the North Shore, kayakers paddle from Deep Cove to explore Indian Arm, a finger-shaped fjord which bends northward for 18.8 miles deep into the heart of the Coast Range mountains.

White Water Rafting
At the Thompson, the Nahatlatch, the Squamish, the Elaho and the Chilliwack Rivers you can ride the roaring current in a rubber raft.

Eco or Wilderness Tours
Vancouver's stunning beauty of mountains, forests, beaches and surrounding waters lends itself to a wide variety of tour opportunities. Eco or Wilderness tours range from treks through rain forests, camping and hiking in the mountains, or wildlife excursions.

Rock Climbing
The local mountains offer unlimited opportunities for climbers of all levels. In Squamish, the Chief is an experienced rock climber's dream with boundless routes to scale this massive, and quite beautiful granite face. For those less experienced, group and private lessons, indoor climbing walls and guided climbing tours are available with multiple companies.

Whale Watching
The Vancouver area is home for many local Orca whales, as well as being on the migratory route for a variety of other whales, such as the majestic grey and impressive humpback. Whale watching occurs throughout the year, generally running half days (3-5 hours) with the opportunity to view whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals and eagles as boats tour the coast of Vancouver.

Boating and Fishing
There's no better place for boating and fishing lovers than Vancouver with its wonderful coastline and endless waterways. You can charter a boat from any number of charter boat companies and head out for the open water. The largest concentrations of these charter companies are located at Granville Island, Horseshoe Bay and Coal Harbour. They can also advise you where the fish are biting.

Harbour Cruises
Enjoy panoramic views of the city skyline, the surrounding Coastal Mountain range and many of the area’s most famous landmarks. With daily cruises around Vancouver’s inner harbour.

Vancouver has a long history of supporting all areas of the Performing Arts.

Cinema
Visit Vancouver in the fall and see the Annual Vancouver International Film Festival. More than 130,000 attendees including 200 invited industry insiders from around the world.

Dance
Vancouver is second only to Montreal as a major Canadian dance center. The city's dance scene continues to grow. Whether it's the National Ballet of British Columbia , Vancouver dance is as eclectic as its cultural makeup.

Literature
It is a little known fact that Vancouver is a literary hotspot. It's the center of a largely unheralded publishing industry that produces 250 books per year and also hosts an annual International Writers Festival. More than 1,500 authors live in British Columbia and Statistics Canada says that BC has the highest number of book-reading people in the country.

Music
Vancouver has a number of impressive venues from which to enjoy an evening of music. With symphony or opera in one of Vancouver's state of the art facilities. You can see a concert at several clubs or try the historic Orpheum Theatre, home to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 1930.

Theatre
Vancouver has more than 32 professional groups, a major international theatre festival (The Fringe), two outdoor theatrical events (Bard on the Beach and Theatre Under The Stars) and more than 21 venues, theatre is a major cultural activity in Vancouver. Productions in larger scale theatres throughout Vancouver offer plays, musicals, dance and much more. The art deco Vogue Theatre, elegant Stanley Theatre, contemporary Centre for the Performing Arts, or grand Queen Elizabeth Theatre complex, these are just a few of the wonderful venues for stage productions.