VISIT VANCOUVER

Listen visit Vancouver info best places to visit in Vancouver best Vancouver destinations.

With its mountain backdrop and urban beaches, Vancouver has the rightly earned reputation of being one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Downtown Vancouver is superbly situated on a peninsula in the Strait of Georgia, bounded to the south by the delta of the Fraser River and to the north by a deep fiord reaching far inland (Burrard Inlet). Also to the north, gleam the often snow-covered ranges of the Coast Mountains.

With its extensive parks and relatively equable climate keeping temperatures mild throughout the year, Vancouver is a paradise for leisure activities. But it also boasts a busy cultural life, and the modern Downtown is easily explored on foot. The scenic city was showcased to the world when it hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, in conjunction with nearby Whistler

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a lush peninsula park of huge trees adjacent to Downtown Vancouver. A paved seawall path encircles the green space, and most visitors take the time to explore on foot or by bicycle. Inland, the park offers many things to do, and visitors can spend a full day exploring attractions ranging from the totem poles at Brockton Point to the west coast sea life at the Vancouver Aquarium. Spectacular views are a standard throughout the park

Granville Island

Once mainly industrial, Granville Island is now a thriving center of activity with a relaxed and distinctive atmosphere. Artists and retailers have moved into converted warehouses alongside houseboats, theaters, galleries, and restaurants. The Granville Island Public Market is one of the most popular attractions selling fruit and vegetables, seafood, and a great variety of other specialties as well as ready-to-eat items. Not truly an island, the arts hub is linked to residential areas by one road and footbridges to the south, and to the Downtown peninsula (across False Creek) by ferry

Location: South of the Granville Street Bridge

Grouse Mountain

In both winter and summer, Grouse Mountain offers an unmatched panorama in clear weather. That's especially so in the evenings when the city lights are on. A gondola operates daily running from street level to the summit, where dining, activities, and wildlife await mountaintop explorers year-round. Especially for families, Grouse Mountain is a winter wonderland offering outdoor skating, snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding. In summer, Grouse Mountain is a hiker's paradise with trails, including the famed Grouse Grind - affectionately called Mother Nature's Stairmaster

Hours: Daily 9am to 10pm

Admission: Adults $42, seniors $38, youth (13-18) $24, children (5-12) $14

Address: 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver

Museum of Anthropology

Part of the University of British Columbia, the Museum of Anthropology deals with cultures from around the world, but places particular emphasis on British Columbia First Nations. Exhibits display native art, including large totem poles in the Great Hall. Other presentations explore ethnographic and archaeological objects representing Asia, the South Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and Europe. The interesting building was originally part of a WWII-era fort, and local architect Arthur Erickson transformed the spaces into this world-class museum

Other attractions on the university campus include the clothing-optional shoreline of Wreck Beach, the natural-history-focused Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and the rambling UBC Botanical Garden with its many interesting plantings and delicate Nitobe Japanese Garden.

Hours: Daily 10am-5pm (until 9pm on Tuesday)

Admission: Adults $16.75, students and seniors $14.50

Address: 6393 NW Marine Dr, Vancouver

Kitsilano Beach

The sandy shoreline of Kitsilano Beach defines the laid-back, fun-loving Vancouver lifestyle. It's a place locals hang out with friends or take a dip in the outdoor heated seawater swimming pool, and visitors come to admire the mountain backdrop