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Vancouver

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains, Vancouver boasts urban amenities in a glorious natural setting. The stories are true, with three ski hills within 25 minutes of downtown, and at least a dozen golf courses in the same area, you really can ski and golf in the same day. You can also mountain bike on the famous north shore, roller blade in Stanley Park, sail in Howe Sound, and enjoy some of the world's finest and most varied cuisine and shopping. A diverse metropolitan city surrounded by mountains and oceans, Vancouver offers visitors a unique combination of sophisticated elegance and outdoor adventure. 

Highlights

  • Home to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
  • Rated “The world’s most liveable city” by the Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index.
  • Home of Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America including 400 hectares of woodlands, gardens, flowers, trails, lakes, beaches and wildlife in downtown Vancouver.
  • Approximately 2 hours by car to Whistler, one of the world's leading ski & golf resorts.

Location

Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on three sides, and the Coast Mountains on the other, Vancouver is located in the South-Western corner of British Columbia approximately 38 kilometres north of the US border.

Size & Population

Vancouver is British Columbia’s largest city and the third largest in Canada. The city’s total area is 114 square kilometres within the metropolitan area of the Lower Mainland which is 2,878 square kilometres. The total population of the Lower Mainland is over 2.5 million with approximately 600,000 living in the City of Vancouver proper.

Geography & Climate

Sitting at sea-level Vancouver is known for its mild climate, with temperatures averaging between 25-30° Celsius in summer and 5-10° in the winter. Snow is rare in the city but with elevations reaching more than 1,300 meters on the local mountains the snow pack is often high.

Attractions & Things to Do

  • Treetops Adventure at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Get a squirrel's eye view of a thriving coastal forest. This attraction has a TIAC National Award for tourism excellence as one of the best tourist experiences in Canada.
  • Granville Island. One of the city’s most popular destinations for both tourists and locals is Granville Island. Offering a melting pot of activity including fresh produce markets, art galleries, theatres, restaurants, and coffee houses, Granville Island can be accessed easily by car or ferry boats from the city.
     

Explore Other Destinations - Vancouver Island,  Gulf Islands & Sunshine Coast,  Whistler,  Okanagan,                                  BC Rockies, Northern BC Coast,  Northern BC,  Banff & Jasper,  Calgary