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Nestled between sea and mountains Vancouver lies in the South-West of British Columbia, 40 kilometres north of the US-border.
Due to its geographical location Vancouver is one of the most beautiful and most attractive cities of Canada, if not of
the world. 1.8 million people call Vancouver their home and it is one of the most visited cities of the world. Vancouver is
the largest city of British Columbia. The hilly terrain and the many bridges offer spectacular views of the sea, the
sheltered bays and the city itself. There are many large parks, one of which is Stanley Park that is as big as the business
centre of downtown and the largest city park of Canada. Sandy beaches are all over the place and the mountains in direct
proximity offer an abundance of sport and leisure activities.
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Vancouver has so many attractions to offer as not many other North American cities can. You could easily spend your entire
vacation within its borders without getting tired. We will introduce you to some of the attractions, however there are many
many more to discover.
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Stanley Park, Vancouver's best known city park with a size of 10 hectares was established in the 1800s. However the first
purpose of the area was a military reserve to guard the entrance to Vancouver harbour. Nowadays you can stroll through this
beautiful park and enjoy the silence off the rush of the city. Parkland, trails, sports fields and beaches offers something
for everyone. The park offers various view points to catch a good view of downtown Vancouver, the North Shore and out to
the sea with the islands offshore. Near Brockton Point you will find a variety of totem poles.
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One of Vancouver's traditions is the old English canon which will be fired each night at 9 o'clock from Stanley Park.
Established about 100 years ago, the signal was used to remind fishermen of fishing time limits.
Within the borders of Stanley Park you will find the Vancouver Aquarium with over 8.000 animals on view. One of the main
attractions of the Vancouver Aquarium are the dolphins and beluga whales.
The Vancouver Aquarium is daily from 9.30 am to 8 pm July to early September and from 10 am to 5.30 pm the rest of the year.
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The highest point of Vancouver is in the city's second largest park, between Cambie and Ontario Sts near 33rd Ave. Queen
Elizabeth Park is Canada's first civic arboretum. The park is a popular location for brides and grooms.
Three climate zones are displayed in the Bloedel Conservatory, including desert and topical. The conservatory is located
on the top peak of Queen Elizabeth Park.
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The Gastown area of Vancouver was named for an English sailor who forsook the sea to open a bar. John Deighton saw his
opportunity in selling whisky to the workers of the sawmills. As he talked so much people called him Gassy Jack and the
community developing around his saloon became known as Gassy's Town then Gastown. A statue of Gassy Jack has been erected
in Maple St Square, where Cordova and Water Sts meet. The Gastown Steam Clock at the west end of Water St. is the world's
first clock of its kind and whistles every hour on the hour.
There was a time at which at Robsonstrasse, what is the local name of one section of Robson street was mainly German.
Nowadays you will find many ethnic shops and restaurants. Around Granville St you will find some exclusive fashion shops.
Canada Place was build with Expo 86 and juts into the harbour at Howe St. The design, resembling an ocean liner made it one
of the major landmarks. You will find promenade shops and restaurants, the World Trade Centre, the Vancouver Trade and
Convention Centre, a terminal for cruise ships and the CN IMAX Theatre.
Enjoy a spectacular 360 degree lookout atop Harbour Centre Tower in Downtown Vancouver. In a height of 167 metres you can
overview downtown, historic Gastown and Chinatown, the Vancouver harbour, English Bay, the North Shore Mountains and on
clear days you may even see Mount Baker in Washington State about 140 kilometres away.
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The lookout is open 365 days a year - 8.30 am to 10.30 pm in summer and 9.00 am to 9.00 pm in winter time.
At the corner of Pender and Carrall streets you will find the world's thinnest office building, which is recognized by the
Guinness Book of Records. The Sam Kee building was build in 1913 and is only 1.8 metres wide. It is easy to miss as it
looks like the front of the larger building behind.
Being Vancouver's oldest tourist attraction more than 800.000 visitors come to see Capilano Suspension Bridge and park each
year. Originally build in 1889, today you can enjoy the 4th bridge at this location. For almost 140 metres at a height of
70 metres the bridge spans the Capilano River. A combination of scenic beauty, First Nations culture and remembrance of the
pioneer period makes the park so attractive. Over the years there have been more than 25 totem poles collected, which are
displayed all over the park. The historic Trading Post offers native carvings, jewelry, leather footwear, unique Canadian
food products and gift items.
Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park is open every day except Christmas Day. Winter hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Summer
hours are 8:30 a.m. to dusk.
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