Vancouver, Canada

Published by Gemma – British Columbia

Vancouver is classed as one of the worlds most livable cities and its easy to see why, A vibrant city with a backdrop to die for. The city is located between the Burrard Inlet and Fraser River and sits at the feet of the North shore mountain ranges.

Sight Seeing

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America, it is roughly 1000 acres in size and is made up of mostly forest land.
A great way to see Stanley Park is by bike, Which is the option we took although when traveling with four boys such activities can turn competitive quite fast, So us girls decided to leave the boys to   it and rode around at a much more enjoyable pace. Personal I think its a great way to spend a summer’s day in Vancouver. It will take you roughly around an hour to ride the 9km Seawall and about 2 hours by foot.

Fun Fact: This one is for you Hockey lovers, The park is named after Lord Stanley the very same Lord Stanley the at the NHL trophy is named in honour of.

The Seawall
Construction of the Seawall started in 1917 and was declared officially complete in 1980 with the completion of the loop around.

There are many photo opportunities along the Seawall so make sure to pack your camera and be prepared to make a few stops along the way to take it all in, From city to beach views this ride has it all.

English Bay Beach
English Bay is located on the Western half of downtown area along Beach Avenue between Gilford Street and  Bidwell Street.

English Bay is a great place to go if you want to see beautiful sunset views. There are also two eye-catching statues at English Bay the Inukskuk statue and the very unique Laughing Statues.

Brockton Point Lighthouse
You can find the lighthouse at the most easterly point of Stanley Park overlooking Coal Harbour. You also get some nice views of North Vancouver and Lion Gate Bridge from this point as well.

As you make your way around the seawall you will get the opportunity to take some photos of the Vancouver Skyline.

Vancouver’s Waterfront

Canada Place
Canada Place is at the heart of Downtown Vancouver, and can be found on the Burrard Inlet Waterfront. At night the 90 foot sails are illuminated and during the Christmas season the sails are lit up in festive colours.

Canada Place was also the Main Press Centre for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the Olympic Torch still stands as a reminder of the big event.

Vancouver Lookout Tower – Harbour Centre

If you want 360 degree views of Vancouver look no further than the Vancouver Lookout tower which sits atop of the Harbour Centre. The Harbour Center is the tallest structure in Vancouver and offers unrivaled views of the city and the breath-taking North Shore Mountain Ranges.

Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain is part of the North Shore Mountains and can be found in North Vancouver. You have a couple of options to get to North Vancouver from Mainland Vancouver, You can either drive which will take you across the Lion’s Gate Bridge or you can you use the public transit system a combination of  the Seabus and buses.

You have two options to get up the mountain, You can take the Skyride Gondola (North America’s largest aerial tram system) Which offers spectacular views of the Vancouver cityscape below and unspoiled views of the other North Shore Mountain Ranges. The gondola will have you at the alpine station within 8 minutes.

For the more adventurous type you can hike The Grouse Grind, The trail is 853 meters long at a 1.231 meter elevation, This thigh burning option will take you between 30 to 90 minutes depending on your fitness level.

During the Summer months when there is no snow on the ground Grouse Mountain put on some family friendly entrainment for visitors. you can watch lumberjacks face-off, The two Lumberjacks will entertain you with their skills and showmanship.

There is also a Wild Refuge where you’ll find two orphaned Grizzly Bears, wolves, falcons, eagles, owls and hawks.

Whistler Mountain

We decided it was best to hire a car to get to whistler but you can catch a shuttle bus if its more convenient for you.

As we set off early we decided to break up the 2 hour car trip by stopping in Squamish or as I lovingly like to refer to it as Squamton for Breakfast.

The drive along Highway 99 “Sea-to-Sky highway” is quite spectacular so if you are driving try not to get distracted by breathtaking views.

 

Whistler Air Tour

What better way to see the beautiful Whistler Mountain Ranges then by air. British Columbia has some of the most breathtakingly beautiful glaciers, valleys, rivers and lakes and Whistler Air gives you the opportunity to see these terrains that are not easily accessible and tend to go unseen by most.

PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola
The Peak 2 Peak Gondola links Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains together, the ride takes about 11 minutes from Peak to Peak. Once at the top you have access to hiking trails, Restaurants and the PEAK 2 PEAK Viewing Gallery.

Whistler Village
If you want to take it a little more easy instead you can stroll around the village looking at the reminisces of the 2010 Winter Olympics or by spending your hard-earned money in the many stores that are on offer or you can even kicking back at one of the bars with an alfresco seating area enjoying the beautiful summer weather while sipping a refreshing white wine Sangria.

City Landscapes, Rivers, Beaches and Mountains Vancouver has it all, There is a little bit of something for everyone and  you will not be left disappointed.