Vancouver Things to Do Tips by Ann75

Vancouver's popularity probably due to the natural beauty of Stanley Park which is just minutes from downtown Vancouver. From Stanley Park you can enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds the city, enjoy a walk on the seawall, walk the many trails in the park, visit the several attractions and more!

Stanley Park is a peninsula attatched to downtown Vancouver. It is very close to downtown Vancouver and has a lot to offer. You can walk here from Vancouver's waterfront in about 15-20minutes. There is a seawall of 9km (5.5miles) that surrounds the edge park where you can walk, bike or roller blade. You have wonderful views over the city, ocean and mountains around every corner. Don't miss the Totem Poles which are quite neat to see as well as many of the other attractions. Stanley Park is an evergreen oasis of 400 hectares (1,000 acres) and one of the largest parks in any urban centre in North America. It's a nice getaway from the city because of its natural west coast atmosphere.

In December 2006 we had a big storm in Vancouver which really hit Stanley Park. About 10.000 trees were blown over in this beautiful park. The city is still trying to clean it all up and start rebuilding this beautiful park. Most of the park is open, but be aware that some sections might be closed during your visit. The best way to find out is on their website or just ask in the Info Centre at Stanley Park

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Phone: 604-257-8400
Address: Just a little ways from downtown Vancouver.
Directions: From downtown Vancouver you follow Georgia Street and then you will see the signs for Stanley Park..you can't miss it!
Website: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/3.htm

In this tip I just want to take a closer look at the many beautiful viewpoints along the Stanley Park seawall. On the seawall you will first encounter the 19th century totem poles. At the most eastern point of the peninsula is Brockton Point, where you will see a small lighthouse. The is a copy of a figurehead on the old 'SS. Empress of Japan' reminds of the Canadian fleet in the Pacific ocean. There are views of Lion's Gate Bridge, which connects the park and downtown Vancouver with North Vancouver. The Lion's Gate Bridge is very similar to the Golden Gate Bridge, but shorter. It was built around the same period (1938), but it never quite reached the same amount of fame.

Further along the northside of the Stanley Park seawall, you will encounter a statue of a girl in a wet suit, much resembling Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid in Copenhagen. Another viewpoint is Prospect Point where you have wonderful views of the Lion's Gate Bridge and North Vancouver. Watch out for the racoons, they are frequently spotted here. After that you can go back down into the park and ultimately end up back to the beaches along the westside of the park near English Bay and back into downtown Vancouver.

Stanley Park is also home to the Vancouver aquarium, one of the largest in North America. It claims to house more than 7000 fishes from over 300 marine species, among them octopuses and sharks. The aquarium also contains many marine mammal species like beluga whales, dolphins, gray whales and seals but the main attraction of the Vancouver aquarium used to be the killer whales, performing daily shows.

There is also the Miniture Train (especially popular around Halloween & Christmas), the Children's Farmyard, the Second Beach outdoor swimming pool, the waterpark (lots of fun for kids), the Rose Gardens, many hiking trails, Beaver Lake and of course the needed gift shops as well as a great selections of restaurants. So, you can easily spend a whole day here!

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Directions: From downtown Vancouver you follow Georgia Street and then you will see the signs for Stanley Park..you can't miss it.
Website: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/3.htm

Definitely visit the Vancouver Aquarium, the largest in Canada. From Beluga whales to caiman, jellies to jacks, more than 8,000 creatures from all different seas on this earth call the Vancouver Aquarium home

Wonder at red-gilled sea slugs and the bizarre face other underwater creatures. Imagine yourself in Tropical waters with beautiful coral reef fishes and things like that. This place has a variety of sealife and the underwaterworld like you can't imagine!

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Phone: 604-659-3515
Address: Right inside Stanley Park
Directions: From downtown Vancouver follow Georgia Street into Stanley Park and follow the signs to the Aquarium.
Website: http://www.vanaqua.org/visit_us/daily_events.html

Stanley Park is quite a big park and probably too big to do everything on foot, especially if you don't have that much time. If you are visiting in the summer months you can take advantage of the FREE Trolley in Stanley Park. This trolley runs from half of June till the end of September everyday from 10.00am till 6.30pm. It takes you to every major attraction or point of interest within the park!

This is a great way to explore the park and to see everything you like to see. For detailed information on this trolley and it's stops, please visit the following webpage: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks&gardens/SHUTTLE_INFO.HTM

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Address: West end of Georgia Street, Vancouver

I love English Bay because it's such a beautiful area. There is a beautiful beach with wonderful views and it's right by downtown Vnacouver. I love to enjoy a sunset with my hubby here! So, when you come to Vancouver it would be a must to enjoy one of the beautiful sunsets at English Bay. Besides that you can just enjoy a walk along the beach, enjoy the views, take the False Creek Ferry to Granville Island and more. There are several choices of restaurants along English Bay as well.

English Bay is beautiful area to enjoy any time of the day or any time of the year. Come down just to relax on the beach, walk along the seawall towards False Creek or right into Stanley Park. In the summer you can enjoy the "Symphony of fire", now called "Celebrations of Light" which is a firework competition. Each year it draws many people to English Bay.

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Address: Along Beach Avenue in downtown Vancouver

The Harbour Lookout is the first stop you should make in downtown Vancouver. It's a good way to get familiar with downtown Vancouver and to enjoy some of the beautiful views.

The building is very recognizable as it's a high tower with a round space needle like look. Glass elevators bring you to the top of the Harbour Centre Tower. Once you are on the top floor you will enjoy some spectacular 360 degrees views behind glass over the city and the area. There are also large-screen video presentations on Vancouver and British Columbia, tour guides and historical displays.

A great thing is that your ticket is valid for the entire day on the date of purchase, so you can return and view Vancouver by night. Tickets are $10.00 CAD per adult.

For some of you that might enjoy it there is also a restaurant on top of the Harbour centre called: "Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant". If you dine there the ride in the elevator is free.

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Address: On Cordova Street, downtown Vancouver
Directions: You'll find it easy, it's the highest building in Vancouver.
Website: http://www.vancouverlookout.com/

The large Canada Place promenade is wonderful for a photo opportunity stroll, on your way to cathc and IMAX or IMAX 3D film, which is assured to thrill your senses. Using a 5-storey high sceen and wraparound IMAX Digital Sounds, IMAX and IMAX 3D films put you in the picture like no other motion picture format can.

Spectacular features celebrate such themes as Canadian Wildlife, natural wonders, popular destinations and amzing adventures. Definitely a possibility to do on a rainy day. These films are really great to see and so impressive. The walk around the Canada Place is lovely too...it can get a little windy but the views are very nice!

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Address: Located at Canada Place Way
Directions: At the Vancouver waterfront

The Canadian Railway Station or Waterfront Station is a lovingly restored landmark, which was build in 1910 and is one of Vancouver's most beautiful buildings, and home of the SeaBus Terminal. The SeaBus offers a quick and scenic ride to North Vancouver from downtown. Here you can also catch the skytrain and the West Coast Express.

Inside the train station you can find some information on the area, public transit schedules and more. Enjoy some of the lovely stores with local souvenirs and other things or just wonder inside the building as it is a beautiful building.

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Address: Waterfront Street, downtown Vancouver
Directions: The big red building at the waterfront near Gastown, you can't miss it

When visiting downtown Vancouver it is definitely worth making a trip down to Gastown. This is the historical part of downtown Vancouver with many nice giftshops, cozy cafes and restaurants. It's a beautiful place just to walk down, look around the many beautiful giftshops with tons of Vancouver souvenirs. These souvenir shops have the best prices in town, so if you want to pick up some gifts for family and friends back home...this is the place to be!

Definitely stop at the Steamclock which has been there for over a century and is the main attraction in Gastown. I thought it was still running on steam, but it seems that it is hooked up by power now. Every half an hour you will hear the steam blowing out of the clock while tourist gather around it. It can be very busy here, especially in the summer...so go early in the day or later in the afternoon as it might be a bit calmer at those times.

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Address: Water Street
Directions: It's very close to the Waterfront Station and practically across from the Harbour Centre in downtonw Vancouver.

Yaletown was a warehouse district as late as the 1980s, having been established in 1886 when Canadian Pacific Railway moved its maintenance yards from the town of Yale to Vancouver.

The area became trendy in the late 1980s, and the warehouses now serve as fashionable restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and apartments for the artsy types who make the area their home. There is a considerable amount of building going on - old warehouses are being converted and new apartment towers are being built here and on the adjoining Expo lands.

Yaletown, although not large, is a pleasant area to stroll around on a sunny day. Relax at a cafe or check out one of the trendy (but expensive) billiards joints.

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Directions: You'll find this part of town beside Chinatown. It's another part of downtown.