About Vancouver
Should you decide to explore during your holiday, Vancouver has an endless supply of things to see and do. It doesn't matter what time of day or what time of year - whether you want to be indoors or out, active or a spectator, spend a lot of money or none at all - Vancouver has it all! It is one giant adventure playground, with interactive museums, cool attractions, fun festivals and amazing parks. One of the natural amenities which makes Vancouver among the most livable in the world is public access to the waterfront. Almost 18 kms (11 miles) of beaches surround Vancouver. Enjoying waterfront access can take many guises: observing the beautiful landscape while walking or driving by. But Vancouver's moderate climate makes it possible to cycle almost year round. Bikes are commonplace in this city and Vancouver has numerous cycle paths and bike routes. Bikes can be rented at numerous locations around the city.
The Vancouver area is located on the Pacific Coast, watery home for many local Orca whales (also known as Killer whales), as well as being on the migratory route for a variety of other whales, such as the majestic grey and impressive humpback. Whale watching may be a great activity to do while visiting Vancouver. Boat tours our offered throughout the year, generally running half days (3-5 hours) with the opportunity to view whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals and eagles.
See some of the many activities, shopping and dining experiences you may enjoy while visiting Vancouver.
VANCOUVER AQUARIUM
Come to face-to-fin with over 60,000 animals including beluga whales, sea lions, dolphins, seals and more. Visit our Tropic Zone, teeming with colourful tropical fish. Enjoy the dolphin and whale shows, sea otter feeds, shark dives and be sure to pay a visit to the Amazon Rainforest where hundreds of free-ranging critters abound. 845 Avison Way, Stanley Park, Vancouver. Open 355 days of the year!
SCIENCE WORLD
Science World houses five permanent galleries; BodyWorks Gallery, Eureka! Gallery, Illusions, Kidspace Gallery, Our World Gallery and Sara Stern Search Gallery. Also home of OMNIMAX® Theatre houses, an amazing 27 metres in diameter, the OMNIMAX® Theatre houses one of the largest dome screens in the world. From the comfort of your seat, you will become part of the action—don't miss this breathtaking film experience! Science World, 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver. Open 353 days/year!
VANCOUVER MUSEUM
The Vancouver Museum holds an eclectic collection of this city's rich cultural heritage. For over 100 years the Vancouver Museum has been the City's keeper and interpreter of this area's heritage. Through permanent and international traveling exhibits, the Museum provides opportunities to explore the natural world, cultural traditions, issues of other lands, and history as it continues to unfold. 1100 Chestnut Street, Downtown Vancouver
IMAX THEATRE
IMAX® puts you in the picture like no other motion picture format can. By using the largest film frame in the movie industry, IMAX® captures breathtaking images of unsurpassed size and impact. The images are projected on to a five storey tall screen, accompanied by six channel IMAX® Digital Sound, bringing you the ultimate film experience. IMAX®, 999 Canada Place, Downtown Vancouver. Open daily for afternoon and evening features.
SUNSET DINNER CRUISE
Vancouver's Only Authentic Paddlewheeler and a unique way to cruise Vancouver. Join Vancouver's most popular Sunset Dinner Cruise through a secluded Mountain fjord or the only narrated tour of the inner harbour on the authentic paddlewheeler MPV Constitution. Special event cruises throughout the year include the annual Fireworks competition and Christmas Carol Ships in December. Harbour Cruises Marina- #1 North, Georgia Street corner of Denman Street, Vancouver.
WHALE WATCHING
Between the beginning of April through the end of October there are many 3 to 5 hour Whale Watching tours
offered including transportation from your hotel in Vancouver. Besides the majestic Killer Whales, you also can see bow-riding Dall's porpoises, sea lions, bald eagles, seals and other wildlife. Most Tour companies will guarantee at 90% that you will see whales during your excursion.
SHOPPING
There are unique areas all around Vancouver for clothing, art, ceramics, furniture and much more waiting for you to discover.
We have outlined below, only a few of the very popular areas that are walking distance to Vancouver Downtown.
-Robson is Vancouver's leading shopping and strolling thoroughfare - high fashion mixed with souvenir shops, music stores, beauty products, book stores and so much more. For serious shoppers, this is the place to go. For those less serious, this is the perfect street for having lunch or a coffee and people watching!
-The downtown area of Vancouver from Burrard to Howe and West Hastings to Georgia is a made up of many fantastic stores mixed with commercial buildings, making this area a great place to wander and explore! High fashion, jewelry, shoes, home wares, and much more can be found and it makes for a lovely walk through the downtown streets with coffee shops and restaurants also readily available.
-South Granville is fast-emerging as one of Vancouver's trendiest shopping neighbourhoods, full of galleries and stores specializing in interior design, home furnishings and antiques. Designer fashions, fine eyewear, shoes, stationary, linens and china round out the varied retail mix.
-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 has been re-developed, and the warehouses now serve as fashionable restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and apartments for the artsy types and young urban professionals who make the area their home Yaletown is the leading downtown spot for locating the super-hip, the latest fashions for clothing, shoes and accessories.
DINING
Vancouver's restaurant scene has exploded in the past few years offering world-class cuisine from every corner of the globe. Fine dining, casual or family friendly restaurants are easily accessible throughout Greater Vancouver. We have listed a few for their excellent food, ambiance and proximity to downtown.
Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar (Yaletown)
1095 Hamilton Street
Phone: 604.688.8078
For fresh, fabulous seafood in the heart of Yaletown. Prime steaks, sushi and pasta's too. One of the city's largest selections of oyters served from the raw bar. Housed in a beautiful, heritage brick and beam coverted warehouse building. Dinner, lunch and weekend brunch.
Café de Paris
751 Denman Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604.687.1418
Cross the threshold of Vancouver's most authentic French bistro and find yourself in a little corner of Paris. This elegant Parisian bistro in the heart of the West End specializes in regional country-style dishes like cassoulet, steak au poivre and its famous pommes frites. Café de Paris also boasts an award-winning wine list that complements the fantastic cuisine.
Chambar (Gastown)
562 Beatty Street
Phone: 604.879.7119
In a city blessed with an abundance of restaurants, Chambar has earned it's place among the best. Awarded 'Best New Restaurant' in 2004, Chambar is the perfect balance of fine dining without the formalities; the food is exceptional, with a commitment to fresh seasonal produce, Belgian themed with North African influence.
CinCin (Downtown)
1154 Robson Street
Phone: 604.688.7338
Established for over a decade CinCin’s contemporary Italian menu features signature dishes from the heritage wood-fired oven, grill and rotisserie. Centrally located on Robson Street, the first floor dining room exhibits a warm Tuscan ambiance with dramatic open kitchen, curved marble bar and high arched windows. The highly awarded wine list is deep and global currently holding the ‘Best of Award of Excellence’ from Wine Spectator magazine.
Five Sails
999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Phone: 604.891.2892
Dine in a spectacular setting overlooking Vancouver’s harbour and mountains. Indulge in the prestigious AAA/CAA Five-Diamond awardwinning restaurant’s contemporary cuisine inspired by the sea and created by Executive Chef Ernst Dorfler, Richard Ragueneau, the Five Sails maître d’, will lead you through the extensive wine list that has both old-world wines and some exciting local finds. Choose between à la carte and a chef’s tasting menu.
Fish House in Stanley Park, The
8901 Stanley Park Drive
Phone: 604.681.7275
Imagine...sunny patios overlooking English Bay, tennis courts & putting greens. Enjoy exceptional seafood, our fresh oyster bar & flaming prawns. Sample from our selection of micro brewed beers, award- winning wine list & great martinis. Join us for Lunch, Dinner & Afternoon Tea.
LK Dining Lounge (Yaletown)
1265 Hamilton Street
Phone: 604.687.5885
A high-energy, urban bistro in Yaletown that showcases the best of the West Coast: market-fresh cuisine and polished, unpretentious service in a minimalist setting with a down-tempo vibe. The menu features innovative small plates and creative presentations of seasonally inspired dishes. Cocktails and canapés in the lounge, or a three-course menu in the dining room.
Lumiere Restaurant (Westside)
2551 West Broadway
Phone: 604.739.8185
Since it opened in 1995, the Lumière Restaurant and Chef Robert Feenie have received accolades from notable food critics around the world. Lumière has been awarded Vancouver's Best Restaurant and Best French Restaurant awards for an unprecedented six years in a row.
O'Doul's Restaurant & Bar (Downtown)
1300 Robson Street
Phone: 604.661.1400
O'Doul's Restaurant & Bar has been a tradition on the Vancouver dining scene for over 30 years and in the words of Mia Stainsby, restaurant critic for the Vancouver Sun "....it's never been better." West Coast cuisine, an extensive and user-friendly wine list and on presenting the best of the vibrant local jazz scene, 7 nights a week.
|
