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Pacific Coast · British Columbia
Where the rainforest meets the Pacific — and the skyline meets the sea.
A portrait of Vancouver
Pressed between the Coast Mountains and the Strait of Georgia, Vancouver is the only major North American city where you can ski in the morning, paddle at lunch, and eat some of the continent's best Cantonese for dinner. It is glass and cedar in equal measure — a Pacific Rim capital with a 1,000-acre rainforest at its core.
Field notes
On foot
Start at Coal Harbour with a flat white from Revolver. The seawall threads past totem poles at Brockton Point, beneath Lions Gate, and along Third Beach as the sun climbs over the city. Nine kilometres later, you finish at English Bay with the day still mostly ahead of you.
À table
Dim sum at Kirin in Richmond, hand-pulled noodles on Alexandra Road, oysters at Boulevard back downtown, and a long tasting at St. Lawrence — a French-Canadian outpost in Railtown that has redrawn the city's culinary map.
Just beyond
Cross Lions Gate to the suspension bridges, climb the Grouse Grind if your knees agree, and finish at Deep Cove for a kayak through the Indian Arm fjord and a doughnut at Honey's that's worth the queue.
On the map
A tour through the icons and the under-the-radar corners — laid out the way a local would walk you through.
Stanley Park
A 1,000-acre rainforest wrapped by a 9 km seawall.
Granville Island
Public market, artisan studios, and False Creek ferries.
Capilano Bridge
A 137 m cedar-plank suspension bridge over a canyon.
Grouse Mountain
Skyride to alpine views over the city and Salish Sea.
Gastown
Cobblestone streets, the steam clock, and the city's best cocktail bars.
Kitsilano Beach
Sunset over English Bay with the North Shore as backdrop.
Year-round
Spring
Cherry blossoms peak in early April — over 40,000 trees across the city.
Summer
Beach culture, Bard on the Beach, and 9 p.m. sunsets over English Bay.
Autumn
Crisp air, mountain larches above the city, and storm-watching season begins.
Winter
Three local ski hills 30 minutes from downtown — Cypress, Grouse, Seymour.
Insider tips
Rent a bike for the seawall — it's faster, flatter, and quieter on the dedicated lane.
Skip the False Creek Ferries queue at Granville Island by walking on at Aquatic Centre instead.
Reservations at St. Lawrence and Kissa Tanto open exactly one month ahead at 10 a.m. — set an alarm.
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