Five Things You Must Do in Vancouver, British Columbia

Five Things You Must Do in Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver is a lively, multicultural city that is witnessing rapid expansion in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Vancouver, considered one of the world's most livable and attractive cities, has a multitude of unique experiences for the interested traveler. We give a few classic favorites for tourists to appreciate, as well as one or two off-the-beaten-path destinations for the inquisitive explorer.

1. Place Canada

The beautiful promenade of Canada Place near Waterfront Station should be the first stop for everyone visiting Vancouver. A stroll around Canada Place, which was built as the Canadian pavilion for World Expo 1986 and now houses the city's Convention Center, allows visitors to take in the beautiful harbor of Burrard Inlet, with its vista of snow-capped mountains, Stanley Park, and the modern glass towers of Coal Harbour nearby.

Canada Place also demonstrates the dynamic of Vancouver's economic power and worldwide market position. The entrance is teeming with cargo ships going to China and beyond. During the summer, cruise ships from the world's leading lines land along the pier on their way to Alaska. The lively scene is augmented by floatplanes going for the untamed natural coves of the Inside Passage and helicopters departing for Vancouver Island.

The Canadian Pacific Railway finished the transcontinental railway here in 1889, earning Vancouver the moniker "Terminal City." Since then, Vancouver has evolved from the 'end of the line' to the 'Gateway to Asia' and the Far North. It's an excellent introduction to Vancouver and should not be missed by interested tourists.

2. Spanish Banks

Ride out to the beaches at Spanish Banks, on the north coast of Point Grey, for a different view of the city. When the tide is out in the summer, the golden sands of the beautiful beaches appear to go on forever. During the summer months, the water stays shallow and warm as the tide comes in, but the vista is magnificent at any time of year, with the great contemporary condominium skyscrapers of Vancouver flashing in the distance like shards of light inside the green jade bowl of the mountains beyond.

Pay a visit to the Jericho Sailing Association and savor a huge dish of nachos served on the charming patio. From your commanding vantage point, you can see boating enthusiasts and windsurfers at play on the water, as well as stately vessels from the adjacent Royal Vancouver Yacht Club lowering their sails. Further inland, Ultimate Frisbee players congregate on verdant fields, while tennis courts draw some of the city's greatest players.

The park's territory was previously a seaplane base and military camp during WWII, and it currently houses a youth hostel as well as a local community center and theater. It's a great place for a picnic or to get away from the rush and bustle of the city, and it's definitely worth a visit.

3. Sushi in London's West End

Vancouver is well-known for its historic Chinatown and its hundreds of eateries. Since the establishment of the railway in the nineteenth century, the city has been a haven for Asian immigration. Those who survived the journey to the 'Gold Mountain' carried culinary traditions with them that have enlivened the palates of generations of Vancouverites. Aside from Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean communities, Vancouver used to have a flourishing Japantown along East Hastings, which is now tragically in decline.

Thousands of Japanese and Korean English language students have transformed the region along west Robson Street and Denman into a miniature Tokyo or Seoul. One of the best ways to enjoy some of the city's pleasures is to visit one of the numerous restaurants that provide inexpensive and delectable all-you-can-eat sushi and sashimi buffets.

Shabusen, on the intersection of Burrard and Robson, is a terrific place to start, with a broad range and amazing Korean barbecue specials on weekends, when you can cook spicy marinated chicken, beef, and pig on your own personal brazier. Tanpopo restaurant, on the corner of Denman and Davie streets, is another terrific stop, with its abundance of fresh wild salmon, delectable gyoza dumplings, salty spinach ohitashi salad, and a wonderful outside terrace where you can watch the world go by at neighboring English Bay.

Prepare to leave both restaurants well satiated as you continue your investigation of Vancouver's ethnic feast.

4. Gastown's Nightlife

Vancouver has a lot to offer the daring for a night on the town. The Granville Street strip is where revelers go to dance and drink the night away behind the blazing neon signs of the legendary Orpheum and Vogue theaters at crowded nightclubs such as Republic, Tonic, and Ginger 68, to mention a few.

Gastown along Water Street was the site of the earliest European settlement in the old lumber camp days, and it was here that renowned 'Gassy' Jack Deighton founded one of Vancouver's first saloons in the late 1800s. Some good drinking establishments may be found on the cobblestone streets, continuing the tradition established by Vancouver's pioneers. 

The lovely Irish Heather Bistro, located on the original site of 'Gassy' Jack's own Deighton Hotel, serves the greatest pints of Guinness in the city. A quaint glassed-in terrace in the back, built into the snug walls of the ancient city prison, presents live Irish and Scottish music most evenings. The 'Heather' has a dynamic cuisine that mixes traditional pub fare with contemporary flare.

Try the Blarney Stone bar across the street for a more boisterous atmosphere. The Blarney Stone, a true Irish dance hall crowded with university students on weekends, is recognized across town as a wild and raucous venue to meet new friends and have a good time. On the top floor, there are free foosball tables, and expect to hoot and shout along with the fiddles and drums all night.

These are just a handful of the numerous active hotspots in Vancouver. Recommendations for music venues, concerts, and movies may be found in the entertainment section of The Georgia Straight, a free weekly cultural periodical distributed throughout downtown. Pick one up, and you'll find something to suit every taste.

5. Sporting Events in the City

Vancouver has multiple professional sports clubs with a long history of success. The Vancouver Millionaires carried the legendary Stanley Cup on the ice of the old Denman Arena, North America's first indoor artificial-ice hockey arena, in 1915.

The city's teams have since included the beloved Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League and the defunct Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA. The British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League play at BC Place Stadium, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Throughout the year, there is always a game for fans of all sports and budgets.

Vancouver's minor league teams provide some of the most enjoyable entertainment. The Oakland Athletics' affiliate Vancouver Canadians play in the Single 'A' NorthWest Baseball League at Nat Bailey Stadium, which is located near Queen Elizabeth Park. It's a delightful day of baseball in a beautiful pastoral environment for young and old alike, frequently ending with music and fireworks or a visit from the mayor.

If Canucks tickets are too pricey or impossible to come by, the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League offer a wonderful option in the winter. This youthful club is coming off a championship season and plays in the historic Pacific Coliseum on the grounds of the P.N.E. fairgrounds.

Soccer is also gaining popularity in Vancouver, thanks to the reborn Vancouver Whitecaps. The squad won the North America Soccer League championship in 1979, during the height of soccernania' in Canada and the United States, and also won the Soccer Bowl in New York City that year. They presently play at the Swangard facility in Burnaby, near a Skytrain station, and there is discussion of building a new downtown facility in preparation for Vancouver hosting the 2007 U-20 World Cup.

Stanley Park is named after the Governor-General of Canada, who dedicated the Stanley Cup to hockey, and the city awaits its second title, as well as the attention of the globe, in 2010. A vacation to Vancouver is more intriguing than ever, with so much to see and do. It's an opportunity to share the energy and warmth of this "City of Tomorrow."