Upcoming Events
The Canadians do love to celebrate. Here are a few coming soon:
FIS Alpine Skiing, World Cup –
21-24 Feb
This annual skiing events includes the downhill and combination for the women, and super G and giant slalom for the men. Incredible performances.
New Music West- 14th-18th May 2008 Over 200 bands in 5 nights, the newest and best talent, don’t miss this cracking music festival.
Celebration of Light – 28th July 2008
The world’s biggest fireworks display happens right here – head on down to English Bay to see the beautiful lights with the best of 1930s’ music. Display starts at 10pm. Admission is FREE!
The Lookout
Located above the Harbour Shopping Centre, the Lookout tower has impressive panoramic views over the whole of downtown Vancouver and over the bay. One ticket allows you to come and go as many times in one day as you like, which means you can see the city by both day and night. Plus the elevator actually goes on the outside of the building, which is pretty exciting!
Stanley Park
This peaceful, 1000-acre expanse of parkland next to Downtown Vancouver is perfect for everyone, whether you want to catch some sun or prefer something more active. Hire rollerblades or a bicycle from the nearby shops on Denman Street and cruise along the harbour path- if you’re lucky you might see a few seals swimming among the boats! And don’t miss the colourful display of Totem Poles, celebrating the First Nations and Canada’s rich heritage.
Whale Watching
That’s right, the west coast of Canada is home to the Orcas, more popularly known as Killer Whales, and you can join the whale-watching crew! The most popular spot to depart from is Victoria, on Vancouver Island. The best time of year to go whale watching is from May to November, although tours are run all year round with most companies. During the seasonal months you are almost guaranteed to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures. You’ll probably get soaked, but fear not, you get to don a very stylish red wetsuit/waterproof boiler suit. You’ll look stunning on the photos!
HINT: If you are a student, or have anything approximating to a student card, do remember to take it along. The discounts for students are excellent.
Whistler
Right, it’s time to get out into the mountains. Canada is famous for them and they’re only a stone’s throw away, if that. Whistler is a good day trip from Vancouver- only two or three hours drive by car- and is great all year round. In winter, hire skis and spend the day whizzing down some of the best slopes in the country. In summer, you can catch the ski lift up to the top and do some hiking or, if excess effort isn’t your thing, have a coffee on the balcony of the summit’s café while surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Or, indeed, if hiking isn’t extreme enough for you, how about mountain biking down the slopes? Keep your eyes peeled as you go up in the ski lift- in summer there are often bear sightings!
A trip around the bay on a Float Plane
Head on down to Coal Harbour in Downtown Vancouver and book yourself a trip with Harbour Air Seaplanes, and spend some time zooming around the sky. The six-seater planes take off and land smoothly from the water, and the views from the air are incredible. A twenty minute ride will cost CAN$100, and it’s definitely money well spent. One important thing to remember: Bring your passport for identification!
Granville Island
A quirky little part of Vancouver full of unique, arty shops. The highlight of Granville Island is the Public Market, which is a great place to try all kinds of delicious, international gourmet foods. And at night, jump on a boat and sail round the harbour and be dazzled by the lights of Vancouver reflected in the water.
Aquarium
Bang in the middle of Stanley Park, the Aquarium is home to the cutest dolphins, sea lions, beluga whales and, best of all, sea otters! There are feeding shows, an indoor tropical rainforest and a huge range of exotic fish.
Grouse Mountain
Who out there likes a challenge? If pumping your way up a mountain while sweating buckets sounds like your idea of a good time, the Grouse Grind is one of the most famous hikes in the area, and, believe us, the views from the top are well worth the effort. The walk takes approximately 1h 30m if you take it steadily, although fitter enthusiasts have reported smugly that they managed it in under an hour. Good luck! Or if it’s more your style to jump on a cable car (CAN$35) and arrive at the top cool and collected, the views are just as good, if not as well earned! At the top of the mountain you will find Cola and Grinder, the resident orphaned grizzly bears who were rescued by the authorities.
HINT: The food here is amazing- loads of it, great quality, and of every possible variety that you could imagine. A good value option is to head for the food courts in the shopping malls. And in restaurants, remember that they will ALWAYS box up any food you can’t eat to take away. You don’t have to give yourself indigestion trying to eat it all.