A city that blends sleek urbanity with natural beauty, Vancouver is often ranked as a favorite travel destination and a top place to live. The third-largest city in Canada, Vancouver soon will have everyone’s attention as the host of the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. Why not discover it for yourself before the world does?
A Vancouver vacation, it’s often said, can include skiing in the morning and hitting the beach in the afternoon. It boasts an enviable location on the Pacific Coast, adjacent to the North Shore Mountains, and two hours south of the renowned Whistler and Blackcomb ski resorts. A vacation in Vancouver wouldn’t be complete without participating in its many outdoor diversions, including hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, golfing, rock climbing and boating. It even has one of the largest urban parks in North America, Stanley Park. A Vancouver luxury vacation can take advantage of the finer things the city has to offer, including fashionable shopping on Robson Street and many fine restaurants (expect to find sophisticated wine lists; the region is North America’s highest per-capita wine consumer). A Vancouver vacation package should also include a trip to West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park, where visitors can wander through a coastal virgin rainforest, and shopping and dining in North America’s third-largest Chinatown.
U.S. visitors must carry a valid passport when traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada. On June 1, 2009, a new American law known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will require U.S. citizens 16 years of age or over who re-enter the United States by land and sea to have a passport or other appropriate secure document like a NEXUS card (for more information on the latest entry and exit requirements for U.S. citizens, visit travel.state.gov, the U.S. State Department’s website). Many cities in the U.S. offer air service to Vancouver International Airport. It’s a three-hour drive between Seattle and Vancouver, a popular route, so be prepared for possible delays at the border crossing in Blaine, Wash. Car rentals are available in Vancouver, although one is probably not needed if your travels are confined to the downtown area. A progressive city, Vancouver has a well-run public transit system, including the second-largest bus fleet in North America. Vancouver’s weather is generally mild. Average temperatures range from about 37°F in January to about 65°F in July. Currency is the Canadian dollar. For more information on a vacation in Vancouver, log on to www.tourismvancouver.com, the Greater Vancouver Visitors and Convention Bureau’s website.