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Chestnut Street & Ogden Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6J 1A1
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The largest park in the Kitsilano section of Vancouver. Vanier Park used to be a station for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police until the 1960s when the site was turned over to the city. It now hosts three of Vancouver’s most popular museums. First, there’s the Vancouver Maritime Museum, which documents the region’s rich and varied seafaring past. Then, housed together in one building are two separate museums, the Museum of Vancouver, which chronicles the city’s history, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, which is a treat for adults and kids alike.
Whale Watching Tours
Victoria's Inner Harbour
Victoria, BC
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The whale watching options in Victoria are many, but all of them leave from the Inner Harbour. Perhaps the most popular tours are run by the cleverly named "Prince Of Whales" tour company, which offers a number of different excursions for visitors. Other tours out of the Inner Harbour include Great Pacific Adventures and Springtide Charters. Most of these companies also offer tours out of Vancouver as well, so if you aren't headed for Victoria, there's still a chance for whaling.
Whister/Blackcomb Mountain
North of Vancouver
Whistler, BC V0N 1B4
Phone: 800-WHISTLER
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At first glance, Whistler Village seems a bit like some sort of Alpine theme park, but it is an actual town with around 10,000 actual people living in it. Of course, locals are often outnumbered by out-of-towners, as Whistler welcomes some two million visitors a year. The big draw here is the skiing and snowboarding. There are two main peaks in Whistler, Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. The ski trails here cater to all levels of thrill seekers, but make no mistake, these are world-class runs. And, when it came time to select the venue for the Alpine events for the 2010 Vancouver games, it was probably the biggest no-brainer in the history of the Olympics. With its premier facilities already in place, Whistler was the obvious choice. Even if you’re here when there isn’t any snow, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. With the rise of warm weather sports like mountain biking and BMX racing, Whistler has become a Mecca for extreme athletes of all kinds. For example, you could join the adrenaline junkies at Whistler Bungee for a plunge down the canyon over a raging river. Or not.
5 Constitution Road
Boston, MA 02129
Phone: 617-242-56541
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This little peak outside Victoria is one of the nicest view points on this part of Vancouver Island. Don’t let the name throw you; you’re not going to need any hiking boots or grappling hooks to get up here. In fact, this view point is only a few minutes walk from the parking lot. However, from up here on Mount Doug, you can get a great look at the entire peninsula, from Swartz Bay to the north all the way back down to Victoria to the south.
Shannon Falls Provincial Park
Near Squamish, BC
Phone: 604-986-9371
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This park has some nice hiking trails, but here there’s an added bonus. At the end of the trail is a viewing station, where we can get a great look at the majestic Shannon Falls high above us. Shannon Falls is the third highest waterfall in all of British Columbia, and certainly the highest one that you'll find this close to Vancouver. Heartier souls can hike all the way to the base of the falls, but even at this distance, it’s pretty tough to beat the view. And, while you’re in the area, you can also get a peek at the famous “Stawamus Chief,” a huge granite monolith near the town of Squamish, not far away. Formed nearly 100 million years ago, it’s the second largest rock formation of its kind in the entire world.
Stanley Park
Stanley Park Drive & North Lagoon Drive
Vancouver, BC V6B 3X8
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Located on the northern tip of the peninsula, Vancouver’s Stanley Park is one of Canada’s true treasures. The folks in Vancouver are known for their active lifestyles, and Stanley Park is definitely a favorite playground. This massive park is nearly ten percent larger than New York’s Central Park, and welcomes nearly eight million visitors a year. Every day, the park is filled with nature lovers, tree huggers, and weekend warriors of every stripe. Though it started life as a military facility, when the city of Vancouver incorporated in 1886, the first act of the newly-minted city council was to set this land aside as a public park. The park was named for Lord Stanley, who was the Governor General of Canada at the time. Since then the park has only continued to grow in popularity and it’s been ranked among the top twenty public parks in North America. Among the many great natural wonders in the park is the Vancouver Aquarium, a truly world class marine menagerie.