When thinking of Vancouver, what comes to mind is an exciting and vibrant young city situated at the edge of the Pacific Northwest, framed by the North Shore Mountains and the Pacific Ocean ..so much so that it embraces the world with its Natural Wonders and Modern Skyscrapers.
There is far more to the city than meets the eye
Fueled by decades of immigration from Asia and all corners of the globe, due to it constantly being ranked within the top 3 most livable and desirable cities in the world, by numerous reports and surveys…. including Forbes and Newsweek, it is of no surprise that it is now considered to be one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world as well.
Vancouver’s “jewel in the crown” is without a doubt the 1001 acre Stanley Park that borders the city and is mostly surrounded by the waters of Burrard Inlet and English Bay. In some ways its a bit like a wild version of New York’s 843 acre Central Park, as it is also attached to the densely populated core of the city. Most of the park is forested, but there are many forest trails, beaches, lakes, restaurants, children’s play areas, various sports fields and other sights for you to explore and enjoy.
The Vancouver Aquarium and First Nations Totem Poles are 2 of the most popular park attractions and are well worth seeing. If you do not have the time to spend a whole day in the park, indulge in a guided tour on a horse-drawn carriage, shuttle trolley or tour bus. However if you have the time to set aside a day or more to see it all, you will not regret it, and if you need to get in some exercise, I highly recommend a walk or cycle around the 10km seawall which loops around the park.
If you love shopping there is the infamous Robson Street and the Luxury Zone area along Alberni and part of West Georgia Street. Another must see is Granville island under the Granville Bridge with its stunning market, great restaurants, Boutique Hotel, art galleries, workhops and more. Yaletown is another great shopping district where old converted warehouses have been turned into trendy shops, restaurants and living spaces.
The city’s cultural diversity has also played an important role in it becoming a world class “foodie” destination,
It is now reputed as being one of the top ranking North American tourist destinations, and has one of the busiest Cruise Ship Terminalson the planet, and this year
there will be a record number of 290 ships docking at Canada Place over the summer season and over 1 million passengers will pass through the Port Authority.
Vancouver is also internationally known and referred to as “Hollywood North” for its booming Film, Television and Gaming Industry, with production exceeded only by Hollywood and New York. This year is due to become a record setting year for the industry, largely due to Vancouver’s location setting diversity, as well as its expertly skilled and globally recognized experienced crews. It is also well regarded for its exceptional service industry, which is a huge benefit to productions running smoothly. With it being such an established and successful industry it’s no wonder that the educational infrastructure for film production, animation and video games are on a par with the best in the world and attract many International Students.
This eclectic collection of images offers just a taste of what the city has to offer, and there so much more to explore even within an arms reach of the downtown core across the water to the North Shore, and south across the 3 bridges where neighborhoods like Kitsilano & East Van offer much to explore and are also all unique in their own way.
