With the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east, Vancouver sits amid some of the most stunning scenery in the country. It’s one of the only places where a person could be walking along the beach and skiing down the mountains in the same day! The beauty of Vancouver and the mild climate enjoyed year round aid in making this thriving, diverse city an attractive destination for visitors around the world. With miles of spectacular parks bordering the ocean and adorned with towering, immense trees, Vancouver is truly a beautiful city. But it goes far beyond beauty in entertaining its visitors, Vancouver also offers fine dining, unique shopping and attractions like Capilano Suspension Bridge and Granville Island.

	Top rated hotels
	1. Georgian Court Hotel 773 Beatty Street 4. Metropolitan Hotel 645 Howe St 2. Pan Pacific Vancouver 300-999 Canada Place 5. The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver 1601 Bayshore Drive 3. Pacific Palisades Hotel 1277 Robson Street (at Jervis) (Downtown) 6. Opus Hotel 322 Davie St. (Yaletown) View more Vancouver hotel info »«

	Top rated attractions
	In Vancouver 1. Stanley Park Slightly ravaged by windstorm in 2006, Stanley Park remains one of the city’s prime attractions. The 1000-acre park located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in downtown Vancouver, attracts about 8 million visitors a year. Trees as tall as 250 feet and hundreds of years old provide shade to hikers who enjoy over 125 miles of trails in the park. One of the most popular trails is the seawall path, which runs along the ocean for about 22 km. On a hot summer day, enjoy the many beaches that border the park.  « hide 2. Grouse Mountain Looking for the best view of Vancouver and the Rocky Mountains? Head to Grouse Mountain and take a ride up the skyride, a tramway that will take you to an observation deck atop the mountain. Want to get even higher, take a helicopter tour of the area! Alternately, other entertainment on the mountain includes the Theatre in the Sky, the World Famous Lumberjack Show or the Birds in Motion amphitheatre. The more adventurous individuals may even want to climb the mountain themselves instead of taking the tramway! In the winter, activities on the mountain include skiing, snow shoeing and riding on the sno-limo!  « hide 3. Granville Island You have to visit Granville Island to truly understand its unique place in the city of Vancouver. Surrounded by ocean waters, there is only one street that will take you onto the “island.” Once there, you will find an interesting blend of restaurants, boutiques, theatres, an art school, a public marketplace, entertainers and the Granville Island Hotel. The island used to be an industrial park, and remnants of its history remain in sight today, but the buildings have now been converted into theatres and galleries. The distinctive shops in the area will offer once of a lifetime purchases!  « hide 4. Vancouver Aquarium Located in the middle of Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium offers a fascinating look at some of the marine life in the area in its indoor and outdoor displays. Outside, you will see sea otters cuddling up together or come face-to-face with a beluga whale! Be sure to visit the dolphins, sea lions and birds of prey. Inside, check out the giant fish, the amazon rain forest, the tropical zone, the sharks and the clownfish cove.  « hide 5. Capilano Suspension Bridge Scared of heights? Don’t go across the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which sways in the wind at 230 feet above the ground! If you want an adventure, be sure to venture across the 450 foot long bridge or take in one of the many other attractions at the park, located 10 minutes from downtown. The newest attraction is the Treetop Adventure where visitors can take a series of suspension bridge connecting several Douglas Fir trees. Also check out Totem Park and the Living Forest  « hide

	Top rated restaurants
	1. Asiana Sushi Restaurant With super prices for an all you can eat lunch and dinner sushi bar, the Asiana Sushi Restaurant is a popular venue for sushi lovers. At lunch-time, the restaurant also offers an assortment of combo specials.  « hide 6. Tony’s Fish & Oyster Cafe With a reputation for fabulous fish and chips at reasonable prices, Tony’s is a small place, but an awesome choice for lunch or dinner on Granville Island.  « hide 2. Tojo’s Vancouver A truly unique sushi eating experience will be found at Tojo’s where you have the option of a custom made meal! The Omakase experience involves a discussion on your likes, dislikes and overall sushi experience, after which, a chef will custom design your meal.  « hide 7. Amarcord Restaurant Specializing in authentic Italian meals, Amarcord is a Yaletown favorite with its huge selection of pasta, risotto and gnocchi, not to mention the traditional tiramisu for dessert.  « hide 3. Nikko Japanese Restaurant Located on popular Robson Street, take a break from shopping and head over to Nikko’s where you will find affordably priced sushi while you dine on the garden terrace or sit at the spacious sushi bar indoors.  « hide 8. Capone’s Restaurant & Live Jazz Club With live jazz bands playing every single night of the week, a signature list of martinis and a reputation for its pizza and pasta, Capone’s certainly captivates its customers who are equally thrilled with the service.  « hide 4. Bridges On a sunny day in Vancouver, nothing beats the Bridges patio, which seats 300 people and is the largest outdoor patio in the city. Not to mention, its location directly on the docks allows you to view the boats in the water.  « hide 9. Provence Marinaside Located on the marina in Yaletown, this little gem specializes in Italian and seafood –take your pick, but in any case, enjoy the views of the marina and the seawall while perusing the 14 page wine list!  « hide 5. Dockside Restaurant With their own micro brewery on site, a 50 foot aquarium and a dockside patio, the ambience at Dockside Restaurant is second to none. Add an impressive wine list and delicious menu, and you have a top-notch restaurant!  « hide

	Vancouver Insider tips
	1. Premiere shopping Specialty shopping on Robson Street is akin to shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. If you love acclaimed designs like Gucci, Dior, bebe, Coach and Guess, you will definitely want to peruse the shops in the area, many of which are located in the upscale hotels including the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Clothes, sunglasses, shoes, handbags and accessories from these original designers are a must-have!  « hide 2. White Rock Beach Just a short drive from Vancouver, the City of White Rock offers incredible beaches and amenities. Take a day trip or spend the night at one of the many hotels in the community, but be sure to visit the city named after the giant white rock on its shores along the Pacific Ocean. In White Rock, you will find a 1500 long pier from which you can see the aquatic life in the ocean below, particularly the sea stars that attach themselves to the rocks. Meanwhile, along the boardwalk, you will find many unique shops and restaurants, and more than a couple delicious places to get an ice cream cone!  « hide 3. Gastown Steam Clock Gastown is the oldest part of Vancouver and the old buildings are currently being modernized to accommodate new, trendy lofts. The architecture and the unique shops make Gastown an attractive destination for visitors, but the must see sight is the Gastown Steam Clock. The clock was built in 1977, designed to reflect an 1875 replica and is said to be the only steam powered clock in the world. You can even see the inner mechanics of the clock if you look carefully!  « hide 4. Downtown Eastside By far, the area with the worst reputation in Vancouver has long since been downtown eastside. Homeless, vagrants, runaways, prostitutes, drug addicts and petty criminals are common in the area. It is not advisable to head into this section of the city at any time, but particularly not at night. The area is also said to have the highest rate of HIV infection in the western world and is home to a good number of the city’s slumlords. Hastings Street is known as a particularly bad area.  « hide 5. Chinatown Bordered to the north by the infamous downtown eastside district of Vancouver, Chinatown shares in some of the criminal activities common to that area. While it still remains a popular tourist destination, and is generally a safe place to visit, it is wise to be alert after dark if you happen to be walking in parts that are close to the less desirable neighborhood of downtown eastside.  « hide

	Vancouver nightlife
	In Vancouver 1. Bar None Yaletown Classified as a “New York” style nightclub, Bar None is located in the heart of Yaletown and caters to the trendy upper class neighborhood. The beautiful ambience combined with great dance music makes Bar None a wise choice for a night out on the town.  « hide 2. Caprice Nightclub & Lounge Caprice serves the dance enthusiast looking to spend the night partying on the dance floor as well as the laid back sports fan who can watch any of the professional sporting events on one of the big screen tvs. This former movie theatre has been transformed into a 12,000 sq. ft. center for adult entertainment. Located on Granville Island, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a signature martini or a bottle of wine.  « hide 3. Ginger 62 Cocktail Den & Kitchen Located on popular Granville island, Ginger 62 is great for the +30 crowd, as it offers an intimate environment for good friends and good times. With a 60s style and a modern twist, Ginger 62 is renowned for its appies and unique cocktails.  « hide 4. Relish Restaurant & Lounge Relish the sexy dÈcor and vast wine list at Relish Restaurant & Lounge, which is known for its beautiful ambience with a fireplace, suede chairs and a slate foyer. Relish is well known for its patio in the summer, which is a great start to any nighit on the town.  « hide 5. Tonic A relatively new nightclub on Granville Island, Tonic attracts a young crowd anxious to hit the dance floor or frequent the two large balconies that overlook the action on the dance floor! There is usually a line up, as each night of the week features something new and different.  « hide