Virtual Vacation: Vancouver British Columbia

Vancouver is the major urban center of western Canada. It's a great walking city with nearby mountains and rain forests.

Vancouver is a popular departure port for Alaska cruises. Here's a peek into what I did during a pre-cruise stay:

Stanley Park is a 400-hectare natural West Coast rain forest with scenic water, mountain and sky views along the famous Seawall. Within the park are trails, a pitch & putt, playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, water park, beaches, a miniature train, restaurants, and much more. 

 

Also located within Stanley Park is the Vancouver Aquarium. It is Canada’s first public aquarium, the largest in Canada, and one of the five largest in North America. While the Aquarium is temporarily closed they are offering online resources for kids to learn about ocean life. They also have several live webcams of some of their exhibits. 

 

Science World is a science center located in False Creek featuring many permanent interactive exhibits and displays. During the facility's temporary closing they are offering online events including live streams of their Center Stage shows, online films, at-home science activities and other live stream events. 

 

Located directly across False Creek from downtown Vancouver is Granville Island, home to many interesting shops and restaurants as well as the Granville Island Brewery. The Granville Island Public Market is the jewel in the island’s crown, the market is open daily and features a fascinating assortment of food, handcrafted products and unique gifts. 

 

Established in the 1890’s, Vancouver's Chinatown is largest the Chinatown in Canada. It’s famous for its restaurants, stores, Sun Yat-Sen Garden and annual Chinese New Year Parade, which is the best time to visit. The area really comes alive during the weekend of Chinese New Year with live performances, festival stalls, amazing food and of course the parade!

 

Located just 15 minutes from downtown is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vancouver, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Originally built in 1889, the bridge stretches 450 feet across and 230 feet above the Capilano River. Aside from the bridge there are several others things to do within the park including a Cliffwalk, Treetops Adventure, Story Centre, Kia’palano, Guided History & Nature Tours, as well as seasonal experiences.

 

Now let's take a video tour of some of the city’s highlights.