Not everyone supported the Olympics coming to Vancouver, when it was put to a referendum. Many felt that a city with the poorest area code in Canada, as well as the richest, should invest time and money on sorting out its very real problems before inviting the international community to watch skiing and skeleton competitions.
The Olympics (just around the corner now, starting in February) have for better or worse caused a great deal of money to be spent, some of it disastrously: …

There are many famous and beautiful parks in and around Vancouver, some ideal for hiking, some famous for their gardens, some simple fields in residential areas, but given the recent articles on Gastown, it seems like a perfect time to mention the virtually unknown, except by locals, Crab Park.
Crab Park can be seen from the seabus as you approach Downtown Vancouver, only a small slice of beach, a simple boardwalk by the water, and a green park for playing soccer or frisbee and a little playground just out …

After having a good look around Gastown with its cobbled streets and cute renovated flats, there are several good places to stop for a coffee, drink or lunch.  Stars among them are:
1. Maple Delights.  It may be hypocritical to say “avoid the touristy things” and then plug a shop/cafe called Maple Delights, but this place is equally a hit with the locals (many Canadians are stereotypically obsessed with maple).  Almost everything in this shop contains maple, from the enormous and delicious muffins to the exquisite little pies to the ice-cream …

Undeniably the most famous and easily-accessed destination from the seabus is Gastown, the historic downtown core of Vancouver.  While Gastown does take the airbrushed historical ambiance a bit too far sometimes, it’s a beautiful tree-lined corner of Vancouver and there’s plenty to see and do there after you’ve seen the most obvious places.
The most obvious places, in brief are: the Steam Clock, the statue of Gassy Jack and The Old Spaghetti Factory.  All three have their charm, and the Steam Clock and Gassy Jack should certainly be seen quickly  by …

One of the benefits of staying in North Vancouver is the chance to experience, on a daily basis, the views of Downtown, the North Shore mountains and Burrard Inlet from Metro Vancouver’s most endearing form of public transit: the seabus.
The seabus is a day to day part of the commute for thousands of Vancouver and North Vancouver residents.  For this reason, if you’re looking for a relaxing ride and to enjoy the scenery, wait until after breakfast.  Things usually slow down considerably by nine o’clock, and downtown is more …

Vancouver is a young, vibrant city with a little bit of everything on offer.  It boasts an enormous list of excellent restaurants (the highlights of which will be featured here) cultural activities, a busy sports scene, and a wide range of athletic adventures: from hard-core mountain biking to easy-going walks along the ocean.  For those who get their exercise in pursuit of a bargain, there’s also a never-ending list of shopping options: from large malls to local boutiques to excellent second-hand shops.  After a long day there are many ways …

One of the best things about staying in North Vancouver is that it’s a short and easy journey to Vancouver itself, but it’s also beautiful and natural in its own right.  The North Shore Mountains are at your back, the forests surround you and there are inexhaustible possibilities for hiking, walking on the seawall, more strenuous activities such as kayaking and canoeing, or just enjoying the laid-back West Coast vibe in a cafe or one of North Vancouver’s great restaurants.
The variety and excitement of the city is only twenty minutes …