I’m cheating a bit here. This blog was technically supposed to be just about the Canadian Rockies, and Vancouver is situated on the Pacific Coast of Canada in British Columbia, but I could not find myself to finish this blog without including a post or two about the jewel of the Canadian west.
Probably best known as the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver situates itself at the south-western most tip of British Columbia, just a few hours north of Seattle. Given that it was so recently the site of the Winter Olympics, there is still a central plaza with the Olympic torch stand and celebrations when Canada won gold in hockey took place, which I thought was pretty neat. Also, there are urban gardens on rooves all over the place which also stood out to me quite a bit.
More than anything though, Vancouver stood out to me as the most beautiful city I have ever seen. It is by no means small. With upwards of 600,000 people in downtown alone (2.5 million in the metro area), Vancouver is about as large as Boston, however it feels quaint and clean like any town. Being completely surrounding by sparkling water in the Pacific Ocean or surrounding rivers. There are white capped mountains in the background of North Vancouver that tower over the city. Even Mount Baker, Washington, almost 100 miles away can be seen prominently in the distance on a clear day.
Mount Baker above Vancouver skyline
The natural wonder of Vancouver does not stop at the surrounding mountains though, it is actually right in the city. Stanley Park is one of the world’s largest urban parks, at significantly larger than central park, and is found right between downtown and North Vancouver. This park boasts everything from almost 15 miles of pristine beach coastline to 800-year-old trees and everything in between. Stanley Park is completely protected from development and is the go-to spot for recreation in Vancouver.
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Even better are the spots in North Vancouver. Grouse Mountain is a go to skiing spot (in case North America’s best, Whistler, just 2 hours away is too far) just 20 minutes from downtown, and then the canyons in North Vancouver are absolutely worth seeing. Lynn and Capilano Canyons have suspension bridges that span over the waterfalls below, although, tip: Capilano canyon charges like $45 for the same experience as Lynn canyon 10 minutes away. My personal favorite part of seeing this area was the fact that the cliffs below these bridges were perfect for cliff jumping. For those able to brave the freezing water and 40-foot heights, cliff jumping in Lynn Canyon is an absolute go. These spots have been tested by years of adventurers and so the water is plenty deep and there are solid platforms to jump off of. It just comes down to taking that one step and enjoying the thrill of the way down.
The natural beauty within Vancouver is really what makes it my favorite city I have ever been to. To me, there is no place like that shining city in western Canada. The culture is unmatched, and the scenery speaks for itself.
I loved all the pictures this week! It really made me want to visit and see all the cool things the city has to offer. I love when cities are more than just a bunch of sky scrapers and big department stores. The thing that stood out to me the most about this post was that you mentioned that there was a park in the middle of the city, I think that is so great. I could never live in a city that didn’t have at least a little bit of nature! My favorite city park I have ever been to was in Tokyo, they have temples in the middle of the city that are surrounded by woods for miles and so it seems like you are not in the city anymore.
All beautiful pictures. And, as always, Vancouver, like alll of Canada (with the possible exception of Quebec and the Maritime provinces) should be a part of America and it’s a shame that we didn’t take the canucks to task in 1812. In the words of a greast statesman: “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!”
But seriously, Vancouver is defintely on my list of places to see. The Pacific Northwest in general, whether it be Portland, Seattle or indeed Vancouver, doesn’t get enough attention IMO.