Vancouver Pointers

"Vancouver is the urban jewel of western Canada. Below is my subjective short list of pointers to help you get around easily when you visit."

Dear International Living Reader,

Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Vancouver offers the best of cosmopolitan city life with a backdrop of natural beauty in every direction. This is a fantastic city to discover on foot, especially in the summertime when the sun banishes the rain and the cafés and beaches are full.

Vancouver’s attractions are fairly spread out, though, so here are some tips you might find useful when you hit the streets.

1. Did you see that? Vancouver offers startling sculpture, but the streets rather than the art galleries are the venue. For example, check out the gargoyles on the roof of the Fairmont Hotel (www.fairmont.com/hotelvancouver). Take the elevator to the hotel's upper floors and peek out the windows of the elevator lobby to get a closer view. Likewise, while walking the waterfront, be on the lookout for unusual statues in various apartment building gardens.

2. Brother can you spare me a dime? Vancouver is a sparkling city, but alas, like many other popular metropolitan centers, it is not "drug clean." How does this affect you? The answer is you may be panhandled while passing major stations or while stopped for red lights in the center of town. You’ll have to find your own way of responding to requests for handouts, so be aware that you may be asked to help out a fellow traveler…more than once.

3. The new kid on the block. If you go into an official city tourist office, try to get advice from someone who’s been to the destination you’re asking about. I found that some of the new travel advisors--while ready to help--are still working on getting all their facts straight. For example, you may be told that there is a city bus that takes you to the Bloedel Conservatory (www.greatervancouverparks.com/BloedelCons.html). What you might not be told is that it’s a fair uphill walk from the drop-off bus stop and that there are no easily visible sign posts…

4. Hey, wait for me! And speaking of public transport, you can get a bus to Grouse Mountain (www.grousemountain.com). Take a cable-car up and you’ll get a panoramic view out over the city. If you’re getting back to your hotel by catching a bus, make sure you ask the cable-car assistants what time you should already be standing in line for the downhill ride. Vancouver area buses are generally quite punctual, and you don't want to miss your connection because other visitors "beat you to it" in the line-up on the mountain top.

5. Going, going, gone. Perhaps because Vancouver is a rapidly growing city, shopping districts seem to change without warning. Thus, you can be strolling down Robson Street (www.robsonstreet.ca), past one up-scale shop after another, only to find that the particular much-touted boutique or fancy chain store you’re looking for has vanished without a trace. You’ll find plenty of others, though, and lots of opportunities to shop.

6. Dance all night! While the waterfront seems to remain lively until late in the evening, other tourist districts, like Gastown (www.gastown.org) close fairly early. You may feel more comfortable walking around in a group after dark.

Deborah Rubin Fields
For International Living