The sprawling urban Stanley Park covers most of the north park of the city and is a great place to take a stroll and get a feel for the city. Points of interest within the park include the sands of Third Beach, the popular Seawall trail, an 8.8km scenic pathway where skaters and cyclists join walkers and the First Nations totem poles, huge red cedar woods carved as eagles and wolves. Stanley Park is also home to Vancouver Aquarium, which features a huge variety of water-loving/dwelling animals, as well as a walk-through rainforest area.

 Vancouver also has a host of interesting museums to explore. The Museum of Anthropology’s breathtaking modern structure dotted with First Nations’ totem poles is an experience not to be missed, packed with breathtaking carvings and artifacts from around the world. The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) forms a large part of the city’s cultural scene, while Science World’s stunning geodesic dome showcases science and nature exhibitions with the fun continuing in the museum’s outdoor space.

Visit Granville Island for its vibrant covered Public Market, where you’ll find fish, cheese, fruit, bakery treats and lots of restaurants to choose from. It’s also the location of one of Canada’s oldest microbreweries, Granville Island Brewing, where you can take a 30 minute tour and work your way through the many samples on offer.

Those hoping to explore the surrounding mountain-scenery can travel north to Grouse Mountain or Cypress Mountain, both easily accessible from Downtown and offering skiing and snowboarding in the winter and beautiful alpine hikes during the milder months.