EXPLORING VANCOUVER’S ‘EXQUISITE’ URBAN LANDSCAPE
The cosmopolitan city of Vancouver is consistently ranked among the top urban travel destinations in the world, known for its stunning scenery and many unique outdoor and indoor attractions — Stanley Park, Chinatown, Grouse Mountain, the Granville Island Public Market and the historic Gastown district, to name a few.
In a recent ranking of the world’s best cities, the U.K.-based Resonance Consultancy lauded Vancouver as “the most Asian city outside of Asia.”
While the same group mentioned housing aordability (it was recently ranked as the third least-aordable city) as Vancouver’s biggest challenge, it added, “the global infatuation is obvious: safe, smart (the University of British Columbia ranks #18 globally) and socially minded (Income Equality ranks #20), Vancouver’s special blend is sprinkled across some of the planet’s most exquisite urban topography.”
If you only have a couple of days, it’s a good idea to take a hop-on, hop-o bus tour that visits the key attractions — Stanley Park, including its beaches, the famed Stanley Park Seawall and Vancouver Aquarium, as well as Yaletown and Chinatown. e tours leave from near the Vancouver Convention Centre, which is close to other attractions including Gastown and its famous steam clock. westcoastsightseeing.com
Food lovers will undoubtedly nd a delectable variety of choices from among the more than 350 restaurants participating in the 21st annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival, Jan. 20 to Feb. 5, 2023. dineoutvancouver.com
Vancouver is home to enough artistic, cultural and scienti c attractions to keep young and old fascinated for days.
Art is ever-present, and the downtown core has two of the best-known galleries: the Vancouver Art Gallery ( VAG) and the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest
Coast Art. e VAG, includes works by well-known Canadian, Indigenous and acclaimed international artists, as well as visiting exhibitions. e exhibition “Guud san glans Robert Davidson: A Line at Bends But Does Not Break” showcases the work of the renowned Haida graphic artist until April 16, 2023. vanartgallery.bc.ca
Nearby, the Bill Reid Gallery is another place to be inspired by the contemporary works of Northwest Coast Indigenous artists. It includes a collection of creations by its namesake, best known for his two- and three-dimensional depictions of Haida mythology and legends. billreidgallery.ca.