Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada, and the largest on the Canadian west coast. It is also the mopopulous city in British Columbia. It has a population of 580,000, with the metropolitan population exceeding 2.1 million people.
Vancouver was established as a logging settlement known as Gastown in 1867. Its position as a natural seaport propelled its growth. Forestry remains a major industry in Vancouver, with tourism and film production being major industries.
Burvilla Historical House, Deas Island Regional Park, Vancouver Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Burrvilla-spring.jpg Author: Tony Fox
The warmest months in Vancouver are July and August, when the temperature reaches a high of 22°C. The coldest months are December to February, when the night temperature can drop to 0°C. The heaviest rain is expected in November and December, with monthly precipitation reaching at 17 to 18 cm.
Travel to Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located immediately south of downtown. It comprises three terminals, one for domestic flights, one for international flights, and one for small aircrafts. If you arrive at either the domestic or international terminal, you can take the SkyTrain, a rapid transit train that links the airport to downtown. The journey takes 25 minutes and costs $8.75. The same journey by taxi costs between C$25 to C$30.
Travel within Vancouver
TransLink is the authority managing the public transport in Vancouver. It runs the buses, the rapid transit SkyTrain and the SeaBus passenger ferry. A journey within the city of Vancouver costs C$2.50, with journeys to the surrounding neighbourhoods costing a bit more.
The single-ride tickets are valid for 90 minutes from time of purchase, and you can use it to transfer from any buses, SkyTrain or SeaBus. If you are going to use public transport the whole day, then get the Daypass for C$9.00 that allows unlimited rides for the day. Alternatively you can buy prepaid tickets in booklets of ten at a discounted price.
View of Vancouver Hotel in downtown Vancouver Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vancouver_0710B.jpg Author: Romary
Places of Interest in Vancouver
Chinatown A neighbourhood older than Vancouver itself, it was first settled by Chinese immigrants drawn by the gold rush.
Science World Science museum housed in a futuristic geodesic dome.
BC Place Stadium A multi-purpose stadium that stands as landmark in the skyline of Vancouver.
Vancouver Art Gallery Gallery housed in the former British Columbia provincial courthouse.
Maritime Museum Museum celebrating Vancouver's nautical history.
Vancouver Museum and Pacific Space Centre A distinctive architectural landmark in Vancouver.
Granville Island Redeveloped former industrial district now housing stores and galleries.
Queen Elizabeth Park and Bloedel Conservatory Park on Little Mountain, the tallest hill in Vancouver with the conservatory at the top of the hill.
Van Dusen Botanical Garden 22-hectare garden with year-round displays of plants.
University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology Museum with outstanding collection of the art of the Northwest coast native people.
Old Hastings Mill Store Historic building from 1865 that housed the first general store and post office in Vancouver.
Stanley Park 404-hectare forested park just a few blocks from downtown.
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center A place to watch all forms of marine life from fish to whales.
Lonsdale Quay Market Marketplace housed in a striking concrete-and-glass structure.
Lynn Canyon Park and Ecology Centre A popular hiking spot for the locals.
Grouse Mountain A place to enjoy the dramatic landscape of British Columbia.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Suspension bridge built in 1889 now a popular tourist attraction.
Lighthouse Park 74-hectare park with old-growth trees and rugged coastline.
Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.
While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.