Vancouver occupies an enviable spot in the world. Blessed with miles of coastline, lush vegetation and crowned by the North Shore Mountains, it's hard to be there and not stop at some point and be amazed by what you see. But scratch beneath that setting and you find a cosmopolitan city of many faces. It is a mix of old and new, a stopping place for immigrants that have infused the city's neighbourhoods, festivals and food.
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Vancouverites broadly split the City of Vancouver in three: the Westside, the Eastside (or East Van) and city centre. This split is simply geography: everything west of Ontario St is the Westside, everything east is East Vancouver and everything north of False Creek is the city centre. Each of these areas have their own attractions and neighbourhoods, so time permitting, explore as many as you can. This list covers only the City of Vancouver. For the rest of Greater Vancouver, see Lower Mainland.
While Vancouver is a comparatively young city, founded in 1867, its history begins long before. The Coast Salish indigenous peoples (First Nations) have lived in the area for at least 6,000 years. The present city's namesake Captain George Vancouver sailed through the First Narrows on 13 June 1792, naming Burrard Inlet after his friend Sir Harry Burrard. The first settlement on the downtown peninsula was Granville, on the spot of today's Gastown. In 1867, the year of Canada's confederation, a saloon was built on this site and gave birth to a small shantytown of bars and stores, adjacent to the original mill, on the south shore of what is now the city's harbour.
Vancouver is one of the few major cities in North America without a freeway leading directly into the downtown core (freeway proposals in the 1960s and 1970s were defeated by community opposition). As a result, development has taken a different course than in most other major North American cities resulting in a relatively high use of transit and cycling, a dense, walkable core and a development model that is studied and emulated elsewhere. TransLink, ☏ +1-604-953-3333.
While Vancouver is still a young city, it has a variety of attractions and points of interest for the visitor. Many of the city's landmarks and historical buildings can be found in the central business district. Canada Place, with its distinctive sails, the nearby Olympic Cauldron, the intricate Art Deco styling of the Marine Building and the old luxury railway hotel of the Hotel Vancouver are in the central business district. Stanley Park (the city's most popular attraction), along with its neighbouring Coal Harbour walkway and the Vancouver Aquarium are in the West End.
Vancouver isn't all about the outdoors. It offers a variety of theatre, concerts and other cultural events. There are symphony and opera venues in the central business district and much of the city's live theatre can be found in South Granville, particularly on Granville Island with its thriving arts scene. The city's Chinese heritage comes alive during Chinese New Year. Chinatown, in the east side of downtown, is awash in colour and has many festivities, including a parade. June sees the annual Dragon Boat Festival on False Creek. There is no shortage of festivals around the city, with many local ones particular to a neighbourhood.
Where to begin? There is something for everyone in this cosmopolitan city, and the variety of cuisines and price points have been described as a foodie's delight. In particular, you will find many different kinds of Asian food available. If you fancy sushi many places offer "all you can eat" lunches for $12, which offers food of a wildly varying quality. In general, the city is up there with some of the best cities in North America when it comes to food.
Most of the nightclubs are in the central business district, especially along the Granville Street strip, south of Robson and along Water Street in Gastown. There are a number of good local pubs in the various quieter neighbourhoods of the city, such as along Main Street or Broadway. Closing times for most of these pub-like establishments begin at 1AM; nightclubs close between 2AM-3AM with a very small number operating after-hours. Nightclubs with music, a DJ and a dance floor usually charge an entrance fee.
Vancouver is a great place to visit if you use common sense like keeping an eye on your possessions, knowing where you are going and avoiding alleys and unfamiliar areas at night should keep you out of trouble. Unless involved in illegal activities (such as the drug trade), it is highly unlikely you will fall victim to any sort of violent crime. If you need emergency help, dial 911. Like any major metropolitan city, Vancouver has areas that should be travelled with caution. The most notable is the Downtown Eastside (specifically Hastings Street between Abbott and Gore). This neighbourhood is infamous for homelessness, drug-use, and prostitution.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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