Vancouver and Beautiful British Columbia (Part 2)

View of Vancouver skyline from Granville Island 

It’s great to be back blogging after what has been an unintended a 6-month hiatus! 

I’m back for good now and very keen to share more stories from my recent travel adventures including Iceland, Andorra and Slovenia. First, here is the concluding part of my Vancouver experience.

Canada Place

Having returned from the more laid-back atmosphere of Whistler, it was time to experience a taste of city life but despite being the main city of Western Canada and the country's third largest, Vancouver retains the relatively calm vibe of the province of British Columbia.

I found Downtown Vancouver compact enough to get around by foot or public transport. The city bikes were also very useful but note that cyclists are required by law to wear a helmet. 

My first stop was Canada Place, a huge complex comprising a convention centre, hotels, restaurants and the main cruise ship terminal. For most people arriving on cruise ships, this is the first part of the city they will see. From the terrace, you can watch sea planes take off and land while taking in views of North Vancouver across the harbour. If you fancy a virtual flight across the provinces of Canada, check out FlyOver Canada, located within the complex.

Vancouver Steam Clock

Just a short walk down the road from Canada Place is one of Vancouver’s most famous landmarks, the Steam clock located in the aptly named Gastown. This area is very popular with tourists and has plenty of restaurants and shopping. You may also notice a large number of homeless individuals around this area but they don’t usually pose a threat to the regular tourist. The infamous Downtown Eastside area is not very far away from here. 

Trans Am Totem

A-maze-ing Laughter

In my opinion, the most endearing feature of Vancouver is the large number of remarkable public art pieces dotted around the city. Yue Minjun’s A-maze-ing laughter and Marcus Bowcott’s Trans Am Totem are my favourites but no trip to Vancouver is complete without a visit to the ginormous Stanley Park which contains many attractions. If you fancy jogging or strolling along the famous Vancouver seawall, you'll find the iconic Siwash Rock and the Girl in a Wetsuit sculpture which is strangely similar to Copenhagen's Little Mermaid. Other attractions in Stanley Park include the Vancouver Aquarium and Totem poles, a collection of large wooden sculptures unique to North American indigenous peoples. You’ll need at least a day or 2 to fully explore the attractions on offer in the park.

Siwash Rock at Vancouver's Stanley Park

A short bike ride from Stanley Park is the popular Granville Island with its restaurants, bars and shops-a foodie's paradise.

As mentioned in the first part of this series, the City of Vancouver extends well beyond the boundaries of Downtown Vancouver. A short boat ride across the harbour from Canada Place takes you to North Vancouver which is a residential neighbourhood with its own charm. This is where you’ll find Vancouver’s majestic mountain ranges with their ski slopes and temperate rain forests. Due to time pressure, I was only able to visit Lynn Canyon Park and it was gorgeous. I took the suspension bridge and the hiking trail where there was a movie being filmed! Indeed, Vancouver is called “the Hollywood of the North” for a reason; many Hollywood productions are actually filmed in and around the city. Recent movies filmed in this city include Deadpool, Double Jeopardy and 50 Shades of Grey!

Vancouver skyline as seen from Stanley Park

Indeed, Vancouver is one of the most charming cities I have visited recently. Not surprisingly after my visit, I just couldn’t decide if Toronto should still remain my favourite Canadian city. When it comes to natural beauty and outdoor activities, Vancouver is the unrivalled favourite but Toronto remains a strong contender due to its cosmopolitan nature, night life, diverse culinary options and of course, Toronto Carnival (aka Caribana), North America’s biggest street party! That said, there is so much more I need to see and do in Vancouver and I will definitely be back soon!

#Kitswings

Kitsilano beach

I have made a list of my 10 favourite sights and activities in and around Vancouver:

-Hike, run, cycle, just visit Stanley Park!

-Grouse mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Lynn Canyon Park

-Explore the wide array of public art around the city 

-Visit the hippy Kits (Kitsilano) neighbourhood and take an Instagram-worthy picture at #kitswings

-Visit the main Campus of The University of British Columbia (UBC) and its Museum of Anthropology.

-Explore the beautiful gardens of Queen Elizabeth Park 

-Head out of the city and explore British Columbia; Visit Vancouver Island, Whistler and Joffrey Lakes Provincial Park.

-Visit Granville Island 

-Visit Canada Place and listen at 12 noon for the loud notes from its Heritage Horns.

-Enjoy panoramic views of Vancouver’s skyline. My favourite vistas are: The view of Coal Harbour from the Seawall, the view across False Creek from Granville Island and the view of Downtown Vancouver from Queen Elizabeth Park.

Any thoughts or questions about this blog post? If you have been to Vancouver recently, let me know how you found it. 

Drop a comment and remember to follow @afroglobetrotter on Instagram for my latest travel tips.