Loading ...Bc Vancouver Canada USA Travel
. Vancouver, British Columbia is the largest and possibly the most beautiful city in the westernmost province of Canada. It is located just 24 miles (38 km) north of the US border and less than a three-hour drive from Seattle, Washington. The city is situated at the Fraser River Delta on the Pacific Coast. Eighteen surrounding communities spread over the adjacent 2930 square kilometer area make it a large vibrant metropolitan center. Vancouver is 60 miles (96 km) northeast of Victoria, the capitol of British Columbia, located on the southern tip of nearby Vancouver Island.
Vancouver contains dozens of parks and botanical gardens. Stanley Park, at the tip of the downtown peninsula, encompasses 1000 acres (400 hectares) of sports and recreational facilities including vast tracts of preserved Douglas fir wilderness and 8 km of picturesque seawall. Attractions include the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center, a rose garden, totem poles and many miles of trails for walking, jogging or riding in horse-drawn carriages. Queen Elizabeth Park, atop Little Mountain in the central part of the city, contains a magnificent arboretum and spectacular panoramic views of the city. On most mornings, hundreds of Tai Chi practitioners work out in these beautiful hilltop gardens.
The city of Vancouver sits in the midst of some spectacular scenery. The Ocean Strait of Georgia frames its western edges with the great harbor basin of English Bay and Burrard Inlet to the north. Across the inlet, high mountain peaks rise directly out of its northern suburbs. More lofty mountains define its eastern horizon.
If you want to shop for souvenirs or gifts, the Gastown district has a wide selection of local products including Inuit and Native American art. Chinatown offers Asian goods of all types while the Little India section south of downtown offers a wide variety of unique Indian products. The market on Granville Island has fresh fruit, produce and baked goods plus artistic creations. For serious shoppers, there are the Pacific Centre Mall and the Royal Centre Mall downtown, the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby, Oakridge Centre Mall on Cambie Street or the Lansdowne Centre Mall in Richmond. Asia Center in Richmond is a unique shopping mall that features all sorts of Asian made products.
Downtown Vancouver sits astride the hilly spine of a small peninsula jutting into the bay. It is composed of an interesting mixture of high-rise office buildings, hotels and apartments interspersed with many private homes and lower structures containing small shops, restaurants and boutiques. It exudes the atmosphere of a large cosmopolitan city and simultaneously of a small intimate town. The northern tip of this peninsula is devoted to Stanley Park, one of the finest urban recreational areas in North America. The remainder of the peninsula is covered with various interesting neighborhoods featuring shopping, business, restaurants, theaters and urban living.
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