Tourist Treats!

Ever wondered what native Vancouverites do when vacationing in their own city? Well you're in for a treat. The following gives some hints on what we would do and where we would go if entertaining family and friends on a trip to our most beautiful city.

Rise early and you will be rewarded with one of downtown Vancouver's best breakfast bets - Granville Island! Most likely you'll be staying in the downtown area so you have several choices for transportation if you're without a private vehicle. Cab, bus or walk to the shoreline of False Creek and take one of the False Creek mini ferries over to Granville Island. Be there by 8:30 am and you'll avoid the crowds. We always pick up a chocolate croissant or sticky pastry just outside the main market at the French Bakery (worth a walk in for the luscious aroma alone). Next head straight for the Blue Parrot Cafe to order a special coffee (they now know how to prepare my particular brand of Americano Coffee), tea or juice and grab a seat near the window while you take in what has got to be one of the most enchanting urban views in North America, what with distant snow capped mountains, bridges spanning the inlet and city skyline, while kayakers and sailboats silently slip by. After your quick breakfast hit, meander around one of the continent's most pristine public markets. A well travelled friend of mine told us that this is better than Monaco's famous food market. Remember that Granville lsland is closed on Fall and Winter Mondays excluding holidays.

Having been fed, you're ready to take a tour of what this writer considers the must-sees for a single day visit to Vancouver. Take the Burrard Street Bridge downtown (you're driving now) and head for Stanley Park. Even if you don't have time to stop, the circular 8.8 mile drive around this 1000 acre park offers fantastic views of the Coal Harbour side of downtown, the North Shore and the Lions' Gate Bridge. Stanley Park, named for the same late 19th Century Governor General as is the coveted Hockey Cup, is the third largest urban park in North America and also offers a rose garden, beautiful pitch & putt golf course, horse-drawn tours, public aquarium, swimming and splash facilities, miniature railway, concession stands and full-service restaurants.

Exit Stanley Park onto Beach Avenue and wind your way around the shoreline via Burrard Bridge, Cornwall Street and Northwest Marine Drive. When you've reached Spanish Bank look back toward the city for the famous view of downtown and the Stanley Park peninsula.

Next stop is the Museum of Anthropology just up the hill on the University campus. This museum is the best of its kind with stunning displays of native art and sculpture. Small but great giftshop. Loop down 16th Avenue to Cambie Street and head south until you hit 33rd Avenue and Queen Elizabeth Park. Located at the city's highest point this marvel of horticultural ingenuity is smaller than Butchart Gardens in Victoria but every bit as beautiful and absolutely free for the viewing. Eighteen tennis courts, pitch & putt golf course, rose garden and quarry gardens. If you are pressed for time at the very least nip into the Bloedel Floral Conservatory where tropical delights await which are topped up by the over 100 free-flying birds from all over the world.

It might be lunch time by now and you couldn't be better located than here at Seasons in the Park which not only offers fabulous views but excellent food. There is also a coffee shop for the more casual types.

If you are an avid gardener then it would be well worth your while to visit the VanDusen Botanical Garden located just west of Queen Elizabeth Park at 37th Avenue & Oak Street. Already an acclaimed botanical retreat despite its rather youthful age celebrated its 30th anniversary in early 2005, a quick walk around can be achieved in under an hour for the quick of step.

Now your are on the downhill roll back to the starting point of your day but you must save time for a brief shopping spree on Granville Street between 15th Avenue and Broadway where antiques and some of Vancouver's most sophisticated shops are located. Excellent shoe sales at Bacci's, wonderful bread at Mckinnon's Bakery, Old Village clapboard colour paints at Country Furniture, art galleries galore along with Persian rug shops

If you can just squeeze in a visit to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the only outdoor garden of its kind outside mainland China, your rush tour will have touched on some very essential Vancouver hotspots. It's located in Chinatown at 578 Carrall Street.

Have fun and hopefully you'll stay more than one day in order to savour the entire banquet of tourist treats which comprise Vancouver!

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