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June 10, 2005
Get out and see Vancouver!
It's not hard at all to convince visitors that you live in a paradise.
KYLE BERGER
As a longtime Vancouverite who still gets a kick out of staring
at snow-capped mountains on a clear spring day, I love when out-of-towners
pay me a visit. That applies particularly when it's the friends
or family on my wife's side, who grew up in the big cities of the
northeastern United States – cities known more for their size
than their beauty.
I get excited as we pull up to Kitsilano Beach or English Bay and
my guests take their first glimpse of the paradise I live in. Even
my wife, before moving here herself, used to tell me that when she
visited she felt like she was at a vacation destination, not somewhere
people actually lived.
So when I do have the opportunity to boast, I put a lot of thought
into how I'm going to make the best of it. Other than the obvious
tourist destinations, here are a few ways I like to show off my
city.
Cruise out into the bay: Park the car at Granville Island
and visit one of the three boat rental companies there (Jerry's,
Granville Island Rentals or Bonnie Lee). For rates starting at $40
an hour, you can rent a motor boat and head out around English Bay
or beyond. There are few better ways to get an idea of the incredible
landscape that Vancouver consists of than to sit in a boat in the
middle of it all. You'll have Jericho Beach on one side of you,
the West Vancouver mountains on the other side and the downtown
skyline, snuggled with Stanley Park, right between them. Cruise
under the Lions Gate Bridge and challenge the cruise ships for salt-water
supremacy.
Take a road trip to Whytecliff Park: Once they've seen the
beauty and the beaches around the city, hit them with a casual drive
all the way along Marine Drive in West Vancouver. Stop at Ambleside
Park and Dundarave Pier for a quick walk or a picnic, then keep
heading west until you get to Thunderbird Marina at Eagle Harbor.
Right in the middle of the marina is tiny Eagle Island, which has
about 10 homes on it. The inhabitants use small water taxis to cross
over to the mainland and either pick up their car or their boat.
How's that for island living? Keep going until you get to Whytecliff
Park and maybe even Horseshoe Bay. Some of the views along the way,
including Lighthouse Park, are spectacular.
Lookout at Cypress: Although taking the gondola ride up to
the top of Grouse Mountain is always popular, you can save a few
dollars and drive up to the lookout at Cypress Mountain for an equally
breathtaking view of the entire city. Even on a partly cloudy day,
it gives you the feeling of standing in the heavens and looking
down on the city.
Dinner in White Rock: Greater Vancouver has many Marine Drives.
White Rock's features rows of restaurants, ice cream parlors and
coffee shops that overlook the beach and the Gulf Islands. It's
a great place to take a walk along a short pier or collect clam
shells during low tide. I particularly recommend paying this part
of White Rock a visit during sundown. The people-watching is an
added bonus.
Leave the city: By now you have easily convinced your guests
that you live with paradise at your doorstep. Now for the kicker
– take them on a quick trip outside of Greater Vancouver and
show them what kind of weekend options you have at your disposal
as well. A day trip to Golden Ears Park, just north of Maple Ridge,
or either Cultus Lake or Harrison Lake, just an hour and a half
east on Highway 1, will do the trick. Better yet, hop on a ferry
and visit Victoria for lunch and/or dinner. The view from one of
the floating Queens alone will impress, never mind Victoria's inner
harbor.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
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