©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island Includes ¨ Why Go? Vancouver ..........367 Visitors to Canada’s westernmost province are never short Whistler ........... 390 of superlatives when typing their travel blogs. It’s hard not Sunshine Coast .... 394 to be moved by looming mountains, wildlife-packed for- ests and uncountable kilometers of pristine coastline that Vancouver Island ... 396 slow your heartbeat like a spa treatment. But British Co- Victoria ............ 396 lumbia (BC) is much more than just a nature-hugging di- Cowichan Valley .... 407 orama. Cosmopolitan Vancouver is an animated fusion of Nanaimo ..........409 cuisines and cultures from Asia and beyond, while historic Ucluelet ............413 Victoria and resort town Whistler have their own vibrant, alluring scenes. And for sheer character, it’s hard to beat the Tofino ..............414 province’s kaleidoscope of quirky little communities, from Campbell River ......417 the rustic Sunshine Coast to the laid-back Southern Gulf Port Hardy ..........418 Islands. Wherever you head, of course, the great outdoors Southern will always be calling. Don’t just point your camera at it. BC Gulf Islands .........419 is unbeatable for the kind of life-enhancing skiing, kayak- ing, hiking and biking you’ll want to brag about to everyone back home. Best Places to Eat When to Go Vancouver, BC ¨ Gabriel’s Gourmet Cafe °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm (p410) 40/104 16/400 ¨ Purebread (p392) 30/86 13/320 ¨ Vij’s (p383) 20/68 9/240 ¨ Fable (p383) 10/50 6/160 0/32 3/80 -10/14 0 Best Places to J FDM A M J J A S O N Sleep Dec–Mar Powder Jul & Aug Sep & Oct ¨ Free Spirit Spheres (p412) action stripes the Beaches, patios Great surfing ¨ Riding Fool Hostel (p417) slopes of Whistler and a plethora and the start of ¨ Skwachays Lodge (p380) and Blackcomb of overlapping storm-watching Mountains. festivals enliven season lure many ¨ St Regis Hotel (p379) Vancouver. to Tofino. 367 VANCOUVER dense forest canopy on the other. You % 604, 778 / POP 603,500 can walk the whole thing in around three Flying into YVR (Vancouver International blister-triggering hours or rent a bike from Airport) on a glittering blue-sky day, it’s not Denman St near the park entrance to cover hard to understand the Lotus Land label the route far faster. that sticks to this region like a wetsuit. The Vancouver Aquarium AQUARIUM calm ocean striped with boat trails, the cren- (%604-659-3400; www.vanaqua.org; 845 Avison elated shorelines of forest-green islands and Way; adult/child $31/22; h9:30am-6pm Jul & Aug, the ever-present snow-dusted crags glinting 10am-5pm Sep-Jun; c; g19) Stanley Park’s on the horizon give this city arguably the biggest draw, the aquarium is home to 9000 most spectacular setting of any metropo- water-loving critters – including sharks, wolf lis. But while the grand backdrop means eels and a somewhat shy octopus. There’s you’re never far from great outdoor pursuits, also a small, walk-through rainforest area there’s much more to Vancouver than ap- of birds, turtles and a statue-still sloth. The pearances. Hitting the streets on foot means aquarium also keeps captive whales and dol- coming across a kaleidoscope of distinctive phins and organizes animal encounters with neighborhoods, each one almost like a vil- these creatures, which may concern some VANCOU lage in itself. There’s bohemian, coffee-loving visitors. Animal-welfare groups claim keep- Commercial Dr; the hearty character bars of ing cetaceans in enclosed tanks is harmful old Gastown; and the colorful streets of the for these complex animals. West End ‘gayborhood.’ And that’s before V ER, WHISTLER & VANCOU & WHISTLER ER, you get to the bustling artisan nest other- Lost Lagoon LAKE wise known as Granville Island or the forest- (g19) This rustic area near Stanley Park’s ed seawall of Stanley Park, Canada’s finest entrance was originally part of Coal Har- urban green space. In fact, if this really is bour. But after a causeway was built in Lotus Land, you’ll be far too busy checking 1916, the new body of water was renamed, it all out to rest. transforming itself into a freshwater lake a few years later. Today it’s a nature sanctu- 1 Sights ary – keep your eyes peeled for beady-eyed Few of Vancouver’s main visitor attractions blue herons – and its perimeter pathway is a are located in the downtown core: the main favored stroll for nature-huggers. The excellent Stanley Park Nature museums are in Vanier Park and at the Uni- V versity of British Columbia (UBC), other top House (%604-257-8544; www.stanleyparke- ER cology.ca; north end of Alberni St, Lost Lagoon; sights are in Stanley Park or Chinatown, and I SLAND SLAND two of the region’s main outdoor lures are h10am-5pm Tue-Sun Jul & Aug, 10am-4pm Sat & c g F on the North Shore. Luckily, the majority of Sun Sep-Jun; ; 19) provides exhib- these must-sees are easy to reach by car or a its and illumination on the park’s wildlife, transit hop from the city center. history and ecology. Ask about its fascinat- VA ing park walks, covering everything from NC bird-watching strolls to artsy ambles around 1 O Downtown & West End the park. UV oStanley Park PARK E Second Beach & Third Beach BEACH R (pc; g19) This magnificent 404-hectare (Stanley Park; c; g19) Second Beach is a park combines excellent attractions with family-friendly area on Stanley Park’s west- a mystical natural aura. Don’t miss a stroll ern side, with a grassy playground, an ice- or cycle (rentals near the W Georgia St en- cream-serving concession and the Stanley trance) around the 8.8km seawall: a kind of Park Pitch & Putt course. In summer, there visual spa treatment fringed by a 150,000- are free outdoor movie screenings – see tree temperate rainforest, it’ll take you past www.freshaircinema.ca for listings – but the park’s popular totem poles. its main attraction is the seasonal outdoor Stanley Park Seawall WATERFRONT swimming pool (%604-257-8371; www.vancou- (g19) Built between 1917 and 1980, the verparks.ca; cnr N Lagoon Dr & Stanley Park Dr, Stan- 8.8km seawall trail is Vancouver’s favorite ley Park; adult/child $5.86/2.95; h10am-8:45pm outdoor hangout. Encircling the entire mid-Jun–Aug, reduced hours low-season; c; g19). park, it offers spectacular waterfront, Alternatively, head to Third Beach for one of mountain-fringed vistas on one side and Vancouver’s best sunset-watching spots..