Top 10 sights to see:
1-Stanley Park
2-Grouse Mountain
3-Capilano Suspension Bridge
4-Granville Island Market
5-Robson Street
6-Yaletown
7-Gastown
8-The Endowment Lands at UBC
9-Kitsilano
10-False Creek

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

The service is amazing, and the waitstaff all look amazing too - they all wear traditional outfits.

Simply Thai is located right in the heart of Yaletown, which is the perfect location to take a walk after your incredible meal! Here is their website if you need more information: click here.

Because it is always so busy during the day, we tend to come here as the sun is setting. This is the perfect place to enjoy watching the sun go down. One of our favorite things to do is pack a dinner, and a blanket, get a campfire going, sit back and enjoy the view. There is always driftwood around, so you don't have to worry about lugging your own wood in.

On a side note: dogs are not allowed in most sections of this beach. You will get a fine if you have your dog in an area that has not be designated as a dog area. So read the signs!

Lynn Valley has a great suspension bridge, so if you don't feel like spending the $20 (or so) at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, then this is the perfect alternative!

There is a great network of trails in this park, most of which follows along Lynn Creek, and you will be completely surrounded by big cedars!

If you enjoy hiking, then you can plan on spending at least 3-4 hours here. The trails are not difficult to hike.

This park has a small consession stand, and washrooms.

You can bring your dog to this park, but they will need to stay on the leash. The admission to the park is free, and by donation if you wish to browse through the Ecology Centre.

You can reach the top of Grouse Mountain in one of two ways. First (if you have the energy) you can hike up. The cost to hike up is free, and a mere $5 to take the Sky Ride down (or if you are a glutton for punishment, you can hike back down for free). The trail is called the Grouse Grind, but I like to call it the world’s largest stair master.

If the hike up is not your cup of tea, then you can take the Sky Ride up. The cost for this is $25 per person, and will take about 10 minutes to reach the top. With a purchased round trip ticket for the Sky ride, you receive a whopping $1.50 off the Capilano Suspension Bridge -- what a deal!

Anyways! While at the top, there are many things there for you to enjoy. There are timber sports shows, a movie depicting the history of the lower mainland, wooden statues (all carved with chainsaws), an enclosed grizzly bear den (which currently holds 4 grizzlies), and a couple of restaurants.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.grousemountain.com/

If you are planning a trip to see this market, and Vancouver for that matter, I recommend taking an aquabus for a tour around False Creek. This will cost you C$6/person and will take approximately 15-20 minutes. The water bus service is located behind the food market. Once out on the water you will have a great view of the Granville Street bridge, the Burard Street bridge, BC Place, the sea wall (the area that was used for the Vancouver Expo), and Science World. Parking is hard to come by in the market, so if you are driving (and you don't feel like wasting time looking for a spot to park) park along one of the side streets surrounding the market. Also, if you are coming in from downtown Vancouver, check into the aquabus service, because there are pick up spots all along the False Creek area! See this website or this one.

Here is a link for you to check out: click here.

During the course of the evening you will be entertained by a fireworks display, live music, fire jugglers, stilt walkers, and vendors -- oh and don't let me forget people watching! Many people come to this event dressed in fairy costumes, or dressed in their home made laterns!

If you plan on making this an entire evening event, my suggestion to you is get to the park early, bring a blanket, candles (tiki lamps) a picnic basket and stake out a good piece of ground and let the parade of people go by. It is much more relaxing way to enjoy our evening!

Parking is very, very limited, so avoid driving if you can. Vancouver has a great transit system, here is their website: http://www.translink.bc.ca/ Trout lake is located at East 15th Avenue and Victoria.

Enjoy!

People are often shocked when they see the homeless people, the drug addicts, prostitutes, and squeegee kids--Vancouver does have its share of problems. East Hastings (chances are you will pass through this area on your way to Gas Town) is a prime example of how Vancouver is dealing with these problems. Herd all of these sick, addicted people into an area that is approximately two city blocks in size. You can only imagine the scene. Before we moved to Vancouver, my first taste of the city was driving through this area.

I couldn't believe that there was an area like this in Canada. Living in Toronto for many years, I thought that I had seen it all--sadly, I hadn't.

But really, there is so much more to this place then just being a great off leash dog park. Trout Lake is a great community park--on the weekends you will find a great little farmers market (May to early October East Vancouver Farmer's Market: sale of produce from local farms, food, and crafts. Every Saturday from 9am to 2pm. Trout Lake Community Centre, 3350 Victoria Dr., Vancouver; 604/879-3276), festivals through out the year, the bluegrass society practices at the park during the summer evenings (on Monday's if I am remembering correctly) really I could go on and on.

Surrounding the lake is a marshy area which attracts many variety of ducks, song birds, and heron. If you are lucky you will see the occasional bald eagle fly over head, or an osprey fishing in the lake! What a sight to see! There are two concession stands, sporting fields, one designated swimming area, gazeebo's, picnic tables, barbecue pits, washrooms, outdoor showering areas, and a community centre (web site link is here).

Trout Lake is very easy to find--approach Victoria from 12th Ave or Broadway if going east/west. Drive up Victoria if coming from the south.