VA2007 - Attractions - The It List

1 - English Bay

Bring a blanket and lounge on the grass with your book, or walk the seawall path and see how many dog breeds you can name. Buskers on the beach are licensed by the city, so the quality of performance is high: firedancers, jugglers and comedians draw crowds on a dusky summer evening. Afterward stop in to the Sylvia Hotel for tea or something stronger (1154 Gilford St., 604-681-9321): the grande dame of heritage hotels in the West End provides the perfect (licensed) resting point with a water view.
Denman Street at Davie Street

2 - Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

The Chinese characters inscribed on the plaque over the entrance to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden are translated as “Yi Yuan” or “Garden of Ease.” This authentic recreation of a Ming-dynasty-era (1368- 1644) scholar’s garden was the first to be built outside its homeland. It was built in the mid-’80s by 52 master artisans from Suzhou who eschewed the use of nails, screws and power tools in favour of 15thcentury methods. The result is a sanctuary laden with Taoist symbolism and intricate landscaping, as well as a venue for ongoing cultural events like art exhibitions and traditional seasonal festivals.
578 Carrall St., 604-662-3207.

3 - Museum of Anthropology

The informal founder of the Museum of Anthropology was a Scottish immigrant named Frank Burnett who travelled throughout the South Pacific accumulating over a thousand artifacts, most of which he donated to UBC in 1927. This first endowment snowballed into the Museum of Anthropology’s present collection of 535,000 ethnological and archaeological pieces from around the world, with special focus on B.C.’s First Nations. The Great Hall’s post-and-beam architecture opens up to 15-metre glass walls accommodating totem poles from Nisga’a, Haida and other First Nations.
6393 N.W. Marine Dr., 604-822-3825.

4 - Ballet British Columbia

Before taking over as Ballet British Columbia’s artistic director, John Alleyne was warned by friends in Toronto that Vancouver was too beautiful a city to inspire worthwhile art. But in the 15 years since Alleyne took the job, the company has managed to impress and startle audiences worldwide with performances of commissioned works by Alleyne and acclaimed Canadian choreographers like Crystal Pite. The 18-member company was established in 1986 with the covert intention of overthrowing any vestiges of Vancouver’s reputation as a cultural lightweight, and it has succeeded to great fanfare. Innovative productions of such works as A Streetcar Named Desire and The Four Seasons have wowed critics from Tokyo to New York City and attracted attention to Alleyne’s collaborative approach to choreography.
604-732-5003.

5 - Stanley Park

When then-mayor David Oppenheimer officially opened Stanley Park in 1888, he christened it a place for Vancouver’s 6,000 citizens to “spend some time amid the beauties of nature, away from the busy haunts of men.” Despite the rather drastic increase in population since then — and a devastating storm that destroyed thousands of trees in December 2006 — the park retains its wild integrity and offers urban residents and visitors a place to refresh their senses and get their ya-yas out. Over 400 hectares of mixed evergreen forest and open green spaces are bounded by the 8.8-km seawall, an essential experience beloved by local runners, in-line skaters and firstdate couples. Circumnavigation by bicycle is allowed as well, but be sure to ride it counterclockwise — the path is narrow, and going against the flow could result in an unexpected swim. Along the way you’ll be treated to occasional sculptures, totem poles, plenty of seabirds, close-ups of the Lions Gate Bridge and, if your timing is right, an ice cream sandwich at the Second Beach concession.
Downtown Vancouver, 604-257-8400.

6 - Granville Island

If Stanley Park is Vancouver’s wild heart, Granville Island is a large chunk of its soul. The public market is an excellent place to spend a couple of hours seeking out local gourmet items before treating yourself to the best food-court meal around. Net Loft is host to artist studios on its street side, and a host of boutiques and galleries inside the doors. The Wood Co-op displays work of the some of the top woodworkers in the province (a cedar cutting board from one of these fine craftspeople may just be the perfect souvenir). Large docks overlook the water—just don’t linger too long watching the seagulls: the market and many of the Island’s galleries and stores close every day at 7 p.m.
Under the Granville Bridge, 604-666-5784.

7 - Grouse Grind & Skyride

The Grouse Grind is the summer hike of choice for resident masochists, but the view-heavy Skyride is the year-round preference for those who want to do more than gasp once they reach the top (Grouse has an 853-metre elevation gain in only 2.9 kilometres). About $30 buys an adult round trip plus admission to various seasonal resort activities. While you’re up top, be sure to check out the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, home to two orphaned bears and a pack of grey wolves — the latter are retired movie stars, raised in captivity and ill equipped to be released to the wild.
6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver, 604-984-0661.

8 - Kitsilano Beach and Pool

Kits Beach, as it’s known to locals, is densely populated in summer with distractingly attractive volleyball players, Frisbee flingers and sunbathers. There’s also a giant heated saltwater pool (137 metres) where you can swim a mile in only 12 laps. For yoga buffs, local guru Eoin Finn (604-732-3108) offers outdoor classes at the Kitsilano Showboat on weekend mornings, and Tuesday and Thursday evenings all summer long.
2305 Cornwall Ave., 604-731-0011.

9 - Vancouver Art Gallery

Under the leadership of director Kathleen Bartels, the Vancouver Art Gallery has attracted world attention for its original and innovative programming. Massive Change, the brainchild of celebrity designer Bruce Mau, got its start at the VAG before travelling to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, with the Danish Architectural Centre and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum both hot for a spot on the tour. More recently, works from hometown hero Brian Jungen — most famous for his aboriginal masks crafted from Nike Air Jordans — and a comprehensive showing of European painting and sculpture spanning from Monet to Dali have brought accolades. The ongoing display of significant works by Emily Carr justifies the $15 admission alone.
750 Hornby St., 604-662-4719.

10 - Vancouver Aquarium

Swimming with the sharks at lunchtime might be familiar to anyone corporate, but the Vancouver Aquarium’s blacktip reef sharks perform a much more elegant version. Visitors aren’t allowed to participate, but the Aquarium does offer them a chance to get hands-on with less formidable creatures like horseshoe crabs and nonaquatic residents like a red-tailed hawk. Open seven days a week year-round, its 166 displays feature over 70,000 animals, from west coast mammals (sea lions and harbour seals, among others) to exotic species like Amazonian caimans. You can go behind the scenes on a Trainer Tour ($25- $40 for one adult-and-child pair) to interact with sea otters or Steller sea lions, or help train a whale on a Beluga Encounter ($150/person, $210 per adult and child). The Aquarium also offers a unique Sleepovers program: after-hours adventures that put a new spin on the mobster expression “sleeping with the fishes.”
Stanley Park, 604-659-3400.

Editor’s Choice: For The Kids

The five-acre Maplewood Farm features pony rides on weekends throughout July and August. The rest of the year kids can pet and feed a menagerie of domestic farm animals and birds.
405 Seymour River Pl., North Vancouver, 604-929-5610.

The warm water (82˚F/28˚C) in the pool at the Aquatic Centre is popular with toddlers, while a tiny teach pool feels hot-tub warm (92˚F/33˚C). Book onsite childcare on Mondays or Wednesdays (9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. through June) and head to the lap pool yourself — Vancouver’s only 50- metre lap pool and its best.
1050 Beach Ave., 604-665-3424.

Granville Island’s Kids Market works like a charm for rainy days year-round, while the waterpark and playground perfectly suit sunny days during summer. Bring sunscreen and a modicum of patience for the crowds.

Outdoor swimming pools are open seasonally in Vancouver so check with Vancouver Parks and Recreation for information (604-257-8400, van couver.ca). Kitsilano Beach heated outdoor pool (2305 Cornwall Ave., 604-731-0011) is the only saltwater pool in Vancouver and can be accessed right off the beach. Maple Grove Pool (6875 Yew Street, 604- 266-9512) lies hidden in the heart of leafy Kerrisdale, and the pool floor graduates from zero depth to 3.5 feet. The surrounding green space is ideal for family picnics; a concession stand offers snacks (and, thoughtfully, swimming diapers) if you come empty-handed.