Vancouver’s spectacular scenery is second to none. And there are countless ways — some sedate, some extreme — to get out and experience it.

From steamy hammams to chic medi-spas, we offer dozens of ways to dial into the city’s wellness vibe without ever breaking a sweat.

In a city teeming with wonderful restaurants — focused on the local, plus a world’s fare of Asian and European cuisines — the simple question of where to eat becomes quite bewildering. Solve your dinner dilemma with this discerning shortlist.

The Winners of Vancouver magazine’s 2008 International Wine Competition.

Reviews on 26 of Vancouver's finest dining establishments.

Links to some of GuestLife Vancouver's favorite galleries.

Power Lunchers, luxury retailers, Hollywood visitors — the city's laid-back, Gore-Tex-clad vibe has been driven out of these parts. Downtown has gone global, thanks to 2010 fever and glittering four-star condo/hotel hybrids marketed to the jet set.

After EXPO 86, pavilions gave way to condo towers, and old brick warehouses on nearby Hamilton and Mainland streets were converted into lofts, with trendy restaurants and boutiques perched on former loading docks. A decade after the first high-rise sprouted, Yaletown remains one of the city’s chicest neighbourhoods.

Vancouver's ultimate master-planned community is devoted to the good life, with luxury condo towers offering stunning views, a seawall that winds to nearby Stanley Park, and some of the city’s prettiest urban green space.

It was only a matter of time before the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, with their stunning architecture and cobbled streets, were rediscovered. Tacky gift shops are giving way — at warp speed — to designer boutiques and atmospheric bars and bistros, while the spaces above them are being converted into stylish lofts and condos.

Leaving the swanky uptown vibe to the rest of the downtown peninsula, the West End is known for its lively, inexpensive eateries, aging character buildings, and stunning vistas of English Bay.

This former industrial area received a major overhaul in the 1970s, becoming a dense, affordable community, with Granville Island’s lively public market and artist’s studios at its centre. Thirty years later, the area is facing its next phase with the build-out of Southeast False Creek and the construction of the 2010 Olympic Village.

Before it was developed in the 1930s and ’40s, Kits was a forested beach area where affluent West End residents came to camp in the balmy summers. Now fully built-out — and among the city’s most exclusive neighbourhoods — it still has that same laid-back beach vibe.

Catering to the refined tastes of nearby Shaughnessy residents, South Granville is a mix of upscale clothing boutiques, home design stores, and some of the city’s finest art galleries.

Stately Homes, streets lined with shag-bark maple trees, a shopping row that serves the locals — this area still has traces of its small-town roots.

For years, South Main came with the qualifier “up-and-coming.” Now it’s a well-established destination for local design talent and their stylish patrons.

Remember the 1992 film Singles? The Drive does. Lefty do-gooders, coffee bar habitués, and grunge loyalists remain the dominant force here, tempered by leftovers from the area’s Little Italy past and the young professionals who arrived more recently to snap up now-pricey character homes.

Well-used parks and mom-and-pop shops give this light-industrial neighbourhood a small-town atmosphere, even though it’s only a 10-minute drive from downtown.

Until recently, two-storey homes in this transitional inner-city neighbourhood could be had for under $400,000. Now, they go for nearly triple that, with young buyers drawn to the artist’s studios, quaint corner stores, and closely packed homes that lend the area its historic character.

The affluent cities of North Vancouver and West Vancouver are famous for their sweeping views, quaint shopping villages, and proximity to spectacular skiing, snowboarding, and mountain-biking terrain.

Whether you’re looking for a rustic retreat or a luxury escape, there are plenty of otherworldly experiences just outside the city limits.

Vancouver’s best-known artists have global reputations and their work carries pricetags to match. And then there are the up-and-comers who offer exciting — and affordable — alternatives. Here are 10 artists from across the spectrum.

GuestLife's Guide to some fabulous shopping!

With such an abundance of dining options, deciding where to eat in Vancouver is half the fun. Make it easy with this guide to GuestLife’s restaurant advertisers.

GuestLife Vancouver's guide to a wide range of activities and attractions in the Vancouver area.

Vancouver Real Estate Resources

Must See - Where to go and what to do in Vancouver. GuestLife's Guide to all things "Cultural" in Vancouver.

Arthur Erickson is Vancouver's most influential architect. Take a tour of his visionary work.

Tailored pieces take a vampish turn with luxurious furs and shadowy tulles.

While many of our residents live in neatly packaged “Vancouver Model” condos, there are also those who enjoy waterfront access and sweeping views from a more privileged position. Here are five of the most expensive homes in the region.

A "scrolling" tour of some of GuestLife's favorite art galleries.

A Primer on the trends — in food, fashion, art, and design — that are sweeping Vancouver.