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Visitor's Guide to Vancouver,
B.C.
Information on the Host City of 2010 Winter Olympic Games
The Art Gallery fountain is part of Vancouver's culture.
This is your guide to getting to know
Vancouver – it's people, it's bar scene, its diversity, even its
quirky restrictions on drinking in restaurants.
Arrival and Orientation
False Creek and
the Science Center provide just part of many water views.
Arriving in Vancouver by plane is a pleasure. The airport is modern
and clean (something you pay for on the way out to the tune of a $10
"improvement" fee).
A new Canada Line train takes about 20 minutes from the airport to various parts downtown. It's $8.50.
Downtown Vancouver, framed by snow-covered mountains.
Once downtown, getting orientated takes only a few minutes. It is compact
and streets are arranged in a simple grid. Georgia Street is a primary
east/west thoroughfare and Granville Street is the main drag (almost
as literally as figuratively) going from north to south.
The countdown clock to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Stick to your feet go get around. Traffic is terrible and there are
no highways and freeways (earth-conscious citizens and politicians have seen
to this); driving involves plodding through the intersection-heavy city
streets. Many locals cruise the streets on rollerblades and bicycles.
This is a not a bargain city but it's not out of line with other destinations. A pint of beer sets drinkers
back about $7 at a pub (more at a club).
A view of the sea from Vancouver's shore.
On sunny days, Vancouver shines. The mountains frame its skyline and
the surrounding water can make it gleam.
It's got a bit of a dark side, too. Well, dark may be a little stark but it does rain a lot (though not
too bad in the summer months and hardly at all in July). Second, it's almost impossible to go more than a block
without having someone ask you for a few of your loonies. Granville
Street is especially saturated, as multi-studded teenagers hang out on here
begging for coins in front of leather shops and sex and CD stores.
On
the bright side, the beggers are not particularly pushy and the rocking
Roxy live music place and tons of other fun places are also on Granville. So there's
hip activity to be found here.
By Canada Place, a fountain shows the motion of the city.
Since it's likely to be raining at some point in time, be sure to pack
a jacket or umbrella.
For accommodations, it's best to choose one of the many downtown hotels.
It's an easy walk or a short cab ride to the bar(s) of choice.
Walking the streets, even at night, is safe. A lone stranger can be
downtown and never have to worry about being victimized by a crime.
That said, we do advise using caution if in the Gastown or Main Street/Georgia
Street areas after dark. Be safe and take a cab to or from those places.
Neighborhoods and Nightlife
Vancouver's bartenders pour it on its its many bars.
Diversity rules Vancouver's party scene.
Many visiting partiers know Vancouver only for its highbrow club scene,
a kind of mini-Hollywood where people dress in black and wait in lines
to get past velvet ropes and a discriminating bouncer.
Yet Vancouver offers so much more that it is really a small version
of New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. For instance, Vancouver is home
to some really terrific pubs, the kind of places where people gather
after work or just hang out in the evening. This gives it a feel of
a mini-London, as well (maybe it's also because the weather is similar
to London).
Vancouver's nightlife is defined by its many different neighborhoods,
most of which are only a few blocks in length. This is where the true
pulse of Vancouver lives through its people, shops and bars. PubClub
defines the different areas below; our PubClubbing section contains
specific pub and club information.
Hip clubs mix with
perfect pubs to give Vancouver diverse nightlife.
• Downtown. Home of Vancouver's thriving clubs, but also
sprinkled with some very interesting pubs. Many of Vancouver's best
restaurants and shopping are also downtown. Robson Street is one of
North America's top shopping areas.
• Yaletown. Pressed up against downtown, this is where
action-minded young adults live and play.
• The East Side/Main Street. The artistic community where
galleries double as bars.
• Kitsilano. Locals call it "Kitsafornia,"
because it reminds them of California. This is Vancouver's beach scene,
with blue-eyed blonde girls and muscle guys playing in the sand –
and the beachside bars later in the day and night.
• Gastown. This is where many tourists seem to wind
up, but it too has some good pubs worth visiting.
The pubclubbing dress code is sweatpants, jeans, sweatshirts or other
casual clothes for the pubs. Clubs generally are fine with jeans, except
for the upscale downtown bars. In that case, anything in black seems
to work fine.
Drink 'em if you got 'em is 1 a.m, in the pubs, and for the clubs 2
a.m. Clubs are allowed to stay open until 3 but can serve alcohol only
until 2, so club owners effectively shut down at that time.
Getting Around
 The best way to experience the city is on one's feet. There are so
many cool little shops, bistros and pubs to explore that one could easily
spend a day just exploring Vancouver.
Walking here is easy and pleasant. It takes less than a half-hour to
cruise the entire area, from the Gastown to Yaletown and beyond. One
can do so without the slightest worry about getting lost.
Just keep
the water on one site of your mental map and BC place on the other and
getting around is a snap, even after a number of late-night pints of
Molson Canadian in the system.
If it's raining, cold or otherwise miserable, there's always a pub
less than a block away.
Taxis are fairly frequent but are not really needed downtown. There
is a bus and sky train system, used most by locals and commuters going
to outlying communities.
The People
All kinds of people live, work and visit Vancouver. There are businessmen
in suits, backpackers, artists and Hollywood celebrities. Vancouver
is truly a dynamic, diverse community.
The people are also very nice. Canadians, by nature, are just friendly
people. They are happy to have you visit their town and go out of their
way to say hello. This is especially true in the pubs and clubs. Don't
be shy to share a pint with anyone you meet.
The Weather
Let's just say that not a lot of people in Vancouver have tans.
Being located in the Pacific Northwest means it rains here. A lot.
In fact, it once rained for 56 straight days. That's great news if you're
a fish or a tree, but it doesn't do much for humans– Vancouver
far outpaces other parts of Canada in consumption of depression medicine.
The good news is that when the sun it out, Vancouver's outdoor opportunities
open like a curtain. The positive attitude in us also points out that
the city has some terrific pubs, so if it is raining, go into one and
enjoy some of this country's outstanding beer.
Time Zone
Vancouver is GMT -8.
When to Go
Summer is when Vancouver shines the brightest.
Wintertime brings snow and Whistler Mountain is less than two hours
away. From late April thru October, the weather is tolerable enough
to be able to walk around and enjoy the city.
 Related Article: Vancouver's Bars
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