Vancouver Travel Information

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As the largest metropolitan center in Western Canada, Vancouver stands out as having a naturally beautiful area that is thriving within a metropolis. With lots of outdoor activities, a vibrant art scene, beaches and a mountain backdrop, tourists love Vancouver. The skyscrapers rise from the downtown skyline, and not far out of town is the vast British Columbia wilderness.

Vancouver Info:

Land Area: 115 square kilometers
Elevation: various- sea level to 1760 feet in the mountains
Number of parks: 180+
Number of radio stations: 10 AM/16 FM
Number of television stations: 7
Number of newspapers: 10+ including the Vancouver Sun, The Province, Metro, The Georgia Straight, 24 Hours, Vancouver Courier and The Peak.
Transportation: Vancouver International Airport, two B.C. Ferry terminals, Greyhound bus, Quick Coach, Pacific Coach Lines, Amtrak and Canadian trains.

Vancouver Weather and Climate:

Average daily temperature: low 37 degrees F/High 65 degrees F
Average annual rainfall: 44 inches
Distances to other Metropolitan Areas from Vancouver (in miles):

Atlanta, GA — 2,215
Boston, MA — 2,474
Chicago, IL —1,736
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX — 1,728
Houston, TX — 1,943
Las Vegas, NV —980
Los Angeles, CA — 1,067
Memphis, TN —1,915
Miami, FL — 2,761
Nashville, TN —2,010
New Orleans, LA —2,149
New York, NY —2,410
Orlando, FL —2,583
Philadelphia, PA — 2,373
Phoenix, AZ —1,214
Rapid City, SD —1,002
Salt Lake City, UT —786
San Antonio, TX -1,852
San Diego, CA —1,162
San Jose, CA — 809
Washington, DC — 2,308

Vancouver Safety Phone # and Major Hospitals:

Police/Fire/Ambulance: 911
Holy Family Hospital (604-321-2661)
Mount Saint Joseph Hospital (604-874-1141)
St. Paul's Hospital (604-682-2344)
St. Vincent's Hospital-Brock Fahrni (604-877-3220)
St. Vincent's Hospital-Langara (604-325-4116)

Vancouver Top Tourism Draws and Seasons:

Seasons: all
Stanley Park
Cypress Bowl, Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour ski area
The Vancouver Aquarium
Queen Elizabeth Park
VanDusen Botanical Gardens
Playland
Vancouver Canucks National Hockey League team
Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver Trolley Company
Theatre Under the Stars
Harmony Arts Festival
Bunaby Blues Festival
Vancouver Fringe Festival
Hopscotch Festival
Vancouver Film Festival
Jazz Festival
Dragon Boat Festival
Festival of Lights
Sewell's Marina
Storyeum
Steamworks Concours d'Elegance
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
Vancouver Lookout Harbour Centre Tower
CN IMAX Theater
Jericho Beach
HR Macmillan Space Centre
Granville Island
Vancouver Maritime Museum
Whale Watching Tour
Butchart Gardens
Capilano Salmon Hatchery

Vancouver Major Shopping Areas:

Granville Mall
Capilano Mall
Robsin Street
Gastown
Granville Island Public Market
Yaletown
Kitsilano
East Van
Commercial Drive

Vancouver Major Dining Areas:

Kitsilano
The West End
City Center
East Van
East Hastings Street
The Downtown Peninsula
Robson Street
Chinatown
Kerrisdale
Commercial Drive
Punjaby Market

Vancouver Famous Landmarks & Historic Places:

Christ Church Cathedral
Hotel Vancouver
Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver Liberty Square
Museum of Anthropology
The Capilano Suspension Bridge
Hastings Mill Museum
Roedde House Museum

Vancouver Famous Natives and Residents:

Hayden Christensen - actor
Jason Priestly - actor
James Doohan - actor
Michael J. Fox - actor
Pamela Anderson - model
Bob Geldof - rock star, activist
Bryan Adams - musician
Joshua Jackson - actor
Nickelback - Rock band

Notable Moments in Vancouver History:

1791- Captain Jose Maria Narvaez of Spain became the first European to explore the area.
1792- Captain George Vancouver of Britain did further exploration of the area.
1863- The first sawmill in Vancouver began operations.
1865- Lumber was the first export out of Vancouver and was shipped to Australia.
1870- The government of British Columbia surveyed the area and the community was officially known as Granville.
1885- Granville became the westernmost terminal site for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
1886- The city was incorporated under the name Vancouver.
1886- A fire destroyed part of the city, but it was quickly rebuilt due to the availability of materials from the railway.
1893- Hudson's Bay Company opened the first department store in Vancouver.
1908- The University of British Columbia opened.
1953- Vancouver's first TV station- CBUT- went on the air.
1963-The Port of Vancouver ranked first among Canadian ports for tonnage.
1986- The World Exposition was held in Vancouver.
1996- The Vancouver International airport was expanded.

Interesting Facts about Vancouver:

Vancouver will be the host for the 2010 Winter Olympics
Vancouver is the second warmest Canadian city during the winter months.
There is only one freeway within the Vancouver city limits.
Vancouver is tied for first with two other cities (Salzburg and Oslo) for highest living standards in a ranking by the UN.
The City of Vancouver was one of the first cities to declare that it is a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in 1983.
The Port of Vancouver is the most diverse & the largest port in Canada.

Vancouver Population and Demographics: