Downtown and the West End

At the top of a gentle rise up from the water, the intersection of Georgia and Granville streets is considered the city's epicenter and it's always bustling with activity. Georgia Street runs east-west, past Library Square and General Motors Place (home of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks), straight through to Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge (which leads to the North Shore and on to Whistler, a two hour drive away). North-south Granville Street is shedding its previous shabbiness and evolving into a pedestrian-friendly area of neon-lit sidewalks, funky shops, nightclubs, and street-side cafes. There may be pockets of grunge still visible but the Olympics spurred a remarkable renaissance and the street has taken on a vitality of its own. So, from the corner of Georgia and Granville, you'll find many key attractions within a five-minute walk, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, Robson Square, and Pacific Centre Mall.

Vancouver's landscaping adds to the city's walking appeal. In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout downtown; in summer, office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings. The West End has the prettiest streetscapes and hark back to the early 1930s when it housed the affluent middle class: trees are plentiful, gardens are lushly planted, and homes and apartment buildings exude the character of that era. Even in winter the West End makes for an idyllic walk. On rainy days, many downtown buildings have overhangs, so that you don't have to get as wet as the weather.