Golf
Some of the game's greatest players and course designers have lent their names and talents to creating new and exciting courses throughout the Lower Mainland. The golf season typically runs from April to October but many of the region's courses are also open year-round. Among the popular Vancouver courses are Langara Golf Course (www.vancouverparks.ca), a recently redeveloped par-71 course with a clubhouse and adjoining wooded jogging trails; Fraserview Golf Course (www.vancouverparks.ca), a 225-acre site housing a par-72 course overlooking the Fraser River; and the University Golf Club (www.universitygolf.com), an attractive par-72 course at the University of British Columbia. Outside the city, the par-72 Furry Creek Golf Course (www.golfbc.com) is located near Britannia Beach, along the Sea-to-Sky Highway. Its stunning surroundings include steep mountains rising straight from the water's edge.
| Story idea Consider a story that contrasts and compares three Vancouver golf courses for visitors, making sure you choose three with diverse attributes. Interview the local golfers you meet along the way and get the low-down on what makes for a great golfing day in the region. Include a sidebar of insider tips culled from the locals. |
Pitch & Putt
You don't have to be Mike Weir to hit the greens on Vancouver's golf courses. In fact, two city facilities have been attracting golfers of all ages and abilities for years. At Queen Elizabeth Park's Pitch & Putt (www.vancouverparks.ca) weeping willows surround the fairways and offer peek-a-boo views over the city. Across town at Stanley Park, the popular Pitch & Putt (www.vancouverparks.ca) course is one of the park's plethora of family-friendly activities. Both courses are open February through November, dawn to dusk, weather permitting.
Cycling
Vancouver and its environs offer numerous cycle paths and bike routes, ranging from easy ambles around Stanley Park to overnight trips through the Gulf Islands.
Cycling is perhaps the best way to explore the city and Vancouver's moderate climate makes it possible to cycle here year-round. TransLink (www.translink.bc.ca) produces the useful Greater Vancouver Cycling Map & Guide, providing a comprehensive route listing and map of the region's bike trails. Among the popular city routes are the paved 10.5-kilometre (6.5-mile) Stanley Park seawall and the 15-kilometre (9.4-mile) seaside trek from English Bay via False Creek to the University of British Columbia. Bikes of all sorts - from tandem to mountain - can be rented throughout the city. Companies include Bayshore Bicycles & Rollerblade Rentals (www.bayshorebikerentals.ca) and Spokes Bicycle Rental (www.spokesbicyclerentals.com).
Running
For fitness-loving visitors who want to stay within the borders of Vancouver, there is no finer place to pound the pavement than the city's picturesque Stanley Park seawall. The 10.5-kilometre (6.5-mile) path encircles the park and offers visual treats ranging from shimmering ocean to towering mountains and majestic rainforest. On hot summer days, the cool shade of the Douglas fir and cedar trees in the park's interior trails provide some welcome shade. Other favourite spots for running include the University of British Columbia's Pacific Spirit Regional Park.
Floatplane Rides
With its signature West Coast vistas of waterfront, mountains and dense forest, seeing Vancouver from the air is a breathtaking experience for any visitor. With one of the largest networks of floatplane routes in the world, the city offers several flighty sightseeing options for those interested in a birds-eye view of the region. "Flightseeing" excursions from the city are offered by Harbour Air Seaplanes (www.harbour-air.com) and West Coast Air (www.westcoastair.com).
Forest Walks
Stanley Park is a walker's paradise in the heart of the city. One of the largest urban parks in North America, its 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of woodlands, gardens, flowers, trails, lakes, beaches and wildlife are a year-round draw. Circumnavigate the park via the seawall (a brisk two-hour walk) or take the road less travelled around Lost Lagoon or Beaver Lake. In addition, the spectacular forest trails of UBC's Pacific Spirit Regional Park offer a secluded chance to commune with nature, complete with some unrivalled ocean and mountain views. Mostly known for skiing, the region's three mountain resorts - Cypress, Grouse and Seymour - all offer excellent walking and hiking trails in the spring and summer. Varying levels and lengths are available and each mountain provides well-marked trails and walking information from their customer service centres.
Birds: Twitchers come from all over the world to view some of the thousands of feathered visitors that flock to the region's George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary (www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com) as part of their annual trek along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Alaska. They also come to see the birds that over-winter at the sanctuary, or spend their spring, summer and fall here. Among the highlights is the November arrival of 20,000 Canada geese.
Eagles: From November to January, among the highest concentration of bald eagles in the world can be found an hour north of Vancouver along the Squamish River, near the village of Brackendale. Around 3,700 eagles usually turn-up for this spectacular wildlife treat. Canadian Outback Adventures (www.canadianoutback.com) offer guided boat treks down the river to witness this amazing sight. Their expedition rafts give you an intimate view of the eagles as they congregate to feed on the spawning salmon.
Salmon: Visitors to North Vancouver's Capilano Salmon Hatchery can observe one of the greatest life-cycle stories in nature. Juvenile salmon are raised on site, and you can see them before they return to the river. During the fall, returning salmon struggle up the fish ladders to spawn here.
Marine: Whales are the focus but those who don a lifejacket and board one of the high-speed Zodiac-style boats at West Vancouver's Sewell's Marina (www.sewellsmarina.com) will also be treated to some up-close views of sea birds and local seals. Prince of Whales (www.princeofwhales.com) offers a similar tour with pick-ups from downtown Vancouver. For a wildlife boat tour with a First Nations guide, its well worth taking a Coast Salish trek from Deep Cove with Takaya Tours (www.takayatours.com), complete with traditional songs, stories and interpretation.
| Story idea Consider a story profiling the region's wildlife-watching opportunities for visitors. You could check-out the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary and the Capilano Salmon Hatchery and also make time for a marine wildlife boat tour from West Vancouver's Sewell's Marina. |
Kite Flying
There's no better way to spend a breezy afternoon on the Vancouver waterfront than to bring a kite and hit the currents at Vanier Park. The backdrop for your outdoor activity will be the North Shore mountains, the busy boat traffic of False Creek and passing joggers and dog walkers. When the sun is shining, bring a picnic or duck into one of the three nearby museums (Vancouver Museum, Maritime Museum, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre) before following the waterfront along to Granville Island.
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