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Come and discover Vancouver. It is a wonderful city that you will never forget. Surrounded by the sea and the mountains, it is peaceful and organized, friendly and convenient. It is the choice for many international students to come to a language school, college or university to study and learn English. Visitors find in Vancouver the best environment. Come and discover for yourself what this city has to offer.

You could easily spend your entire vacation inside the city limits and never run out of things to do. Just make sure you bring comfortable shoes and get plenty of sleep because this city has a lot to offer.

Take a stroll through Vancouver's beautiful Stanley Park, the largest city park in Canada. Hundreds of acres of lush green forest, pristine lakes and grassy meadows. Described by one local writer as a "thousand-acre therapeutic couch", it began as a military reserve established in the mid-1800s to guard the entrance to Vancouver harbour.

At nine o'clock every evening, if you stop and listen, you may be able to hear the Nine O' Clock Gun being fired in Stanley Park. This gun, a loud old English sea cannon was placed in the park just over 100 years ago. Originally, it was fired off to remind local fisherman of fishing time limits. Now, it's used as a time signal and has become a Vancouver tradition.

Walk across the beautiful Lions Gate Bridge and stop midway for a bird's-eye view of Burrard Inlet and the North Shore mountains. The bridge was built and paid for by the Guinness Brewing Company in order to give people access to the North Shore and property owned by the Guiness family. The BC government now owns the bridge. For the Expo '86 World's Fair that was held in Vancouver, the Guinness family donated money to decoratively light the bridge in the evenings. The lights still adorn the bridge today and have become a romantic fixture of the Vancouver skyline.

High above the Lion's Gate Bridge, to the north, are two distinct mountain peaks, resembling a camel's back, overlooking Vancouver's harbour. These are The Lions, named as a remembrance of statues of two lions in London's Trafalgar Square.

Vancouver has the largest and busiest port in Canada and on North America's West Coast. Take a ride across Burrard Inlet on the SeaBus, and view the cargo ships up close.

A hundred years ago it was so quiet on Burrard Inlet you could holler across to call a ferry to come over and get you. Back then, the "ferry" was actually a rowboat.

Queen Elizabeth Park is Canada's first civic arboretum-a botanical garden devoted to trees.

The Marine Building is an art deco masterpiece located on the corner of Hastings and Burrard streets. It was the tallest building in the British Commonwealth a decade after it opened in 1930. Inside and out, delicate carvings and sculptures emphasize a marine and transportation theme in terra cotta, brass, stone and marble. If you are interested in renting office space, you can still get something small for less than $300 per month.

Check out the world's thinnest office building on the corner of Pender and Carrall streets in Chinatown. Built in 1913 and currently occupied by a regular operating business, the Sam Kee Building is only 1.8 metres (six feet) wide. Needless to say, they can't have too many employees working at the same tim盻!

Vancouver is the most accessible city in the world according to the publisher of We're Accessible, a newsletter for travellers with disabilities. The city boasts over 14,000 sidewalk wheelchair ramps and extensive public transit (bus, Skytrain, SeaBus) designed to accommodate persons with disabilities.

Visit in the fall and you could join an army of volunteers who count Brackendale's bald eagle population each year. That's right, bald eagles. More bald eagles live in British Columbia than anywhere else in the world-over 3700 on last count.

The Gastown area of Vancouver was named for a talkative Yorkshire-born saloon owner, John Deighton, nicknamed Gassy Jack. Gassy Jack showed up with a barrel of whisky on the south shore of Burrard Inlet, and told the mill workers there they could have all the whisky they could drink if they helped him build his saloon-which they did. It only took 24 hours.

You can hear the Gastown Steam Clock whistle every hour on the hour. It is the only one of its kind in the world.

The Vancouver International Wine Festival is one of the largest and most popular wine events in North America. Try one from British Columbia. BC wines are becoming renowned the world over--winning major awards at some of the most prestigious international wine competitions.

Granville Island is the place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Part farmers market, part artist studio and part magnet for the creative and flamboyant-it's one of the busiest spots in Vancouver.

Whistler Resort is a ski lover's paradise. The number one ski resort in North America is just a 2.5-hour drive from Vancouver. If you prefer to try another hill, the Vancouver area has more than 16 downhill ski resorts within a five-hour drive of the city limits. Some as close as 15 minutes-right over on the North Shore.

Expo '86 changed Vancouver forever. Organisers estimated 12 to 15 million visitors would come to our fair city. They got 21.3 million. And they keep coming back year after year.

What sports can you practice in Vancouver?

Biking

You never forget how to ride a bike. And that's a good thing because you may want to jump on one and tour around during your visit. Bikes are commonplace in this city and Vancouver has numerous cycle paths and bike routes, ranging from easy, flat terrain around Stanley Park to over-night trips around the Gulf Islands. Cycling is perhaps the best way to explore Vancouver and the superb natural beauty. Vancouver's moderate climate makes it possible to cycle almost year round. If you choose to tour around by bike, please be advised that Vancouver has a mandatory helmet law.

No visit to Vancouver would be complete without a ride around the Stanley Park seawall. The flat, paved path is 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in length and circles the entire park. It offers spectacular views of the North Shore mountains and Lions Gate Bridge. Peddle beneath the giant trees in the park. Ride past the rose garden and the Vancouver Rowing Club. There are many places to stop and enjoy the scenery or to picnic on the beachside. Bikes of all sorts-tandem to mountain-can be rented at the entrance to the park. (Bicycles can't be rented inside the park).

The seaside bicycle route is a 15-kilometre (9.4 mile) trek that begins at English Bay and continues around False Creek to the University of British Columbia. Some of this route follows city streets that are well marked with cycle-path signs. Lots to see and do along this route. The sights include: The Plaza of Nations, Science World, Granville Island, the Pacific Space Centre, the Kitsilano Pool and the Jericho Sailing Centre as well as the University of British Columbia which is home to Nitobe Japanese Gardens, Botanical Gardens and the lush Pacific Spirit Park.

For a change of scenery try the Coast Range rainforest. Meandering mountain biking trails have been cut on the backside of Grouse Mountain,盻below the Hi-View Lookout at Cypress Bowl and through the woods of Pacific Spirit Park and the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. Farther north, there is exceptional mountain biking behind Alice Lake near Squamish and on abandoned logging roads near Whistler.

If you prefer a more leisurely outing, cyclists can join hikers, in-line skaters and casual strollers on paved pathways along the seaside in West Vancouver, Kitsilano, Stanley Park, and False Creek. Guided bike trips and tours are also available.

Birdwatching

Stanley Park is a breeding ground for birds, ducks, geese and swans. Stroll around Lost Lagoon and see if you can spot a blue heron or a wood duck. Beaver lake, nestled inside Stanley Park is a quiet sanctuary for birds and people alike. In spring, ducklings can be seen in little bundles floating along the water. The city provides seed to the birds which keeps their numbers up all year round.

Bird watchers won't want to miss Brackendale, on the way to Whistler, especially during winter months when thousands of bald eagles line the banks of the Squamish, Cheakamus and Mamquam rivers, feeding on the carcasses of chum salmon that have returned to their spawning grounds from the Pacific Ocean. An official count held in mid-January of 1994 recorded the largest number of eagles ever seen in North America.

Boating and Fishing

There's no better place for the boating and fishing enthusiast than Vancouver with its stunning coastline and endless waterways. Charter a boat from any number of charter boat companies and head out for the open water. The largest concentrations of these charter companies are located at Granville Island, Horseshoe Bay and Coal Harbour. They can also advise you where the fish are biting.

For saltwater fishing information, contact the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (604.666.2828) and for freshwater fishing information, the British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Parks (604.582.5200) will be more than helpful. Licenses are required for both types of fishing and can be obtained from tackle shops, the Army and Navy department stores and marinas throughout the Lower Mainland. For information on sport fishing in BC, check out the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia.

Golf

Vancouver's natural beauty and mild climate are a perfect fit for duffers and pros alike. The Greater Vancouver area boasts a number of excellent golfing facilities from pitch and putt to C.P.G.A.-rated golf courses including two designed by golf legends Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino and another that is home to the PGA Tour's "Air Canada Championship". Many of Vancouver's facilities offer corporate retreats, banquets, special events, and meetings. And business is booming. Golf course developers have tried to keep up with the exploding popularity of the sport. 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 and Whistler. Most golf courses are easily accessible and daily transfers are available for those who want to venture out a little further. The golf season typically runs from April to October but many are open year-round.

Hiking

Vancouver's dramatic profile is Mother Nature's own, as towering mountains soar thousands of vertical feet above the city at water's edge. The summits of The Lions, Mount Hollyburn, Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour, Golden Ears, Cypress Mountain and Garibaldi Provincial Park are all accessible to healthy, relatively experienced hikers who can follow instructions from a trail guide and are fit enough to carry a daypack containing the "ten essentials" of mountain safety. If you prefer to cycle, check out Golden Ears or backpack Carmanah Pacific Provincial Park. For more information contact (604.924.2200)

Rollerblading

One of the fastest growing sports today is in-line skating and Vanc盻uver has jumped on the bandwagon in a big way. Stanley Park has become the most popular destination for skaters. The more adventuresome, however, are drawn to North Vancouver's Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. In-line skates can be rented at numerous locations.

Running

There is no finer place to pound the pavement than Vancouver's picturesque Stanley Park seawall. The flat, 10-kilometre (6.2 mile) path goes around the circumference of the park. On hot summer days, however, the cool shade of the towering Douglas Fir and cedar trees in the interior trails provides a welcome shade from the heat. Other favorite spots for running include the University of British Columbia Endowment Lands and Pacific Spirit Regional Park, the seaside bicycle route, and Central Park in nearby Burnaby.

Scuba Diving

Most people think of the tropics when they think of scuba diving but Vancouver has some of the best cold water scuba diving in the world. Scuba divers plunge the frigid waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland to view spectacular marine species like wolf eels and octopus, as well as a brilliant red coral found few other places in the world. Cates Park in Deep Cove and Whytecliff Park near Horseshoe Bay are popular diving sites, and many Vancouver scuba enthusiasts get their feet wet here first. On the Sunshine Coast, the jagged coastal fjord of Jervis Inlet near Powell River provides a stunning backdrop for finding a sunken mermaid that has been submerged by local diving enthusiasts. Some shipwrecks off the Malaspina Strait still yield buried treasures!

Sea Kayaking

Any day of the week on the water of Burrard Inlet you will find, among the cruise ships and freighters, sea kayaks gliding along the shores. Sea kayaks are the smallest and most manoeuvrable craft on the water, a sleek, stable one-person (or tandem) boat whose origins can be traced to the baidarkas designed centuries ago by the North Coast Indians of the Alaskan Panhandle.

Vancouver's two most popular paddling destinations are equally unique. The placid waters of False Creek, ringed by bustling Yaletown to the north and Fairview Slopes and Granville Island to the south. On the North Shore, kayakers paddle from Deep Cove to explore Indian Arm, a finger-shaped fjord which bends northward for 30 kilometers 18.8 miles) deep into the heart of the Coast Range mountains. On the way, paddlers can stop to marvel at majestic and mysterious old-growth forests and lacy waterfalls while gulls, ravens and bald eagles soar overhead. It's the kind of wilderness trip that ecotourists pay thousands of dollars for, and you can take a bus right to the starting point.

Skiing

Even though Vancouver has a mild climate and snow seldom falls in the city, Vancouverites enjoy some of the best downhill and cross country ski facilities in North America. Step out your back door and gaze at the twinkling lights of Grouse Mountain, Cypress Bowl and Mount Seymour. Ski hills so close you can almost reach out and touch them, just minutes from downtown. Many of the city's residents strap on snowboards or skis and flee the stresses of urban life. You can leave work early and get a few runs in or hit the slopes after dark for a few hours of night skiing.

Cypress boasts the highest vertical drop and superb track-set cross-country skiing, Grouse features tremendous summit views and easy access, while Mount Seymour specializes in lessons for first-timers and offers snowshoe rentals. Although access to the mountain is limited by public bus, many of Vancouver's local mountains offer shuttle services to link avid skiers with the powdery snow they love.

If you have the time, travel two hours north to Whistler and Blackcomb. Rated the #1 destination ski resort in North America, it attracts skiers from all over the world. You can downhill ski, helicopter ski, or hire a guide and use your leg power and aerobic capacity to climb up the mountains and ski盻back down.

Swimming

The Vancouver Park and Recreation Board operates nine indoor pools, seven outdoor pools, and employs lifeguards throughout the summer months on the city's half dozen beaches. For the downtown visitor, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre (604.665.4324) features an indoor Olympic-size pool, weight room, sauna and whirlpool. In the summer, Kitsilano and Second Beach pools as well as the UBC swimming pool offer the joy of swimming outdoors in heated pools that are safe for toddlers and adults alike.

Tennis

Bring your racket along for the trip. Have a match on any of the 180 free public courts in the city. The outdoor courts are open all year and are run on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a 30-minute maximum time limit if someone is waiting to play. Stanley Park offers 15 free courts and six that are available for an hourly rental fee. Queen Elizabeth Park has 17 free courts and is located at 33 rd & Cambie. At Kitsilano Beach Park, there are 10 free courts for the public use. In mid-summer, the nearby pool and beach offer cool havens after a few tough sets.

White Water Rafting

Looking for a wild adventure? The Thompson, the Nahatlatch, the Squamish, the Elaho and the Chilliwack Rivers are calling your name. Ride the roaring current in a rubber raft. Get your feet wet and the adrenaline pumping. It'll be the most fun you've had in a long time. West Coast salmon run the rapids, why shouldn't you?

Windsurfing

Would you like to learn how to windsurf? Vancouver is a good place to learn because it doesn't have consistent winds. Try English Bay or Jericho beaches where beginners can rent windsurfers and take lessons. For those who want the challenge of high-wind sailing, Squamish offers some of Canada's best windsurfing conditions. In the summer months, strong thermal winds blow down the valley and create ideal windsurfing conditions. The Squamish Windsurfing Society manages the launch site and charges a daily user's fee. For information call +1 (604) 926 9463.