Explore Vancouver this summer…you won’t be disappointed!

• Vancouver Overview
• 10 reason’s to go to Vancouver this summer!
• Vancouver Excursions
• Vancouver Hotels

Mix exhilarating urban experiences with outdoor adventure. This spectacular oceanfront city, surrounded by sandy beaches and at the foot of the Coast Mountain range, combines the best of outdoor life with a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. There’s never a shortage of activity in and around Vancouver, as well it’s the perfect spot to depart on a cruise to Alaska.

Here are some tempting deals for visiting Vancouver this Summer:

7 night Vancouver break fr £599pp
Price includes return flights from London Gatwick and 7 nights at 3 Star Vancouver hotel. Price is based on twin sharing.

• Hop on Hop off bus tour fr £22pp
• Trolley and Look-out combo package fr £32pp
• Vancouver scenic trip by sea plane £81

Add a 7 night luxury Alaskan Cruise from just fr £619pp
(based on an Inside cabin (departing May 2012)

Prices are subject to availability, based on Travel selected dates May- October 2012.

10 reason’s to go to Vancouver this summer!

1. Easy to get to. Direct flight with Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow and service with Air Transat from London Gatwick, Manchester & Glasgow
2. Go on a whale watching excursion, you’ll be amazed by the marine wildlife you will see.
3. For a unique West Coast experience take a scenic float plane ride for a different perspective of the downtown, Stanley Park, harbour, mountains and beyond; or a Fly’n Dine tour.
4. Skyride to the top of Grouse Mountain and visit the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife’s two orphaned grizzly bears, Grinder and Coola
5. In Stanley Park cycle the Seawall or visit the Vancouver Aquarium to get up close and personal with a Beluga.
6. Take a chef’s culinary walking tour of Granville Island or Chinatown.
7. Become a trendsetter in Yaletown, Vancouver's hip, renovated warehouse district.
8. Walk along the Cliffwalk , Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, where heart stopping suspended walkways jut out from the granite cliff face high above the canyon
9. Take the rainbow coloured Aquabus for a sightseeing cruise around False Creek, to Granville Island and Yaletown
10. Wander through a coastal virgin temperate rainforest in West Vancouver's Lighthouse Park.

Vancouver Overview

Vancouver: Spectacular by nature!

It’s not often that you come across a city like Vancouver, one that so effortlessly combines the excitement of a modern city with true access to the great outdoors. This really is a “city of nature”: look in one direction to see glass skyscrapers, sidewalk cafes and art galleries, then turn around and take in a view of temperate rainforest, oceanfront beaches and majestic mountains. Vancouver offers a fresh perspective on what it means to visit a city: lose yourself on a hike among ancient trees without leaving the downtown peninsula, have lunch at a busy waterfront market, spend the afternoon on a mountain wildlife-watching, then come back down again to dine and dance the night away in one of the city’s hip neighbourhoods. A visit to Vancouver offers a refreshing change to the usual city vacation.

More to explore

As one of the world’s premiere city destinations, much is made of Vancouver’s beauty, and it truly is spectacular in a way that will have you reaching for your camera more often than you can imagine. But this city is about more than just a photo-opp – it’s all about the lifestyle. Even if Vancouver is stopover before getting on an Alaskan cruise or a train to explore the Rockies, it’s easy to have an authentic experience and get to the heart of what makes this city so different. Get to know the locals when you explore colourful neighbourhoods like the beachside West End area, Gastown’s hip and heritage streets and uber-hip Yaletown. A calendar full of festivals, dazzling gallery shows, live performances and a multitude of nightlife options satisfy those looking to immerse themselves in the cultural side of the city. The amazing natural scenery also forms a backdrop for unique attractions – sway across a temperate rainforest canyon at Capilano Suspension Bridge, or make take in Western Canada’s only 4D theatre experience at the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park.

Wild about the outdoors

In Vancouver, nature is ever present – the mountains loom over the city, and the fresh scent of the forest is in every breath. Locals are passionate about the “great outdoors”, and are only too happy to share that love with visitors. Ease into nature with a leisurely cycle around the Stanley Park seawall or a hike through urban rainforest. Get to know the region’s wilder inhabitants with a whale watching excursion, or visit Grouse Mountain’s Refuge for Endangered Wildlife to meet Grinder and Coola, the resident Grizzly bears. Kayaking along a coastal shoreline is a tranquil experience not to be missed, and a rainforest walk is a beautiful way to re-connect with nature. Those looking to quicken their pulse can zip-line through the trees, raft the rapids, or try their hand at mountain biking. All of this and you’re still in the city!

Savour West Coast flavours

A destination as active as Vancouver gives you plenty of ways to work up an appetite, which is a good thing given the city’s justifiably lauded dining scene. Vancouver’s chefs use the region’s best seasonal ingredients and combine them with traditional techniques and multicultural influence to delicious effect. The seafood is especially outstanding – whether it’s a salmon barbecue on a beach or a sophisticated scallop ceviche on a sunny patio, it’s not to be missed. Make sure you look for the Ocean Wise symbol indicating sustainable seafood choices on the menu. Pair it all with British Columbian wines and micro-brewed beers to get a unique taste of the city. And don’t let the evening end when your plates are cleared: Vancouver has a vibrant cocktail scene worth of exploration along with nightlife options to suit all tastes. Whether your preferences lean towards a jazz performance, dance clubs, catching a game at a sports bar, or a quiet nightcap, you won’t be disappointed.

Chef-guided culinary walking tours and cooking classes give the gastronomically-minded plenty to do away from the table, but for the ultimate way to combine cuisine and sightseeing, try a floatplane “fly and dine” tour. Take in aerial views of the mountains, fjords and ocean before docking on the water and enjoying an oceanfront seafood dinner.

Shopping Galore

If you’re looking for a little retail therapy, Vancouver is sure to please even the most ardent shopper, with everything from artisan markets to international designers. Downtown’s Robson Street and Pacific Centre offer well-known brands and high-end boutiques, while Gastown is home to some of the city’s hippest new ateliers and galleries. Colourful markets such as Granville Island will find you shopping for culinary finds alongside the locals, but are also good spots for arts and crafts souvenirs. Shopping is a great excuse to further explore one of Vancouver’s friendly neighbourhoods: Yaletown with its designer boutiques and patio-lined streets, Kitsilano’s wholesome yoga-inspired outlets, and Main Street’s independent shops and antique stores. When size matters, head out to Metropolis at Metrotown – the mall boasts more than 450 shops and is just 20-minutes from downtown.

The grass is greener

Being environmentally-aware comes naturally to Vancouverites: if you love the outdoors as much as the locals, you understand the need to protect it. In fact, this is the city that founded Greenpeace in the 1970s, is home to renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki, and is known for the 100-mile diet. That’s why you’ll find sustainable practices enveloped into all facets of a visit to Vancouver. A highly-accessible transit system and a compact, walkable downtown make it greenly to get to attractions, restaurants and shopping. Restaurants menus are typically peppered with organic, local and seasonal ingredients as well as the Ocean Wise symbol indicating sustainable seafood choices. And while hotels in the city are required to follow strict environmental requirements, most of them go well above these as a matter of pride. And that’s a good thing: the City of Vancouver has pledged to become the world’s greenest city by 2020.

Time out

Of course, a visit to laid back Vancouver wouldn’t be complete without absorbing the relaxed spirit of the locals. The city’s beaches are favourite spots for contemplation – just grab a coffee and take a seat along one of the many logs or benches that line the waterfront to take in the unique view of sky-scraping buildings flanked by mountains and water. And it’s right here that you’ll understand why this city is regularly ranked as one of the most liveable places in the world - Vancouver is an easy place to visit, but it’s much harder to leave.

Vancouver Excursions

We also offer a wider range of hotels over the phone, call our agents today for prices and information on:

• Best Western Downtown Vancouver
• Burrard Inn
• Comfort Inn - Downtown
• Days Inn - Vancouver Downtown
• Delta Vancouver Suites
• Fairmont Pacific Rim
• Four Seasons Hotel, The
• Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown Vancouver
• Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Downtown Vancouver
• Hyatt Regency Vancouver
• Listel Hotel, The
• Loden Hotel
• Quality Hotel Downtown
• Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver
• Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside
• Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel
• Sylvia Hotel
• Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown
• Wedgewood Hotel
• Westin Grand Vancouver
• YWCA Hotel/Residence