THE last time I visited Vancouver was Christmas 1982, when I was 15 and flying alone on Air Canada, treated like a VIP.
Returning decades later, I booked again with the country’s flagship airline to see whether it still lived up to that old slogan: “Flights so good, you won’t want to get off.”
The crew were friendly and the flight comfortable, though — like most air travel these days — it felt more cramped than memory allows. Access to the Maple Lounge at Heathrow and Vancouver made for a civilised start and end to the journey.
We stayed in Burnaby, a short SkyTrain ride from downtown. Our first stop was the Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant, 553 feet above the city, with sweeping views across the mountains and harbour.
A glass lift whisks you to the top in 40 seconds, and while the retro dining room has seen better days, the panorama still impresses.
The next morning we headed north with West Coast Sightseeing towards Whistler, stopping first at Shannon Falls near Squamish. Walking through the rain-soaked old-growth forest, breathing in the sharp, clean air, was one of the simplest pleasures of the trip.
The Sea to Sky Gondola carries visitors up to the mountainside, where — weather permitting — you can look out across Howe Sound or cross the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge. Cloud covered the summit on our visit, but hot chocolate in the lodge softened the disappointment.
Whistler itself, home to Blackcomb and a centrepiece of the 2010 Winter Olympics, was buzzing with skiers heading for the lifts.
Away from the slopes, we visited the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, which offers a thoughtful introduction to two of the region’s Indigenous peoples through storytelling, song and guided tours — one of the most engaging stops of the journey.
Whistler Village itself is more than a ski base.
Its pedestrian streets are lined with cafés, bakeries and small galleries, giving it the feel of a European alpine town transplanted to the Pacific Northwest. Even non-skiers can enjoy its lively atmosphere, mountain views and easy-going charm.
On the return to Vancouver, our guide pointed out the legacy of the Guinness family, who in the 1930s bought 4,000 acres of West Vancouver and helped finance the Lions Gate Bridge, still one of the city’s defining landmarks.
Back in the city we explored Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood, centred on its famous steam clock, which hisses and plays the Westminster chimes every quarter-hour as tourists gather to watch clouds of vapour billow into the street. The district takes its name from ‘Gassy’ Jack Deighton, the Yorkshire-born sailor who opened the first saloon here in 1867 and became known for his long-winded storytelling.
Today, the cobbled streets and restored brick warehouses give Gastown a slightly Victorian feel, despite the boutiques, galleries and cafés that now fill many of the old buildings. Independent shops sit alongside smart restaurants and cocktail bars, making it one of the city’s liveliest areas after dark.
The neighbourhood also marks the birthplace of modern Vancouver, where the city grew outwards from the original port and trading post. Walking through Gastown offers a tangible sense of how this west coast metropolis began.
Granville Island, reached by a short Aquabus ferry ride across False Creek, provided a welcome change of pace. Once an industrial site, it has been transformed into one of Vancouver’s most popular cultural and food destinations. Its bustling public market is packed with bakeries, seafood stalls and artisan producers, while nearby studios showcase the work of local craftspeople and designers. Small theatres and performance spaces add to the island’s creative energy.
The atmosphere is lively without feeling crowded, making it an enjoyable place to wander, browse and stop for a coffee. A visit here offers a good sense of Vancouver’s creative side, where food, art and everyday life blend together easily.
That evening we visited the VanDusen Botanical Garden for its Festival of Lights, where more than a million bulbs transform the winter landscape into a glowing maze. Even the most determined festive sceptic would struggle not to be charmed.
Our final day was spent closer to home at Burnaby Village Museum, an open-air recreation of a 19th-century British Columbia settlement that offered a slower, more reflective end to the journey.
Set across ten acres, the village brings together historic buildings, shops and workshops to show how early communities in the region might have looked and worked. A working blacksmith demonstrated traditional metalwork, while inside an old-fashioned cinema a black-and-white film flickered across the screen, transporting visitors back to another era.
Walking along the recreated main street, with its wooden sidewalks and period storefronts, felt like stepping into a television western or a pioneer drama.
Children wandered in and out of the sweet shop, while adults lingered to talk with costumed interpreters who explained daily life in early British Columbia. It was a quietly engaging experience, offering a sense of continuity between the province’s past and its present.
Seven days barely scratched the surface of Vancouver and its surroundings, but the mix of wilderness, history and urban energy makes it easy to see why the city consistently ranks among the world’s most liveable.
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