Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)

Vancouver, British Columbia, the 3rd largest city in Canada, is the homeport on an Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation. Located on a peninsula in southwestern British Columbia between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains, the city and its surrounding region is a popular destination for visitors from around the globe thanks to its natural beauty, history and thriving culture.

Things to See and Do
You'd be hard-pressed not to find something to delight everyone in your family in Vancouver. Stanley Park, the city's very first park, boasts 1,000 acres of nearly half a million trees, where Guests of all ages can take in the unspoiled natural surroundings during a scenic hike, pet animals at the Children's Farmyard or ride the rails amid towering Douglas Firs on a miniature locomotive train.

Vancouver Aquarium, the city's largest, includes over 70,000 marine animals-including whales, seals, dolphins, sharks, reptiles and birds. It is located amid the picture-perfect surroundings of Stanley Park and a must-see for both the young and young-at-heart.

The oldest tourist attraction in Vancouver, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, is undoubtedly one of the city's most breathtaking, providing sweeping treetop views 230 feet above the Capilano River to all who dare to walk across the century-old, 450-foot long canyon bridge. For some of the best views of the city in full, the Grouse Mountain Skyride—America's largest aerial tramway system—takes you on a breathtaking journey 3,700 feet in the sky.

For art lovers and treasure hunters, no visit to Vancouver would be complete without spending time at Granville Island, a 35-acre peninsula brimming with shops, eateries, theatres and art galleries. Vancouver's Chinatown, one of the largest in North America, is home to a beautiful classical Chinese garden and the perfect place to wind down during a day out and about in the city.

Local Culture and Flavor
Surrounded by water on 3 sides and situated alongside a picture-perfect, snow-capped mountain range, Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia and the most populous in Canada. This is the key to its unique charm. A bustling metropolis to be certain, Vancouver retains its strong connection to the great outdoors. From the over 200 parks that can be found throughout this historic city to the sweeping waterfront, Vancouver seamlessly blends the rural with the urban to create a cityscape unlike any other. People from around the globe looking for this harmony come to Vancouver to visit and live each and every day. This mix of cultures-which includes English, Irish, German, Asian, Latin American and Black-only help to make the city even more interesting and inviting.

Past and Present
Originally settled by the Coast Salish people thousands of years ago, Vancouver was first visited by European settlers in 1808 when Simon Fraser set up a fur trading post. But like many other areas to the north, it wasn't until gold was discovered in 1858 along the Fraser River—and later when lumber became the main industry—that the region began to expand both in population and in commerce. Early settlements included Gastown, named after an early pioneer who set up a saloon in the area, and Granville. In 1887, following the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the city was officially incorporated and renamed Vancouver. Throughout the 20th century, Vancouver's economy relied on forestry, mining, fishing and agriculture.

Today, it's easy to understand why Vancouver's second largest industry is tourism, and it is consistently ranked as one of the best cities to live in the world.