Active Pursuits

An excellent resource for outdoor enthusiasts is Mountain Equipment Co-op, 130 W. Broadway (tel. 604/872-7858; www.mec.ca).

Beaches

Only 10% of Vancouver's annual rainfall occurs during June, July, and August; 60 days of summer sunshine is not uncommon, although the Pacific never really warms up enough for a comfortable swim. Still, English Bay Beach, at the end of Davie Street off Denman Street and Beach Avenue, is a great place to see sunsets. The bathhouse dates to the turn of the 20th century, and a huge playground slide is mounted on a raft just off the beach every summer.

On Stanley Park's western rim, Second Beach is a short stroll north from English Bay Beach. A playground, a snack bar, and an immense heated oceanside pool (tel. 604/257-8370), open from May through September, make this a convenient and fun spot for families. Admission to the pool is C$5 (£2.50) for adults, C$3.50 (£1.75) for seniors, C$3.75 (£1.80) for youth 13 to 18, and C$2.50 (£1.25) for children 6 to 12. Farther along the seawall, due north of Stanley Park Drive, lies secluded Third Beach. Locals tote along grills and coolers to this spot, a popular place for summer-evening barbecues and sunset watching.

South of English Bay Beach, near the Burrard Street Bridge, is Sunset Beach. Running along False Creek, it's actually a picturesque strip of sandy beaches filled with enormous driftwood logs that serve as windbreaks and provide a little privacy for sunbathers and picnickers. A snack bar, a soccer field, and a long, gently sloping grassy hill are available for people who prefer lawn to sand.

On the West Side, Kitsilano Beach, along Arbutus Drive near Ogden Street, is affectionately called Kits Beach. It's an easy walk from the Maritime Museum and the False Creek ferry dock. If you want to do a saltwater swim but can't handle the cold, head to the huge (135m/443-ft.) heated (25°C/77°F) Kitsilano Pool. Admission is the same as for Second Beach Pool.

Farther west on the other side of Pioneer Park is Jericho Beach (Alma St. off Point Grey Rd.), another local after-work and weekend social spot. Locarno Beach, off Discovery Street and NW Marine Drive, and Spanish Banks, NW Marine Drive, wrap around the northern point of the UBC campus and University Hill. (Be forewarned that beachside restrooms and concessions on the promontory end abruptly at Locarno Beach.) Below UBC's Museum of Anthropology is Point Grey Beach, a restored harbor defense site. The next beach is Wreck Beach -- Canada's largest nude beach. You get down to Wreck Beach by taking the very steep Trail 6 on the UBC campus near Gate 6 down to the water's edge. Extremely popular with locals, and maintained by its own preservation society, Wreck Beach is also the city's most pristine and least-developed sandy stretch, bordered on three sides by towering trees.

At the northern foot of the Lions Gate Bridge, Ambleside Park is a popular North Shore spot. The quarter-mile beach faces the Burrard Inlet.

For information on any of Vancouver's many beaches, call tel. 604/738-8535 (summer only).

Boating

With thousands of miles of protected shoreline along B.C.'s West Coast, boaters enjoy some of the finest cruising grounds in the world. You can rent powerboats for a few hours or up to several weeks at Bonnie Lee Boat Rentals, 1676 Duranleau St., Granville Island (tel. 866/933-7447 or 604/290-7441; www.bonnielee.com). Rates for a 5.8m (19-ft.) sport boat with 115-horsepower motor begin at C$60 (£30) per hour (plus C$7/£3.50 insurance fee and fuel), or C$375 (£187) for an 8-hour package. Jerry's Boat Rentals, Granville Island (tel. 604/644-3256), is steps away and offers similar deals. Delta Charters, 3500 Cessna Dr., Richmond (tel. 800/661-7762 or 604/273-4211; www.deltacharters.com), has weekly and monthly rates for skippered boats that sleep four.

Canoeing & Kayaking

Both placid, urban False Creek and the incredibly beautiful 30km (19-mile) North Vancouver fjord known as Indian Arm have launching points that can be reached by car or bus. Prices range from about C$40 (£20) per 2-hour minimum rental to C$70 (£35) per 5-hour day for single kayaks and about C$60 (£30) for canoe rentals. Customized tours range from C$75 to C$150 (£37-£75) per person.

Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre, 1668 Duranleau St., Granville Island (tel. 888/425-2925 or 604/689-7575; www.ecomarine.com), has 2-hour, daily and weekly kayak rentals, as well as courses and organized tours. The company also has an office at the Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery St., at Jericho Beach (tel. 604/222-3565; www.jsca.bc.ca). In North Vancouver, Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Rentals, 2156 Banbury Rd. (at the foot of Gallant St.), Deep Cove (tel. 604/929-2268; www.deepcovekayak.com), is an easy starting point for anyone planning an Indian Arm run. It offers hourly and daily rentals of canoes and kayaks, as well as lessons and customized tours.

Lotus Land Tours, 2005-1251 Cardero St. (tel. 800/528-3531 or 604/684-4922; www.lotuslandtours.com), runs guided kayak tours on Indian Arm that come with hotel pickup, a barbecue salmon lunch, and incredible scenery. The wide, stable kayaks are perfect for first-time paddlers. One-day tours cost C$165 (£82) for adults, C$119 (£60) for children.

See also Takaya Tours, an excellent First Nations eco-outfitter.

Cycling & Mountain Biking

Cycling in Vancouver is fun, amazingly scenic, and very popular. Cycling maps are available at most bicycle retailers and rental outlets. Some West End hotels offer guests bike storage and rentals. Hourly rentals run around C$7 (£3.50) for a one-speed "Cruiser" to C$17 (£8.50) for a top-of-the-line mountain bike; C$27 to C$65 (£13-£32) for a day, helmets and locks included. Popular shops that rent city and mountain bikes, child trailers, child seats, and in-line skates (protective gear included) include Spokes Bicycle Rentals & Espresso Bar, 1798 W. Georgia St. (tel. 604/688-5141; www.spokesbicyclerentals.com), at the corner of Denman Street at the entrance to Stanley Park; Alley Cat Rentals, 1779 Robson St., in the alley (tel. 604/684-5117); and Bayshore Bicycle and Rollerblade Rentals, 745 Denman St. (tel. 604/688-2453; www.bayshorebikerentals.ca). Note: Be advised that wearing a helmet is mandatory, and one will be included in your bike rental.

The most popular cycling path in the city runs along the seawall around the perimeter of Stanley Park. Offering magnificent views of the city, the Burrard Inlet, the mountains, and English Bay, this flat, 10km (6 1/4-mile) pathway attracts year-round bicyclists, in-line skaters, and pedestrians. (Note: Runners and cyclists have separate lanes on developed park and beach paths.) Another popular route is the seaside bicycle route, a 15km (9 1/3-mile) ride 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; the sights include the Plaza of Nations, Science World, Granville Island, the Pacific Space Centre, the Kitsilano Pool and the Jericho Sailing Centre, and the University of British Columbia, home to the UBC Botanical Garden, Nitobe Japanese Garden, and the lush Pacific Spirit Park.

Serious mountain bikers also have a wealth of world-class options within a short drive from downtown Vancouver. The trails on Grouse Mountain are some of the lower mainland's best. The very steep Good Samaritan Trail on Mount Seymour connects to the Baden-Powell Trail and the Bridle Path near Mount Seymour Road. Local mountain bikers love the cross-country ski trails on Hollyburn Mountain in Cypress Provincial Park, just northeast of Vancouver on the road to Whistler on Hwy. 99. Closer to downtown, both Pacific Spirit Park and Burnaby Mountain offer excellent beginner and intermediate off-road trails.

Ecotours

Lotus Land Tours runs guided kayak tours on Indian Arm. From late November to the end of January, this small local company also offers unique float trips on the Squamish River to see the large concentration of bald eagles up close. Rockwood Adventures (tel. 888/236-6606 or 604/980-7749; www.rockwoodadventures.com) has 4-hour guided walks of the North Shore rainforest, complete with a trained naturalist, stops in Capilano Canyon and at the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, and lunch. Cost is C$85 (£42) for adults, C$78 (£37) for seniors and students, and C$60 (£30) for children 6 to 11.

Fishing

Five species of salmon, rainbow and Dolly Varden trout, steelhead, and sturgeon abound in the local waters around Vancouver. To fish, anglers over the age of 16 need a nonresident saltwater or freshwater license. Licenses are available province-wide from more than 500 vendors, including tackle shops, sporting goods stores, resorts, service stations, marinas, charter boat operators, and department stores. Saltwater (tidal waters) fishing licenses for nonresidents cost C$7.50 (£3.75) for 1 day, C$20 (£10) for 3 days, and C$33 (£16) for 5 days. Fly-fishing in national and provincial parks requires special permits, which you can get at any park site for a nominal fee. Permits are valid at all Canadian parks.

The B.C. Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide and B.C. Sport Fishing Regulations Synopsis for Non-Tidal Waters, and the B.C. Fishing Directory and Atlas, available at many tackle shops, are good sources of information. Another good source of general information is the Fisheries and Ocean Canada website (www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

Hanson's Fishing Outfitters, 102-580 Hornby St. (tel. 604/684-8988; www.hansons-outfitters.com), and Granville Island Boat Rentals, 1696 Duranleau St. (tel. 604/682-6287), are outstanding outfitters. Bonnie Lee Fishing Charters Ltd., 1676 Duranleau St., Granville Island tel. 604/290-7447; www.bonnielee.com), is another reputable outfitter and also sells fishing licenses.

Golf

With five public 18-hole courses, half a dozen pitch-and-putt courses in the city, and dozens more nearby, golfers are never far from their love. For discounts and short-notice tee times at more than 30 Vancouver-area courses, contact the A-1 Last Minute Golf Hot Line (tel. 800/684-6344 or 604/878-1833; www.lastminutegolfbc.com).

A number of excellent public golf courses, maintained by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (tel. 604/280-1818 to book tee times; www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks), can be found throughout the city. Langara Golf Course, 6706 Alberta St., around 49th Avenue and Cambie Street (tel. 604/713-1816), built in 1926 and recently renovated and redesigned, is one of the most popular golf courses in the province. Depending on the course, summer greens fees range from C$24 to C$49 (£12-£25) for an adult, with discounts for seniors, youths, and off-season tee times.

The public University Golf Club, 5185 University Blvd. (tel. 604/224-1818; www.universitygolf.com), is a great 6,560-yard, par-71 course with a clubhouse, pro shop, locker rooms, bar and grill, and sports lounge.

Leading private clubs are situated on the North Shore and in Vancouver. Check with your club at home to see if you have reciprocal visiting memberships with one of the following: Capilano Golf and Country Club, 420 Southborough Dr., West Vancouver (tel. 604/922-9331; www.capilanogolf.com); Marine Drive Golf Club, West 57th Avenue and SW Marine Drive (tel. 604/261-8111; www.marine-drive.com); Seymour Golf and Country Club, 3723 Mt. Seymour Pkwy., North Vancouver (tel. 604/929-2611; www.seymourgolf.com); Point Grey Golf and Country Club, 3350 SW Marine Dr. (tel. 604/261-3108; www.pointgreygolf.com); and Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, 4300 SW Marine Dr. (tel. 604/266-4141; www.shaughnessy.org). Greens fees range from C$42 to C$75 (£21-£37).

Hiking

Great trails for hikers of all levels run through Vancouver's dramatic environs. Good trail maps are available from International Travel Maps and Books, 539 Pender St. (tel. 604/687-3320; www.itmb.com), which also stocks guidebooks and topographical maps. You can pick up a local trail guide at any bookstore.

If you're looking for a challenge without a longtime commitment, hike the aptly named Grouse Grind from the bottom of Grouse Mountain to the top; then buy a one-way ticket down on the Grouse Mountain SkyRide gondola.

For a bit more scenery with a bit less effort, take the Grouse Mountain Skyride up to the Grouse chalet and start your hike at an altitude of 1,100m (3,609 ft.). The trail north of Goat Mountain is well marked and takes approximately 6 hours round-trip, though you may want to build in some extra time to linger on the top of Goat and take in the spectacular 360-degree views of Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the snowcapped peaks of the Coast Mountains.

Lynn Canyon Park, Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, Capilano River Regional Park, Mount Seymour Provincial Park, Pacific Spirit Park, and Cypress Provincial Park have good, easy-to-challenging trails that wind up through stands of Douglas fir and cedar and contain a few serious switchbacks. Pay attention to the trail warnings posted at the parks (some have bear habitats), and always remember to sign in with the park service at the start of your chosen trail.

A little farther outside the city, the 6- to 10-hour hike to Black Tusk is one of the finest day hikes in North America. The trail head is located in Garibaldi Provincial Park (tel. 604/898-3678), located 13km (8 miles) north of Squamish, which is 97km (60 miles) north of Vancouver along Hwy. 99 on the road to Whistler. The park has five access points; Black Tusk/Garibaldi Lake is the second marked turnoff; it takes about an hour to get there. The trail switchbacks up 1,000m (3,281 ft.) in about 6km (3.7 miles), then levels onto a rolling alpine plateau with fabulous views. The best time to make this climb is from July to October.

Ice-Skating

The highest ice-skating rink in Canada is located on Grouse Mountain. In the city, the West End Community Centre, 870 Denman St. (tel. 604/257-8333), rents skates at its enclosed rink, open October through March. Another option is the Kitsilano Ice Rink, 2690 Larch St. (tel. 604/257-6983; www.vancouverparks.ca), open from October to June. The enormous Burnaby 8 Rinks Ice Sports Centre, 6501 Sprott, Burnaby (tel. 604/291-0626), is the Vancouver Canucks' official practice facility. It has eight rinks, is open year-round, and offers lessons and rentals. Call ahead to check hours for public skating at all these rinks.

In-Line Skating

All over Vancouver you'll find lots of locals rolling along beach paths, streets, park paths, and promenades. If you didn't bring a pair of blades, try Bayshore Bicycle and Rollerblade Rentals, 745 Denman St. (tel. 604/688-2453; www.bayshorebikerentals.com). Rentals run C$6 (£3) per hour or C$24 (£12) for 8 hours. For information on in-line skating lessons and group events, visit www.rollerbladevancouver.com.

Jogging

Local runners traverse the Stanley Park seawall and the park paths around Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake. If you're a dawn or dusk runner, take note that this is one of the world's safer city parks. However, if you're alone, don't tempt fate -- stick to open and lighted areas. Other prime jogging areas are Kitsilano Beach, Jericho Beach, and Spanish Banks; all of them offer flat running paths along the ocean. You can also take the seawall path from English Bay Beach south along False Creek. If you feel like doing a little racing, competitions take place throughout the year; ask for information at any runners' outfitters such as Forerunners, 3504 W. 4th Ave. (tel. 604/732-4535), or Running Room, 679 Denman St. (corner of Georgia; tel. 604/684-9771). Check www.runningroom.com for information on clinics and events around Vancouver and British Columbia.

The Sun Run in April and the Vancouver International Marathon in May attract runners from around the world. Contact the Vancouver International Marathon Society, 1601 Bayshore Dr., in the Westin Bayshore Hotel (tel. 604/872-2928; www.vanmarathon.bc.ca), or the Vancouver Sun Run, 655 Burrard St. (tel. 604/689-9441; www.sunrun.com), for information.

Paragliding

In North Vancouver, First Flight Paragliding (tel. 604/988-1111; www.first-flight.ca) offers tandem flights June through September from the peak of Grouse Mountain at C$190 (£95) for 1 hour; lift ticket to the summit of Grouse Mountain not included. The actual flight takes approximately 20 minutes.

Skiing & Snowboarding

World-class skiing lies outside the city at the Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, 110km (68 miles) north of Vancouver. However, you don't have to leave the city to get in a few runs. It seldom snows in the city's downtown and central areas, but Vancouverites can ski before work and after dinner at the three ski resorts in the North Shore mountains. These local mountains will play host to the freestyle and snowboard events in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Grouse Mountain Resort, 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver (tel. 604/984-0661, snow report 604/986-6262; www.grousemountain.com), is about 3km (1 3/4 miles) from the Lions Gate Bridge and overlooks the Burrard Inlet and Vancouver skyline. Four chairs, two beginner tows, and two T-bars take you to 24 alpine runs. The resort has night skiing, special events, instruction, and a spectacular view, as well as a 90m (295-ft.) half-pipe for snowboarders. All skill levels are covered, with two beginner trails, three blue trails, and five black-diamond runs, including Coffin and Inferno, which follow the east slopes down from 1,230 to 750m (4,035-2,461 ft.). Rental packages and a full range of facilities are available. Lift tickets good for all-day skiing are C$47 (£23) for adults, C$37 (£18) for seniors and youths, and C$21 (£10) for children 5 to 12; free for children under 4. Lift prices do not include your gondola ride to the summit.

Mount Seymour Provincial Park, 1700 Mt. Seymour Rd., North Vancouver (tel. 604/986-2261, snow report 604/986-3999; www.mountseymour.com), has the area's highest base elevation; it's accessible via four chairs and a tow. Lift tickets are C$40 (£20) all day for adults, C$27 (£13) for seniors, C$33 (£16) for youths 12 to 19, and C$20 (£10) for children 6 to 11. Nighttime skiing from 4 to 10pm costs less. In addition to day and night skiing, the facility offers snowboarding, snowshoeing, and tobogganing along its 22 runs, as well as 26km (16 miles) of cross-country trails. The resort specializes in teaching first-timers. Camps for children and teenagers, and adult clinics, are available throughout the winter. Mount Seymour has one of Western Canada's largest equipment rental shops, which will keep your measurements on file for return visits. Shuttle service is available during ski season from various locations on the North Shore, including the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus. For more information, call tel. 604/953-3333.

Cypress Bowl, 1610 Mt. Seymour Rd. (tel. 604/926-5612, snow report 604/419-7669; www.cypressmountain.com), has the area's longest vertical drop (525m/1,722 ft.), challenging ski and snowboard runs, and 16km (10 miles) of track-set cross-country ski trails (including 5km/3.1 miles set aside for night skiing). Full-day lift tickets are C$50 to C$54 (£25-£27) for adults, with reduced rates for youths, seniors, and children. Cross-country full-day passes are C$17 (£8.50) for adults, with reduced rates for youths, seniors, and children. Snowshoe tours and excellent introductory ski packages are available. Note: Cypress will be home to the 2010 Winter Olympics freestyle skiing (moguls and aerials), snowboarding (half-pipe and parallel giant slalom), and brand-new skicross events. In winter 2008 Cypress opened nine new runs for intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders, accessed by a new quad chairlift. A new day lodge is set to open for the winter 2008/2009 season.

Swimming

The Vancouver Aquatic Centre, 1050 Beach Ave., at the foot of Thurlow Street (tel. 604/665-3424), has a heated, 50m (164-ft.) Olympic pool, saunas, whirlpools, weight rooms, diving tanks, locker rooms, showers, child care, and a tot pool. Adult admission is C$5 (£2.50), C$2.50 (£1.25) children 2 to 12. The new, coed YWCA Fitness Centre, 535 Hornby St. (tel. 604/895-5777; www.ywcavan.org), in the heart of downtown, has a 6-lane, 25m (82-ft.), ozonated (much milder than chlorinated) pool, steam room, whirlpool, conditioning gym, and aerobic studios. A day pass is C$16 (£8) for adults. UBC's Aquatic Centre, 6121 University Blvd. (tel. 604/822-4522; www.aquatics.ubc.ca), located next door to the Student Union Building and the bus loop, sets aside time for public use. Adult admission is C$5 (£2.50), C$4 (£2) for youths and students, and C$3 (£1.50) for seniors and children 3 to 12.

Tennis

The city maintains 180 outdoor hard courts that have a 1-hour limit and accommodate patrons on a first-come, first-served basis from 8am until dusk. Local courtesy dictates that if people are waiting, you surrender the court on the hour. (Heavy usage times are evenings and weekends.) With the exception of the Beach Avenue courts, which charge a nominal fee in summer, all city courts are free.

Stanley Park has four courts near Lost Lagoon and 17 courts near the Beach Avenue entrance, next to the Fish House Restaurant. During the summer season (May-Sept), six courts are taken over for pay tennis and can be pre-booked by calling tel. 604/605-8224. Queen Elizabeth Park's 18 courts service the central Vancouver area, and Kitsilano Beach Park's 10 courts service the beach area between Vanier Park and the UBC campus.

Play at night on the Langara Campus of Vancouver Community College, on West 49th Avenue between Main and Cambie streets. The UBC Coast Club, on Thunderbird Boulevard (tel. 604/822-2505; www.tennis.ubc.ca), has 10 outdoor and four indoor courts. Indoor courts are C$12 to C$22 (£6-£11) an hour, depending on the time; outdoor courts are C$5 (£2.50) per person.

White-Water Rafting

A 2 1/2-hour drive from Vancouver, on the wild Nahatlatch River, Reo Rafting, 845 Spence Way, Anmore (tel. 800/736-7238 or 604/461-7238; www.reorafting.com), offers some of the best guided white-water trips in the province, at a very reasonable price. One-day packages -- including lunch, all your gear, and 4 to 5 hours on the river -- start at C$105 (£52) for adults. Multiday trips and group packages are available, and they can provide transportation from Vancouver.

Only a 1 1/2-hour drive from the city is Chilliwack River Rafting (tel. 800/410-7238; www.chilliwackriverrafting.com), which offers half-day trips on the Chilliwack River and in the even hairier Chilliwack Canyon. The cost is C$89 (£40) for adults and C$69 (£31) for children.

Wildlife-Watching

Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest mammals to be seen in Vancouver's waters. Three pods (families), numbering about 80 whales, return to this area every year to feed on the salmon that spawn in the Fraser River starting in May and continuing into October. The eldest female leads the group; the head of one pod is thought to have been born in 1911. From April through October, daily excursions offered by Vancouver Whale Watch, 12240 2nd Ave., Richmond (tel. 604/274-9565; www.vancouverwhalewatch.com), focus on the majestic whales plus Dall's porpoises, sea lions, seals, eagles, herons, and other wildlife. The cost is C$105 (£52) per person. The same adult rates apply at Steveston Seabreeze Adventures, 12551 No. 1 Rd., Richmond (tel. 604/272-7200; www.seabreezeadventures.ca), but the price for seniors is C$89 (£45) and for children it's C$59 (£30). Both companies offer a shuttle service from downtown Vancouver.

Thousands of migratory birds following the Pacific flyway rest and feed in the Fraser River delta south of Vancouver, especially at the 340-hectare (840-acre) George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary, 5191 Robertson Rd., Westham Island (tel. 604/946-6980; www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com), which was created by a former bootlegger and wetland-bird lover. Many other waterfowl species have made this a permanent habitat. More than 263 species have been spotted, including a Temminck's stint, a spotted redshank, bald eagles, Siberian (trumpeter) swans, peregrine falcons, blue herons, owls, and coots. The Snow Goose Festival, celebrating the annual arrival of the huge, snowy white flocks, is held here during the first weekend of November. The snow geese stay in the area until mid-December. (High tide, when the birds are less concealed by the marsh grasses, is the best time to visit.) An observation tower, 3km (2 miles) of paths, free birdseed, and picnic tables make this wetland reserve an ideal outing spot from October to April, when the birds are wintering in abundance. The sanctuary is wheelchair accessible and open daily from 9am to 4pm. Admission is C$4 (£2) for adults and C$2 (£1) for seniors and children.

The Richmond Nature Park, 11851 Westminster Hwy. (tel. 604/718-6188), was established to preserve the Lulu Island wetlands bog. It features a Nature House with educational displays and a boardwalk-encircled duck pond. On Sunday afternoons, knowledgeable guides give free tours. Admission is by donation.

To hook up with local Vancouver birders, try the Vancouver Natural History Society (tel. 604/737-3074; www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS). This all-volunteer organization runs birding field trips most weekends; many are free.

During the winter, thousands of bald eagles -- in fact, the largest number in North America -- line the banks of the Squamish, Cheakamus, and Mamquam rivers to feed on spawning salmon. To get there by car, take the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway (Hwy. 99) from downtown Vancouver to Squamish and Brackendale; the trip takes about an hour. The route winds along the craggy tree-lined coast of Howe Sound through the town of Britannia Beach and past two beautiful natural monuments: Shannon Falls and the continent's tallest monolithic rock face, the Stawamus Chief. Alternatively, you can take a Greyhound bus from Vancouver's Pacific Central Station, 1150 Station St. (tel. 604/482-8747; www.greyhound.ca); trip time is 1 1/4 hours. Contact Squamish & Howe Sound Visitor Info Centre (tel. 604/892-9244; www.squamishchamber.bc.ca) for more information.

The annual summer salmon runs attract more than bald eagles. Tourists also flock to coastal streams and rivers to watch the waters turn red with leaping coho and sockeye. The salmon are plentiful at the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, Goldstream Provincial Park out on Vancouver Island, and numerous other fresh waters.

Stanley Park and Pacific Spirit Park are both home to heron rookeries. You can see these large birds nesting just outside the Vancouver Aquarium. Ravens, dozens of species of waterfowl, raccoons, skunks, beavers, gray squirrels (imported from New York's Central Park decades ago), and even coyotes are also full-time residents. The Stanley Park Ecological Society (tel. 604/257-8544) runs regular nature walks in the park. Call or check their website (www.stanleyparkecology.ca) for more information, or drop by the Lost Lagoon Nature House in Stanley Park.

Windsurfing

Windsurfing is not allowed at the mouth of False Creek near Granville Island, but you can bring a board to Jericho and English Bay beaches or rent one there. Equipment sales, rentals (including wet suits), and instruction can be found at Windsure Windsurfing School, 1300 Discovery St., at Jericho Beach (tel. 604/224-0615; www.windsure.com). Rentals start at about C$19 (£9.50) per hour, wet suit and life jacket included.