about vancouver

Vancouver B.C. is British Columbia’s largest and Canada’s third largest city. Most recently recognized as the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver is a coastal city located just 45 minutes from the US border in Canada’s most southwestern province. The population of Vancouver itself is about 600,000, and about 2 million people reside in the Greater Vancouver area, which includes surrounding cities such as Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond and more. To read more about the surrounding cities, visit my Other Cities page.

Surrounded by nature, Vancouver is nestled in between the Straight of Georgia and the North Shore Mountains. Coast and mountain views can be enjoyed from several areas in and around Vancouver, and those areas perched on higher elevations, such as some residential areas of North and West Vancouver have breathtaking views of the City of Vancouver and the water. There are also two bodies of waters right in Downtown Vancouver, the Burrard Inlet which runs from the Downtown beaches down Barnett Highway, heading to Coquitlam and Port Moody, and False Creek, which is on the south side of the Downtown core where Science World and the new Olympic Village calls home.

Several recreational and non-recreational activities are available for the the city’s residents. During the summer, locals visit one of several Downtown beaches available in the area to enjoy views of the North Shore, the water and maybe to play some beach volleyball and spend time with friends and family. Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver opens up it’s taxing but popular Grouse Grind 2.9 km hiking trail to the public, and fabulous views of the coast and Vancouver can be viewed from the top…or for families with young children, the Capilano Suspension Bridge may be more appropriate, a low maintenance, fun day trip. During the winter the four local ski mountains open up for the avid skiers and snowboarders, and there are also ice skating rinks, tobogganing hills, a lounge and usually a restaurant as well.

Vancouver also has a fantastic nightlife with several different options. The clubbing scene is prominent on Granville Street, but smaller, hole-in-the-wall (but with a great atmosphere!) pubs are all over the place for those wanting something more low-key. There are several restaurant options from Malaysian to Italian (and everything in between), and some of Vancouver’s most acclaimed 5 star restaurants can be found in the Downtown core. Activists can jog or speed walk along the seawalls of Stanley Park, Yaletown, and Kitsilano, and Vancouver is so health-friendly that they even have bicycle lanes on the streets of Downtown, next to motor vehicles.

Whether you’re an artist, musician, sports activist, night life-r, fashionista, actor (Vancouver is 3rd in the movie making industry after LA and New York, and has been dubbed as “North Hollywoood”!) or whatever, there’s something for everyone in Vancouver. If you live here, we invite you to take a look at our site and hopefully I’ll have answers to your real estate related questions and more. If you have a burning question that you just can’t find, don’t be shy! Just ask me, I’m to help. If you’re from out of town looking to move in to Vancouver, contact me. I’m a relocation specialist and love assisting people in their relocation to the “Most Livable City in the World”.