North Van: Vancouver's peaceful, pretty little sister! (North Vancouver (Canada))

Member Name: bamamo

Product:	North Vancouver (Canada)
Date:	26/11/08 (164 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great for outdoor enthusiasts, peaceful, beautiful scenery, transport links, friendly locals

Disadvantages: Some activities expensive

North Vancouver is not actually the north part of Vancouver itself, it's a city separated from the bright lights of Van City by a short stretch of water. I was fortunate to spend a few months living there and really enjoyed the healthy, outdoor way of life that can be found so close to the big city. A lot of Vancouver's tourist attractions are actually located in North Van so I thought I would write a little about this lovely little place.

North Van is one of the wealthier neighbourhoods in BC, although not so much so as its neighbour, West Vancouver. With such a great location at the foot of Grouse Mountain, it's hardly surprising that North Van has been dubbed the city with the highest fitness level in the whole of Canada. It is densely populated, particularly around Lonsdale Avenue, its main hub, and is home to Lions Gate Studios, which were actually right down the road from my house! A great deal of movies and TV shows have been filmed around the Greater Vancouver area, perhaps most notably the X-Files. It is actually dubbed 'Hollywood North' as its ocean, mountains, parks and city buildings mean it can be passed off as a great number of worldwide locations. (I saw Jack Nicholson walking down the street when I was in Subway!)

WHERE IS IT?
North Vancouver is a part of the Greater Vancouver district, located in British Columbia, which is in the south west of Canada. From Lonsdale Quay, Vancouver City is cleary visible and just a stone's throw away. The surrounding area is also home to beautiful Victoria, situated on Vancouver Island, ski areas such as Whistler, and it is a relatively short border hop to Washington state.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO?
As mentioned before, outdoor activities are where North Van has the upper hand over its bolder, flashier neighbour of Van City. Downtown Vancouver can, in my opinion, get a bit much after a while, despite its many parks, and I'm sure most tourists want to see at least some of the beauty of BC during their trip.

For skiiers or snowboarders, Grouse Mountain is an obvious choice. But even if you don't fancy hitting the slopes, there's a lot more to keep you busy. Winter time is obviously the busiest, and has the widest range of activities - skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, snowshoeing, sleigh rides - but you can also enjoy helicopter rides, the Skyride cable car for a fantastic view over Vancouver City, zip lines and the wildlife refuge with grizzly bears and wolves year-round.

In the summer, you really can't pass up the Grouse Grind, it is almost a rite of passage and yes, it will make you want to die, but you will be glad you did when you get to the top! It's a 1.8 mile hike with 2,830 stairs, and the difference in elevation bottom-top is 2,800 feet! You can proudly purchase a "I Survived the Grouse Grind" t-shirt upon completion!

Daily admission to Grouse Mountain in CAD as follows:

Adult (19-64) - $34.95
Senior (65+) $32.95
Youth (13-18) $20.95
Child (5-12) $12.95

This includes (depending on the season of course) the Theatre in the Sky high-def cinema, wildlife refuge, snowshoeing, ice skating, sleigh rides, and in the festive season the Peak of Christmas, which has all kinds of festive activities, reindeer, Santa, etc. Rentals for equipment does cost extra and you will need to book some activities in advance. There are a number of places to eat and drink at Grouse Mountain.

Another wonderful place but not for the faint-hearted is Capilano Suspension Bridge. Featuring the bridge, the park also houses a totem park, treetops adventure (which claims to give a "squirrels eye view" of the park via a series of smaller suspension bridges) and first nations cultural centre. It's a truly beautiful park and well worth a visit if you have the guts for the 450ft long, 230 high bridge!!

Admission to the park is:
Adult $27.95
Senior (65+) $25.95
Student (17+ with ID) $21.75
Youth (13-16) $8.75
Under 6 free

For a slightly less terrifying, free option, Lynn Canyon Park has a smaller (but still scary) suspension bridge, as well as hiking trails and natural swimming spots in the summer. I have hiked here a number of times and it's a wonderful place.

As for "downtown", there are several places to eat and drink, mostly centred around Lonsdale, and a few shops, but to be honest Vancouver itself is much better for that. It's not far into West Van where Park Royal Shopping Centre is worth a visit.

Lonsdale Quay, however, does have a few nice one-of-a-kind shops with crafts especially, and a nice market, with plenty of places to eat before you catch your Seabus over to the city!


TRANSPORT AND LODGING
Honestly, lovely as it is, I can't see why you would choose to stay in North Van when you have the city itself so close, with more dining options etc. There is a hotel at the Quay, but I can't say I've heard great things about it.

Getting around and to Vancouver itself couldn't be easier. Either follow Lonsdale down the hill (and be glad you're not walking up it - especially in pouring rain!) to the Quay for a regular departure of the Seabus - a five minute ferry crossing - or jump on one of the many cheap and clean buses. They have a great transport system whereby you can use a single ticket as many times as you wish within an hour and a half of purchase. When I was there (2006) I believe tickets cost the equivalent of about £1 for two zones (which you need if you are going from North Van to the city itself), and you can use them on the bus, Seabus and metro train.
Public transport info linked below.


WEATHER
It tends to be a lot milder in BC than other parts of Canada, although be warned it can rain a LOT during the autumn months especially. Waterproofs and an umbrella are pretty much essential at those times. Because it rains so much (I don't want to be offputting, it can be lovely too!) activities usually go on as normal and there is rarely much snow, besides obviously on the slopes!


GETTING THERE
Many airlines offer cheap flights into Vancouver. Unfortunately now Zoom are no longer with us, there is less choice, but deals are there. A Canadian Affair is a good site for cheap flights, linked below.


LINKS
Grouse Mountain - www.grousemountain.com
Capilano Suspension Bridge - www.capbridge.com
Lynn Canyon - http://www.dnv.org/ecology/see_do/see_do.html
City of North Vancouver - www.cnv.org
Transport info - http://www.translink.bc.ca/
A Canadian Affair - www.canadianaffair.com


In conclusion, North Vancouver is often overlooked in favour of the big city, but is a safe, clean city with lots of fun activities to try out. If you're planning on visiting Vancouver, spend at least a day on the other side!!

Summary: A nice day out if you fancy some fresh air and a break from the city.