Things to do — Vancouver West

British Columbia explores by combining the three main hubs. Typical 7-10 day itinerary:

Vancouver (3-4 nights) — Stanley Park (1,000 acres in downtown, North America's largest urban park, 10 km seawall cycling with Pacific and North Shore Mountains views, Indigenous totems, beaches, English Bay), Granville Island (former industrial neighbourhood restored, Public Market with exceptional local produce, breweries, art galleries, theatres), Gastown (historic neighbourhood, Steam Clock, cobbled streets, gourmet restaurants), Chinatown (2nd largest in North America after San Francisco, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden), Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (suspension bridge 137 m long, 70 m above the canyon, CAD 70), Lynn Canyon (free alternative to Capilano, more authentic), Grouse Mountain (cable car to 1,250 m, panoramic Vancouver view, bears in enclosure, skiing in winter, CAD 75), VanDusen Botanical Garden, Museum of Anthropology (UBC, exceptional Indigenous Pacific coast collection, totems). Optional excursions: Whistler Sea-to-Sky Highway return (day CAD 100-150 with operator), Bowen Island or Galiano Island (ferry from Horseshoe Bay).

Whistler (2 nights) — Drive Sea-to-Sky Highway (route 99 between Vancouver and Whistler, 2h, one of Canada's most beautiful scenic drives, stops at Britannia Beach, Shannon Falls, Squamish, Brandywine Falls). Whistler pedestrian village (alpine charm, restaurants, bars, seasonal entertainment). Winter: Whistler-Blackcomb skiing (200 runs, 16 summits, 3 glaciers, lift pass CAD 150-220/day), PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola (CAD 78, world record 3.03 km between Whistler and Blackcomb at 436 m height). Summer: Whistler Mountain Bike Park (one of the world's largest, 200 km of descents, rental CAD 100-180/day + pass CAD 75/day), alpine hiking (Whistler Peak 2,182 m, High Note Trail), zipline (Superfly Zipline CAD 199), golf (4 Audubon signature courses).

Vancouver Island (3 nights) — Ferry Tsawwassen → Swartz Bay (1h35, CAD 18/person + CAD 67/car, mandatory reservation in summer). Victoria (2 nights) — Provincial Parliament (neo-baroque architecture, night illuminations), Fairmont Empress Hotel (iconic afternoon tea CAD 90/person, book 1-2 months ahead), Inner Harbour and Government Street, Royal BC Museum (excellent natural history and Indigenous museum), Butchart Gardens (30 min away, one of the world's most beautiful gardens, 12 ha, CAD 38, peak May-August), orca excursion (Inner Harbour, CAD 120-180/person, 3-5h, Eagle Wing, SpringTide, Prince of Whales). Tofino (1-2 nights) — 3h30 drive from Victoria/Nanaimo via Route 4 scenic. Pacific Rim National Park: Long Beach (16 km of sand, temperate rainforest), surfing (wetsuit + board rental CAD 80-120/day, beginner lessons CAD 89), coastal black bear and gray whale excursions (May-October, CAD 130-160), Hot Springs Cove (hot springs accessible only by boat or seaplane, CAD 150-200), storm watching (mid-November to February, Wickaninnish Inn and Pacific Sands lodges facing the ocean).

Optional excursions: Okanagan Valley (Kelowna, vineyards, lake beaches, 4-5h from Vancouver), Sunshine Coast (peaceful peninsula accessible by ferry, kayaking), Haida Gwaii (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands, wild archipelago to the north, Haida culture, coastal black and grizzly bears, 1-week trip in itself).