Vancouver – friendly people, unparalleled views,
delicious food, mild climate, and untouched nature. No wonder it is a popular tourist destination
and one of the best places to live. Let's start our tour at Bayshore West Marina
at Vancouver Harbour. While we are exploring this part of the city,
let's find out more about the history of the city. The area was used by Indigenous people
for more than 10,000 years. They built villages in present-day Vancouver,
like Stanley Park, False Creek, and Kitsilano. The region was colonized by the British
during the 1858 Fraser Gold Rush. Let's start this part of the tour in front of the iconic
antique-style Steam Clock from 1977. The clock is powered by steam, and every 15 minutes,
it whistles to tell the time. It is the world's only still-operating steam-powered clock.
And now, let's explore Gastown. The neighborhood has a vibrant atmosphere,
full of art galleries, boutique shops, and historic sites. The beginning of the modern city of Vancouver
started here in Gastown, which got its name after steamboat captain "Gassy" Jack
Deighton, who opened the area's first saloon in 1867. The City of Vancouver was incorporated a year earlier
with the arrival of the first transcontinental train. In the early days, Vancouver's economy was mainly dominated
by large companies, like Canadian Pacific Railway, which led to the new city's
rapid development. The merchants also prospected
from the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. Natural resources, like logging and later exports
and commercial traffic, become the basis for their economy. The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Vancouver to work
on railroads and in mining operations in the later 1800s. The neighborhood developed into
one of the largest Chinatowns in North America. Many other nationalities
started arriving in Vancouver, like immigrants from Punjab and Japan,
and Italians after World War II. As a result, Vancouver is a mix of many religions,
ethnicities, Canada's Indigenous communities, and other cultural groups
from all over the world. Explore this historic neighborhood offering exotic cuisine, traditional shops,
cocktail bars, and an authentic and rich Chinese lifestyle. In 2010, Chinatown in Vancouver
was recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada. Taste traditional and authentic Chinese specialties like dim sum
and other Asian dishes at the neighborhood's restaurants. Relax and unwind in Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden's
fascinating pavilions and pathways, the first of its kind outside China. Holy Rosary Cathedral is a late 19th-century
French Gothic revival church on a site of a previous church. It also serves as a cathedral and is listed
on the Vancouver Heritage Register as a protected building. Right in front of you is a Vancouver Public Library - Vancouver's
grand central library resembling a Roman amphitheater. BC Place is home to the Canadian soccer team
Vancouver Whitecaps and the BC Lions, football team. Let's enjoy this magnificent waterfront of False Creek
with the beautiful Quayside Marina, two stunning parks (David Lam Park and George Wainborn Park)
with amazing views of skyscrapers, and Granville Island. Let's start this tour
at Granville Island Dock. You can arrive on this peninsula with Aquabu,
a unique and colorful way to travel around False Creek. From a former industrial wasteland to a busy
shopping and market hub, the small peninsula of Granville Island in the neighborhood of Fairview is home
to over 300 businesses a million tourists visit annually. Granville Island Public Market is the most popular attraction
on Granville Island, described by many as a food paradise. The market boasts seafood, fresh produce,
and gourmet goods from Asian, Mexican, and Greek specialties. You will not go home empty-handed
with all the unique souvenirs from craft and artisan shops. Granville Island is also known for its artistic side,
with countless theater productions and art galleries. The district has exciting events like the Vancouver International
Children's Festival, Vancouver Writers Fest, and Vancouver Fringe Festival. Walk around parks with many hiking trails
(Sutcliffe Park or Ron Basford Park), have fun with your kids in Water Park, enjoy a glass of beer
in one of Canada's original microbreweries (Granville Island Brewing), or embark on a whale-watching tour;
there are plenty of things to discover on the peninsula. Before we explore Stanley Park,
let's stop by the A-maze-ing Laughter bronze statue from 2009, located in Morton Park. These 14 statues represent
the artist's image "in a state of hysterical laughter." We are walking on English Bay Seawall,
which also passes around Stanley Park and has been declared the world's
longest uninterrupted waterfront path. Stanley Park, Vancouver's first and largest urban park, is a green space covering
a 405-hectare of land, making up half of the city's Downtown area. The area was used by Indigenous people for thousands of years before the region
was colonized by the British during the 1858 Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. Stanley Park was designated
a national historic site of Canada for its beauty and connection to the environment
and the city's culture. This large scenic landscape is filled with forest trails,
an aquarium, delicate dining, beautiful beach areas (Second and Third Beach),
Lost Lagoon, and many other iconic sights. The park is also home to Malkin Bowl. This 2000-seat outdoor theater stages occasional theater
productions and even rock and pop concerts. Walk around Rose Garden and Shakespeare Garden to enjoy beautiful
landscaping paths (coming up just a little later in this tour).
