Travel Canada: February in Vancouver
WINTER ACTIVITIES IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Every winter in Edmonton, when the world outside is covered in large amounts of snow, and wind gusts blow chilly air into all the nooks and crannies that haven’t been well enough covered up, I hibernate. The whole family hibernates. Even the kids don’t go out to play in the snow; we bring a bucket of it inside. Right now, I am seeing all my Edmontonian friends chuckling and shaking their heads. What wimps we are, afraid of a little cold and snow. But, c’mon, I’m from Vancouver. Winter in Vancouver sits at around 5 degrees Celsius. Temperatures below freezing are a big deal.
And yet, despite the fact that I won’t turn into a giant Popsicle, nor will the air there transform me into one of those white sugar-cube-like things from Star Trek (TOS, episode 51), Vancouver is not perfect either. It is gloomy and wet all winter long. All. Winter. Long. Rain. Clouds. Gloom. And they invite the world to visit. Why Vancouver didn’t end up hosting the summer Olympics, I will probably never know. Summer would certainly have shown off the coastal rainforest in all its glory, and finding things to occupy your time while not at the games would have been easy as a corn maze. Still, if you are in town for winter 2010, you are not completely hooped. Lotusland is still gorgeous in all its greenery, filled with culture, and exciting to the adventurous palate.
Granville Island
Situated on the south side of English Bay, across the waters from downtown, Granville Island is a hub of arts and activities all year round. There are stores filled with hand-crafted goods, ceramics galleries, theatres. Adventurezone will help the kids to burn off the winter doldrums. And once everyone has worked up an appetite, refuel with your choice of fare, from cookies in the market to fine dining at Bridges. Granville Island is easily a full day’s worth of activities. For more on what to do, see, and eat at Granville Island, click here.
Museums
Burnaby Village Museum is a living museum which brings history to life from noon – 4:00 every weekend in the winter. People dressed in costumes from the 1920’s give demonstrations and interact with visitors. Experience the restored tram or the carousel from 1912. Downtown houses the large Vancouver Arts Gallery. For those who are interested in the Pacific Coast’s maritime history, situated near Kitsilano beach in the west side is the Vancouver Maritime Museum. And even further west, on the grounds of the University of British Columbia is the Museum of Anthropology, featuring arts and crafts of the First Nations peoples.
Outdoors
Who doesn’t think of Stanley Park when considering outdoor activities in Vancouver? Walk the seawall, hike the trails, visit the Aquarium, or find the mermaid. There are endless options for activity. Or if the weather is poor or you are short on time, drive through for a quick peek at the views the park has to offer.
Steveston is Richmond’s link to the past. Filled with heritage character, Steveston is also home to some of the freshest seafood in Vancouver. Pick up some fish ‘n’ chips from Pajo’s on the the wharf (Off the boat and into the fryer!), put up the umbrella, and go for a walk on the Steveston boardwalk.
East of Vancouver proper, beside Burnaby Village Museum and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts is Deer Lake, one of Burnaby’s more popular water bodies. There is a playground off the parking lot and hiking trails around the lake which extend into the park area beyond.
If you are looking for fun in the snow, the closest local mountains are only twenty minutes from the downtown core. Seymour has tobogganing; consider snowshoeing Cypress or riding the Skyride at Grouse.
Downtown, beside the Vancouver Art Gallery, lies Robson Square, where for the price of rental skates (if you don’t have your own) you can skate on an outdoor rink.
Shopping
Ride the Skytrain to check out one of the largest malls in the world at Metrotown Centre. Richmond is home to a variety of Asian Malls. And just outside of Stanley Park lies the ever popular Robson Street, full of shops and boutiques.
For the Family
Science-lovers will enjoy The World of Science (once known as Science World), filled with more things to do and see than can be covered in a day. Learn about space voyages and discovery at the Macmillan Planetarium. If the skies are clear, you might even have a chance to check out stars through the telescope in the observatory just outside. For those with younger children, indoor playgrounds are available in most corners of the city and surrounding suburbs. Recreation facilities with pools and drop-in sports are also abundantly available. For more ideas and a list of current events for the family, explore Kids Vancouver.
So, if you are in Raincouver this winter, have a blast at the Olympic games, and enjoy the rest of what the city has to offer. And don’t forget to go back in summer to see the sunshine.
You might also be interested in more articles about Vancouver.
Happy travelling!
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