Surrounded by temperate rainforest, mountains and ocean, Vancouver is a strikingly beautiful city. It's the ideal place to get your bearings before starting a BC road trip or chilling out after finishing!

Of course, a stroll around downtown is a must-do when in Vancouver. Granville Street is the main shopping area, with this and the paralleling streets also being the most popular destinations for entertainment (theatres, live music, bars etc).

For more culture, head to the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art or the Museum of Anthropology at UBC (bus required). The Vancouver Public Library building is reminiscent of a Roman amphitheater and is worth a look.