Welcome to the great outdoors

BABY it’s cold outside.

Sun, 03 Feb, 2013 - 00:00

Jennifer Hough

The wind has been howling, the rain lashing, so what better time to start planning your sizzling summer getaway.

Nestled between the Pacific ocean and the Coast Mountains, it’s often said the climate of Vancouver, Canada’s westernmost city, is a lot like Ireland’s, and that’s true — except for summertime when the sun shines and the great outdoors is at its best. Planning ahead for this destination is a good idea.

With its rugged snowcapped mountains, lush green wide-open spaces, and magnificent seascapes, it’s one of the most impressive settings for a city you’ll find. This makes it hugely popular come summer, so booking flights and accommodation early is essential to get a good deal in what has been dubbed the supermodel of North American cities, and Manhattan with mountains.

If you’re lucky enough to arrive into town at dusk, you’ll immediately see why it deserves these names. Even the sky scrapers look pretty in Vancouver. Think San Francisco (it’s even got its own Lions Gate bridge to rival the Golden Gate) meets an Austrian Tyrol vista — greenery at every turn of the head, snowy ridges reaching into the sky. Even on the hottest day of the year, snowboarders can ascend the peaks to hit the slopes. As you’ll quickly learn, for Vancouverites, it’s all about the great outdoors, so you better be feeling fit.

Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America (404 hectares), is located right in the city, and can fill your whole day. Renting a bicycle and cycling around the park’s sea wall or one of the many trails is what these guys do for fun, so you’ve got to join them.

Then, take a trip up to Grouse Mountain, just 20 minutes from downtown by free shuttle, where’ll you get spectacular views of the gleaming city below. Or spend an afternoon at the Calipano suspension bridge, 90m above the canyon floor at its highest point. The cliff walk features a spiralling collection of narrow walkways, bridges and stairs that showcase the surrounding rainforest vegetation. Not for the fainthearted.

There is plenty for the more sedate urban dwellers to sink their teeth into too. Literally. After all that action, Vancouverites like to eat well, and there’s an array of cuisines on offer, from Vietnamese to Japanese to Italian, African and yes even Irish — try Doolin’s pub on Granville Street if you are feeling homesick.

You can also catch an aquabus ferry and head to Granville island, home to a mammoth market full of every food imaginable. The island even has its own brewery where you can sample all the beers before deciding which you like best.

Downtown Vancouver is full of trendy neighbourhoods, the coolest being Gastown, the city’s oldest, and perhaps now most sought-after. It is shabby chic at its finest. Here you’ll find all the great bars and restaurants, and it’s also got Chinatown on its doorstep — the second largest in North America.

A diverse multicultural city, Vancouver feels very connected to the east. The port, one of the busiest in the world, is a gateway to the Orient, and on the streets they sell Japodogs instead of hotdogs.

Tojo’s Restaurant on west broadway is lauded as the best Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, while others claim even some in Tokyo don’t compare.

For shopping till you drop there is no shortage of quirky boutiques and high-end department stores.

But shopping here is not cheap, and indeed, on the downside — Vancouver as a whole isn’t, and unlike the US, eating and drinking out is expensive.

A mid range stay at the comfortable and central Comfort Inn downtown will set you back $165 (€124) per night in high season. An average meal will cost at least $80 (€60), without the tip.

All that said, there are always bargains to be found for the thrifty traveller, and hey, you’re on holiday.

Outside of Vancouver, British Colombia is a vast region, about the size of France, Germany and the Netherlands combined. So to get a feel for what the place is all about you have to experience the vast open spaces — and at least some of the wildlife the country has an abundance of. You can do it all and more on Vancouver Island, less than two hours from the city by ferry.

You’ll need a car to get around as there is ground to cover, so plan a route before you go. We headed straight for Tofino, a tiny coastal village that feels like it’s on the edge of the world, and it kind of is.

The drive across the middle of the island to get there is wild and awe-inspiring: roaring rivers, glassy lakes, soaring forest-covered mountains, some trees green, others standing bare like giant toothpicks reaching up to the sky.

Tofino itself is nestled in Clayoquot sound, on Canada’s Pacific Rim coast. This is a special place and though remote and somewhat isolated, surfers come from all over the world for the waves, and tourists come in their droves to see brown bears, whales, sea otters, bald eagles and maybe even wolves or cougars.

We stayed at the Botanical Gardens Eco Lodge. Proprietors Josie and George, who also run the beautiful and quirky grounds, are like old friends: welcoming but not invasive and the place itself is self-catering, wooden-panelled and warm; a home away from home.

Bear watching is best with born-and-bred Tofino man Captain Mike White, owner of Browning Pass Charters. A wily seaman who knows the coves and beaches as well as the history of his town, he has no problem talking about either. We got very lucky on an early morning excursion, spotting three sets of bears, one alone, a mother with three cubs, and a mother with a yearling. In a word, that’s somewhat overused, but in this case worthy: awesome.

Other operators in town, and there are many, include Remote Passages for whale watching and hot springs tours or the brilliant Surf Sisters, offering female-only instructors for their lessons on the wild Tofino beaches. Like everything here, they embody a local entrepreneurial spirit.

To eat, head for the Shelter restaurant, where, of course, the food is all locally sourced. And the town even has its own brewery, run by two local lads who are on the brink of big things.

As if all that wasn’t enough for one island, there’s the capital city of BC, Victoria, which prides itself on being a little piece of England. A slice of the old country is best served at one of Victoria’s historic inns. Make time for Humbolt House, a delightfully restored Victorian period guest house with themed rooms such as oriental or Mikado. All boast jacuzzi baths, and working fireplaces and you are presented with homemade truffles and champagne upon arrival. But the best feature is the fantastic breakfast, served through a mini door into the privacy of your room. After you’re done relaxing here, head out and unwind some more on the streets of Victoria: they seem made for mooching in the sun.

You can take a harbour cruise, go whale watching, explore the dramatic coastline on either side of the compact city, or sit by the bustling waterfront, and enjoy the eclectic brew-houses BC’s best craft beer town has to offer. By now you’ve surely realised why Vancouverites are so active: because there’s just so much to do.

Flights

Flights with British Airways are daily from Dublin via Heathrow, starting at €804 return including taxes

www.britishairways.com

Accommodation

Mid range in Vancouver: The Comfort Inn Downtown

Green living: The Ecolodge in Tofino, www.tbgf.org

Luxury: Humbolt House, Victoria, www.humboldthouse.com

What to see

Stanley Park, Vancouver: www.tourismvancouver.com

Calipano suspension bridge: www.capbridge.com

The Pacific Rim region: www.tourismtofino.com

The shopping