Vancouver is home to
spectacular wildlife viewing.
Both the dedicated birdwatcher
and the amateur naturalist
will be amazed by the wide
variety of bird life, wintering
shorebirds and waterfowl found
within Metro Vancouver and
the surrounding area. More
than 230 species of birds have
been spotted at the George C.
Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
– view them from a naturalist-
guided boat tour with Steveston
Seabreeze Adventures. And
just 20 minutes from the city, at
Grouse Mountain, visitors can
meet grizzly bears Grinder and
Coola and watch a feeding of
the mountain's resident timber
wolf. Raptor demonstrations
show off the hunting skills of
eagles, hawks and falcons at
Grouse Mountain and Capilano
Suspension Bridge Park.
Guided eco-tours are the
perfect way for inquiring minds
to quench their appetite for
both botanical knowledge and
gourmet cuisine – Rockwood
Adventures will introduce your
clients to the local flora of
British Columbia's coastal virgin
rainforest, with the added perk
of a picnic in one of the city's
most picturesque locales. They
can also explore a glacial fjord
on a sea kayaking adventure
with Lotus Land Tours, spot sea
lions on an interpreted boat
tour of the Fraser River Estuary's
scenic coastline with Steveston
Seabreeze Adventures, or
venture into the rainforest on
a walking tour led by a Takaya
Tours First Nations guide.
GUIDED
ECO-TOURS
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WALKING TOURS
With such a compact, walkable centre, this city lends
itself well to discoveries on foot – in fact, Vancouver is
Canada's most walkable city! For those looking for a
general overview of the city or specific neighbourhoods,
The Tour Guys offer a number of free walking tours
in addition to the private NeighBEERhood Exploring
tour, pairing a tour of the city with
tastings of local craft beers. Meanwhile,
Forbidden Vancouver's storytellers
are actors, historians and entertainers
who delve dramatically into the
fascinating and secretive history of
Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods.
Specialty tours abound, too:
Vancouver Photowalks offers your
clients engaging walking tours of
the city combined with photography
classes that show them how to snap
holiday photos worth framing. Or have
your clients sample from a selection of
Vancouver's gourmet street food carts
with The Tour Guys, Vancouver Foodie Tours or
Off the Eaten Track. And if your client would prefer
a private, customized experience of Vancouver, they'll
find it at ToursByLocals; the company represents a
team of private tour guides who delight in showing
travellers the best of "their" city.
edge of Stanley Park, is a family favourite
with a large saltwater pool and kids'
playground. Just over the Burrard Bridge
is Kitsilano Beach, a major hub for beach
volleyball. Further west, the expansive
Spanish Banks offers a tranquil experience.
Those looking to really get in touch with
nature should head to Wreck Beach –
Vancouver's only clothing-optional beach.
GOLF
It's a little-known fact that Vancouver is
one of the world's top golf destinations.
Our mild climate makes golf a nearly
year-round activity, and from links-
style courses to mountaintop layouts,
Vancouver provides a variety of golf
experiences unique to the region.
Privately operated courses that are open
to the public include University Golf
Club, Northlands Golf Course and
Meadow Gardens. Scratch golfers
looking for a challenge can try their
hand at Furry Creek Golf & Country
Club, a stunning par-72 championship
layout on Howe Sound, about 40
minutes north of downtown Vancouver.
Par-three short courses include Queen
Elizabeth Pitch & Putt, located in
beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park, and
Stanley Park Pitch & Putt.
