Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/810732
36 W H E R E T O S I G H T S E E , S O A R , S T R E T C H O R S W E AT ATOP A MOUNTAIN Easy: Take in Vancouver's mix of sea, city and peaks from a seaplane on Harbour Air Seaplanes' Panorama tour. Or set up a custom chopper tour of the North Shore mountains with Helijet International. Pre- or post-flight: Watch planes from the Vancouver Convention Centre while sipping a local East Side Bitter at Mahony & Sons Public House. Spectacular by Nature™ Discover the city's natural beauty from sea to sky and in between V ancouver's setting on the West Coast, surrounded by water and mountains, guarantees dramatic scenery. Here's how to discover the city, from skiing to stand-up paddleboarding. TVAN/HARBOUR AIR SEAPLANES, TVAN/CAPILANO SUSPENSIONW AT SEA LEVEL Easy: The seawall is the city's 22-km walking, jogging, cycling and rollerblading path. Rent an electric bike at EzeeRiders Bike Rentals or one of the blue Mobi By Shaw Go bikes (they're part of the city's new public bike-share system) and follow the waterfront from the Vancouver Convention Centre around Stanley Park, past Science World and Granville Island to Kitsilano Beach. Pitstop: Right on the waterfront at Granville Island, stop at Dockside Restaurant, which serves up seafood staples like crab and shrimp cakes. Harder: English Bay is the seaside hub of Vancouver's West End and just one in a string of downtown-area beaches. Take the Sunset SUP (that's stand-up paddleboarding) with Ecomarine Paddlesport Centres for a seal's view of the city's beaches. Nightcap: Sip seasonal craft beers, like the Stanley Park WinterGlow, from a water-view seat at the Bayside Lounge, an old-school- meets-hipster cocktail bar in the Best Western Plus Sands Hotel. Harder: For the best view of Vancouver, do the Grouse Grind. A rigorous rite of passage for fit locals (the record is 23:48), this straight-up 2.9-km hike climbs 853 metres of altitude alongside the Grouse Mountain Super Skyride (the easy route). Refuel: Early start atop Grouse Mountain Resort in summer? Have breakfast with the rescued grizzlies, Grinder and Coola. BE PREPARED: Before you head out on a hike, make sure you have the safety essentials with you, including water, extra clothes, a flashlight and a first aid kit.