THINGS TO DO IN VANCOUVER
We look forward to welcoming you to Vancouver for the IAWE 2010 Conference. During your visit in British Columbia, we invite you to take advantage of all that the city and region have to offer.
The conference venue, the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, and the adjoining conference hotel, Delta Vancouver Suites, are situated in the heart of downtown. Should you be interested in adding a few days of vacation to your trip, you will find that from here you have easy access to shopping, outdoor activities, sightseeing, and day trip destinations. Whatever you would like to do, Vancouver has something for everyone.
HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR DURING THE CONFERENCE
ORIENTATION
Find your way around Vancouver and its suburbs by using the Coastal Mountains to the north and the west coast of the Pacific Ocean as your points of reference.
WEATHER
The weather in Vancouver in July is typically warm and settled, with temperatures reaching an average high of 23 C or 74 F. In spite of the city's reputation for rain, July in fact is the driest month of the year. While it is a good idea to pack an umbrella or rain jacket, you're more likely to encounter beautiful, sunny days during your visit. Given the city's northern location, summer days are long, with the sun not setting until ca. 9 pm.
DINING
In Vancouver people really enjoy eating out, and so in a city with such a diverse population, you will be able to find a wide variety of dining options that suit every taste and budget.
Below are some of the restaurants located near the conference venue, the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. Within 500 meters of the conference location you will have your choice of nearly 100 restaurants.
Located just a few blocks from the conference venue and hotel is Robson Street , one of downtown Vancouver's favourite shopping boulevards.
Close by is also the Pacific Centre, between Robson and Georgia Streets, which is a large indoor mall with nearly 200 stores, restaurants, and boutiques.
AREAS TO VISIT IN THE EVENINGS THAT ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE CONFERENCE VENUE AND HOTEL
Gastown is one of Vancouver's more historic areas, where you can shop for souvenirs and native art or stroll along the cobblestones on Water Street. Some of Vancouver�s historic landmarks can be found here, including the world's first Steam Clock.
Harbour Centre is the downtown campus of Simon Fraser University. Visit the Belzberg Library, the downtown branch of the SFU Library. For an incredible view of the city, the mountains, and the Pacific, ride to the top floor and dine at the Harbour Centre Restaurant.
Yaletown is Vancouver's up and coming neighbourhood, known for its designer boutiques, excellent restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Stanley Park is one of Vancouver's most accessible and celebrated parks. In the summer visitors and locals alike walk along the seawall and enjoy the amazing views of English Bay, the spectacular Coastal Mountains to the north, and Vancouver Island to the west. If you want to get some exercise, many people enjoy running along the 6.5 mile (10.5 km) seawall that goes to False Creek
Chinatown lies about 1.5 kilometres east of the downtown core. Busy, colourful and bustling in the summer, Chinatown is a great place to eat, walk through Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden, or visit the many green grocers, traditional Chinese medicinal herb and knick-knack shops. You can also visit the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market on Keefer Street (between Main & Columbia), which is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from 6:30pm to 11:00pm.
SUGGESTIONS IF YOU ARE SPENDING ADDITIONAL DAYS OF VACATION IN VANCOUVER AND BRITISH COLUMBIA
EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND VANCOUVER AT CONFERENCE TIME
The following link offers up to date information about events in and around Vancouver: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/things_to_do/activities
SIGHTSEEING IN VANCOUVER
We are pleased to suggest the following companies who have kindly extended discounts for our conference attendees. Please pay special attention to the different codes or instructions in order to receive the preferred rates.
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bigbus.ca -- Please quote "SFUDEAL" for your 20% discount and free fudge or gelato.
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Close to the shopping areas on Robson Street is the Vancouver Art Gallery, at 750 Hornby Street, which is Canada's fifth largest gallery and includes major works by Emily Carr and the Group of Seven. Visit the lovely Neo-classical building and have lunch at the Art Gallery Cafe. From the Art Gallery, you have access to everything that is "downtown": stores, cafes, bookstores, restaurants, boutiques and galleries.
Granville Island Public Market is a favourite for people visiting the lovely False Creek area. Handy sea-busses shuttle people back and forth from downtown and Stanley Park to the Island. The indoor produce market is well-stocked with local fresh produce, seafood, breads and cheeses, and coffee from around the world. Handicrafts made by local artisans make this one of the most visited places in the city. Don't miss some of the Island's many art studios, and visit the world famous Emily Carr University of Art + Design. The Net Loft contains some unique boutiques where you're sure to find a handcrafted gift for a family member or a friend.
Commercial Drive is located a few kilometres east of Chinatown and is a place to experience some of Vancouver's ethnic diversity. The Drive offers boutiques, eateries and street entertainment to the visitor, and is a very colourful and unique part of the city to visit. Home to the city's Greek, Portuguese and Italian communities, this is where you can get one of the best Italian coffees in town and do some people watching. Go to Stella's and have a good meal with great Belgian beer, or try a natural foods cafe, which is very popular with the young people living in the area. Visit Uprising Breads Bakery Cafe for a healthy lunch.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS
Vancouver is a haven for fitness freaks, and people enjoy doing many sports in and around the city: beach volleyball at Kitsilano Beach, roller-blading, cycling and running along the 6.5 mile (10.5 km) seawall from Stanley Park to False Creek, kayaking and sailing in English Bay. Check out this link to see where the action is: http://vancouver.ca/parks/rec/index.htm.
If you enjoy swimming, you can head to Stanley Park and swim in English Bay or dive into the popular seaside pool at Second Beach located in the park. For more information, visit the Vancouver Parks Board site.
Another popular activity is to take the Seabus to North Vancouver and visit Grouse Mountain. Ride the Gondola to the top for spectacular views of the city, or if fitness is part of your routine, do the Grouse Grind, a gruelling uphill climb to the top of the mountain. Join the many Grouse grinders who do this on a regular basis just to stay active and fit!
If you have a free evening, see Shakespeare at his best at Bard on the Beach. This year's productions are Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, Henry IV (Parts I & II), and Falstaff.
SIGHTSEEING IN METRO VANCOUVER
Visit Simon Fraser University's main campus atop beautiful Burnaby Mountain. For information about its famous architecture, designed by Arthur Erickson, visit http://cgi.sfu.ca/~armdweb/cgi-bin/history-SFU/index.php.
DAY TRIPS FROM THE CITY
Vancouver Beaches. Plan to spend an afternoon at one of Vancouver's beautiful local beaches: Kitsilano, Spanish Banks, Jericho, Locarno.
Visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver, and explore rainforest trails through magnificent evergreens.
Visit lush and forested Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver.
In the Georgia Strait, tucked between Vancouver's mainland and the Sunshine Coast, is beautiful Bowen Island. Take a 15-minute ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver and get a taste of island life. Walk around the harbour town of Snug Cove and visit its shops and galleries, eat lunch at one of several excellent restaurants, or have a picnic near the water. Go for a wonderful walk around the Killarney Lake trail. Ferry Schedule: http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/biva-current.html.
Take a day or two to visit the beautiful alpine village of Whistler in the Coast Mountain range, which was one of the major venues for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
