Snowboarding in Vancouver - Fly on Ice

There aren't many cities in the world that offer Vancouver's combination of big-city lifestyle and outdoor fun in such cheek-by-jowl proximity. Ski in the morning, sail in the afternoon and still make it back to town in time for a cocktail or three.

Vancouver is still a city of new immigrants - wander the streets and you'll hear a dozen different languages. The city also attracts young professionals and artists from the eastern provinces who come here to enjoy its recreation and laid-back sophistication.

Now Canada's third-largest city and routinely designated as one of the world's best places to live, Vancouver is preparing for another global event that it hopes will kick-start what has become a lacklustre BC economy.

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are being seen by local politicians as a golden opportunity to showcase the city. Find out how to get around in Vancouver.

When to Go
The best time to visit is from early June to early October, when there's less rain, temperatures are warm, daylight hours are long and the transportation routes are open.

May to September are good times for whale-watching. The winter ski season peaks in January and February, but at resorts like Whistler the slopes are open year-round.

Climate in Vancouver
Vancouver has one of the mildest climates in the country. It rarely snows in the city, and when it does, for maybe a week or two over winter, it tends to melt quickly or get washed away by the rain. Conversely, it seldom gets oppressively hot.

What Vancouver is guaranteed to get - by the bucket load - is wet.

The surrounding mountains as well as most of Bristish Columbia which on a clear day look close enough to touch, disappear completely when the clouds settle in and the rain pours down, which can be for days on end.

Thus if you don't like the wet weather consider an alternate destination for your holiday.

Snow Sports
Just minutes away from downtown, the mountains north of Vancouver have some great downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding. Grouse Mountain is the closest to downtown and is known for night skiing.

Other nearby resorts include Cypress Mountain (also featuring night skiing) and Mt Seymour. A little farther afield is the glossier Whistler, located 100km (62mi) north of Vancouver, where you can ski year-round.

Tourism Events & Transport
Just about any month you visit Vancouver there will be a festival of some sort taking place. The city kicks off the year with an icy dip in English Bay called the Polar Bear Swim, a New Year's Day event since 1920.

The city's thriving Chinatown is the centre of February's Chinese New Year celebrations, which feature dancing dragons, parades and the constant crackle of firecrackers. June heats up with the Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

July starts with Canada Day Celebrations on the 1st and mid-July's Vancouver Folk Music Festival is three days of concerts and workshops with some of North America's best musicians.

There's also Dancing on the Edge, Theatre Under the Stars, Vancouver International Comedy Festival and the highly regarded Vancouver Chamber Music Festival.

You can find out more about Vancouver at The British Columbia Guide. For travel agents try Virginholidays.