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History & Evolution
For thousands of years Vancouver region was home to native people who flourished on the bounty of forests and rivers. Nothing really happened in the history of the city till 1792, when a American trader/sailor Robert Gray became the first non-native to enter the “Great River of the West,” the Columbia River. Later that year, British Captain George Vancouver arrived on the land exploring 100 miles upriver and gave his name to the city. In 1806, American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark camped near the Vancouver waterfront. By these overland explorations the area was opened to the arrivals like Hudson's Bay Company and later the gold rush began the influx of white men and the beginning of permanent settlement.

Later in 1825, Dr. John McLoughlin moved the northwest headquarters of Hudson’s Bay Company from Astoria to a more favorable setting upriver and the Fort Vancouver was thus born. This Fort remained the center of all fur trading in the Pacific Northwest for many years and also became a center of British dominion over the Oregon Territory.

In 1846 came the American control acquiring the northwest region of the city. In 1849, these troops established Columbia (later Vancouver) Barracks which served as military headquarters for much of the Pacific Northwest. Its neighboring settlement was named “the City of Columbia”. Eventually, in 1857 the real City of Vancouver was incorporated. The next century brought a steady developed in city. The first rail line reached Vancouver through the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge in 1908 followed by a railroad bridge across the Columbia in 1910..

The city played an important role during World Wars too. Vancouver was the location of the world's largest spruce cut-up mill that cut raw timber into the lumber used to build the planes which helped win the World War I in Europe. During World War II also Vancouver’s Kaiser Shipyard built a variety of craft that contributed greatly to America’s war effort.

Though furs and gold no longer motivate people to come to Vancouver but development continues at a rapid pace. And its great seaport further makes the city a center for the ever-expanding industries of British Columbia and continues to attract growing numbers of tourists. Therefore, today Vancouver is a community proud of its past with a keen eye toward a future rich with promise.

Site-Seeing
Beautifully nestled between the sea and mountains, Vancouver is perhaps one of the most scenic city in Canada. The natural beauty of the place is experienced at every twist and turn. Covered with snow peaked mountains at the north, pristine beaches at the south and lush green parks and gardens, the city offers unmatched opportunities for exploring the outdoors.

Further with exhilarating snow sports in winters and colorful festivals in summers, Vancouver is undeniably a sparklingly beautiful city, like no place else on earth.

Stanley Park:
Situated in the heart of Vancouver’s densely populated West End and surrounded on three sides by water, Stanley Park (covering 1,000 acres or 405 hectares) is the second largest urban forest in North America.

This Pride of Vancouver’s network of parks and gardens is both a refuge for visitors seeking a brief escape from the urban jungle, a showcase for the natural beauty and an entertainment center.

Criss-crossed through a dense rain-forest interior surrounded by Beaver Lake and Lost Lagoon, the park proudly is home to hundreds of migratory birds and large populations of racoons and squirrels.

Location: Downtown & The West End

Museum of Anthropology:
World renowned for its displays of Northwest Coast First Nations art, the Museum of Anthropology features the world's largest collection of works by internationally acclaimed Haida artist and Bill Reid (including his famous cedar sculpture 'The Raven and the First Men').

The museum's unique Visible Storage Galleries display more than 15,000 objects and artifacts from around the world. In the grounds of the museum are two admirable Haida houses showing the dramatic beauty of traditional Northwest Coast architecture.

Location: University of British Columbia, Marine Drive

VanDusen Botanical Garden:
VanDusen Botanical Garden is a world-class bed of flowers ranking amongst North America's top 10 gardens. Artistically placed against the distant backdrop of the North Shore Mountains, the garden actually is a series of small, specialized gardens within the framework of the main garden.

Among its famous flora are hundreds of variations of ‘Rhododrenons’ that blazes with colors in the spring season. Right next to it is the hexagonal Korean Pavilion that is the focal point for the garden's Asian plant collection. Sculptures abound on the lawns, under trees, between shrubs and an angel presiding over a wishing fountain further enhances the beauty of the garden.

The famous maze walled by 1,000 pyramidal cedars is not only children's delight but is also a favored location for local TV and movie producers needing a spooky setting.

Location: Oak Street

Gastown:
A reconstructed old center of Vancouver, Gastown is a pleasant array of streets, cafes and shops. Considered one of the best shopping spots in the city, Gastown is also the site of the unique Steam Clock (the world’s first clock driven by steam).

This business district houses galleries, restaurants and stores all in a well preserved Victorian ambience and is one of the best place in the city to find souvenirs, ancient art and works of native Pacific Northwest artists. The latest attraction, however, is the Storyeum, a live multimedia 'storytelling experience' that showcases the history of British Columbia.

Location: Water Street

Chinatown:
The most famous and bustling shopping complex of the city, Chinatown offers riots of colours and rich scents. A wide range of restaurants with exotic foodstuffs, the night market and weird wares of Chinese Pharmacy are just a few attractions of the place. Where on the western edge of Chinatown, the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden (a classical Chinese garden) offers an oasis from the dusty urbanity, the Sam Kee Building in Pender Street on the other hand is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the narrowest building in the world.

Location: Carrall Street