Vancouver
Vancouver is the coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the West Coast of Canada, just 50 kilometres north of USA. Seattle is 230km to the south, about a 3-4 hour drive. Vancouver frequently ranks highly as one of the world’s most livable cities. It was recently ranked as the best city to live in North America.
Perhaps it has something to do with its scenic location, Vancouver is wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the North Shore Mountains. This means, you have easy access to beach and mountain activities. One can go skiing and play beach volley ball in the same day which makes living in Vancouver so ideal.
The city’s coastline offers amazing views and great beaches, while the mountains offer hiking trails and snow sports. Living in ‘Beautiful British Columbia‘, world-renowned for its natural beauty, is ideal if you have an appreciation for the outdoors. Vancouver life is special because of its setting, surrounded by the sea, the mountains and lush greenery. It has a very diverse, metropolitan area while the residents always have the best of both worlds.
Living in Vancouver is a fantastic experience. The downtown core of Vancouver is located like a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. It also refers that the only way to expand downtown is by building up. As a result, downtown Vancouver is highly condensed within a small area. Residential high-rises and office blocks contribute to a fantastic skyline.
The entire area is circled by the sea. From downtown, you can access the Vancouver Seawall and numerous beaches are only a short walk away. The Downtown area includes the famous Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. It offers more than 1,000 acres of park encircled by the sea wall. The English Bay to the south of downtown offers a collection of sandy beaches (English Bay Beach, Second Beach, Third Beach and Sunset Beach) when you need a break from the city. The downtown area itself is very residential where everything is within walking distance.
Approximately 2.5 million people are living in Vancouver’s metropolitan area. This includes the City of Vancouver along with neighboring urban areas which are formal cities like Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam, Langley, Delta, North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, and West Vancouver.
Vancouver is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada. People of English, Scottish, Irish and German origins were historically the largest ethnic groups in the city. Over the last 30 years, however, immigration has dramatically increased, making the city more ethnically and linguistically diverse. Around 52 percent of residents do not speak English as their first language. Also, almost 30 percent of the city’s inhabitants are of Asian backgrounds.
Vancouver is a food lover’s paradise, Restaurants in the city offer a wide range of cuisines. It is perennially voted as one of the best dining cities in North America. Also, Vancouver is always competing for foodie accolades against other major international cities such as London, Paris and New York.