Vancouver

Mountains meet ocean — ski in the morning, kayak in the afternoon.

Vancouver, British Columbia, is one of the world's most beautiful cities — a Pacific metropolis of glass towers at the foot of the snow-capped Coast Mountains, with the ocean on three sides, Stanley Park (a 400-hectare rainforest peninsula accessible by seawall bicycle path) and a mild Pacific climate that keeps it green year-round. It consistently ranks at the very top of global livability surveys. Stanley Park, the 405-hectare forest park jutting into Burrard Inlet, is Vancouver's greatest civic asset — 27km of trails through old-growth rainforest, the seawall promenade (best cycled on a rental), totem poles at Brockton Point, the Vancouver Aquarium and extraordinary views of the city, the mountains and the Lions Gate Bridge. The Museum of Anthropology at UBC (designed by Arthur Erickson) holds an outstanding collection of Northwest Coast First Nations art. Granville Island is an excellent public market and arts district. Gastown (Victorian commercial district, Steam Clock), Chinatown (Canada's oldest, excellent dim sum), Yaletown (converted industrial district, excellent restaurants and bars) and Commercial Drive (alternative culture, excellent coffee and Italian food) are the most interesting neighbourhoods. Grouse Mountain and Whistler (2 hours north) offer year-round mountain activities. The ferry to Vancouver Island and Victoria (90 minutes) is magnificent. The food scene reflects Pacific Asian influences — exceptional Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese alongside excellent local seafood (spot prawns, Dungeness crab, wild salmon). Cannabis stores are legal and well-designed.