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The Draw
• A relaxed environment infused with an international mix of cash and culture
• Water, mountains and beaches that offer eye candy, often in the same eyeball
• A flourishing arts scene, along with dining that has become world class
The Scene
Not long ago, the green copper roof of the 19th-century Fairmont Hotel Vancouver reigned as the city's unofficial emblem. No longer. New money, mostly from Asia, has brought metamorphosis to British Columbia's largest metropolis. Now, on this sliver of land between mountains and sea, towering glass monoliths have arisen like crystal-clear stalagmites. Taking advantage are hot clubs like Cloud 9, which not only offer amazing views but also play host to the TV and production company big shots who have flocked here. Vancouver's laid-back pace is quickly being stepped up: An influx of master chefs and the continued transformation of neighborhoods like Yaletown are sending the city careening toward its global unveiling at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
To Be Seen
• Gastown. Sure it's touristy, but the brick buildings and cobblestone streets have the sweet smell of history, helped along by antiques stores and galleries.
• Stanley Park. Canada's largest city park isn't just for people watching -- it also boasts birds, sculptures, lakes, totem poles and lawn bowling.
• Yaletown. That BMW picked Yaletown for the Mini's debut in North America speaks to the area's high hipness quotient, and upscale restaurants and shops keep moving in.
• Granville Island. With a public market, the Granville Island Brewery and a collection of independent galleries, the city's commercial heart still doesn't feel overly commercialized.
For The VIP
• Ski with Olympic champs and golf with PGA Tour pros just outside Vancouver in Whistler. The company Best of Both offers exclusive access to stars like Swiss schusser Didier Cuche and Portuguese duffer Daniel Silva.
• Dine with the city's best view at Herons Restaurant in the Fairmont Waterfront hotel. Two stories of floor-to-ceiling windows look out over harbor, mountains and Stanley Park.
• Vancouver's fishing is some of the world's best. Charter a boat for a day of salmon angling on the ocean, or head inland and go heli-fly-fishing for sturgeon on a remote river.
Overrated
Robson Street. Vancouver's most famous shopping street is chockablock with the usual and ubiquitous, from Armani to Hooter's.
Underrated
Kitsilano. This fast-gentrifying, funky area -- Vancouver's Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s -- boasts lots of energy, oddball shops and a great view of the city from Kits Beach.
Don't Miss
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The first authentic Chinese classical garden built outside of China, this small garden's rocks, plants, water and pagodas make for a serene stroll.
When To Go
It's all about avoiding the rain. Best bets are July and August; it's a roll of the dice in spring and fall. Fortunately, winters are mild -- the snow mostly keeps to the mountains.
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