There are lots of places you can take your Nordic skis (on the bus to avoid snow driving) and ski for free around Vancouver.

Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve - try the Rice Lake loop after a snowfall - paradise. Catch the 228 from Lonsdale Quay.

Seymour Provincial Park - there are snowshoe and X-country trails for free public use. Public bus service to Deep Cove.

Cypress Mountain - as well as the X-country trails you pay to use ($17 for the day, $13 for floodlit night skiing) there is a snowshoe and X-country trail that takes you up the side of the mountain. Take the Cypress Snobus.

Grouse Mountain - costs you to get up in the gondola to all the activities that are up there (movies, sleigh rides, zoo etc, all included in the price), but once you're there, the X-country skiing and snowshoe trails are free. To save money you could carry your skis up the 'Grouse Grind' and get extra exercise! Public bus service to the gondola.

Squamish - many trails running along the dyke where the eagles roost, and into the backcountry. Take a compass or GPS!

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Resting against the beach logs on this Kitsilano neighbourhood beach and watching the sunset, you will experience all the quintessential elements of Vancouver at once. The beach, a view of the mountains, the ocean air, and a purely laid-back West Coast vibe. To make it even better, stroll along barefoot with a specialty coffee or smoothie from any of the local cafes and take in dinner at the Naam restaurant a couple of blocks away, where the service is so refreshingly unhurried it IS the evening's entertainment. Namaste!

www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/community_profiles/kitsilano;
Naam restaurant: 2724 West Fourth Avenue, Kitsilano;
tel: 738 7151;
www.thenaam.com

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Check out the parade (it's bigger than London) and listen to the free music on the stage at English Bay for the rest of the day.

www.vancouverpride.ca

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The Grouse Grind is a fairly intense hike up Grouse Mountain, one of three mountains on the North Shore. It's a rewarding hike, and you can further reward yourself with a pint at the top and a Gondola ride back down the mountain if you don't feel like trudging back down.

www.gvrd.bc.ca/services/grouse-grind.asp

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Similar to the sea-wall around Stanley park, this is a paved path along the waterfront. It gets much less traffic than Stanley park though, and offers great views of the city from across the water.

West Vancouver

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Just outside downtown Vancouver, Stanley park is a delightful wooded and grassed park on a peninsula in Burrard Inlet with wonderful views of Lion's Gate Bridge and Vancouver Harbour. You can spend several days here wandering around the forest paths, bathing at the beaches, seeing the impressive totem poles, as well as visiting the fantastic aquarium or relaxing in the Rose Garden.

Just go there and see for yourself why it's so great!

1 mile to the west of downtown Vancouver;
www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/Parks/parks/stanley

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The Drive (Commercial Drive) is a street in Vancouver that boasts a vibrant community. All the stores and restaurants are unique and interesting. A Subway was proposed along the Drive and a committed campaign was raised to prevent it from succeeding.

Many coffee shops along The Drive have slam / beat poetry sessions if you look for them. Also, one place of particular interest is Magpie Magazine Gallery, wherein one can find magazines of all stripes. Feel free to browse forever -- it's easy to get lost in them. Slightly north along the Drive is Britannia Community Center, where there is an ice rink and a swimming pool as well as a large park.

Another place of interest is the Vancouver East Cultural Center where various dance groups and theatrical performances can be seen.

The Drive is uniquely Vancouver and it reflects a slightly anti-corporate sentiment here - as I said before, it belongs to small businesses and restaurants that are not chains. It is ideal to spend an afternoon (sunny, of course) walking along, starting at Broadway and slowly making your way north along the street, stopping for coffee or ice cream or sushi or Thai or...

Enjoy.

Commercial Drive, from Broadway to Venables;
www.thedrive.ca

Magpie Magazine Gallery: 1319 Commercial Drive

Vancouver East Cultural Center: 1895 Venables Street;
www.vecc.bc.ca

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A beautiful complex designed by Moshe Safdi (he designed Habitat in Montreal). The courtyard is a great place to grab a snack and sit. There is a calendar of readings/performances, etc.

350 West Georgia Street;
tel: 604 331 3603;
www.vpl.ca/branches/LibrarySquare/home.html

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It is a 10km along the coastal perimeter of Stanley Park. It is a great place to view Lion's gate Bridge, cruise liners heading up to Alaska, and just for people watching. Ideally, hire a bicycle at the north end of Denman Street.

Stanley Park

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The Marine Building is Vancouver's finest example of art deco architecture and is located downtown, close to the waterfront. You can wander into the foyer to marvel at the wonderful maritime art deco style and travel up in the beautiful wooden lifts. And it's free!

Marine Building Suites 1000/1400 - 355 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC Canada V6C 2G8 Phone: 604-683-8604/Fax: 604-608-6163 www.execu-suites.com/building.html

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My favourite by far is Lynn Canyon on the North Shore. Spend a day or an afternoon hiking around second growth rainforest, and be sure to include a trip over the suspension bridge.

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You'll be spoiled for choice. See what's available at
www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/rec/beaches.

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Worth the trip alone. The Pacific beaches are stunning and Tofino is a great little town - posh-hippy, laid back, with great restaurants. The Rainforest Cafe offers sublime high quality food. Walk through the temperate rainforests and the cathedrals of tall cedars and pines. You will probably see bears on your way too. In Tofino try the Wolf House bed and breakfast, a really great bed and breakfast with lots of character.

Tofino is on Vancouver Island;
www.my-tofino.com;
Rainforest Cafe: 250 725 2215;
Wolf House: 250 725-2330

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Free concerts and talks at The Central Library, including lectures in the Alice McKay room. (www.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca)

Talks and lectures at the Simon Fraser University downtown campus (www.harbour.sfu.ca), and at The Carnegie Centre (www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/CARNEGIECENTRE).

Word on the Street at the end of September is day of free music, poetry and book reading by the authors and a giant booksale in one block of closed streets around The Central Library and the CBC (www.thewordonthestreet.ca/vancouver.php).

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Nearby to Commercial Drive there is a quiet and unique park.

Trout lake is beautiful in all seasons. You can walk the perimeter of the lake taking in the breathtaking views of the rocky mountains with the echoes of children giggling whilst paddling in the water.

You will find Vancouverites riding bikes, reading books, sunbathing, swimming and occasionally even a samba band practicing!

In the summer it houses one of the best farmers markets in British Columbia.

Good place to visit if you need to warm your heart and soul.

Trout Lake Park (also known as John Hendry Park) is located at East 15th Avenue and Victoria Drive in East Vancouver.

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Concerts by University of British Columbia School of Music at The Chan Centre.
Check out www.chancentre.com.

Local bands play free at the TD Plaza, Fridays at 6.00 in the summer. Also, on Canada Day (July 1st) there is music at the TD Plaza, and at Canada Place in two indoor stages and one outdoor. Also at this event there are activities for kids and dancing all day.
For more information check The Fox (radio) website: www.cfox.com.

Free open air jazz music over two weekends at the Jazz Festival in June (www.coastaljazz.ca).

Kitsilano Showboat - open air venue on Kits Beach every week in the summer.
www.mykitsilano.com

St. Patrick's Day - free music all day at three outdoor stages and two indoor venues on Granville Street. The parade is on the Saturday closest to St. Patrick's Day. (www.celticfestvancouver.com/parade.html)

Vaisakhi - free music, dancing and food all day. More information can be found at www.channelm.ca/ce_index703.html.

Music and fireworks at The Festival of Light - from a barge in English Bay, with music simulcast on Rock 101 (www.rock101.com).

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Richmond Nature Park is a natural peat bog that has been managed and has trails to show and shelter many native plants, birds and other animal species. There is a Nature House that is always staffed and has displays and information about native flora and fauna.

The bog has cranberries and blueberries growing freely and the Richmond area is a major supplier of cranberries to the world market.

There are frequent free talks by experts.

11851 Westminster Hwy. at No. 5 Rd;
Catch the 401, 403, 406 or 407 bus to Richmond exchange, then transfer to 405 bus.
tel: 604 718 6188

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