Obviously this isn't Vancouver, but if you're staying for an extended period in Vancouver a visit to Seattle is a must. Its about a 3 and a half hour journey.
You can get a bit down with how healthy everybody is in Vancouver but a visit to America makes one feel so much better about themself.
Seattle is a fantastic city though. It has more of an edge to it than Vancouver, with a really interesting music scene (it's not just grunge by the way). The Pike Place Market is a must, check out the beautiful campus of Seattle Catholic Uni, the arboretum, the sound garden etc etc. A great weekend break.
It's also worth considering checking out the price of flights to Seattle as these can be cheaper than flights to Vancouver.
Get a Gray Line bus from the central bus station (worth a look as it is a beautiful building) in Vancouver;
www.grayline.ca
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