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Ditch the car! The City of Vancouver is a strollers paradise and all ready to be explored on foot

• lush, green parks
• rainforest hiking trails
• scenic beachfront walks
beautiful scenery, vast seascapes, mountain top vistas

or to really find out what Vancouver is all about take a historic neighborhood walking tour.

Walk in Vancouver Chinatown

Chinese immigrants settled in what is Vancouver Chinatown in the 1890's. They came over to build the railway, and work in canneries, sawmills and coalmines. When times were good the community prospered and when times were bad the community was treated badly until WWII when China and Canada fought on the same side.

In Chinatown you will find the streets filled with the sounds of the Mandarin and Cantonese languages, Asian music coming from store front speakers and exotic fruits and seafood goods displayed in bins and store front windows.

• Browse the shops and pick up inexpensive gifts

• Look for traditional architectural features on buildings

• Visit the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens the first of it kind outside of mainland China

• If you're visiting during the summer don't miss the night markets that are held on the weekends nights.

Walk in Gastown

The cobbled stoned streets of Gastown are where the City of Vancouver first began and it enjoys a colorful history.

It was burned to the ground in 1886. The wooden buildings were re-built of brick and stone. There were boom times and a warehouse district developed there until WWI. The war ended the boom but by the time it was over people had started moving to the suburbs and Gastown became abandoned. In the early 70's Gastown became designated as a historic district

What you will find there now is renovated buildings and former warehouses that have been turned into fashionable apartments and lofts.

• recessed courtyards surrounded by shops and offices
• art galleries
• tourist shops
• bistros and restaurants
• antiques
• up and coming fashion designers
• the world famous steam clock

Walk around Granville Island

Granville Island is not really an island. It's actually a peninsula that used to be an industrial area.

In the 1950's the factories starting leaving there and plans where made to re-develop the area. What you will find there is a haven for artists and crafters that is hugely popular with both locals and tourists.

• The first micro-brewery in Canada opened here, the Granville Island Brewing Company. Stop in here for a brewery tour and tasting

• The Granville Island Hotel hosts one of the best weekend brunches in the city

• The Granville Island Public Market is a great place to pick up fresh, local, organic produce and original, limited one of a kind treasures

• Wander the narrow streets of the island and stop in and chat with the artist in their studios

• If you've got the kids with you wander through the Kids Only Market

• Walk along the Granville Island and False Creek seawall

• Dine on the patio of a marina side restaurant

• Enjoy improv and theatre

To find more heritage walking tours check with the Vancouver Heritage Foundation or the City of Vancouver Heritage Walking Tours.

Discover one of the world's most beautiful cities visit http://www.whyvancouver.com your entrance to attractions, activities, places to see and things to do and with the best photos of Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Source: www.isnare.com