Vancouver

The brick-paved, heritage-hugging neighborhood where 19th-century Vancouver began has seen a cool wave of bars, restaurants and boutiques opening in recent years. But rather than building afresh, these independent businesses have restored and revitalized some of the city's oldest structures. The former skid row 'old town' area is now a picturesque and popular balance of old and new; just ask the jaunty bronze statue of John 'Gassy Jack' Deighton in Maple Tree Sq, guarding the site where he built his first pub way back in 1867.

• Gastown & Chinatown

Few cities have democratized their waterfront better than Vancouver: you can stroll or cycle along a tree-fringed, wave-lapped walkway all the way from Canada Place to Kitsilano and the University of British Columbia (UBC). But the highlight is the 8.8km stretch around Stanley Park. Like an immersive visual spa treatment, you'll encounter rippling ocean backed by looming mountains on one side and the gentle swish of dense forest and smiling cyclists on the other. It's a sigh-triggering reminder of how great life can be.

• Downtown & West End

British Columbia (BC) has become Canada's microbrewery capital in recent years, with around 200 beermakers popping up across the province. Leading this boozy charge, Vancouver has dozens of intriguing options, most with inviting tasting lounges that feel like mini neighborhood pubs. There are walkable clusters on and around Main St and near the northern end of Commercial Dr, with hot producers such as Brassneck, Strange Fellows and Powell Brewery worth keeping your taste buds primed for.

• Drinking & Nightlife

Granville Island is packed with enticing backstreet studios and artsy little nooks, but the brimming Public Market lures everyone who comes here like a foodie-themed siren song. From pyramids of glistening fresh fruit to drool-triggering deli counters that inspire a picnicking approach to life, it's a taste-tripping wander for browsers as well as locals dropping in for their regular shop. Add a seat at the shoreline plaza outside, complete with cheery buskers and beady-eyed seagulls, and you've found what may be Vancouver's best afternoon out.

• Yaletown & Granville Island

Vancouver's favorite winter playground is a short drive from downtown. But Grouse isn't just for goggle-eyed powder nuts. In summer, you'll have great views over the city – shimmering in the water far below – plus the perfect excuse for a flower-studded alpine hike (take the steep Grouse Grind to reach the summit if you fancy working up a sweat or hop the scenic gondola ride instead). Either way, check out the grizzly bear enclosure: it's a great way to see sharp-toothed wildlife close up without wetting yourself.

• North Shore

Torn between visiting Canada or Asia? Come to Vancouver and try the richest, most authentic Asian dining scene in North America. From bustling dim-sum joints to cozy izakayas (Japanese neighborhood pubs), pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) houses to super-fresh sushi joints, Vancouver offers easy access to culinary adventure. For the especially epicurious, dive into the steam-shrouded food stands at the Hong Kong–style summer night market in Richmond, the adjoining city that also has more Asian restaurants than you'll ever be able to visit.

• Eating

Not all Chinatowns are created equal. The largest in Canada (and also the third biggest in North America), Vancouver's still has the bustling feel of a vibrant community, from its busy apothecary shops to its steam-shrouded barbecue meat stores. The area is in transition, with a tasty menu of new restaurants and coffee shops continuing to pop up, but the evocative older buildings remain in a neighborhood that has been designated a National Historic Site. A perfect urban explorer's excursion; ensure your camera is fully charged.

• Gastown & Chinatown

Arrive early to avoid the summer crowds and you'll have a great time inching over the swaying rope bridge that stretches across a roiling, tree-lined river canyon. Even the bravest find their legs turn to jelly here, but it's all in good fun. At least that's what you should tell yourself, as you'll have to cross back at some point. There's plenty to see in the surrounding temperate rainforest park: a series of canopy bridges, a glass-floored cliffside walkway and nature trails through the towering trees.

• North Shore

The city's leading showcase for art has been exhibiting local photoconceptualist photographers, the nature-themed paintings of Emily Carr and an ever-changing roster of popular visiting exhibitions for many years, becoming Western Canada's most important art space in the process. And while plans are afoot to move from its downtown heritage-building space to a landmark new joint just a few blocks away, some things will endure: including the regular FUSE evening events, when the gallery turns into a clubby late-night hangout for culture lovers.

• Downtown & West End

Vancouver’s indie heart is a stroll-worthy feast of quirky stores, unique places to eat and wood-floored coffee shops that invites long afternoons of laid-back exploring among the plaid-shirted locals. Expect everything from arts and crafts purveyors to cool vinyl record retailers and a stationery store that proves just how desirable old typewriters can be. Keep your eyes peeled for side-street murals as well as a full round of tasty microbreweries. And when you’re hungry, you’ll find some of the city’s best one-of-a-kind restaurants, from Singaporean hawker dining to vegetarian comfort food.