Gateway to the legendary thousand-mile inside Passage - a wondrous maze of forested islands, glacier-carved fjords and frontier-friendly ports - Vancouver serves as the point of embarkation and disembarkation for extraordinary cruise vacations. From May to October vessels arrive and depart Vancouver's harbour as part of the Vancouver-Alaska route, the third most popular cruise in the world.

For a low cost, fun transit option, jump on the SeaBus or False Creek AquaBus as part of Vancouver's unique public transportation.

Weather
Warmed by Pacific Ocean currents and protected by a range of mountains, Vancouver's weather is mild year-round. From high 70's Fahrenheit (low 20's Celsius) in summer to a mild mid 40's Fahrenheit (0º to 5º Celsius) in winter, the climate is always hospitable. Winters are wet, but it rarely snows, except on the local ski hills.

A city of unparalleled beauty, from the 1000-acre lush jewel known as Stanley Park, the largest city park in North America, to the hustle and bustle of fashionable Robson Street, Vancouver has it all.

Walk through historic Gastown, Vancouver's oldest area, with its cobblestone streets, European-style street lamps and local boutiques; haggle for fresh seafood in Chinatown (the third largest in North America); experience an authentic panini sandwich in Little Italy, or escape to the other side of the world with the aroma of Indian spices and visions of bright, colourful saris at the Punjabi Market.

On July 2, 2003, the International Olympic Committee selected Vancouver as the host city for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Athletes and spectators from around the world will gather in Vancouver and the alpine resort of Whistler in February and March 2010 to celebrate winter sporting excellence. The Games, along with the region's spectacular natural playground and its vibrant venues, will put Vancouver in the spotlight as a premier sporting destination.

Vancouver will host the following Olympic and Paralympic events in February and March of 2010:

• Opening and Closing ceremonies (BC Place Stadium)
• Ice hockey (Canada Hockey Place and UBC Thunderbird Arena)
• Figure skating (Pacific Coliseum)
• Speed skating and short track speed skating (Richmond Olympic Oval and Pacific Coliseum)
• Freestyle skiing (Cypress Mountain)
• Snowboard (Cypress Mountain) Curling (Vancouver Olympic Centre)
• Ice sledge hockey (UBC Thunderbird Arena)
• Wheelchair curling (Vancouver Paralympic Centre

Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, is only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver. It offers the most vertical drop, most terrain, most lifts and best snow conditions on the highest skiing and riding peak of Vancouver's Legendary North Shore Mountains. It will host the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard competitions.

Cypress Mountain has 52 Downhill winter skiing and riding runs accessed by 6 chair lifts (2 high speed), plus a magic carpet surface lift in the kids camp area, 19 kms of track set Cross Country Skiing trails, a Snowtubing park with a tube tow lift. You can also enjoy an amazingly popular snowshoeing tours around the historic Hollyburn Lodge built in 1926.

Whistler (125 km / 78 milles from Vancouver North) will host the biathlon, cross country skiing, ski jumping and nordic combined competitions.