North
Vancouver is situated in one of the most spectacular geographic
settings anywhere. The land rises up from the waters of Burrard
Inlet through forested slopes to British Columbia’s Coast
Mountains. Today's urban community has emerged from a BC wilderness
where once only a handful of First Nation settlements and an isolated
logging town hugged the water's edge.
North Vancouver is the home of two municipalities: a compact City
facing Burrard Inlet and a larger, suburban–like District
surrounding it on three sides. North Vancouver has also been home
to such notables as rock star Bryan Adams, sprinter Harry Jerome,
broadcaster Red Robinson, actor and Chief of the Burrard Band
Dan George, skater Karen Magnussen, Group of Seven painter Fred
Varley, writer Malcolm Lowry, actor Jason Priestley, Margaret
Sinclair (wife of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau), cartoonist
Lynn Johnston, Squamish Chief Joe Capilano, and mountaineer Phyllis
Munday.
The
First People to call North Vancouver home were Coast Salish, who
had permanent winter villages, fishing camps, and other resource
sites along local shorelines and river mouths, while nearby mountains
were used for hunting and spirit questing. Travelling by canoe,
they moved between a network of sites on the banks of Howe Sound,
Burrard Inlet, Indian Arm, and the mouths of the Capilano and
Seymour Rivers. Slightly over 200 years ago the Spanish arrived
giving name to Vancouver's Spanish Banks, and in 1792 Captain
George Vancouver of England explored the local shores. Descendents
of these First people, members of the Squamish and Tsleil–Waututh
Nations, still live and work in the community today.
North Vancouver has changed dramatically over the past century
and a half. While the mountain backdrop remains the same and the
old town sites of Lynn Valley, Deep Cove, Lower Lonsdale, and
the First Nations communities on the water remind us of the past
– in many ways, North Vancouver is now a very different place
than it used to be. Until the 1970s and 80s, North Vancouver was
a mostly working-class community that centered first on logging,
and later on shipbuilding and related maritime industries. In
recent years, the workforce has changed and many residents participate
in the "knowledge economy". Old-timers and newcomers
alike probably agree that North Vancouver today is one of Canada’s
most vibrant and livable communities.
Accommodation/Adventure
Providers
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Accommodations:
Hotels, motels, and cozy bed and breakfasts, North Vancouver has
a room to suit your preference and budget. If you're travelling
with a pet, be sure to mention it when you're booking your accommodations.
Today, more hotels and motels are accepting pets. Bed and breakfasts
generally do not accept them because they often have pets of their
own.
Recreation
& Activities:
The North Shore is more than just a spectacular backdrop for one
of the world's most scenic cities. Few cities offer visitors the
chance to spend the morning skiing or boarding, and the afternoon
enjoying a picnic at the beach watching the cruise ships sail
by. If you love water sports you've come to the right place: just
head downhill from anywhere on the Shore and you'll hit the ocean.
The coves and little islands on the coastline make for perfect
kayak and canoe trips and some of the best diving spots in the
province. All that vibrant Coast Mountain rainforest makes North
and West Vancouver's trails a mecca for hikers and mountain bikers
alike. Grab a map from the nearby bike shop (or eavesdrop on the
locals) to discover why everyone on two wheels wants to ride here.
Major
Attractions: Some of Greater Vancouver's prime attractions are right
here on Vancouver's North Shore, including Capilano Suspension
Bridge, Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain, Capilano Salmon Hatchery,
Cleveland Dam, Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak, Lonsdale Quay Market,
Lighthouse Park & Point Atkinson Lighthouse, Lower Seymour Conservation
Reserve, Maplewood Farm, Park and Tilford Gardens, and Sewell's
Marina.
Climate:
Vancouver's North Shore boasts a temperate marine climate. Often
called Canada's "Lotus Land," our region has the mildest weather
in Canada due to ocean currents and weather patterns that bring
waves of moist Pacific air year-round.
Access:
Getting to North Vancouver is simple, quick, and scenic. The North
Shore is linked to Vancouver by two historic bridges; the landmark
Lions Gate Bridge and the Ironworker's Memorial Bridge. One of
the most popular and scenic ways to cross Burrard Inlet is by
SeaBus, a short 12-minute harbour-hop that zips you from downtown
Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay, amidst freighters, tugs, float planes,
helicopters and occasional cruise ships and kayaks that ply the
bustling harbour. Other approaches to Vancouver's North Shore
include Highway 1 from the east or Highway 99 from Pemberton
and Whistler.
Year
Round Visitor Centre: North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
102-124 West 1st Street
North Vancouver, BC V7M 3N3
Phone: 604-987-4488
Hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
Website: www.nvchamber.ca
Seasonal
Visitor Centres:
May long weekend until Labour Day in September
Open 7 days a week 10am-6pm
Capilano
Road at Marine Drive
Phone: 604-980-5332
Lonsdale
Quay Market
Phone: 604-980-5331
Vancouver
Coast & Mountains Tourism Region
Suite 600 - 210 West Broadway,
Vancouver, BC V5Y 3W2
Tel: (604) 739-9011
Toll Free: 1-800-667-3306
Fax: (604) 739-0153
Email: info@vcmbc.com
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