West End, Vancouver's best place to live

English Bay offers a superb beach in the heart of the city, making it easy to kayak, paddle, swim or simply relax with a breathtaking view over the bay. It's also known as 'First Beach'. For sunset views, head to the aptly named Sunset Beach. Nearby is Morton Park, with its 'A-maze-ing Laughter' series of bronze sculptures.

The Baie des Anglais beach is the ideal starting point for a walk or cycle along the Seawall. The entire route is 22km long, so for a more accessible walk for all ages, the Stanley Park loop is the most popular (9km). It's very easy to hire a bike to do this part of the loop in 1 hour or more for some great photos!

Family-friendly during the day, Davie Village, the town's 'gay quarter', is ideal for strolling the colourful streets and shopping in the bookshops and retro boutiques. After a long day's walking, head to La Belle Patate restaurant for a generous poutine and home fries topped with gravy. In the evening, the many bars and clubs come alive, making this the ideal district for partying!

The Roedde House Museum is one of Vancouver's best museums. This Victorian-style wooden house was home to the city's first bookbinders in 1888. The decor and many historical objects will take you back to the daily life of the Roedde family. Visitors can even use gloves to handle these rare objects! Guided tours with audio guides in French will provide plenty of anecdotes about the history of this house (listed as a Canadian heritage site) and the city of Vancouver.

For the world's biggest fireworks competition, head to the Honda Celebration of Light festival, held opposite the English Beach Bay barge. For 3 days at the end of each July, international teams compete to put on a spectacular visual and musical show! The show starts at around 10pm, but it's advisable to arrive early with a picnic and folding chairs to enjoy the event.

👉 Information on the official event website

👉 The best free spots to admire the show: Baie des Anglais, Kits Points, Sunset Beach, Stanley Park and Burrard Street Bridge

👉 You can also book paid seats at the YVR Public Observation Area for around $50 per person.

The area's cultural diversity is reflected in Denman Street, with its restaurants serving international cuisine. If you want to warm up with a good ramen, this is the street to go to in Vancouver. There's often a queue, so you can also head for Robson Street, nicknamed Ramen Row because of the many Asian establishments there. Robson Street is also the ideal street for shopping!

The West End Farmers Market showcases the region's farmers every Saturday from the end of May to the end of October. Visitors can wander through stalls selling pastries, cheese and charcuterie, as well as honey and jam made by local artisans. There are also food-truck stands where you can discover the region's local specialities. Events are organised regularly, so every visit will be different.