5 Best Sights in West Vancouver, Vancouver

This 3,012-hectare (7,443-acre) park sprawls above Howe Sound, embracing Strachan, Black, and Hollyburn Mountains. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Baker (in Washington State) and Vancouver Island. Although the park includes a commercial ski area, much of the terrain is a public hiking paradise (bikes are permitted on roadways but not trails). Popular hikes include the route to Eagle Bluff, cross-country routes near Hollyburn Lodge, and the first part of the Howe Sound Crest Trail (as far as Saint Mark's Summit). This is backcountry, though, and only experienced hikers should attempt the more remote routes, including the multiday Baden Powell and Howe Sound Crest trails. During the summer months, BC Parks runs a bus from Downtown Vancouver to Cypress Provincial Park.

Just off Marine Drive at the foot of 13th Street, this long stretch of sand is West Vancouver's most popular beach. There are tennis courts, volleyball nets, and a water park in the summer, as well as superb views of Stanley Park from all along the seawall. There's also a pitch and putt course and a huge off-leash area for dogs. Just west of the park, the historic Ferry Building is now a small art gallery. A half-hour walk west along the seawall path takes you to another beach at Dundarave. West Vancouver's Marine Drive continues west to several quiet little beaches, including (from east to west) West Bay, Sandy Cove, Caulfeild Park, and Kew Beach. Amenities: food and drink, parking, showers, and toilets. Best for: sunrises, swimming and walking.  

This little town, tucked under the Coast Mountains on the shore of Howe Sound, marks the western edge of West Vancouver. Best known for its BC Ferries terminal, with service to Vancouver Island, Bowen Island, and the Sunshine Coast, Horseshoe Bay also marks the start of the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. Most people pass through, but it's worth making time for a fish-and-chips lunch at Troll's (operated by the same family since the 1940s) or any of several restaurants with ocean- and mountain-view decks. You can also make a day of it, swimming or scuba diving at Whytecliffe Park or joining an eco-tour with Sewell's Marina.

This calm cove near Horseshoe Bay is popular for swimming, scuba diving, sunset watching, and, at low tide, hiking out to Whyte Islet just offshore. Amenities: food and drink, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunsets, swimming, and walking.