Ferry-Hop from English Bay to Granville Island

Harbour Air's floatplane throttles up across Coal Harbour, climbs over Lions Gate and Stanley Park, and lands back on the water like it weighs nothing.

Grab Denman Street takeout, claim a driftwood log, and watch the sun drop behind the North Shore mountains. Free, always.

Stanley Park's west-facing sandy cove, where everyone on the seawall cycles past while you watch the real show.

The cliche that earned it. Eight free volleyball nets, a driftwood log, and English Bay going full pink.

English Bay's quieter cousin at the mouth of False Creek, where the ferries, the mountains, and the freighters all line up.

The highest point in Stanley Park, straight down the Lions Gate Bridge, and an ice-cream stand to stand at while you stare.

Fifty-five acres of themed gardens with a hedge maze designed, architecturally and on purpose, for getting pleasantly lost together.

Stanley Park's quiet inner lake does herons, swans, a 1936 fountain and benches, without a single cyclist in sight.

One of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside Japan, and the path narrows to single-file, which is actually the point.

After 6pm all summer, the Grouse gondola costs $34: ride up at golden hour, watch the sun set over the city from 1,100 metres, drinks on the Altitudes patio.

A warm glass dome full of 500-plus plants, koi, and free-flying parrots atop the city's highest point, for a few dollars.

A dead-level wetland trail at the foot of Burke Mountain with herons, eagles, kingfishers and Golden Ears framed across the Pitt River.

South Langley estate winery famous for its bubbles, its vines, its staff who actually know their wines, and no rush.

Former basalt quarry turned sunken flower garden, with a stone bridge that has starred in approximately every Vancouver wedding photo.