Vancouver
Kitsilano and University Hill
Vanier Park -
Vancouver Maritime Museum - The centerpiece of the museum, literally, is the St. Roch, a two-masted wooden schooner used for arctic exploration by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the 1940's. Take a tour of the ship, shimmy up the ladder to the bridge, peer into the officer's cabins (very short bunks), poke your nose into a tent on deck, home to an Inuit family, and walk around the hull of this gallant ship that toughed out icy arctic waters.Model ships - The museum also has a good collection of model ships - sailing ships, steamers, ocean liners, and a workshop where you can watch people building ships models.
Down at Heritage Harbour (where the water ferry docks), there's always classic boats floating in the water.
Tip: Take False Creek water ferry from the Aquatic Center and Granville Island to the Maritime Museum.
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre - Attached to the Planetarium and Observatory, the Centre lets kids and adults blast through space and time a dozen different ways. There are multimedia live
shows, Planetarium Star Theatre, and fun interactive exhibits with meteorites and moon rocks. The grassy park area around the museums is a great place to run around or fly kites. On walk on the sandy beach, littered with driftwood, or dabble your toes in the water if the weather's nice.Kitsilano Beach - Kitsilano Beach has long stretches of flat sand and scenic views of English Bay and the North Shore. Kitsilano Beach Pool, a public outdoor swimming pool, is perfect for everyone, from toddlers to teens.
MOA (Museum of Anthropology at University of British Columbia) - MOA has the world's finest collection of works by Haida artist Bill Reid and Northwest Coast First Nations art. Much of this is art in the huge scale kids seem to love, in a spectacular setting. Don't miss the collection of totem poles and long house outside. 20 scenic minutes from downtown and on bus routes.
