Discover—or rediscover—the metropolis you thought you knew. In Walking Vancouver, 36 sidewalk-tested strolls guide you everywhere from Yaletown to Chinatown, Stanley Park to Queen Elizabeth Park, the Downtown Eastside’s Carnegie Library to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia.

Speedwalk any route or turn one of the short strolls into a half-day amble with coffee breaks, shopping stops and a long leisurely dinner. Kitsilano, South Main , UBC . . . hit the streets, peel back a few layers of history, and dive in. Lee’s honest look at what you’ll see is complete with maps and key information about each walk, including pit-stop recommendations, historical anecdotes, maps, and distance and difficulty level. The book also features appendices of points of interest and themed walks. 

FROM THE INTRODUCTION:

Unless you’ve lived in Vancouver for more than 200 years, hitting the streets in the city you thought you knew almost everything about can trigger some eye-opening surprises, and raise more than a few questions.

For example: Why is the cenotaph located in what’s now called Victory Square ? Where did the first Greenpeace protest launch from? Who died in the old Hotel Georgia? Where is there a marker for the first official visit by a U.S. president, and why is it a memorial? Which much-loved building was once the Canadian headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan? Where is the city’s best hotdog stand? And, of course, which are the best bars to visit on a merry trawl around Gastown? 

Slip on your (preferably waterproof) walking shoes, tuck this book into your backpack, and you’re on your way to finding out the answers. Just remember one key maxim: slow down and you’ll likely enjoy it a whole lot more.