A Sunny Day in Vancouver

What a glorious day today! This morning I was reminded of Mr. Rogers and how he used to sing "It's a beautiful day in this neighbourhood, A beautiful day for a neighbour, ... So let's make the most of this beautiful day "

For all the hype and groaning we all do about the rain here, we do have some long stretches of wonderful weather. And there is so much to do here when it's nice. Here is a sampling of fun things to do in Vancouver on a sunny day.

1. Lounge at any of the myriad beaches found along the edges of the city or in many of the outlying areas. In the city you'll find the famous English Bay, Jericho Beach, Spanish Banks, and Kitsilano Beach. Take in the views of the city and the water while lunching on fish and chips and ice-cream, but be sure to take plenty of sunscreen!

2. There are three main waterparks in the the vicinity of Vancouver. One is at Bridal Falls, about an hour's drive outside of the city. One is at Cultus Lake, a very popular summer spot, and the third is very near me. This one is called Splashdown Park and it's just off the main route to the ferry that will take you to Vancouver Island.

3. Hiking is another favourite passtime of Vancouver and area residents. Beginners can take in Pacific Spirit Regional Park next to the grounds of the University of British Columbia. Intermediate hikers might want to try Dog Mountain, a 2.5 hour round trip hike on Mount Seymour. Experienced adventurers will love hiking to the Lions. It is one of the area's most popular and strenuous hikes, about 7 hours roundtrip and should be attempted by experienced, properly equipped hikers only.

4. Bike, walk, or roll around the Seawall in Stanley Park. This is a famous piece of urban infrastructure with amazing views of the ocean and mountains. Nearby on Denman Street, one can rent bikes or rollerblades.

5. Rent a kayak and spend hours exploring the shoreline around Vancouver. You never know what you might run into.

6. Of course, there are places where you can get ice-cream like the famous Dairy Queen, McDonald's, or various other parlours around town for specialty ice-cream or gelato.

I'm going to go and plant a daisy mum that a studen'ts mother gave me as a thank you for tutoring her son. It's lovely and I think it's had enough of sitting in my kitchen sink looking outside. It's time for it to join the other plants and flowers in the garden, so off I go. I wish I had some Italian gelato in my freezer.