Inside Vancouver

The 5 best spots to view cherry blossoms now

by Taraneh in Outside on March 17, 2012

Although the 2012 Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF) doesn’t officially start until April 5, several eager cherry trees around town are already sporting dark pink buds and frilly, ballerina blooms.

Today is also the first official meeting of the VCBF Cherry Scouts – a buccaneering group of volunteers that go about town armed with cameras, reporting the latest blossom intel. The Cherry Scouts make reports in the UBC Botanical Garden Forum before updating the VCBF Blooming Now page with map.

By the end of the cherry blossom festivities April 28, the Cherry Scouts will have mapped 800 blossoming locations throughout Vancouver. But as of March 17, here are the top five spots for scoping early cherry blossoms. Continue reading:
The 5 best spots to view cherry blossoms now

Cross Country Skiing in Vancouver

by Remy Scalza in Outside on March 16, 2012

Photo credit: Cypress Mountain

While Whistler gets most of the ski spotlight, Vancouver has three great ski mountains within a short drive of downtown. And while we may not necessarily be able to top Whistler in terms of downhill thrills, Vancouver does offer an incredible option for cross country skiing enthusiasts: Cypress Mountain.

Located a 30-45-minute drive from downtown in West Vancouver, Cypress Mountain is considered the most popular cross country skiing destination in all of Canada. Cypress boasts 19 kilometres of groomed/classic track trails with skating lanes, with 7.5 kilometres outfitted for night skiing. Better still, trails weave through stunning alpine terrain – a true winter wonderland of towering trees and snow drifts high in the mountains.

I checked out Cypress’ Nordic offerings for myself recently. Full disclosure: It was my first time on cross-country skis – so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.

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Cross Country Skiing in Vancouver

Pretty in Pink: Celebrating Vancouver’s Sakura

by Inside Vancouver in Outside on March 13, 2012

The following article was submitted by Lena White, passionate Vancouverite.

Spring time in Vancouver is a joyous spectacle of cotton candy cherry trees that toss the city with pink confetti! The Vancouver Park Board has planted and maintains over 19,000 flowering cherry trees in the city. There is a great diversity of species, each with its subtly unique blossoms, colours, and fragrances. While there are dozens of varieties in Vancouver, I’ll tell you about the three most commonly planted.

Continue reading:
Pretty in Pink: Celebrating Vancouver’s Sakura

Diving in Plumose Gardens at Whytecliff Park near Vancouver

by Inside Vancouver in Outside on March 5, 2012

By Stephen Pearce. Another installment of our series on diving near Vancouver. This time Stephen visits Plumose Gardens at Whytecliff Park.

A short tour of the plumose gardens at Whytecliff Park near Vancouver. Entry/exit was via the Cut. Maximum depth was 85 feet (26 meters) at low tide. Features include Tanner crab, lingcod, kelp greenling and several memorials. The male Tanner crab carries the female in his claw prior to moulting and mating.

Rainy Day Romance in Vancouver

by Inside Vancouver in Outside on February 28, 2012

The following article was contributed by Lena White, passionate Vancouverite.

As usual, Valentine’s Day this year was a drizzly one for Vancouverites. But for me, rain can be the most romantic weather of all, especially under an umbrella built for two! Let me tell you about some of my favourite places to walk with that special someone on a rainy Saturday…

Continue reading:
Rainy Day Romance in Vancouver

The 5 best spots to view cherry blossoms now

Cross Country Skiing in Vancouver

Pretty in Pink: Celebrating Vancouver’s Sakura

Diving in Plumose Gardens at Whytecliff Park near Vancouver

Rainy Day Romance in Vancouver

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