2009 Vancouver Official Travel Planner Guide - (Page 38) Winter Activities Photography: Skiing Cypress Mountain ©Tourism Vancouver; Snowshoeing at Grouse Mountain ©Tourism Vancouver/Grouse Mountain What’s New? Dogsledding Comes to Vancouver’s Mount Seymour Using Mount Seymour’s extended bench lands, the bottom of Mystery Peak Chair area, Lodge ski area and the Discovery Snowshoe Trails, these 1.5hour dogsled tours provide a chance to learn the history of dogsledding, the opportunity to meet the dogs, see the harnessing process and enjoy approximately 40 minutes gliding along in the sled. Self-drive options are available. As an added bonus, visitors can extend the tour and add a gourmet picnic in a sub-alpine old-growth forest. mountseymour.com Warm Up or Wind Down in Vancouver — the Perfect Winter Break Vancouver is truly a year-round destination. It’s a particularly special place throughout the winter months, combining the fun of outdoor activities with urban amenities. The only challenge with planning a winter escape for your clients may be trying to fit in all the great possibilities! The winter culture encompasses everything — amazing skiing/ boarding, unique attractions, contemporary museums, fabulous shopping, international cuisine and a nightlife scene for every vibe. Christmas in Vancouver is also a unique and colourful experience that your clients won’t want to miss. Whether they’re warming up before hitting the slopes or wrapping up their winter holidays, Vancouver makes a perfect pre-/post-city stopover for every ski and board holiday in British Columbia. Visitors will love soaking in the sights and ambience of this hip coastal city for two to three days. Non-Ski/Board Activities Skiing isn’t the only product offered on the local mountains. All three offer a wide variety of non-ski activities, including guided snowshoeing tours with a fondue dining option. Snow-tubing/toboggan parks with tow ropes are also unique to Cypress and Seymour Mountains. Exclusive to Grouse Mountain are ice-skating and sleigh rides, while Cypress Mountain offers an amazing network of cross-country ski trails. Your clients can also enjoy the breathtaking setting and scenery with other non-ski/ board activities such as kayaking, sailing, biking, hiking and strolling along the sandy beaches and seawalls – even in the winter. Après-Ski/Board Activities There’s no better way to round out your clients’ day on the slopes than with some après-ski/board activities in Vancouver. They can immerse themselves in the energy of the city with eclectic shopping, world-class entertainment, diverse attractions, awardwinning restaurants and hip nightclubs. If your clients just want to relax after a full day of physical activity on the slopes, have them head to their hotel spa for a massage or a beauty treatment. For sport fans, they can take in the thrill of a Vancouver Canucks ice hockey game. Dogsle dding ©Maste rfile Ski and Snowboarding Activities Vancouver’s local mountains give your clients easy access to winter ski and snowboarding action with the convenience of not having to leave the city. Within 15–30 minutes of Vancouver’s downtown core, winter sport enthusiasts can find themselves in the snowy North Shore Mountains with the choice of three ski resorts — Mount Seymour, Grouse Mountain and Cypress Mountain. These areas boast ample fresh powder in the winter, sometimes having a greater snow base than interior resorts. Each offers a variety of runs, awesome panoramic views and winter action, from downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding to snowshoeing and snow-tubing. For a truly unique experience, your clients can also try skiing or boarding at night with the twinkling city lights below. Cypress Mountain, the Official Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Venue for the 2010 Winter Games, offers an expansion of 40 per cent more terrain, a new quad chair lift and a new day lodge. Don’t forget the world-class ski resorts of Whistler Blackcomb Mountain and Tourism Sun Peaks — ski destinations beyond the city where your clients can have the winter adventure of a lifetime. Grouse Mountain Sno-Limo Sno-Limo Mountain Ecotouring is the ultimate, fully interactive on-mountain activity for nonskiers/snowboarders. Now visitors can experience the sights, sounds and thrills of gliding on snow trails in comfort without learning any new skills. A personal “chauffeur” takes clients on an exhilarating downhill snow-gliding experience in a comfortable, environmentally friendly and gravitypowered Sno-Limo on three distinctive programs: Bronze Tour, Silver Tour or Romantic Getaway Tour. grousemountain.com Christmas Magic Vancouver is truly a special place during the Christmas season in December. Be sure your clients get to enjoy the winter magic with The Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain, where the mountaintop is alive with sleigh rides, Santa’s workshop, reindeer, skating and more. Enjoy the city’s sparkling mosaic of light-and-colour displays with the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden, Bright Nights in Stanley Park, Canyon Lights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Yuletide Traditions and lantern procession at Granville Island. Christmas tree and gingerbread house displays are the highlights at Canada Place, Sutton Place Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Burnaby Village Museum offers traditional celebrations during its Heritage Christmas program. And don’t let them miss the opportunity to be part of the Christmas Carol Ships Parade of Lights in English Bay, with a wonderful festive dinner cruise. Sno-limo at Grouse Mountain ©Robert Colbourne 38 t o u r i s m va n c o u ve r. c o m / t ra d e http://mountseymour.com http://grousemountain.com http://tourismvancouver.com/trade
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