Visitors to Vancouver can experience a supporting cast of stellar attractions within easy reach of the Canadian city.
As easy as it is to spend several days feasting on the inner-city sights, a cursory glance at the surrounding alpine scenery is a reminder that the wilderness is on your doorstep and is begging to be explored.
Venturing north from the city centre, "North Van" is the gateway to all things outdoors.
One of British Colombia's signature attractions is the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which has wooed the world since the 1880s.
Rising 70m above the floor of the Capilano Canyon, the steel-cable supported bridge swings high above the cedar-scented rainforest and the cascading waters deep below.
Spanning 137m, the bridge is a fabulous "floating-on-air" experience.
Recent additions to the nature reserve include a tree-tops walk above the dense canopy of firs and cedars, and the uber-edgy cliff walk, a steel-and-cable wrap-around adventure.
Capilano showcases the stories of the area's First Nations people in style, and the log-cabins offer local produce and tasty souvenirs (maple syrup is a must-buy).
Just 10 minutes north of Capilano is Vancouver's signature peak, Grouse Mountain. From 1250m above greater Vancouver, the panorama is unbeatable.
The Skyride cable car transports ski-bunnies and sightseers alike.
After alighting from the cable car, you have a wealth of activities at your disposal.
Throughout winter and spring, Grouse boasts 25 ski and snowboard runs, and an outdoor ice-skating rink to boot.
Many city slickers head to the ski-field after work for a few hours of flood-lit night skiing.
In the warmer months, the zip-line trails keep speed-freaks satisfied, and there are alpine walking tracks for the fit and intrepid.
More passive pursuits include the lumberjack show, alpine restaurants and the grizzly bear refuge, which was the highlight for me.
In fact, if you are visiting Vancouver between May and November, the bears won't be hibernating and will be playing in public view.
Grinder and Cooler are the refuge's two resident grizzly bears, having been rescued by wildlife officers several years ago. They sure know how to play to the gallery and you may well find yourself whiling away an afternoon engrossed by these ferocious balls of fluff.
The hop-on, hop-off Vancouver Trolley not only weaves through the inner-city's major sights, but provides a complimentary connection to Capilano.
From there, a regular public bus will haul you up to Grouse Mountain.
An excellent city base is the St Regis Hotel.
A great-value boutique property, the cheerful staff, well-appointed rooms and tasty breakfasts make this a popular stop in Vancouver.