INCREDIBLE PRE- AND POST VACATION OPPORTUNITIES
Make the Botany 2008 Conference a chance to explore,
rest and rejuvenate before returning home.
BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND GARDENS
With
miles of protected coastline, Vancouver offers an incredible
variety of beaches, from right downtown at English
Bay to Crescent Beach in White Rock. The city boasts
an equally diverse selection of botanical gardens and
parks, including Vancouver's treasured 1,000 acre/400
hectare Stanley Park.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
Vancouver's year-round mild climate makes it easy
to discover the great outdoors. You can ski the local
mountains, dine on a glacier, cycle the seawall or
stroll through a rainforest. Discover ancient natural
forests or explore the beauty of the region by sea
kayak. Vancouver also offers some of the most spectacular
and challenging golf courses in Canada.
SHOPPING
The sidewalk cafes, specialty stores and coffee shops
attract visitors and locals alike. Yaletown has converted
its old industrial warehouses into trendy places to
shop, eat and be seen. Besides the fabulously fresh
food at the public market on Granville Island, this
heritage area is home to many artisans who blow glass,
weave intricate tapestries and throw clay. Gastown
is a great place for those looking for First Nations
craftworks. Thanks to Vancouver's ethnic diversity,
you can find authentic goods from just about anywhere
in the world as well as the traditional shopping delights
of designer shops and malls.
DINING
Vancouver's multicultural population is reflected
in its incredible variety and quality of cuisine, from
West Coast traditional to Dim Sum. If you crave it
- Vancouver's got it. Home to exquisite dining experiences,
especially if you're into fresh seafood, fine French,
Italian, Asian or Pacific Northwest. A very chic eatery
or a sunny patio -Vancouver has it all!
PRE & POST TRAVEL
Attendees of Botany 2008 should take the opportunity
to enhance their event experience by taking advantage
of the incredible pre and post opportunities that British
Columbia has to offer:
From Vancouver, a scenic 90-minute drive north along
the Sea to Sky Highway leads to Whistler, North 
America’s
#1 ski resort and co-host for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Along the way, there are excellent photo and hiking
opportunities, including spectacular Shannon Falls
and the stunning Squamish Chief rock face.
Once in Whistler, stroll the European ski resort styled
village with it’s cobble stoned streets, enjoy
a wide selection of restaurants and outdoor cafés,
or take in year-round special events and street performers.
Winter recreational activities include world famous
skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing
on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. In the summer,
enjoy championship golf, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing,
guided nature walks, swimming, and other water sports.
VICTORIA & VANCOUVER
ISLAND
Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city is
accessible from Vancouver by passenger/vehicle ferry,
floatplane or helicopter. Spot Orca whales and sea
lions en route as the ferry makes its way through the
scenic Gulf Islands. In Victoria, experience the old
English charm with a double-decker bus ride or traditional
afternoon tea at The Fairmont Empress hotel. Other
attractions include the Parliament Buildings and Butchart
Gardens.
Just north of Victoria, there are wineries in Cowichan
Valley, native totems in Duncan and art galleries in
Chemainus. Continue to the West Coast of the island
to Long Beach and the quaint fishing villages of Tofino
and Ucluelet.
ALASKA CRUISE
Vancouver serves as the home port for the renowned
thousand-mile Inside Passage cruise, offering some
of the world’s most spectacular scenery. Passengers
will be enthralled with the wondrous maze of forested
islands, glacier-carved fjords and Southeast Alaska’s
most popular, frontier friendly ports.
FRASER VALLEY
Travel east through the rolling farmlands of the
Fraser Valley to delightful Harrison Hot Springs Resort.
Spend the day relaxing in the natural mineral hot springs,
or swimming, windsurfing, canoeing or waterskiing on
the freshwater lake. Before returning to Vancouver,
nearby excursions include a visit to historic Fort
Langley “The Birthplace of BC”, Minter
Gardens or beautiful Bridal Falls.
OKANAGAN
VALLEY
Situated in central British Columbia,
the Thompson-Okanagan region is one of the province’s
most beautiful and best-kept secrets. With its green
valleys, bountiful orchards, crystal clear lakes and
mountain resorts, the area abounds with things to do
and see year-round. From wine tasting tours to white-water
rafting, golfing and sailing summer in the Okanagan
Valley has it all.
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
Whether you are looking for peace and solitude or
outdoor adventure, head to the BC Rockies. Here, the
landscape is as diverse as the views are spectacular.
You’ll discover cool glaciers and natural hot
springs, dense forests and wide open meadows. And there
is plenty to do, everything from hiking, mountain biking
and horseback riding to canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
