Wrapped in lush greenery and offset by the sparkling blue of wide watery stretches, from bay to river and back, Vancouver has seascapes and a skyline that is both colorful and very sophisticated. For a big urban center with plenty of cultural diversity and home-town feel, this city's it.

From sparkling open seas to smooth hidden coves and majestic old forests, Pacific swell-swept beaches and spectacular sunsets, Vancouver Island is the sort of place that simply exudes beauty. Ridged with interior mountains and seamed with lakes and rivers, Vancouver Island boasts an extensive repertoire of activity.

It's hard to find enough nice things to say about Victoria, British Columbia's capital. Tidily poised at the southern end of Vancouver Island, the city is elegant, charming and picturesque. From the long lines of masts dancing to attention in the harbor to graceful colonial architecture, Victoria has a small-city feel with big-city flair.