Vancouver is a city that sits between mountains and sea, so closely that you can ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon, as the local line goes. Glass towers crowd a peninsula with the North Shore peaks rising directly behind, and Stanley Park, a huge, forested park on the tip of the peninsula, wraps around the downtown with a seawall path and old-growth cedar. Gastown, the historic quarter, takes its name from a talkative saloon keeper, Gassy Jack Deighton, whose statue stands in the square.
The Sea-to-Sky Highway, Highway 99, leaves from the Lions Gate Bridge, a graceful suspension span opened in 1938, and rises along the edge of Howe Sound, a deep fjord with mountains tumbling straight into the water. The road is one of the best in Canada, with smooth tarmac, curves that follow the cliff edge and views across to the islands. It was widened and improved for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and it is now safer, though traffic is heavy on summer weekends. Squamish, about an hour north, lies at the foot of the Stawamus Chief, a huge granite dome beloved by rock climbers, and nearby Shannon Falls drops more than three hundred metres. Further on is Whistler, the ski resort, and Pemberton beyond.
The road continues beyond Pemberton as the Duffey Lake Road, which crosses the Coast Mountains in a wilder fashion, with tight bends, steep grades and a great view of glaciers and turquoise lakes. It is less forgiving than the first part, and the surface can be damp and patchy, so ride carefully. Rain is the great theme of Vancouver's weather, particularly from October to March, when grey skies can persist for weeks, but in summer the days are long, dry and warm. In late spring and early autumn, the mountains offer clear air and fewer visitors. Snow can linger on the high passes until early summer.
In the city itself, practicalities are no problem, with fuel stations, motorcycle dealers and repair shops. Eat well before leaving: Vancouver has superb sushi, dim sum and fresh salmon, and its coffee culture is serious. Parking downtown is expensive, so find a secure lot in advance. Bring waterproofs, whatever the forecast, because weather on the coast can turn within an hour, and wildlife, including bears, appears on some of the northern sections.