Vancouver best city in the Americas according to Conde Nast

[yvr girl]

Vancouver Island voted best island in the Americas (beating out Nantucket and PEI.) President Kerry, feel free to come here and windsurf or kite sail anytime. We won't judge you for it.

[serryjw]

1. I want to MOVE there. Tell me about it?

Can I work? What do apts go for? Where do I live?

[yvr girl]

2. It is a very livable city, a bit pricey though

I know lots of Americans who live and work here, so it's doable. You might be able to qualify under NAFTA.

I live on the west side (not to be confused with the West End or West Vancouver.) My 1 bedroom is $700 and is an amazing deal. If you want a west side apartment I would bargain on $800-$1000 for a basic place. More if you want to be near the beach or downtown.

Vancouver is a fusion of cultures. Within a few blocks of my house, I can find sushi, Chinese, Indian, Southern, Thai, German, Korean, Maylasian and West Coast restaurants. Just to name a few. On a typical outing, you will hear several languages spoken.

You may have heard about BC bud, but our real drug of choice is coffee. There are 67 Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of my home. There are also plenty of other coffee houses.

Vancouver is a sporty city. We have miles of beaches to walk along. Stanley Park which is partially old growth forest is right downtown and is much larger than Central Park in NYC. People here do the 'Grind.' The aim is to have your time under the 60 minute mark. (It is a walk up a ski hill - you can always take the gondola.)

Below are some links you might find useful.

http://www.bcpassport.com/index.php

http://www.movingincanada.com/BritishColumbia/VancouverNeighbourhoods-Info.htm

http://www.vancouver.worldweb.com/SightsAttractions/Neighbourhoods/

http://www.foundlocally.com/Vancouver/index.htm

[venus]

3. I wish I had gone there for vacation

back in August. It was a toss-up between Banf Canadian Rockies and Vancouver / Olympia Nat'l Park. My husband chose Banf. It was beautiful and squeaky clean, but my heart longed for the lushness of Olympia and Vancouver.

[serryjw]

4. Thanks....and your recommendation

for a single middle age woman?Where is the single nightlife? I like public transportation and lots of things to do in the day and evening. Are you familiar with NYC? It sounds like it is less than NYC and about what a nice 1 bedroom would rent for in LA. LA is now running about $1500 for a nice 1 bedroom in a good area.

[yvr girl]

5. Yaletown is the place for nightlife

It used to be a warehouse district. Now it's all upscale condos, restaurants, furniture stores and clubs.

I love New York. Vancouver reminds me of it in a few ways. Our downtown is very vital. A lot of people live downtown either in Yaletown or the West End. So there are always people out and about.

Public transportation is good in Vancouver proper. It's a bit more annoying in the burbs if you live away from the skytrain route.

$1500 is about the right ballpark. Maybe in bit more in Yaletown. The rental market is pretty good right now. There's been a huge boom in real estate sales. Many people have bought their own place, which has given us such more needed rental vacancies.

Tourism Vancouver hypes the fact that you can ski and sail on the same day in Vancouver. There are lots of sports and outdooractivites. We also have several small theatres, and get most large travelling shows.

[serryjw]

6. Thanks....lots of info n/t

[Huckebein the Raven]

8. Vancouver is on my list for where I would like to live

sorry we took your team though. :)

[Donovanf]

7. My Grandma and Grandpa

retired out there. I loved to go visit them. On a side note very cheap wine and salmon to be found. On a further side note very cheap weed and shrooms to found, or atleast i hear.
Also they lived on the leeward side or east side so it wasn't as rainy as say vancouver or the west side. The climate was very mediterranean.

[Huckebein the Raven]

9. How's the mass transit system in Vancouver ?

and is traffic a problem there ?

[yvr girl]

10. I'm assuming you're speaking of the Grizzlies

It's not like they were any good. But I did enjoy the NBA experience.

Transit is ok in Vancouver proper. Not so good in the burbs unless you live near the skytrain. It should be getting better with the Olympics on the way.

[HEyHEY]

11. Depends where in the Burbs

It's good in Pomo and the tri-cities I don't know about Langley, delta etc.

I used to get on the West Coast Express in Pomo and be in my office on West GEorgia in a half hour.

[Hand]

13. They have a really cool elevated train....

...and traffic is a BITCH. More or less standard stuff.

[HEyHEY]

12. Was there any doubt? It IS my hometown!

[Hand]

14. Weirdly enough...

I was talking to a girl here in Halifax whose father had been transferred out of Vancouver. She said that everyone out there told her that Halifax was the place to be!

:wtf:

Of course, there was the time I was flying out of Vancouver and got into conversation with a guy at the airport. When I told him I was headed to Halifax, his eyes bulged and he exclaimed, "HALIFAX??? Who'd you piss off?"

:+