 BC Ferry in Horseshoe Bay, Edward Gifford photo While the city of Vancouver enjoys a population of approximately 560,000, Greater Vancouver - spread out along the banks of the lower Fraser River - boasts a population of nearly two million. Vancouver, Coast & Mountains accounts for just four per cent of BC's total land mass, but 60 per cent of its population.
The Sunshine Coast - just northwest of Vancouver and accessible only by ferry - is famous for its provincial marine parks and inviting saltwater inlets. As a point of interest, the Sunshine Coast is home to one of the largest per-capita populations of artists in the country.
The Sea-to-Sky Highway serves as the gateway to the Coast Mountains and ranks as one of the world's most scenic drives. Following the spectacular Howe Sound shoreline, sections of the highway between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish are cut out of a cliff. Continuing north is the glaciated landscape of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Lastly, the crown jewel of the area, the resort town of Whistler, sits in all its glory beneath the twin peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.
The Trans Canada Highway east out of Vancouver takes travellers into the lush Fraser Valley. Stands and farms selling fresh produce dot the area of rolling farmlands and historic villages.
North of the town of Hope, the highway follows the rushing Fraser River upstream through the Fraser Canyon. Here, visitors can see the sharp transition from coastal rainforests to the sagebrush and yellow grasses of the province's dry interior.
Regardless of where you travel through the region, its natural splendours - alpine meadows, waterfalls, forest, wildlife, wide-open valleys, salty ocean air and the most staggering mountain ranges - are sure to impress.
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