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Whether you need to know local public holidays or highlights through the seasons, we hope you will find the facts gathered below useful tools for your travel planning. Please feel free to contact us if we can assist you further.

General information

Although the English sailor Captain George Vancouver landed on its beaches in 1792, Vancouver really began nearly 100 years later when the Canadian Pacific Railway extended its line 20 kilometres (12 miles) westward from Port Moody to take advantage of a better harbour and terminal site. Today Vancouver is an international Pacific Rim city known for its majestic mountains, beautiful parks and beaches and thriving business community.

The towering Coast Mountains and the shimmering Pacific Ocean create an unbeatable urban setting for a city that Mercer Consulting described in January 2000 as "the number one city in the world for quality of life." As the third-largest city in Canada, this bustling port of 2.1 million enjoys rich cultural and ethnic diversity. Exceptionally safe and clean, Vancouver reflects both the natural grandeur of its surroundings and the genuine warmth of its residents – two elements that make Vancouver "Spectacular by Nature."

Time zone

GMT -8 hours
Pacific Standard Time

Language(s) spoken

English

Electrical system

Local voltage is 110 to 120 volts AC. Adapters available; please request through the Concierge.

Shopping hours

Monday to Friday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm (Some stores open until 9:00 pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night)
Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm
(Hours may vary.)

Working hours

Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm

Time and distance to city centre

The Hotel is located in the city centre.

Time and distance to shopping

• Pacific Shopping Centre: 140 stores located just beneath the Hotel (entrance on ground level)
• Robson Street: 5-minute walk/0.3 kilometres/0.2 miles
• Gastown/Sinclair Centre: 10-minute walk/0.5 kilometres/0.3 miles
• Chinatown: 10-minute drive/2 kilometres/1.2 miles
• Granville Island: 10-minute drive/3 kilometres/2 miles
• South Granville: 10-minute drive/3 kilometres/2 miles
• Yaletown: 5-minute drive/1.5 kilometres/1 mile
• Metrotown Centre Mall: 30-minute drive/19 kilometres/12 miles

Time and distance to financial district

The Hotel is located in the heart of the financial and business district.

View in–depth travel advice from Frommers.com

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Seasonal highlights

The city of Vancouver surrounds you with its diversity of cultures and moods. A casual West Coast attitude and mild Pacific climate prevail. Sports, recreation, arts and culture thrive year-round. Underlying it all is attentive Four Seasons service to make everything possible. Our goal is to ensure that your stay with us is the finest Vancouver can offer.

If you are visiting at the beginning of January, you may see crowds of people heading into English Bay for the annual Polar Bear swim on New Year's Day. With a ski season that often lasts into April, Vancouver is a unique city where you can find glistening snowy slopes and beautifully green golf courses all in the same day.

Here are just a few of the many highlights:

April-September

• Playland - Pacific National Exhibition Park. Rollercoasters, bumpercars and a variety of other games, as well as a midway packed with games of chance. Step right up and win a prize! Call (604) 253-2311 for more information.

June

• Ongoing - Trainer Tours - Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre. This little adventure will take guests behind the scenes at the Vancouver Aquarium. Join the animal care staff for a feeding and training session with the harbour seals, sea otters or stellar lions.
• Be entertained by great outdoor theatre, like Bard of the Beach in Vanier Park or Theatre Under The Stars in Stanley Park. Call (604) 280-4444 for more information.

June-July

• Du Maurier Jazz Festival

June-September

• The Vancouver Canadians Baseball - Nat Bailey Stadium. Come and check out the Oakland A's A farm team. Old fashioned outdoor stadium provides fun for the whole family. Call (604) 872-5232 for more information.
• The Vancouver Whitecaps Soccer - Swangard Stadium, Burnaby. The Pacific Coast A League features some of the top players in Canada, the US and Mexico. Call (604) 280-4444 for more information.
• The BC Lions Football - BC Place Stadium. Come and cheer on one the Canadian Football League's strongest teams. See if you can spot the subtle differences from American football. Call (604) 280-4444 for more information.

July-August

• Celebration of Light (fireworks competition)

August

• Wooden Boat Festival. Call (604) 666-5784 for more information.

October

• The Comedy Festival

November

• Hockey fans can witness Vancouver's home team, the Vancouver Canucks, as they challenge visiting teams througout the NHL season.

• Visit the Canuck's official website.

December

• Grouse Mountain - Take a 15-minute gondola ride to the peak of Vancouver to enjoy the snow and a spectacular view of the city. At the top, you can visit Santa and his real reindeer, take a sleigh ride through the snow and enjoy holiday movies in the theatre.
• Festival of Trees - Located throughout the lobbies of the Four Seasons Hotel are over 50 beautifully decorated trees, each one trimmed in their own unique style.