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Perhaps the most compelling reason to visit North Vancouver (known colloquially as North Van) is the trip itself - preferably by SeaBus - which provides views of not only the downtown skyline but also the teeming port area, a side of the city that's otherwise easily missed. Most of North Van itself is residential, as is neighbouring West Vancouver, whose cosseted citizens boast the highest per capita income in Canada. You'll probably cross to the north shore less for these leafy suburbs than to sample the outstanding areas of natural beauty here: Lynn Canyon, Grouse Mountain, Capilano Gorge (the most popular excursion), Mount Seymour and Lighthouse Park . All nestle in the mountains that rear up dramatically almost from the West Van waterfront, the proximity of Vancouver's residential areas to genuine wilderness being one of the city's most remarkable aspects. Your best bet if you wish to hike , and want the wildest scenery close to downtown, is Mount Seymour . Most of North Vancouver is within a single bus ride of Lonsdale Quay , the north shore's SeaBus terminal. Buses to all points leave from two parallel bays immediately in front of you as you leave the boat - blue West Van buses are run by an independent company but accept BC Transit tickets. If you've bought a ticket to come over on the SeaBus, remember you have ninety minutes of transfer time to ride buses from the time of purchase, which should be long enough to get you to most of the destinations covered here. The Lonsdale Quay Market , to the right of the buses, is worth making the crossing for whether or not you intend to explore further. While not as vibrant as Granville Island Market, it's still an appealing place, with great food stalls and takeaways, plus walkways looking out over the port, tugs and moored fishing boats.
Your Tip for North Vancouver
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