North Vancouver
Nestled in on the bottom of Grouse and Seymour Mountains, this thriving community has everything you would want and is just a ‘stones throw’ away from downtown Vancouver.
Located on the North Shore of Burrard Inlet, East of the Capilano River, the District of North Vancouver boasts some of the most lovely panoramic views in the world. The rolling hills offer incredible mountain, ocean and city vistas. Many of the homes are built to capture these views. Tall, graceful cedar trees dotted throughout the city reflect the temperate rainforest climate.
Historically the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations who lived on the North Shore first shared their lands with European settlers in the 1860's, when the area's first sawmill was established. The District of North Vancouver was established in 1891, at which time more than 100 people lived in the area. The area grew and prospered, and was connected first by bridge in 1926. Many of the older homes in the area have been renovated and continue to grace the area.
When you're in North Vancouver you never have far to go to get to a park or to recreation. This City of North Vancouver has a fantastic array of Recreation Centers, with services geared to children, families, adults and seniors. The parks are stupendous. Right in town there are creeks and plenty of green spaces, but head to the mountains and the options are virtually limitless. You can ski or snowboard at Grouse or Seymour Mountains, hike the Lynn Valley Headwaters, mountain bike, hang-glide, climb, or go horseback riding. Head to the water in Deep Cove and there's kayaking, canoeing, or sailing.
While many North Vancouverites commute to Vancouver to work on one of the 2 major Bridges that join North Vancouver to Vancouver – the Lion's Gate Bridge and the Ironworker's Memorial (2nd Narrows) Bridge across from Lonsdale Quay to Waterfront Station and you can also take the Seabus across from Lonsdale Quay to Waterfront Station and be right downtown within minutes. However, there are a lot of people who just love being on the North Shore so much that they prefer to live and work there, and save the commute across the bridge for visits to cultural events downtown.
Many families chose to make North Vancouver their home, and besides the excellent schools, there are lots of local programs to support children, youth and families. There are also plenty of arts programs and venues featuring music, theatre and festivals.
Marine Drive and Lonsdale Avenue are the 2 main streets for shopping in the area, as well as Lynn Valley Mall. On Marine Drive you'll mostly find larger stores and chain stores, while mid-Lonsdale is more boutique oriented. Lower Lonsdale hosts a number of great restaurants, and of course the wonderful Lonsdale Quay, a market-style mix of produce, shops and fast-food.