Native Americans are thought to have inhabited the area for thousands of years before European explorers came in the late 1790s and early 1800s. However it was the Fraser Gold Rush in 1858 that brought more men who founded several settlements along the Fraser River. Logging mills also sprang up in the 1860s, including one known as Hastings Mill which, along with an accompanying tavern, became the nucleus of a settlement that came to be known as "Gastown" (which today remains a neighbourhood). With the 1886 arrival of the CPR transcontinental railroad and more colonists, the city was renamed after British military officer and explorer George Vancouver.
The city is one of the most temperate in Canada, with a dry summer climate similar to that of the Mediterranean. The scenic location and oceanfront has helped the city to become a major tourist destination, with over 10 million people visiting annually. Attractions include many museums, public gardens, and parks. Look carefully and one might even spot a celebrity or two, because Vancouver also is a popular location for television and film shoots.
Official site www.vancouver.ca
Tourism Vancouver www.tourismvancouver.ca