Vancouver is Canada's emerald jewel. It's simply a beautiful place to be: From downtown you can see the blue-green Pacific Ocean, as well as glacial fjords and steep mountains capped with snow and covered in dense old-growth forest. The other reason we love Vancouver is because of its multicultural flair. The city has long been a home to people from all over the globe, especially from China and other parts of Asia.

The overall atmosphere is relaxed and outdoorsy, yet cosmopolitan: It's the kind of place where outdoor gear shops coexist with high-fashion boutiques. Add in the city's fondness for the arts and its generally health-conscious and laid-back residents, and you've got a comfortable city that has something for nearly everyone. Only the persistent drizzle and gray skies of winter and spring keep Vancouver from being a total paradise. Copyright © 2004 Yahoo! Inc.