Coming to Vancouver

When I visited, I was inspired by just exploring the city itself, and the landscape is of course breathtaking as well. I took my camera everywhere. I didn't do much UX specific, or in the arts / museum & gallery scene, which would be worth a look. 

VFS is there, if you have any academic connections. Gaming giant EA is based in Vancouver. There is a very active film industry, lots of movies and TV shows shot all around Vancouver.  AIGA posted some good tourist tips for Vancouver, repeating some of what I've got here but also with lots of other info: http://powerofdesign.aiga.org/cultureguide/flash_content/index.html

If the weather is nice, get outside. Grouse is a short (~20 min) drive north form Stanley Park, it has a huge gondola ($$) and a great restaurant (wonderful place to watch the sunset - you can see all the way to WA). you can go on boat tours, seaplane or helicopter tours (check the marina east of the park). Off season discounts are available. 

For a cheaper, easier, more active trip, rent bikes at the marina and ride around Stanley Park. A long but gorgeous and satisfying ride that ends next to a city park in a district full of restaurants. There are good restaurants around the marina too, like Cardero's. If you're on the cheap, head a few blocks into downtown to eat (or the other side of the park). Chinatown is also very near the marina. As in any big city, stay alert walking downtown, there is a large drug addict/homeless population, particularly as you head east from downtown. There's a huge tent city a block east of the VFS office.  

Granville Island is worth a stop, it's a little touristy, but in an arty way (think Pike Place in Seattle). Art galleries, specialty shops, a wonderful food court, artists galleries/handmade goods. Great place to buy gifts for those back home. 

Random tip: Everybody likes to talk about food, so I like to ask the locals for recommendations. You just have to use your intuition/detective skills to pick your targets. One of the best recommendations I got was from a family in Chinatown in Seattle. I spotted a Chinese family walking together silently, looking a little bored, as if they walked down that street every Sunday. I asked where to get good Dim Sum. Without hesitation, the matriarch replied "There is no good dim sum in Seattle." I nodded, smiled knowingly, and waited. The son then chimed in, "But the Purple Dot is alright." The mother shrugged. And so it was. 

I like to have a game plan, but I also like to let myself be led and inspired by the people and surroundings. Isn't that what we do as designers? :)

Have a great time. 

I live and work in Vancouver. Here are my suggestions:

1. Museum of Anthropology at UBC (cool Left Coast native art)
2. Vancouver Aquarium (cute but caged sea creatures)
3. Grouse Mountain is fun (do Grouse Grind, the hike to the top, if you want some exercise)
4. Gas Town and 6 Acres Pub for the best beer selection in town, plus good peeps
5. Vancouver Art Gallery downtown...always cool stuff there and central to most of the stuff I'm talking about
6. W2 Communtiy Arts Centre in Gastown. Hipster central with cool art projects and interesting talks
7. Kitsilano Beach for some city beach trolling, chillaxing west coast style.
8. Kintaro Ramen on Denman and Robson...awesome ramen
9. A stroll through Stanley Park. It's the pride of our city. (same place as Aquarium)
10. Commercial Drive...where most of the cool kids in town hang out, album shops, clothes, grub.
11. Whistler Blackcomb--best ski resort 10 years in a row. Serious Terrain. Bring your best legs.
12. Sea to Sky HIghway - most scenic drive you may have have in your life.
13. Ferry Trip to one of our many hippy infested islands. I mean that in a fun way. I love our infeasted hippies.

Enjoy your stay.

Darrell