Mention “walking tour” and some travelers cringe.  I understand.  There are only so many narrow, cobbled streets I can wander down before I get bored and start thinking about lunch.

But with an elaborate network of seawalls and pedestrian walkways along its waterfront, Vancouver might convert even the staunchest anti-walker.   Part of the appeal is the rawness of the landscape.  The city’s “urban” walkways wind through old-growth forest and past beaches strewn with boulders, driftwood and even naked hippies.  The other attraction is that, while the walk might feel at times like a backcountry trek, there are restaurants, bars and a few 7-11s along the way. [Read more…]