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Indoor and outdoor places to

spend your summer

» Accommodations with sun and air conditioning!

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| Cazzy Lewchuk
Staff Writer

Varco: is a beautiful city
that we're lucky to call home.
Thousands of people visit our city
every year to see the sights and
enjoy its attractions, and there’s
no better time to do it than the
summer. Free from the rain
that falls continuously for most
months of the year, this season is
a chance to truly enjoy what the
Vancouver region has to offer.

But like the moon, the
sun too has a dark side. Going
outdoors is fine for a little while,
but pretty soon you're sunburned,
dehydrated, sweating profusely,
and wishing for the sweet release
of air conditioning (or maybe
death). Fortunately, there’s plenty
to do that involves enjoying the
sunshine and the zest of summer
while still allowing for the
opportunity to get away from the

: temperature when needed.

Vancouver Aquarium:

: Located in the middle of Stanley
: Park is the Vancouver Aquarium.
: Many parts of the aquarium,

: including their major exhibits,

: are outdoors but several other

: parts are located inside. You

: can still see many exciting sea

: creatures in an air-conditioned
: indoor environment, including
: viewing areas for the outdoor

: pens of dolphins and belugas.

: As another bonus, many of

: the shows involve splashing

: cool water onto the audience

: as another way of beating the

: heat. And although portions

: are indoors, you might want to

: carry a drink with you as some

: areas can be pretty hot due to

: temperatures being maintained
: for cold-blooded creatures.

Gastown: A historic

: “vintage” tourist attraction,

: visiting Gastown involves

: wandering through several

: outdoor streets. However, the

: structure of the area allows most

: of the walking to take place in

: the coverage of shade provided

: by the buildings. And of course,

: there are plenty of buildings to

: stop into—restaurants, pubs, and
: shops, among others. :
Commercial Drive: Located :
: in the heart of East Vancouver,

: this quirky neighbourhood

: features a long sprawl of

: beautiful streets. Trout Lake and
: Grandview Park are two major

: outdoor public areas to spend the :
: day. Beautiful scenic views and

: playful people are sure to keep

: your spirits high. When you can’t
: stand another second outside,

: there’s a huge variety of stores,

: restaurants, and pubs to cool off
: in.

Breweries/distilleries: In

: various locations throughout

: the Lower Mainland, breweries

: or distilleries offer a firsthand

: look into where your favourite

: alcoholic beverages come from.

: Touring the facilities provides an
: educational experience for free or :
: forasmall fee, and almost always

: include a sampling.

False Creek: One of the

: most beautiful spots in the area.
: False Creek overlooks the water
: and provides many trails and
: walkways to look at the view.

There are many shaded areas to

: walk around in or sit and relax,

: and Science World overlooks the
: area if you get tired of the great

: outdoors.

New Westminster Quay:
Located a block away from the

: New Westminster SkyTrain

: Station and Douglas College,

: this quay is a beautiful scenic

: sea walk. It features local art, a

: spectacular view of the Fraser

: River, and even a hidden beach
: area with hammocks and

: volleyball courts. There’s lots

: of shade to be found around,

: but when the temperature gets

: too high to tolerate, there are

: also many restaurants and pubs
: available for indoor relaxation.

Bard on the Beach: Western :
: Theatre holds late-night cult
: classics, among others.

Canada’s largest Shakespeare

: festival! Despite the title, all

     
 

Image via darlenefoster.com

: of the theatre productions are

: actually performed in elaborate

: tents just outside the beach at

: Vanier Park. The tents allow fora
: cool sea breeze to balance the hot
: summer air, so you can enjoy the

: sunshine but still stay protected

: from heat. All the plays are

: performed by professionals, and

: usually altered and lighthearted

: enough to not be off-putting

: toa Shakespeare novice. The

: surrounding beach area allows for
: an outing before or after the play
: as well.

Movie theatres: When

: all else fails, Metro Vancouver

: features a wide variety of cinemas
: to relax in. You can become

: immersed in an imaginary world

: munching popcorn ina large

: air-conditioned dark room for

: couple of hours. Various Cineplex
: locations host the current

: blockbusters, the Vancity Theatre
: has independent art films and

documentaries, and the Rio