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According to Statistics Canada, Vancouverites read more, shop more, dine out more, drink more wine, smoke less, and take longer coffee breaks than fellow Canadians. They spend more money on sports equipment, and there are more tennis players, more boats, more fitness classes, and more running shoes sold than anywhere else in Canada. Nowhere is this lifestyle more vibrantly evident than on Vancouver's West Side.

The West Side's sandy beaches stretch from Wreck Beach with its clothing-optional sunbathing, near UBC in Point Grey, to Spanish Banks with its half-mile expanse of shallow warm water at low tide, to Locarno Beach and Jericho Beach with its sailing club, and the ongoing parade of sun-bronzed twenty-somethings at Kits Beach.

After your swim, savour the fish and chips from one of the concession stands on the beach, and top it off with one of umpteen flavors of frozen low-fat or no-fat. Or enjoy a brew from one of the small restaurants and pubs near both Jericho and Kits beaches, many of which have sidewalk patios.

Besides its beaches, Kitsilano is known for its restaurants, its shopping, and its colorful upscale-lifestyle, well-educated (ex-UBC student), upwardly mobile (but down-to-earth) populace. The stores and restaurants in the main shopping areas, from Burrard to Alma along West 4th or Broadway (which would be West 9th if it had a number), reflect these attributes.

Restaurants serve up specialties from dozens of world cuisines, reflecting the ethnic diversity of literally dozens of cultural

If you're looking for something to do in the evening, take a dip at Kits Pool (open until sunset) or try one of the neighborhood pubs, or just go for a stroll along the sea wall, which connects all of the beaches on the West Side (and further to Stanley Park, if you have several hours).

Must-see tourist destinations include the HR MacMillan Planetarium and Pacific Space Center where you can voyage through the cosmos with a multimedia astronomy show beamed onto a 20-meter dome. The Planetarium also hosts the Vancouver TheatreSports League, which presents hilarious improv. At the nearby Vancouver Museum you can stroll through life-size recreations of Vancouver's colorful early history, and the Maritime Museum, home of the St. Roch, the first vessel to navigate the Northwest Passage.

Furthest west is Point Grey, which has excellent restaurants along West 10th west of Trimble, and of course the beautiful campus of the University of British Columbia. At the university, you can take tours of the classical Nitobe Japanese gardens, and Canada's oldest botanical garden, which has over 70 acres of plants from around the world.

Under the south side of the Granville Street Bridge is the False Creek area, home to Granville Island. Previously a historical, waterfront industrial center, it is now a must-visit shopping, eating, strolling and being entertained destination. False Creek is home to cafes, boat yards, live theatre, restaurants, galleries, high-end craft and art stores, a hotel, bookstores, and a microbrewery.

False Creek is the home of the Emily Carr College of Art and Design, the Arts Club Mainstage and Revue Theatres and the Waterfront Theatre. It is a haven for artists, many of whom not only sell their wares but demonstrate their crafts, such as glass blowing and weaving. The Kids Only Market offers specialty shops with clothes, toys, books and food for kids. You can even rent a kayak (at Granville Island or Jericho Beach).

False Creek is also an excellent venue for viewing festivals such as North America's largest Champion Dragon Boat Festival, the DuMaurier International Jazz Festival and the International Comedy Festival, all of which have ticketed and free events. Kitsilano's nearby Vanier Park is also home to Bard on the Beach, reasonably priced Shakespeare performed in tents on the beach overlooking picturesque English Bay.

Take the ferry over to the downtown core where you'll find an abundance of shopping, eateries, and a Starbucks around nearly every corner. Once downtown, you can visit areas such as Yaletown, the West end, Gastown and the Coal Harbour area. Here you can enjoy the beautiful scenery at English Bay or spend the day browsing in the many shops you'll find on the always busy Robson Street.

Whether you are in the mood for shopping, walking, coffee, or entertainment, you'll find it all on the West Side.