Welcome to British Columbia!
The Lower Mainland comprises the southwest corner of the mainland of British Columbia. The western boundary is the Pacific Ocean. The eastern and northern boundries are the Coast Mountains. The most popular destinations in this region are Vancouver and Whistler. This is also the "jumping off" point for Vancouver Island which is just a two hour ferry ride away.
Vancouver Island is a large, sparsely populated area with one of the world's most diverse ecosystems: rainforests, marshes, meadows, beaches, mountains, oceans, rivers and lakes. It is home to multitudes of wildlife species and is one of the world's premier locations for whale watching, birding, as well as salmon and trout fishing. The most popular destinations are Victoria, Tofino/Long Beach, Parksville/Qualicum and Campbell River.
Vancouver
Vancouver is not a city which offers or requires lots of relentless sightseeing. Its breathtaking physical beauty makes it a place where often it's enough just to wander and watch the world go by. In summer you'll probably end up doing what the locals do, if not actually sailing, hiking, skiing, fishing or whatever, then certainly going to the beach, lounging in one of the parks or spending time in waterfront cafés.
In addition to the myriad leisure activities, however, there are a handful of sights that make worthwhile viewing by any standards. You'll inevitably spend a good deal of time in the downtown area and its Victorian-era equivalent, Gastown. Nearby Chinatown, too, could easily absorb a morning, and contains more than its share of interesting shops, restaurants and rumbustiously busy streets. For a taste of the city's sensual side, hit Stanley Park, a huge area of semi-wild parkland and beaches that crowns the northern tip of the downtown peninsula. Take a walk or a bike ride here and follow it up with a stroll to the beach. This is also the location of the Vancouver Aquarium, which is well worth a visit. Be certain to spend a morning on Granville Island, by far the city's most tempting spot for wandering and people-watching. If you prefer a cultural slant on things, hit the formidable Museum of Anthropology or the museums of the Vanier Park complex, the latter easily accessible from Granville Island.
Whistler
Two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada's finest four-season resort, and frequently ranks among most people's world top-five winter ski resorts. In 1996, for the first time ever, Ski, Snow Country and Skiing magazines were unanimous in voting it North America's top skiing destination. Skiing and snowboarding are clearly the main activities, but all manner of other winter sports are possible and in summer the lifts keep running to provide supreme highline hiking and other outdoor activities (not to mention North America's finest summer skiing). Standards are high, and for those raised on the queues and waits at European resorts, the ease with which you can get onto the slopes here will come as a pleasant surprise.