Over the past 30 years my
travels in golf have led me to many beautiful places. When people would ask me
what my favorite city was I would always say San Francisco. From now on I will have to say
Vancouver, British Columbia, which I visited for the
first time this summer. Vancouver is a city of
fantastic vistas including harbors leading to oceans, mountains, bridges, parks
and the most spectacular skyline this side of Hong Kong.
Vancouver is
also set to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. On this trip we stayed at the
Four Seasons in Vancouver
and Whistler. There is an abundance of great golf in the area including the
Furry Creek Golf and Country Club and the Nicklaus North Golf Course.
“Jaw-dropping” best describes
the views in Vancouver.
We came to Vancouver by ferry, which landed in
scenic HorseshoeBay. On the ferry we caught a glimpse of
the large modern skyline of Vancouver
to the south. The British Columbia
ferry unloads you in your car right onto the freeway just 15 minutes from
downtown. British Columbia
ferries do an excellent job, a job that our own public transportation system
should take note of. After a few minute’s drive we came to the glorious LyonsGateBridge, which took us through StanleyPark and then to downtown Vancouver. StanleyPark is home to the Vancouver Aquarium
and serves as a lush, wooded oasis from the nearby city. We actually walked
from the Four Seasons to the Aquarium and then back along the West Vancouver
Seawall, which offered great views of the city. On the way back we spotted a
sea otter munching on what I suspect was a large salmon. On the subject, British Columbia has the
best salmon I have ever tasted. More on that later, but for now, Vancouver is a very
modern city with most of the tall buildings having been built since 1986 just
after the World Expo. One of those buildings is the Harbour
Centre, home to the Vancouver Lookout. This is a must see for the first time
visitor as you can view the entire area. For more info visit www.vancouverlookout.com.
The Four Seasons Vancouver is
the favorite destination for those in the know. Four Seasons stands alone in
customer service. There is no task that the hotel will not undertake to ensure
a pleasant stay for the customer. The Four Seasons is located in the heart of
the financial district and just across the street from the VancouverArt Museum.
Everything is close and we actually walked to see a spectacularinternational fireworks display at the
nearby EnglishBay. We dined at the hotel’s Chartwell Restaurant home to famed chef Rafael Gonzalez,
who spent most of his career in Miami.
I had a sampling of seafood and meat and both were expertly prepared. Chartwell is a small intimate restaurant with the kind of
service one would expect from a Four Seasons. The Hotel also has the Seasons
Restaurant for a more casual dining experience. I found the hotels pool and
fitness center very unusual in a good way. You can work out and watch your kids
swim in the pool terrace area just steps away. If you are hungry you could
order lunch at the fitness center café and still keep an eye on those in the
pool. The entire pool-fitness area has a very unique design incorporating waterscapes
weaving around the indoor-outdoor pool. You could easily forget that you are in
the heart of a big city. For more information visit www.fourseason.com/vancouver.
There are several golf options including Northview
Golf and Country Club or Furry Creek Golf and Country Club. We stopped at Furry
Creek, which is on the Howe Sound, about 45 minutes north of town. Even if you
do not want to play golf, I would suggest making this drive and to discover why
they call British Columbia
“Supernatural,” with its huge green mountains rising up from sparkling blue
water and an occasional boat crossing in front of you.
On to Whistler Whistler is known for skiing but is also home to
many great golf courses. Again we stayed at the Four Seasons. Whistler is a
bustling mountain resort that will play host to many of the 2010 Olympic venues.
The Four Seasons is once again the best place to stay in Whistler. The Hotel is
in the middle of the “UpperVillage” but within
walking distance of golf and ski slopes. We dined at the hotel’s Fifty Two 80
Bistro, which overlooks a very pleasant waterscape. The food and service were both top notch. The hotel has a luxurious spa including
a state-of-the-art fitness center and a relaxing pool/spa area. The hotel has a
close relationship with the nearby Nicklaus North Golf Course, which includes
spectacular views of snow-capped peaks, emerald lakes and local wildlife. Whistler
is about an hour and a half drive from Vancouver.
For more information visit www.fourseasons.com/whistler.
