One of my favorite things about Vancouver is the Lions Gate bridge, the three-lane thoroughfare that links the downtown core to that nature lover's paradise known to locals as the "North Shore".

It's no Golden Gate, but the Lions Gate bridge has a beauty unto its own. With the majestic stone lions framing the north bound entry to the bridge, a trip across it—either on foot, by bike or in a car—rewards you with spectacular views of the North Shore mountains (world famous for its downhill mountain bike trails), Burrard Inlet (where Alaskan cruise ships and cargo tankers float by), and the neighboring Gulf Islands (a year round playground for boaters and fishermen).

The bridge is adjacent to the dense forest trails of 1000-acre Stanley Park, and hangs above the more than five-mile swath of its seawall, a winding paved path that was made for Sunday strolling.