Claire Suddaby discovers that with its vibrant urban heart and green lungs beyond, Vancouver is truly a destination for everybody to enjoy . . .

A couple enjoying the sunshine at Jericho Beach Park

Whether you arrive by air, road or rail, the first view of Vancouver can take your breath away. The Canadian city enjoys a dramatic natural setting along a series of inlets, so even its downtown area hugs the waterfront.

Iconic buildings by world-famous architects, including Norman Foster, have been unveiled ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics, to be co-hosted with the resort of Whistler some 70 miles away.

Justifiably, its proud residents happily boast: “In our city, you can ski, sail and play golf on the same day.”

Perched on the “edge of nature” – to borrow a quote from an enthusiastic local – Vancouver blends the sophistication of a vibrant urban centre with life in the great outdoors.

Many visitors link a stay in Vancouver with a trip across the Rockies, or perhaps a cruise – this year alone, some 300 such ships will dock here – but this is a destination with something for everyone.

It is also an easy place to explore and enjoy. Turn any corner and you find a view – of water, mountains or both.

There’s a certain serenity, too. Even in the bustling commercial centre, among the glass and steel skyscrapers that have transformed the skyline in the past decade or so, you’re unlikely to see anyone in much of a rush.

My base, the new 60-storey Shangri-La Hotel and apartments, towered above the city.

The locals say Vancouver is the largest city to host the Winter Games, and also the warmest.

Canada is taking the four-yearly Olympics very, very seriously. It expects to top the medals table, and tickets are already at a premium with events such as ice hockey and curling taking place in the city itself and some alpine sports on nearby Cypress mountain.

The great outdoors is never very far away in Vancouver. Less than 30 minutes outside the city centre is the famous playground of Grouse Mountain.

Great food stuffs on offer

A ski resort in the winter, in summer it offers plenty for the less energetic. Ride the gondola or arrive in style with a helicopter trip that offers soaring views of the city and the mountains before swooping down on the tiniest landing pad.

If you feel energetic, tackle the challenge of the Grouse Grind, a 2,800ft elevation ascent on foot via the steep slopes of the mountain. At the summit you’ll find quality restaurants and outdoor attractions including a grizzly bear enclosure and wildlife walks.

You don’t have to be an outdoors type to enjoy Vancouver. I spent four days there without doing anything more energetic than a stroll around Stanley Park, watching sea otters in Burrard Inlet and beluga whales in the aquarium.

Walking is the ideal way to explore the compact centre. If you tire, hop on the bus or trolley tours which allow you to get on and off at numerous stops.

Shop on eclectic Robson Street, buy high-quality but under-rated British Columbia wine at any corner liquor store and marvel at the variety of architecture so often seen on TV and in film. Vancouver is, with good reason, sometimes dubbed “the Hollywood of the North”.

Teen vampire flick Twilight is the latest hit filmed there, but don’t forget to stop and stare at the art-deco masterpiece that is the Marine Building (or the Daily Planet building if you’re a Smallville fan).

Don’t underestimate its cultural attractions: High-quality theatre, including Shakespeare in the open-air against a backdrop of the ocean; ballet; museums; and a public library designed to look like Rome’s Coliseum.

Whether you’re kayaking along False Creek in the centre of town, or shopping in the craft stores and markets of Granville Island, Vancouver has a place for every mood.

Gentrified Yaletown’s warehouses are now home to stylish apartments, stores, restaurants and coffee shops – there may be a Starbucks on every corner, but check out JJ Bean for real coffee in the Vancouver style.

Beautiful Vancouver views

Gastown is really humming. The historic centre of Vancouver – named after chatty (“gassy“) Yorkshireman Jack Deighton, who set up the first saloon among the lumber yards back in the 19th century – this is the place to be late in the evening.

In the Salt Tasting Room (in evocatively-named Blood Alley) the young and trendy graze on cheeses and wines from around the world. Or stray into Chinatown district – the third-largest in North America, after New York and San Francisco – to appreciate at first-hand the huge Asian influence on this Pacific Rim city.

Even outside the ski season, Whistler is well worth a visit.

After the 2010 Games, from 12th to 28th February, some facilities will be adapted for visitors, but even if you don’t want to hurtle down the luge run on the equivalent of a tea tray, there’s plenty to interest the less daring.

Take the spectacular Sea To Sky highway, or the even more picturesque three-hour Whistler Mountaineer journey which offers unparalleled coastal, fjord and mountain views from the comfort of a luxury train seat.

Whistler resort itself, created in the 1960s by ambitious Vancouver businessmen who dreamt of one day hosting the Winter Olympics, is neat, tidy and packed with high-end shops and top-quality restaurants.

But the chief attractions, whatever the season, are its mountains: Whistler and Blackcomb.

We took the gondola nearly to the top of Whistler, watching mountain bikers and hikers below, and then the newly-opened Peak2Peak ride linking two mountains with the world’s longest single-span for any such ride (1.88 miles).

Gliding 1,400 feet over the river valley below, staring up at the soaring peaks, even the most nervous of airborne tourists (such as myself, who struggles on the Eiffel Tower) forget their fears and soak up the scenery.

Back in Vancouver, try to find an hour or so for the spa (Shangri-La offers various treatments and treats), or sample Pacific North-West cuisine at converted warehouses such as the Blue Water Cafe. Or just sit back and absorb the atmosphere.

Vancouver, a city for all seasons and tastes, is set to relish its Olympic moment.