Vancouver is an excellent study abroad destination for students looking to study English and who enjoy being outdoors – skiing, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking and more are some of the great outdoor activities you can enjoy in one of the world’s best cities.
Vancouver is one of the world’s greatest cities and it’s frequently been voted as the best place in the world to live because of its great quality of life. Language travel students will be able to make the most of this when you study abroad in Vancouver as you’ll not only be studying here but living here too!
Vancouver is a city in Western Canada, in the province of British Columbia. It’s a coastal city but it’s protected from the worst of the Pacific Ocean’s weather by Vancouver Island, a large island which sits just off the coast of mainland Vancouver. In terms of population, Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia and the third largest in Canada, behind Toronto and Montreal, with a metropolitan population of over 2 million people.
Vancouver has many aspects which make this a great tourist destination and a great destination for foreign language courses as well! The city is surrounded by mountains and water, so there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor life (see the section below under Culture for more information!) and you can be as active or inactive as you please!
The biggest attractions for tourists include Stanley Park where you’ll find the Vancouver Aquarium, the famous totem poles and the famous Seawall plus many forest trails on the interior of Stanley Park, all within a stone’s throw of the city centre. There are also historical areas like Gastown and the popular Granville Island which is known for its large public market, entertainment and the arts. But these are just a few of the many things you can do in Vancouver!
Vancouver is a very multicultural city with many immigrants from around the world making up the population. There are many Chinese here for example, and Vancouver’s Chinatown is in fact the second largest in North America! The ethnically diverse population helps to make Vancouver the friendly city that it is, so language travel students should feel very welcome here.
Vancouver is a very outdoors oriented city. Its residents love to be outdoors being active! Stanley Park is one of the top destinations for people who enjoy jogging, cycling or skating around the Seawall. With the mountains so close by you might like to try skiing or snowboarding which you can do within minutes of Vancouver city centre.
In the summer, activities like hiking, wildlife watching, kayaking and more are some of the most popular. There are many popular events and festivals in Vancouver too, such as the popular Celebration of Lights Firework Festival. You’ll never run out of things to do when you study abroad in Vancouver!
The benefit of a study abroad program in Vancouver is the weather. Compared to most of the rest of Canada, Vancouver is very mild and doesn’t have very cold winters. The temperatures stay mild, relatively speaking, all year round. In the summer (July and August) the temperature is usually in the mid 20’s C and in the winter the average high stays above freezing at a comfortable 6C in December and January.
Can't wait to study in Vancouver ? Have a look at these English language schools.
