After Christmas, we were excited to spend time in one of our favorite cities- Vancouver, B.C. Although it had been a couple years since we last visited I was reminded how much I love Vancouver and the diversity of its surrounding neighborhoods. I like to think of Vancouver as the hip, more refined and established older sister to Seattle. Whatever characteristics I like about Seattle it seems Vancouver has in greater abundance or accessibility. My two great loves are the water and the mountains. Vancouver like Seattle has both, but in Vancouver the mountains are so easily accessible from the city it makes me envious.

When choosing a hotel for a weekend getaway we like to seek out places which have both an excellent location and great walkability. We always prefer the option of being able to leave our car for the weekend and explore our destination on foot if we choose. OPUS Vancouver is one of those hotels which offers an intimate boutique experience while being in the heart of Yaletown. With easy access to False Creek and its ferries it is a breeze to explore adjoining neighborhoods. By being within walking distance from Yaletown's best restaurants it makes for a laid back evening after a day of adventure.

Arriving a bit cranky after an hour of our son vocalizing he was ready to get out of the car we were delighted to enter our boldly painted room. Rooms at the OPUS Vancouver are styled according to the tastes of five imaginary 'lifestyle concierges' and we stayed in the rockstar Billy's room. Our room felt more like your friend's cool, hip apartment than a hotel room. Our room was spacious enough for reading and playing during the day with our son and the low windows and city views provided hours of entertainment for him.

One afternoon we took the False Creek Ferry to Granville Island for an afternoon of eating and exploring. Granville Island has an amazing public market with food vendors and locally made products galore. Since everything is indoors, it makes for the perfect way to spend a rainy day.

Vancouver is unique because you can experience both a city and mountain vacation all in one. From OPUS Vancouver you can easily access three ski resorts in less than thirty minutes. We love being able to snowshoe at Cypress Mountain while being able to look down at the water and city below. We have also spent ample time in the past snowshoeing at Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour.

The OPUS Vancouver is within walking distance to many great shops and restaurants. Among two of our favorites were West Oak and Flying Pig.

After a morning in the mountains we made our way over to Lighthouse Park for an afternoon walk and to soak up as much sunshine as possible.

We spent one evening strolling along the seawall to Stanley Park and another at the top of the Vancouver Lookout. Seeing the city at night is truly a thing of beauty.

We always enjoyed returning to OPUS Vancouver after a day of adventures. The beautifully lit reception area perpetually made us feel much hipper than we are.

Enjoying the sunset from Vancouver Lookout.

During our stay we were able to see and do a variety of things. We enjoyed spending an afternoon in North Vancouver eating and shopping our way along Commercial Drive, spent another afternoon doing the same at Granville Island, a morning in West Vancouver at Lighthouse park, enjoyed ample time snowshoeing in the mountains, walked through Stanley Park and even did a little shopping downtown. Although I have visited Vancouver numerous times my list of things I still want to do is a mile long. For anyone looking for an easy getaway from Seattle full of adventure, diversity, good food and beautiful vistas Vancouver is the perfect place to go. For anyone looking for an easy getaway from Seattle full of adventure, diversity, good food and beautiful vistas - Vancouver is the perfect place to go. Combined with a stay at OPUS Vancouver you will feel right at home with their excellent attention to detail and customer service

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by OPUS Vancouver. All opinions stated here are my own and I was under no obligation to write anything other than my personal experience. I will never write about anything I did not enjoy or find to be a valuable experience.