The first thing visitors notice when they arrive in Vancouver is the mountains. How could you possibly miss those gorgeous peaks of chisled rock and glistening ice that roll across the city's skyline and tower over its identity?

People who live in Vancouver still go gaga whenever they look out the window and catch a glimpse of their glamorous geography. It's a passionate love affair that never dies.

But like any relationship, this one too has its problems. There are many Vancouverites who curse the psychological barrier the mountains pose. Secluded here in lotus land, they say, Vancouver has curled up into a smug culture of complacency, its residents stirred to excitement only by the prospect of fresh powder on Whistler or a sunny day in Stanley Park.

There is some truth to that. Yes, Vancouver is a city of functioning eccentrics, dizzy from the ocean air and a heady mix of pot and rhododendrons. But while the rest of the country may think people here are lazing around crunching granola with their heads in the clouds, this city on the ocean has grown into a sophisticated metropolis of cutting-edge trendsetters.

Take the highway, for instance. Uh, what highway?

When arriving at YVR, the second thing you'll notice -- after the mountains -- is that unlike most major cities, Vancouver does not have a big honking expressway connecting downtown with a concrete wasteland of industrial parks and distant suburbs. The route from the airport -- a pleasant, four-lane road lined with trees and residential neighbourhoods -- gives many the mistaken impression that Vancouver is a small town. What's not so obvious is that its road system is part of a careful urban-planning strategy that has created a model for downtown living that enlightened city planners from all over North America are racing here to study and emulate.

So the next time you're in Vancouver, look up at those mountains if you must, but make sure you pull your gaze away long enough to discover the unique ways in which the bounty of nature has influenced everything from theatre and dance to cuisine, fashion, architecture and urban planning. The results might surprise.

Breathing deeply

While you don't have to venture very far to find a beach or green space in the city, why not take a short trek away from the obvious hot spots? Vancouverites love Stanley Park as much as the tourists do, but the more motivated haul their blades, bikes and buns across Burrard Inlet to the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve on the North Shore (formerly known as Seymour Demonstration Forest).

The paved Seymour Mainline, which runs for 14 kilometres through the lush reserve, is much smoother than the sea-wall paths, and perfect for in-line skates and strollers. Head straight to the Seymour Dam and take a deep breath of pure oxygen.

If you're travelling with your pooch, join dog owners from all across the city at Pacific Spirit Park -- 32 kilometres of pristine forest paths carved out from the University of British Columbia Endowment Lands that protect the beaches and headlands below.

If you start your hike amid the totem poles and longhouse at the Museum of Anthropology, you can also take in Arthur Erickson's stunning glass-and-stone masterpiece. Majestically bowing to the landscape, the museum offers a dramatic view across the harbour entrance to Howe Sound and the glacier-draped peaks of the Tantalus Range. (If you're interested in a more urbane example of the architect's reflective use of the natural elements, visit the new Waterfall Building next to Granville Island.)

South of the museum, trail No. 4 descends steeply to Tower Beach. At the base of the cliff, continue south around Point Grey, and you will end up at Wreck Beach. While there's nothing new or unknown about this hedonistic slice of naturalist splendour, it's always worth a visit. With its empanada stands and fruity cocktails, this nude beach is still the place where locals retreat when they need a mini-vacation.

When you're ready to hit the water, head farther south to the Jericho Sailing Centre, where you can take an ocean kayaking class or rent a windsurfer for the day. The view from this side of town -- a city of glass glittering against a backdrop of mountains -- is unparalleled, especially at sunset. If you're more of an armchair sports fan, you can sit back and sip a local microbrew at the Sailing Centre's Gallery Patio and Grill while watching hunky sailors bring in their rigs.

Culture rising

Jeff Wall, whose Cibachrome photographs have made him one of the most prominent contemporary Canadian artists in the world, once told The Globe and Mail that Vancouver is "a culturally oppressed city" with a "serious hostility to serious culture." Ten years later, Wall still lives here, nonetheless. And the debate over the city's alleged apathy toward culture continues to rage. The city does not have the critical mass necessary to catapult the Vancouver Opera into a world-class organization, but there is obviously enough interest in the arts to keep the Vancouver Symphony running smoothly as one of the few remaining financially viable orchestras in the country.

It has long been argued that the temptation of nature can be blamed for Vancouver's cultural complacency. Who wants to go sit in a dark theatre when you could be sailing around the Gulf Islands? In recent years, however, an increasing number of arts groups have incorporated the call of the wild into their work, with great success.

When the ScotiaBank Dance Centre opened two years ago, the event was celebrated with modern dancers bouncing off the roof in mountain-climbing harnesses, then pirouetting down the outer glass walls.

If you wander inside the centre, you will find the athletic dancers from Ballet B.C. rehearsing in their studios. The dancers' muscular limbs, profusion of body piercings and rainbow of dreadlocks -- a stark contrast to the stick-thin ballerinas with dainty little hair buns that dominate the ranks of most classical troupes -- are as much a reflection of West Coast sensibilities as they are of artistic director John Alleyne. (While you're there, why not drop in on an Argentine Tango or Hatha Flow yoga class?)

The theatre offered up at the mainstream Vancouver Playhouse and Arts Club might not always be adventurous, but small, independent theatre companies have been establishing Vancouver as the country's centre for inventive physical drama. And these companies have found they can easily sway audiences into attendance when they take their shows outside the square box of traditional theatre halls and into Vancouver's more natural stomping grounds.

This summer, don't miss Boca del Lupo's Lagoon of Lost Tales, a free, all-ages outdoor show that roves in and around Stanley Park's Lost Lagoon.

Also not to be missed is a visit to the downtown Vancouver Art Gallery, where Ken Lum's Four Boats Stranded, scaled-down sculptures of historic and contemporary ships that sailed local waters, are permanently perched on top of the turn-of-the-century heritage building like bright beacons. Tour The Big Picture exhibit if you seek to understand Vancouver's internationally acclaimed photoconceptual artists. But don't forget to stroll through Gallery Row on south Granville Street (19 galleries all within walking distance). With any luck, you might just stumble across the next Jeff Wall.

Epicurean obsessions

Some say the reason high culture has never flourished in Vancouver is because the city is so obsessed with haute cuisine. There might be some truth in that, given that diners here spend more money eating out in restaurants than in any other city in Canada (according to Statistics Canada) and follow every move, miss and score of local celebrity chefs with the relish of British soccer fans.

Most of the best restaurants in Vancouver are hands-on, owner-operated labours of love, often tucked into out-of-the-way residential neighbourhoods, where passion is poured into the food instead of the cost of prime real estate. Try taking a taxi from the heart of downtown to Rob Feenie's Lumière and you will be shocked to discover that Canada's only free-standing Relais & Gourmand restaurant is located in the boondocks of south Kitsilano, across the street from a White Spot diner. The unforgettable dining experience and classic cocktails in the tasting bar are worth far more than the $15 cab fare. There will be all the more reason to make the trip as of mid-July, when Feenie's new casual bistro opens next door.

Vancouver's hottest spot of the moment is also nowhere near the city centre. La Regalade, winner of this year's Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards for best new fine-dining restaurant, best bistro and best north shore restaurant, is tucked into the sleepy heart of West Vancouver. The distant location certainly hasn't stopped diehard downtown fans from racing across the bridge to sample the Raye family's rustic coq au vin and hearty terrines served right in the pot. Reservations are highly recommended.

While Vancouver might not enjoy Toronto's staggering array of ethnic eateries, it does boast a distinctive local style to call its own: Pacific Northwest cuisine. To experience the best of the fresh, try West restaurant, winner of Vancouver magazine's gold award for restaurant of the year. Executive chef David Hawksworth's steamed snapper with crispy greens and peanut vinaigrette or ahi tuna sashimi with jalapeno spiced sesame dressing are two of summer's zestier delights.

If the budget is tight, Bin 941 and Bin 942 offer great value in funky late-night settings. These cozy little tapas parlours add big bold flavours to contemporary regional cuisine. The Pacific lingcod wrapped with maple-smoked bacon and served with Okanagan apple calvados sauce rocks, especially at only $10 a plate.

For an Asian take on summer seafood, go straight to Phnom Phen in Chinatown, where the garlic prawns have made Julia Childs moan with pleasure. And even though Vancouverites would never turn their back on Tojo's, the city's most famous sushi restaurant, Vancouver does offer some terrific alternatives to sushi. If you ask the Japanese language students, they'll point you straight to Hapa. The new Robson Street hot spot puts a slightly upscale, but still very affordable, spin on izakaya (Japanese tapas, done pub-style). Be sure to order the pickled mackerel -- chefs torch it tableside.

If you're craving a cup of joe, try Caffe Artigiano, where espresso meets art. The baristas here have won the world title for two years running at the blindfolded latte art competition in Las Vegas.

For gourmet sandwiches and salads to go, sidle up to Picnic, the new takeout window at Raincity Grill, located next to English Bay Beach in the city's West End, and set to open by the end of the week.

If you're cooking for yourself, the fresh produce at Granville Island Public Market never fails to impress. But for the region's finest specialty tomatoes, heirloom apples, organic cherries and other seasonal gems, plan your shopping trip around the Farmers' Truck Market on Thursday mornings, when local growers sell their farm-direct wares right from the back of their pickups in the Arts Club parking lot.

Sleep city

Hipsters from South Beach to Sunset Boulevard will find themselves right at home at the Opus Hotel. With a transparent glass wall separating the men's and ladies' washrooms in the swanky Elixir brasserie, plus en-suite bathrooms with full-length windows facing the street, this boutique hotel truly is the place to sleep and be seen.

Discerning business travellers stay at the Wedgewood Hotel for its luxurious amenities and Old World charm. Its sumptuous Bacchus Lounge, with fireplace, piano player and plush furnishings, also regularly seduces locals at cocktail hour.

Modern, minimalist and sleek, the feng shui-designed Metropolitan Hotel has become the not-so-secret haunt for visiting celebrities. Special amenities include 24-hour room service from the same team that recently relaunched the award-wining Diva at the Met restaurant.

Nestled beside Stanley Park on the lip of Coal Harbour, the newly renovated Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina offers the perfect retreat for those who want to get away from it all without leaving the city. Be sure to schedule lots of down time to dip in the outdoor pool and drink in the stunning view.

If you prefer a bed and breakfast, the Barclay House in the West End is only steps away from Stanley Park. The elegantly restored heritage home offers spacious suites (with private bathrooms and no adjoining walls with your next-door neighbour), claw-foot bathtubs, en-suite TVs, three-course hot breakfasts and complimentary evening sherry. Summer rates start at $145.

For half the price (but no sherry), the Buchan Hotel provides comfortable lodging at another quaint heritage building in the same residential neighbourhood. If you're travelling on a shoestring, you could always bunk down at the Jericho Beach Hostel, which offers summer accommodations in a former military barracks right on the beach.

Fashion quest

Apart from Yves Veggie Cuisine (supplier of the McDonald's veggie burger), there is no other Vancouver company that more epitomizes the city's transformation from dippy hippie hangout to international trendsetter better than Lululemon. The yoga and athletic wear company was founded in the late 1990s, according to the company's manifesto, "to provide people with the components to live a longer, healthier, more fun, Vancouver way of life." That's the wheatgrass-chugging, Bikram-body-bending, Zen lifestyle that hipsters in every major city are so desperate to emulate. The original Kitsilano store has now expanded to three Vancouver locations, plus shops in Toronto, Saskatoon, Calgary, Victoria and Santa Monica, Calif.

If you like Lululemon, you will love the sexy, form-fitting workout gear from Karma. If you're in Yaletown to check out Karma's flagship store, be sure to poke your head into nearby Beauty Mark, where they carry every trendy beauty product you've ever read about in InStyle Magazine.

Shop downtown if you must. But other than the Japanese club kids, there are really only a few compelling reasons to hang out on Robson Street. Stephane de Raucourt is one of them. The local footwear company, with a factory in Italy, reinterprets European catwalk designs for a fraction of the cost. And it's all very sexy. A few doors down you'll find Blue Ruby, which sells one-of-a-kind handmade jewellery from Vancouver and abroad. The Venetian glass earrings are to die for. Turn the corner to meet Bruce, purveyor of the season's hottest footwear, clothes and eyeglasses from emerging designers around the globe.

Head across the Granville Bridge for a very civilized shopping experience on Granville South. At Bacci's, you'll find cutting-edge British and Belgian designers for society ladies with a wild side. Or spread your dollars further at Turnabout, an upscale consignment store where you won't have to dig through bargain bins to find last year's Chanel, Prada and Armani for a sliver of the original price. L'Occitane, Meinhardts Gourmet Groceries, Pottery Barn, Restoration Warehouse and the flower markets where Goldie Hawn shops are all located within a few swanky blocks.

If you're seeking something more funky, join the hipsters on South Main. Eugene Choo carries Mandula Moda, the label touted as Vancouver's next big thing. The Barefoot Contessa is a very cute girly-girl shop where you'll discover antique teacups and sequined slippers you never knew how much you had to have.

After dark

Nobody can moan about Vancouver being no fun now that the city is allowing nightclubs and bars to stay open until 4 a.m. for a three-month summer trial period.

Most of the late-late-night activity will be concentrated on the Granville Street nightclub strip, where the twentysomething, shooter-slinging crowd tends to stagger. The Granville Street hot joint du jour is a cavernous club called Caprice, carved out of a former movie theatre.

But Caprice's cachet will no doubt fade as soon as Skybar opens this summer. This Skybar, however, is being opened by a Calgary company, not the one behind the L.A. rooftop paradise for posers.

Thirtysomething bar stars and lounge lizards tend to converge on Yaletown. If you're looking for an average good time, try Capone's (for live jazz), Bar None (for rock 'n' roll Fridays), Brix (for its vast selection of wines by the glass and cute patio courtyard) or Afterglow (if you must stoop to the fruity martini).

For those seeking something a bit more adventurous, there's plenty to be found off the beaten track. For reasons unknown, social dancing is all the rage in Vancouver these days. Flamenco dancers strut their stuff at the MainStream Cabaret on Extreme Salsa Saturdays.

If you really want to go crazy on the dance floor, try the outrageous Federico's Supper Club, which is sort of like The Wedding Singer meets The Sopranos. There is live music with Federico's Family Band five nights a week. A must for all Louis Prima fans.

Mick Jagger once hailed Vancouver as the best strip-club city in the world. Who are we to argue? Connoisseurs sample the city's finest exotic offerings at Brandi's, an upscale, female-owned club where the dancers really do dance and women are always welcome. (The men peel it off at the Dufferin Hotel).

The young gay crowd pumps it up at Odyssey. The more flamboyant flaunt it at the Queen Bee Revue drag cabaret. For a quieter time, follow the bubbles to the Oasis piano bar, where they really do fire up a bubble machine on the rooftop patio every night.

Vancouver boasts one of the most eclectic cabaret scenes this side of the Weimar Republic. The one-off and semi-regular events, which take place in candle-lit community halls and off-beat bars all over the city, combine bawdy burlesque with circus sideshow acts, electronic opera, vaudeville comedy and surreal visual theatrics. Look for cabaret listings in the Georgia Straight or Westender weeklies.

If you go

THINGS TO DO

Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve: At the north end of Lillooet Rd., North Shore; (604) 987-1273.

Pacific Spirit Park: Follow Oak Street toward downtown Vancouver and turn west on 16th Street.

Museum of Anthropology: 6393 N.W. Marine Dr.; (604) 822-5087.

Jericho Sailing Centre: 1300 Discovery St.; (604) 224-4177

Scotiabank Dance Centre: 677 Davie St.; (604) 606-6400.

Boca del Lup Theatre: (604) 684-2622; http://www.bocadellupo.bc.ca.

Vancouver Art Gallery: 750 Hornby St.; (604) 662-4719; or visit the Web site at http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Lumiere: 2551 W. Broadway; (604) 739-8185.

La Regalade: 2232 Marine Dr.; (604) 921-2228.

West: 2881 Granville St.; (604) 738-8938.

Bin 941: 941 Davie St.; (604) 683-1246.

Bin 942: 1521 W. Broadway; (604) 734-9421.

Phnom Phen: 244 E. Georgia St.; (604) 682-5777.

Hapa: 1479 Robson St.; (604) 689-4272.

Caffé Artigiano: 763 Hornby St.; (604) 696-9222.

Picnic at Raincity Grill: 1193 Denman St.; (604) 685-7337.

Caprice: 967 Granville St.; (604) 685-3288.

SkyBar: 670 Smithe St.; (604) 697-9199.

Capone's Restaurant & Live Jazz Club: 1141 Hamilton St.; (604) 684-7900.

Bar None: 1122 Hamilton St.; (604) 689-7000.

Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar: 1138 Homer St.; (604) 915-9463.

Afterglow: 1079 Mainland St.; (604) 602-0835.

Mainstream Cabaret: 2120 Main St.; http://www.downtowncore.com.

Federico's Supper Club: 1728 Commercial Dr.; (604) 251-3473.

Brandi's: 595 Hornby St.; (604) 684-2000.

Dufferin Hotel: 900 Seymour St.; (604) 683-4251.

Odyssey: 1215 Howe St.; (604) 689-5256.

Queen Bee Revue at Honey: 455 Abbott St.; (604) 685-7777.

Oasis piano bar: 1240 Thurlow St.; (604) 685-1724.

WHERE TO STAY

Opus Hotel: 322 Davie St.; (604) 642-6787; http://www.opushotel.com.

The Wedgewood Hotel: 845 Hornby St.; (604) 689-7777; or visit the Web site at http://www.wedgewoodhotel.com.

Metropolitan Hotel: 645 Howe St.; (604) 687-1122; or visit the Web site at http://www.metropolitan.com.

Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina: 1601 Bayshore Drive; (604) 682-3377; http://www.westinbayshore.com.

Barclay House: 1351 Barclay St.; (604) 605-1351; or visit the Web site at http://www.barclayhouse.com.

The Buchan Hotel: 1906 Haro St.; (604) 685-5354; or visit the Web site at http://www.buchanhotel.com.

Jericho Beach Hostel: 1515 Discovery St.; (604) 224-3208; or visit the Web site at http://www.hihostels.ca.

WHERE TO SHOP

Lululemon : 2113 W. 4th Ave.; (604) 732-6111; http://www.lululemon.com.

Karma Activewear: 1146 Pacific Boulevard; (604) 685-2762.

Beauty Mark: 103-1120 Hamilton St.; (604) 642-2294.

Stephane de Raucourt: 1067 Robson St.; (604) 681-8814.

Bruce: 1038 Alberni St.; (604) 688-8802.

Bacci's: 2788 Granville St.; (604) 733-4933.

Turnabout: 3121 Granville St.; (604) 732-8115.

Eugene Choo: 3683 Main St.; (604) 873-8874.

Barefoot Contessa: 3715 Main St.