TOP: AOLIN CHEN; BOTTOM: CHRIS ROSE. BRIEFING POSTCARDS / Fit and fabulous Weekend in Vancouver BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER Vibrant downtown Vancouver (top); the south terminal of VYR (above); The Jade Canoe sculpture in the main terminal (right). CANADA'S MOST WESTERN MAJOR CITY is Vancouver, and it is the most fit city in the country with an obesity rate of 17.5 percent (compared to the national average of 25 percent; the United States' average is 32 percent). The phenomenal blue skies and crisp air beckon people outdoors even in the winter, and Vancouver is also the warmest Canadian city at that time of year (the temperature can be 59 degrees Fahrenheit in December). Downtown Vancouver has cobblestone streets and lots of walking areas. It's been called the city of neighborhoods. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has been named a best airport in North America many times and it's easy to see why. Clear, bright, and vibrant, the décor honors the First Nations tribes with aboriginal art such as Bill Reid's sculpture in bronze, The Jade Canoe, and there's a glassed-in island forest in the terminal as well as a waterfall. There are two terminals on the Sea Island property; if you're flying to Vancouver Island on one of the two local airlines, Pacific Coast or Harbour Air floatplanes, you'll be flying from the South Terminal (YVR is one of only a few international airports with a seaplane base). GA traffic is welcome in the South Terminal. The elegant Fairmont Vancouver Hotel is located in the terminal with ocean and runway views. julie.walker@aopa.org 42 AOPA PILOT / January 2024