The giant University of British Columbia is more than just your average college campus; it's also home to some of the city's best visitor attractions. There’s a modern art gallery, a cool natural history museum and the revered MOA, Vancouver's best museum. As if that wasn’t enough to keep the students from ever doing any work, the campus is studded with intriguing public artworks and also houses both the tranquil Nitobe Memorial Garden and the popular UBC Botanical Garden.

　　Three of the city’s most treasured and wild beaches – Locarno, Spanish Banks and Wreck – are also located in this area. And the campus is home to the Chan Centre, one of Vancouver's best concert halls. It's easy to make a full day of it here; there are lots of places to eat as well.