Let's be honest — it is, after all, a coastal temperate rain forest. It doesn't matter when you are visiting, any season of the year, Vancouver can experience day after day of dreary rain. But don't let it get you down! This is a great excuse to invest in a new Gore-Tex coat from one of the city's great outdoor gear supply stores and do as the locals do — go out anyway! The weather may well result in a change of plans. It might not be worth a trip up the Grouse Mountain Gondola or a cruise up Indian Arm, but there is still plenty to see and do.

A change in the weather is an opportunity to explore Vancouver's cultural side. Check out the Museum at Anthropology at UBC, the Vancouver Museum and the H.R. McMillan Space Centre, the Maritime Museum. The Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park is a great destination on a rainy day.

The weather in Vancouver can also be very localized up against the mountains. Make a day trip down to Tsawwassen and Boundary Bay or Crescent Beach and White Rock and you may find it's a completely different sort of day, with at least a few cracks in the clouds and the occasional break in the otherwise oppressive rainfall.

The wooded areas and parks are lovely in the rain. Don't be afraid of getting a little wet — just make sure you have dry shoes and socks to go back to and get outside. North Shore parks like Capilano Canyon, Lynn Canyon or Lynn Headwaters, and Mount Seymour all have wonderful hiking trails, and those terrific trees provide shelter from the worst of the rain.

Don't let a little rain put you off exploring Vancouver. Always have two plans for each day — sunny and rainy — and be flexible and ready to adapt as things change.