Not long ago, it used to be easy to distinguish Vancouver from its neighbours. Bridges spanned Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River to connect with communities to the north and south, while buffer zones of undeveloped land defined where the Big Smoke left off and all else to the east began. By the 1970s, such distinctions had blurred to the point where one hardly noticed a transition from one city to the next, particularly between Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, and Port Moody.

Population: 30,120

Location: Port Moody is located north of the Lougheed Highway (Highway 7) at the extreme eastern end of Burrard Inlet, 16 miles (26 km) east of Vancouver. Neighbouring Port Moody are the communities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.

• Step back in time when visiting the Port Moody Station Museum. This station was once the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, where Port Moody welcomed Canada's first transcontinental train on July 4, 1886. A collection of pioneer artifacts and railway memorabilia is on display at the museum, moved from its original site on the mainline track and fully restored in Murray Street.

• Observe the delicate balance of nature at Noon's Creek Fish Hatchery near the Civic Recreation Centre.

• Golf: Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club is set high above Coquitlam on Eagle Mountain. Offering great golf in a spectacular mountain setting, Westwood Plateau provides some of the finest golf in the Vancouver area incorporating large Douglas Firs, massive granite rock faces, and rugged ravines into the 18-hole, par-72, 6,770-yard course. Lessons are provided at the Westwood Plateau Golf Academy, with a 9-hole Westwood Plateau Academy Course. Golf Vacations in an around Vancouver.

• With 27 kilometres (17 miles) of waterfront in the region, boating and sailing are very much a part of Port Moody's leisurely lifestyle. Every kind of watercraft or activity is available here, whether your idea of fun is super-charged waterskiing or just floating around in an inner tube.

• There are several fishing spots in the area, including Belcarra Park, Buntzen Lake, Lafarge Lake, Sasamat Lake, Pitt Lake and along the banks of the Coquitlam River. Fishing in Como Lake is open to children and seniors only. For more information on fishing in British Columbia.

• Explore Port Moody's well-known Foreshore Park, a scenic four-kilometre shoreline trail offering great bird watching, beaches, a boat launching ramp, and the pier at Rocky Point Park. A scenic, paved pathway wraps itself around the east end of Burrard Inlet and runs for several miles to Old Orchard Park. Paralleling it is a pedestrian-only walkway through the park. Rocky Point Park's lengthy pier runs out into the shallow waters of Burrard Inlet's eastern end. There's swimming here, both in the ocean and in a freshwater pool. A boardwalk section of the walking trail passes over a marshy area of Burrard Inlet around Rocky Point. In spring and fall this is an excellent location for bird-watching.

• Belcarra Regional Park lies enticingly close across Burrard Inlet to the north. In hot months the beaches at Belcarra's Sasamat Lake and at nearby Buntzen Lake are extremely popular, so an early start is essential. On a calm day, paddle over to explore the area around Belcarra's Admiralty Point. Just be mindful of the occasional large freighter that may be gliding slowly into one of the nearby oil terminals. Anglers and crabbers use the dock at Belcarra Park and the pier at Jericho Beach as an excuse to spend some time in the outdoors, and divers consider this the place to head to for underwater exploration in Indian Arm. Besides wading in from the beach beside Belcarra's pier, there's a small street-end park at Whiskey Cove on Coombe Road where divers also put in, located a 5-minute walk east of the picnic area. The park boasts numerous easy and moderate hiking and walking trails ranging from 2.5 to 7 kilometres in length.

• Mundy Park in southeast Coquitlam is one of the Lower Mainland's largest forested parks at 435 acres. Mundy Park's walking trails and two scenic lakes attract visitors year round.

• Historic Minnekhada Regional Park in northeast Coquitlam has almost 5 miles (8 km) offers a recreational lodge, picnic facilities, abundant wildlife and expansive trails, most of which are of the gentle-walking variety. These trails lead through a wooded area surrounding two large marshes. You can walk the perimeter of the park in two hours, experiencing the moods of the seasons. For those with enough energy, High Knoll Trail will get your heart rate up in a hurry. Although not a long trail, its ascent is steady from the marsh to the viewpoint that overlooks the Pitt and Fraser Rivers and the farm fields.

• The 38,000-hectare Pinecone Burke Mountain Provincial Park lies south of Garibaldi Provincial Park, west of Pitt Lake and Pitt River, extending south to Burke Mountain in Coquitlam. This park is a wilderness area that is not regularly serviced or patrolled, and offers day hiking, overnight backpacking, camping, rock climbing, wildlife viewing, winter sporting activities, and much more.

• Take a side trip to Mt. Seymour and Garibaldi Provincial Park.

• Come to Golden Spike Days, the annual rail theme festival held in late June and July, along with the World Hand Car Racing Championship.

• See the best of the area on a driving Circle Tour. Head north out of Vancouver for a scenic tour of the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, or stay on the intensely scenic Sea to Sky Highway, passing through the magical winter resort town of Whistler and looping through the Coast Mountains. To explore the rural farmlands and forests of the fertile Fraser Valley, travel outbound on the scenic route north of the historic Fraser River, returning westwards along the Trans Canada Highway 1 to Vancouver. Circle Tours in BC.