Heheheh, takes an hour if you're in great shape. I'm a petite 20something female, I do probably 6+ hours of intense cardio a week at the gym, and the fastest I've managed has been 69 minutes and I very nearly threw up at the top! I blame my short little legs My soccer-playing husband does it in 45, but 1.5-3h is most common for newbies. If you're fit, though, go for it - it's a very Vancouver thing to do, and you'll be proud of yourself when you get to the top. And you can do like I do and head directly to the bar at the top for a cold one.

If you're into Pacific NW native culture, the UBC Museum of Anthropology is worth a visit - it's closing for several months of renos on Sept. 2 so if you're coming in August, you'll just be able to squeeze in a visit. The 4, 17 or 44 buses take you out there and you'll pass through Kitsilano, a residential/commercial neighbourhood that's quite pleasant.

A meal on one of the patios in Yaletown can also be interesting sightseeing. There are two or three blocks on Mainland and Hamilton St. that used to be warehouses, and are now filled with restaurants whose patios extend out onto the raised sidewalks that used to be the warehouses' loading docks. Friday and Saturday evenings can get a bit crazy down there (it's where the young and monied go, sort of the West Hollywood or Meatpacking District of Vancouver), but stop by one of the restos for a patio lunch on a weekday and you'll find it a great spot for people-watching and shopping. Glowbal is my favourite patio there - nice menu, comfy, and good for celeb-spotting.