by Srikanth Radhakrishna

Created on: November 03, 2011   Last Updated: November 06, 2011

Vancouver is the fourth largest city in the state of Washington. This beautiful city is on the north bank of the Columbia River, in the Western lowlands region of Washington. Even though Vancouver is a large city, it retains its small town charm. The city offers many recreational opportunities for tourists.

There are many tourist attractions in Vancouver. Here is a brief description of some of them.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

This historic site memorializes Fort Vancouver, the first European outpost in the Pacific Northwest. This 366 acre national park site is located along the Columbia River. This reconstructed fort site is a major tourist attraction in the Pacific northwest. It is about five minutes drive from downtown Vancouver. The living history demonstrations in the period garden, kitchen, blacksmith shop, and carpenter shop are rated very high by tourists.

Marshall House

This Queen Anne style building was built in 1886. It was occupied by George C. Marshall when he was the commander of the Vancouver barracks. George C. Marshall served as chief of staff from 1939 to 1945. This great American soldier played a major role in the Second World War. 

Pearson Air Museum

This aviation air museum is located at Pearson Field, the oldest operating airport in the US. This museum gives an opportunity for aviation lovers to view aircraft manufactured before or during the Second World War. The museum is part of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. 

Vancouver Lake Park

This 234 acre regional park is located along the west shore of Vancouver Lake. It is an ideal location for picnic. You can also windsurf or play sand volleyball. Swimming is allowed, but not advisable as there are no lifeguards. The park houses many birds like waterfowl and bald eagle. 

Clark County Historical Museum

This museum is dedicated to collection, preservation and interpretation of the cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. It is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The museum is famous for its exhaustive collection of documents, maps and photographs of historical significance. The Clark County Historical Society operates the museum in partnership with the Clark County and the City of Vancouver. 

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is named after Gifford Pinchot, who played a prominent role in creation of the national forest system in the US. This amazing national forest covers over one million acres in the southwest part of the state of Washington. Its many caves and lava formations offer many hiking opportunities. 

Visit to the above mentioned locations will definitely make your trip to Vancouver a memorable one. 

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