The stories of Vancouver and its communities as experienced on various strolls through the city, by bestselling BC author Bill Arnott

Vancouver, one of the world's top travel destinations, is a diverse and complex city renowned for its proximity to nature, from Stanley Park and English Bay to the forests and mountains that surround it. Much has been written of Vancouver's many nature trails and paths for dedicated hikers, but what does the city have to offer to the casual urban stroller?

Join bestselling author Bill Arnott (A Season on Vancouver Island and the Gone Viking travelogues) for a revelatory journey through Vancouver - on foot - to uncover its hidden gems and best-kept secrets. A Perfect Day for a Walk details a series of strolls through Kitsilano, Granville Island, False Creek, the West End, Coal Harbour, Yaletown, Gastown, Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside, and more, accompanied by the stories and histories that make these neighbourhoods unique. Engaging and sensory in style, this book is both an examination and a celebration of Vancouver, a city of remarkable beauty and undeniable challenges. Using only his feet and his unfailing sense of curiosity, Bill Arnott offers a fresh new perspective on Vancouver, from its glorious, incorrigible past to its spectacular, complicated present.

With black-and-white maps and photos.

Bill Arnott is a songwriter, poet, and author of the bestselling travelogue Gone Viking: A Travel Saga (Whistler Independent Book Awards Finalist and American Book Fest International Book Awards Finalist), Gone Viking II: Beyond Boundaries,Dromomania, and Wonderful Magical Words. His work has been published in literary journals in Canada, the US and UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and his column “Bill Arnott’s Beat” is a feature in several magazines. Bill has received awards for prose, poetry, and songwriting and is the creator of “Bill’s Artist Showcase.” For his eight-year Gone Viking expedition he was awarded a fellowship in London’s Royal Geographical Society. When not trekking the globe with a small pack and his journal, or showing off cooking skills as a culinary-school dropout, Bill can be found on Canada’s west coast, making friends and misbehaving. Visit billarnottaps.wordpress.com.

Bill Arnott's profile page

A Perfect Day for a Walk breezes along like a stroll with an old friend. This perfect mix of informed history, personal anecdotes, and charm uncovers layers of Vancouver's storied neighbourhoods that will inspire you to follow Arnott's lead and set out on a walking adventure through the past, present, and future of the city. -Nick Marino, author of East Side Story: Growing Up at the PNE

Take a stroll through Bill Arnott's Vancouver, where every new turn tells a story, a piece of forgotten history, an anecdote, or a fascination, all while getting your steps in one of the most visually stunning cities in the world, where beauty and real-life struggle have been at odds for over 150 years. As a lifelong Vancouverite, I love this book. -Grant Lawrence, author of Adventures in Solitude

A Perfect Day for a Walk presents loving and acute snapshots of Vancouver, presented in lucid, well-written prose. This book would be a perfect gift for a new arrival to this complicated city. Recommended. -Vancouver Sun

The great thing about Bill Arnott is that he doesn't just look at places with fresh eyes but takes you with him. -Jacqueline Carmichael, author of Heard Amid the Guns: True Stories from the Western Front, 1914-1918

An entertaining and informative ramble by a veteran traveller. -Michael Kluckner, author of Surviving Vancouver