Vancouver

When the Winter Olympics begin on February 12, low-key Vancouver will be transformed by two weeks of giddy activity. But it's not just sports fans that will be making the pilgrimage here in 2010. Over the past few years, film directors have turned Vancouver into Hollywood North, shooting feature films such as The Twilight Saga: New Moon and X-Men and populating the city with celebrities—including Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, and Hugh Jackman—and those who love to spot them. Foodies adore Vancouver, too, for its focus on high-quality ingredients and its considerable ethnic variety. The sushi at Tojo's has been called some of the best outside Japan, and the Indian fusion at Vij's is mind-boggling. Chasing Olympic dreams in Vancouver isn't limited to athletes: Hotels have been engaged in a high-stakes race, with the Four Seasons finishing a huge renovation in time for the Games and newcomers Shangri-La (with its Jean-Georges restaurant and private screening room) and the Loden (with its elegantly understated design) hot on its heels. Speediest of all may be the Opus Hotel, the stylish standby whose happening bar is still the top choice of Vancouver A-listers: A just-completed subway line from the airport whisks guests from baggage claim to martini in just under 30 minutes.

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