Vancouver's Brightest Stars Dish on Their Hometown

Feb. 27, 2010 -- Vancouver's star turn as host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games has longtime residents beaming. Singer Michael Bublé, who grew up in the nearby suburb of Burnaby and now lives in Vancouver, describes the scene as "electric." "We're not the type of people who get overly excited -- we're known as pretty mellow -- but we're pretty pumped up right now."From skiing in the morning to a noon-time lunch on the water where the salmon are jumping, visitors to Vancouver will find stunning geography and cultural delights. USA TODAY asked four of the city's most famous exports to dish on their favorite spots and share insider tips on their hometown.

Michael Buble, singer, born and raised in Burnaby, a Vancouver suburb

Favorite Olympic sports: Figure skating, bobsled, luge

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Sightseeing:

•Stanley Park. I'm an outdoors kind of person, but I don't do the mountains. Imagine Central Park except with ocean. (I like) throwing a Frisbee around or going for a rollerblade along the seawall. 604-873-7193; vancouver.ca/PARKS/parks/Stanley

•Burnaby Mountain. I used to go on a lot of dates there and I used to park the car and look over the city and hope for a good make-out session. It's a lot better than sitting there by yourself.

Dining/nightlife:

•Gotham. It's like a steakhouse, but really upscale and really good. Any steak is going to be mouth-watering. 604-605-8282; gothamsteakhouse.com

•Tojo's. Absolutely incredible. Vancouver's famous for having some of the best sushi. I like a good roll, say spicy tuna. 604-872-8050; tojos.com

Personally speaking: First thing I do when I get off the plane: See a hockey game. I'm such a Canadian boy, I show up right away. (Bublé is a business partner with the Vancouver Giants and a fan of the Vancouver Canucks.)

Insider tip: If you want to save some money, you can take the new Canada Line from the airport to downtown. It saves you a lot of money and time. translink.ca/en/Rider-Info/Canada-Line.aspx

Most surprising thing: I think there will be some stereotypes that are broken down. You're not going to see as many Mounties as you think. There will be no igloos or poutine or syrups. You'll see a lot of very hip Canadians and what kind of big, beautiful city we have.

What to pack: I'd bring an umbrella, a raincoat and some waterproof shoes just in case. At the same time, I'd bring a really beautiful pair of sunglasses because Vancouver is one of those cities where you can have four seasons in one day.