If you think you’re totally over the Olympics, think again. For those in the know, the Winter Olympics are the fun, festive and cheap versions of the ones Beijing held a year and a half ago. And, guess what, there are plenty of tickets yet to be had for the Games which kick off February 12.

Vancouver is only a 10-hour direct flight away and the city has gone all out making itself into a worldwide capital of the arts as well as sports via something called the Cultural Olympiad. The Olympiad, which lasts from January 22-March 21, features a top notch roster of international musicians, performers and artists. In all, some 600 events are planned, many of which are free.

Out in the streets, marvel at massive public art installations in the “Endlessly Traversed Landscapes” series or catch avant-garde short films on the big screen outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. But the must-see works are part of the genuinely ground-breaking CODE (Cultural Olympiad Digital Edition) which go on display in February. Despite the prosaic name, the series includes wacky stuff like the warehouse installation “We Are Stardust” where visitors are Google-mapped from the point of view of the universe.

Or you can plunk down some Canadian dollars and you catch DJs like Kid Koala, prima ballerinas like Uliana Lopatkina and a whole host of world-beat performers scheduled to play. One must-watch is the 1987 piece of musical theater Nixon in China.

The dope: "Adams’s fascinating drama of East/West psychology and global politics is given contemporary resonance in this exciting new production by Vancouver Opera."

The kicker: Mao Zedong is played by Alan Woodrow, a white dude.

Plus there’s the whole raft of traditional Vancouver fun things to do like whale-watching around the San Juan Islands, snowboarding on Grouse Mountain and eating like a king.

Oh yes, there are also some sports events to catch. If you’re feeling the Canada vibe, February 28 for the men’s hockey finals is the date to circle.

Fly direct on Air Canada (US$2,000 round-trip), stay at the Hilton (US$110 a night) and buy tickets to the Games. Most tickets are under CD$25.