Kam Goes to Vancouver, Canada
My first international trip was when I was in the 3rd grade and my grandparents took me to England and Paris for two weeks to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousin while they were living overseas. It’s one of those trips I remember but of course didn’t really understand when I was there. Time passed and my passport expired without me even noticing.
Alex and I decided that Canada would be a good introductory international trip for the two of us and with the extra time off over Thanksgiving looking like an excellent time to head North, we booked our trip! No, we don’t have family there. Yes, I’m sure our families were a little put out that we sprung the news on them without clearing it first. Yes, we flew out two days after coming home from our camping trip with Amy and Andrew. Yes, we could’ve used that time to pack our apartment. No, I don’t regret going.
We spent Tuesday through Friday exploring Downtown Vancouver including Stanley Park, Chinatown, Granville Island Market, and the Capilano Bridge Park. We flew into Vancouver mid-morning and took the Sky Train into a rainy and very busy Downtown. Our hotel (St. Regis, we highly recommend staying here. The staff was very friendly and didn’t hesitate to help us with our questions about everything from tipping to finding a microbrewery. The breakfast in the morning is served downstairs and it is not a continental breakfast with a sad toaster…We had eggs, omelets, seasonal fruit salad…you get the point. The hotel is conscious of their environmental impact and encourages guests to participate through water and power conservation.)
Downtown Vancouver is like a mix of Seattle and New York City. There’s a lot of energy and a lot of people on the move. Everybody is dressed nicely (very different than the very business-casual attire we see in Southern California) and bicyclists rule the roads. You can forget that you’re surrounded by water when you’re in the middle of the city, which was one of the reasons it reminded us of NYC.
Stanley Park was our big destination. We walked from our hotel along the Seawall into the park to see the totem poles, art pieces, and the aquarium. I have more photos that I plan to share soon (maybe in an album?).
We spent the better part of a morning at the Capilano Bridge Park. There is a free shuttle service from various locations Downtown and we opted to get on the bus outside of the convention center. We bought our tickets at the Vancouver Welcome Center for a little discount. The weather was fairly clear which was nice. Again, a TON of photos and stories I want to share about this place. I’ll say this much: Add it to your list of places to visit when you go to Vancouver next.
Tips for your trip to Vancouver:
- Fritz has vegetarian poutine, if you’re not into beef gravy. It’s not vegan, as the cheese curds are still included, but if you’re pro-cheese, get a small classic and enjoy the hot goodness of this Canadian favorite
- If you’re not going to get a SIM card for your phone, there are plenty of Starbucks locations throughout the city with free wifi so you can pop into a store and check your maps/email as you wander around
- Get gelato and then hit the restroom that’s two doors away at Giovane Cafe and Wine Bar. Seriously, you’ll thank me
- If you’re there to party, buy alcohol at Duty Free before you leave the airport. It’ll be cheaper. Also, if offered, you should try a shot of Maple flavored Crown Royal while you’re in town. It was described to us as a shot of regular Crown and then promptly chomping into a stack of pancakes
- It’s a washroom, not a restroom
- Walk around as much as you can! The city is beautiful and there’s a lot to explore
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