Vancouver vacation

[shoeshine boy 241]

my other half and I are planning a vacation to Vancouver for Fall 2010.

we're hoping to catch a Canucks game, maybe a BC Lions game and maybe some junior hockey.

we're also really into food so we're planning on doing a food tour or two.

any advice on which part of town to stay in (we're in our late 30's, not really party animals anymore), fun things to do and see and good places (of every variety) to eat would be appreciated.

[noodle3872 40]

I think you meant to write Fall 2011. What kinds of food you're after? Pub style food? Bbq? Sushi? You name it, Vancouver has it. Help us help you.

Mike

[shotty 7]

as usual, it all depends on your budget. a decent hotel in downtown is the blue horizon at $180/night. you can stay in a designer boutique hotel like the opus in yaletown (starts at around $300/night) which will put you close to the stadiums, restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, etc.

you'll have to buy canucks tix thru a reseller as they are seldom available at the box, vancouver giants tickets are cheap, but the arena is not close to downtown core. probably a $20 cab ride each way. lions tickets are easy to get, and you'll be able to see the newly refurbished open air stadium. our new mls team will also be playing their inaugural season, so that might be worth checking out as well. the grey cup is in vancouver next fall, so keep that in mind when booking your trip. a cab ride from the airport to downtown is about $25-$30, or you can take the rapid transit train directly into downtown for something like $5 and it takes about 25 minutes.

as for places to go:

gastown, stanley park sea wall, robson square, granville street, if you're into being outdoors, there's a canopy walk way at the UBC botanical garden that is really cool, you can do a night in whistler (1.5-2hrs from vancouver), go up to grouse mountain (sky ride from the base to the peak is amazing). granville island is a tourist hot spot (you can take a little aqua bus from yaletown or the west end over to granville island for $3 i think). my suggestion is to buy a frommers guide to vancouver. they update them regularly and there are a ton of things to see and do that i might take for granted, having lived here for most of my life.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Just adding onto Shotty's options of places to go, you can try the Vancouver Aquarium, I dunno if Playland/Pne will still be open depends on when "Fall" is, but it's a great place. As far as good goes, I can't help too much unless your going around North Vancouver. PM if you need anything.

[Jason Harris 31]

My daughters and I visited for two days last summer on a driving trip we took through the northwest. We stayed in Richmond, which was affordable because I booked through Priceline (utilizing BiddingForTravel.com), but it was about 20+ minutes from downtown.

There's some neat architecture downtown, so just walking on some of the streets is pleasant. For instance, I think their library is well done for a public building. Shotty's list is excellent; the only thing I would add to it is a park that is in North Vancouver and has a suspension bridge. I think it's Lynn Canyon Park, versus the paid bridge at Capilano, but I can't remember.

By the way, if you like Sushi, it's awesome in Vancouver. All You Can Eats all over, made to order, for around $20.

[shotty 7]

ya the sushi is amazing, good point.

[gnarlygk 0]

I spent a chunk of my honeymoon in Vancouver - 2nd time we've been there and we absolutely loved it both times. Its an awesome place!! From a purely tourists view have to agree with a lot of what people have suggested above. Stanley Park is special (probably boring for locals?). Granville island is nice, as is Grouse mountain all lovely scenery day trip stuff. Downtown's a nice walk around, agree that theres lots of interesting and varied architecture, snoop around Robson St for shopping and also found some section of Granville St heading out of downtown a fw klms to be really nice with cafe's / boutiques etc.

We caught a Vancouver Giants game which was awesome fun - a good somewhat "local" hockey experience I imagine, Scoffs hockey shop is near there and they were great when I bought some new skates lol. We hired a car and really enjoyed just cruising around, driving wherever, over Lions Gate Bridge, North vancouver, Richmond etc. If you have the time definitely head up to Whistler, even if you dont ski its worth it. Its a lovely drive along mountains and coast with postcard views and small towns along the way. When you get there the Peak to Peak Gondola from Whistler to Blackcomb mountains is spectacular. Sotuh West and Nth West Marine Drv in Vancouver were also a nice find with somewhere along there's a picturesque park where you can get a view of the city skyline, harbour, and mountains all in the one photo op.

We stayed at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, which was an ideal location downtown, excellent access to shopping, bars, restaurants from what we could tell. Service was exceptional tho the decor isnt the most hip / fashionable - more olde world luxurious but that was fine with us we'd definitely stay there again. Just try and avoid the one memorable incident we had there - I managed to "bump" some fahsionistas brand new Merc SL55AMG that was parked in the hotel drive outside concierge whilst she was shopping in Louis Vuitoon, I was pulling out in our rented Hyundai, she came rushing out Louis Vuitton distraught to see what had happened to her baby - OOps, I felt like an idiot, so I played up my Aussie acccent and the fact we drive on the other side of the road and she was quite polite about the whole thing. The concierge was superb in calming her down and dealing with the whole situation discretely (he knew her on a first name basis for some reason??), fortunately we'd taken out excess reduction insurance. Hope u have as great a time there as we had.

[number21 3]

the only thing I would add to it is a park that is in North Vancouver and has a suspension bridge. I think it's Lynn Canyon Park, versus the paid bridge at Capilano, but I can't remember.

We visited a few years ago and went to Lynn Canyon park. It was great, I have never been to a temperate rainforest and I could have stayed way longer and hiked around. If you go, do bring a poncho or something, the rain moves in quick and the gift shop was sold out of cheap rain gear. Luckily they were nice enough to give us some "loaners" for my wife and her friends and a trash bag for me. It sucked, but it worked.

There was also an artsy part of the city we went to with a lot of galleries and shops with a nice public market where we got a great cheap lunch. I cannot remember where or what it was called though.

EDIT: It was Granville Island

[jbyun04 7]

I hear Memphis Blues on Broadway is good if you want to go ballistic on ribs.

For sushi, I like Shabusen on Granville (just outside downtown) though I hear Hapa Izakaya is pretty good as well.

If you're looking for some good coffee hit up Artigianos or Elysian on Broadway and Ash if you ever manage to get out that way.

Take a trip to White Spot / Triple-O's as well, kind of like our version of In-n-Out I guess but more expensive.

Granville Island has some fresh eats in the Marketplace, a nice grill at Cat's Social House and lots of things to see there. Very touristy.

Oh and Japadog. Haven't tried it myself but everyone's obsessed with it.

Also if you're into the more snobbish side of food, check out www.foodists.ca

They're always running around Vancouver hunting for what's good to eat.

[ktang 34]

UBC is a nice campus, with the Rose Garden overlooking the Pacific. Vera's Burgers is there too, also One More Sushi.

Chinese food is very good in Vancouver; Kirin at 12th Ave and Cambie is pretty good, and most of the Chinese restaurants in Richmond.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Take a trip to White Spot / Triple-O's as well, kind of like our version of In-n-Out I guess but more expensive.

Wait..that's what I compare In-n-out too? As in taste wise? That's sorta disappointing, I heard that In-n-out was one of the best fast food places when I went to Cali, but I never got to try it.

Oh and to add to this, get some bubble tea!! Goes well with whatever sushi or japanese you might have. If you go around North Vancouver, Aka Tomb is probably one of the best Japanese places around.

[t6lock 24]

I hear Memphis Blues on Broadway is good if you want to go ballistic on ribs.

For sushi, I like Shabusen on Granville (just outside downtown) though I hear Hapa Izakaya is pretty good as well.

If you're looking for some good coffee hit up Artigianos or Elysian on Broadway and Ash if you ever manage to get out that way.

Take a trip to White Spot / Triple-O's as well, kind of like our version of In-n-Out I guess but more expensive.

Granville Island has some fresh eats in the Marketplace, a nice grill at Cat's Social House and lots of things to see there. Very touristy.

Oh and Japadog. Haven't tried it myself but everyone's obsessed with it.

I saw the post for Memphis Blues and thought OMG this guy totally knows what hes talkin about.... then I saw... WHITE SPOT?????? lol. (sorry to people who are white spot fans)

Anyways, if you want a REAL burger, go check out Vera's http://www.verasburgershack.com/ it's honestly the best burger I've ever had, and it's about twice the size of a white spot burger and i'd rate it 5x tastier. i'm pretty sure Vera's wins all types of awards for their burgers

To make a long post quick...

Shabusen on Granville is closed now so dont worry about that one (I love Ninkazu for all you can eat sushi in Richmond)

Memphis Blues has superb food especially the ribs and pulled pork (i recommend... i think its called a pulled pork poutine, but its fries with pulled pork gravy and cheese on top)

Vera's for the best burger ever

Japadog is also an awesome recommendation

About comparing food to in n out, I know lots of people from Cali that say it's the best place ever, but almost everyone I know that was touring Cali said that it was nothing special.

[odieg14 0]

I saw the post for Memphis Blues and thought OMG this guy totally knows what hes talkin about.... then I saw... WHITE SPOT?????? lol. (sorry to people who are white spot fans)

Anyways, if you want a REAL burger, go check out Vera's http://www.verasburgershack.com/ it's honestly the best burger I've ever had, and it's about twice the size of a white spot burger and i'd rate it 5x tastier. i'm pretty sure Vera's wins all types of awards for their burgers

To make a long post quick...

Shabusen on Granville is closed now so dont worry about that one (I love Ninkazu for all you can eat sushi in Richmond)

Memphis Blues has superb food especially the ribs and pulled pork (i recommend... i think its called a pulled pork poutine, but its fries with pulled pork gravy and cheese on top)

Vera's for the best burger ever

Japadog is also an awesome recommendation

About comparing food to in n out, I know lots of people from Cali that say it's the best place ever, but almost everyone I know that was touring Cali said that it was nothing special.

VEARAS!!!. i play sometimes on my brother mens team sponsored by them

[shoeshine boy 241]

great suggestions! keep'em coming! as for the ribs, I live in the southeast United States so I'll be sticking to the ribs and BBQ at home. :)

TOTALLY loading up on Asian food in Vancouver.

[t6lock 24]

TOTALLY loading up on Asian food in Vancouver.

that was already determined when u said u were going to Vancouver.

[jbyun04 7]

I saw the post for Memphis Blues and thought OMG this guy totally knows what hes talkin about.... then I saw... WHITE SPOT?????? lol. (sorry to people who are white spot fans)

Anyways, if you want a REAL burger, go check out Vera's http://www.verasburgershack.com/ it's honestly the best burger I've ever had, and it's about twice the size of a white spot burger and i'd rate it 5x tastier. i'm pretty sure Vera's wins all types of awards for their burgers

To make a long post quick...

Shabusen on Granville is closed now so dont worry about that one (I love Ninkazu for all you can eat sushi in Richmond)

Memphis Blues has superb food especially the ribs and pulled pork (i recommend... i think its called a pulled pork poutine, but its fries with pulled pork gravy and cheese on top)

Vera's for the best burger ever

Japadog is also an awesome recommendation

About comparing food to in n out, I know lots of people from Cali that say it's the best place ever, but almost everyone I know that was touring Cali said that it was nothing special.

Not sure why there's so much hate for White Spot.. I stick to their Clubhouse or the BC Burger. I guess everything else is regarded as very mediocre but I like the two that I mentioned.

As for Vera's, it's good but I'm still hungry when I leave that place and it's at least $12+ each time you go.

I compared White Spot / Triple-O's to In-N-Out because In-N-Out was very similar to Triple-O's for me and people either hate it or love it.

[Jason Harris 31]

I don't think too many people hate In-N-Out, but it doesn't live up to the hype for some people. I try to tell people it's only a fast food burger, but it's probably the best tasting fast food burger available, particularly for the price.

[shoeshine boy 241]

that was already determined when u said u were going to Vancouver.

and yes, food is a HUGE reason why we picked Vancouver this time. :)

[shoeshine boy 241]

so we're less than a week away now.

we've got tickets to the Lions, Giants and thanks to a friend of a friend who's a Canucks STH, tix to the Canucks opener against my favorite team, the Penguins as well as pre-season tix to Canucks/Oilers!

we're staying at the corner of Robson and Denman. we have most bases covered but I could still use a good dim sum recommendation (Pink Pearl is still closed?) and I'm also wondering if the Canucks sell their "old" gear anywhere in town?

[Trippingblue 1]

Oh man, there are a lot of great street eats in Vancouver also. In particular there's a cart from a restaurant called la Brasserie. They serve only one thing: beer-brined rotisserie chicken in gravy, served in a buttermilk bun with crispy onions. It was absolutely over the top good. It's located on the corner of West Georgia and Granville if memory serves. Granville Island market is really good if you're into food like me, load up on fresh fruit, some salty pig parts, bread, and excellent cheese then sit out by the water and dig in.

[All Flash 49]

The Canucks sell gear at their own shop on the corner of Renfrew and Hastings across from where the Giants play and just down from the PNE.

Have a great time while you are here.

[shoeshine boy 241]

never made it to the Canucks store. :( we tried the night we went to see the Giants play but the cab got stuck in traffic and we were about 10 minutes too late.

had a great time all week though. Vancouver is a fantastic city!