VANCOUVER
Hello, hello! To make the most of the city, I’ve prepared this list of all my favorite places to walk, hike, eat and drink.
Enjoy your trip and if you had a great time with me, I will be very happy for the nice review! :)
Daniel
General recommendations
– avoid East Hastings Street
– for nightlife go to Yaletown, Kitsilano or Davie village
– for morning walk go to Kitsilano or West End
– for public transport (bus, seabus, skytrain), just tap the credit/debit card
– Spokes is great bike rental option
Restaurants
GASTOWN:
Zoomak Korean Tavern (great Korean cuisne and laid-back vibe), Kozak Ukrainian Restaurant (Ukrainian cousine), Twisted Fork (French style bistro), Nelson the Seagull Cafe (breads, pastries, sandwiches), Nuba (Lebanese food, vegetarian options, best for hummus), The Old Spaghetti Factory (traditional Italian cousine), LOCAL Public Eatery Gastown (international food)
OTHERS:
Lonsdale Quay Market (for market with local feel) – big choice of food, super easy to get there. Just take the seabus from Waterfront station to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver and the market is right there.
Granville Island Public Market (for another great market) – very popular market, great choice of seafood.
Nine Dumplings Nine Dishes (for Chinese dumplings) – well known spot for one of the best dumplings in the city.
Viet Sub (for Vietnamese cousine) – great vietnamese food, famous for Bánh Mì sandwiches. On Robson square in downtown.
JINYA Ramen Bar (for Ramen) – one of the many great spots in the city, in the heart of downtown.
Parker Rooftop (for rooftop and West Coast cousine) – in the heart of downtown.
Japadog (for iconic Vancouver fastfood) – Japenese style hot dogs.
Go Fish (for seafood) – popular takeaway close to Granville Island.
Hydra Estiatorio (for high end seafood) – close to Waterfront! Great seafood and mediterranean (Greek) vibe.
Fritz (for Poutine)
Saku (for Japanese cousine) – great place to go for Japanese tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlets). Downtown West End location.
Tako (for Korean-Mexican tacos & burritos) – next to Chinatown skytrain station.
Jam Cafe (for breakfast, brunch, cocktails, waffles and pancakes) – located near Gastown, often with the waiting lines of people.
Vij’s (for Indian cousine) – famous restaurant located in Mt. Pleasant.
Fat Mao Noodles (for noodles) – noodle fusion from all around Asia, two locations, downtown preferred.
Craft Beer
Faculty Brewing Co. – my personal favorite in Mount Pleasant.
Brassneck Brewing – comparably good as Faculty! Also Mount Pleasant.
Electric Bicycle Brewing – for great beer and cool space, another great place in Mount Pleasant.
House of Funk Brewing – very cool place in North Vancouver.
Coffee Roasters & Ice Cream!
Revolver – best speciality coffee in downtown and great retro feel.
Pallet – great local coffee roasting company located on several spots across whole city.
Rain or Shine – delicious homemade ice cream.
For NATURE lovers
Grouse Mountain (for the best views) – in great visibility you can see as far as Seattle. Moreover, you have two rescued Grizzleys up there!
How to get there – you can take free shuttle (every 30 minutes) from Canada Place to gondola station and then with gondola up to Grouse Mountain. Alternatively take the SeaBus from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver (and don’t forget forget to visit also great Lonsdale Quay Market) . From Lonsdale Quay take the bus #236 Grouse Mountain to gondola. The gondola is 80 CAD there and back. After 7pm there is a discount and you can have it just for 25 CAD there and back.
Lynn Valley (for nice hiking) – great alternative to Capilano bridge. You have suspension bridge here as well, just smaller but for free. Go early in the morning to avoid crowds. From Lynn canyon suspension bridge you can hike down following Lynn creek down to North Vancouver waterfront.
How to get there – take the SeaBus from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. From Lonsdale Quay, you have a couple of options:
Take bus #228 Lynn Valley. This bus will take you directly to Lynn Valley close to suspension bridge. Alternatively, you can take direct bus #240 from Downtown to Lynn Valley.
Bowen Island (for ocean sceneries, nature and ice cream) – just few kilometres from Vancouver you feel remote and surrounded by green lush rainforest. Great escape from busy city. From the Snug Cove you can walk along the bay or you can take an easy hike to Killarney lake (Killarney Creek trail) and back. Or if you are very experienced hiker you can hike to Mount Gardner. Anyway don’t forget to try delicious Marina Icecream Parlor.
How to get there – take the bus #257 Horseshoe Bay Express from Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (bus stop at Westbound W Georgia St @ Burrard St.) to Horseshoa Bay. Then take the ferry to Snug Cove (Bowen Island).
Deep Cove (for short and rewarding hike with great views) – look for the TransLink bus routes #211 or #212 departing from Burrard Station. Deep Cove is enchanting place! Take Baden Powell Trail (1 hour there and 1 hour back) for great mountain/ocean sceneries.
Vancouver for Children
Vancouver Aquarium – great and highly entertaining way to know marine life. Located in Stanley Park.
FlyOver Canada – interesting way how to experience great Canadian landscapes. Guests sit in chairlift-style seats and are elevated before a large, spherical screen. The visuals are enhanced by special effects, including wind and scents, to create the illusion of actually flying over the landscape.
Kids Market – colorful building is home to a bustling play area and shops selling all kinds of off-beat, handcrafted, and educational toys, many of them locally made.
Science World – highly interactive science and technology museum.