VANCOUVER
TRAVEL GUIDE

THIS VANCOUVER TOURISM GUIDE,

What’s the last thing you considered beautiful? For me, Vancouver, Canada was the last place that claimed that beauty for me. Year round, Vancouver is the place that resides in a special area of my heart, and is also where I call home. What makes Vancouver a great place to visit, best day trip in Vancouver, live and explore is that you have the option to be in the heart of the busy city one moment and then be completely alone, with nothing but the motions of the ocean the next. In this guide I’ve plucked out the best of the best; from the most unique food spots, to the some of the most scenic landscapes worth exploring in and around the city. This guide is for deserving staycationers, weekend explorers, and even the month long visitors. You can follow this guide as someone on a budget or as someone who’s ready to treat themselves! Trust me when I say that you’ll quickly fall in love with everything on this guide. - I know that I have!

QUIRKY CHINATOWN vs HISTORIC GASTOWN

Neighbourhood

Now I’ve spent a lot of time in Gastown. When I first moved to Vancouver it was a place I was always excited to explore. At the time is was filled to the brim with local, independent shops that focused on design, fashion and really beautiful things to look at. Places like Litchfield, Old Faithful, and Hey Jude are long standing gems that you MUST check out. Food in the heart of the area was always super good, places like Pidgn, and Birds and the Beets are a must to check out but I find the real gems were always tucked away in spots just outside of “Gastown” Ask For Luigi, Mackenzie Room, Botanist are some of the best spots to go. At that time anything you’d want from day to night was at your disposal. Two years into living in Vancouver, I got a job on one of the busiest corners of Gastown at an Interior Design Firm. I worked there for three years, and as time progressed it very much became my second home. Over time the local, cool kids doing cool stuff got pushed out by the mass amount of tourists that flooded the streets every day, then the scene shifted. You’ll always hear about Gastown, the cobblestone streets and steam clock; it’s worth checking out nonetheless but be sure to give yourself time to wander further into the outskirts of the area. *More below

Let’s talk Chinatown. It’s famous to the most up and coming, thriving spots in all of Vancouver. While the life of Chinatown itself isn’t as present nowadays, this new creative, youthful scene has paved it’s way in. The food scene is huge in the area, it has this buzz around every corner that is worth checking out. Some of the most prestigious and talked about restaurants call Chinatown home, it’s also a greatly design focused area. Bao Bei, Juniper, and Virtuous Pie, are some of the many busy but chilled out places to check out. Your options span from Quick and Dirty fried chicken at Juke, to a healthy nourish bowl at Hey Kokomo. If you’re looking for drinks, The Emerald or Keefer Bar have to make your list! One of my favourite spots to get in a good workout is Tight Club, they also have called Chinatown their zone to balance out all the eating you’ve been doing through TRX and Community workouts like Run Club. If you’re feeling like some shopping will be on the agenda try Charlie and Lee, and El Kartel.

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 11.15.31 AM.png

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 11.15.17 AM.png

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 11.04.24 AM.png

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 11.04.14 AM.png

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 11.04.00 AM.png

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 11.03.32 AM.png

Finding that Perfect Airbnb or Hotel

Accommodation

When it comes to places to stay in Vancouver you’re going to need to check these three boxes for a worry free stay -

Location + Proximity; where are the areas you want to explore
Vibes; a space that has a pulse and an intentional design
Price Point; Scroll to the end for a list of spots varying in $$

When it comes to picking a location for your airbnb or hotel, don’t worry too much about it, as everything in Vancouver is either a 10 min cab ride, 15 min bike ride, or 30 min walk away. Public Transportation is great in Vancouver.The Skytrain covers a lot of ground and gets you around efficiently. Vancouver is a biking city so if you can get your hands on a bike, I highly recommend hopping on one and exploring that way. I think it’s important to check out all neighbourhoods listed below, as they all have their own pulse, and vibe worthy of a visit. Another fun way to see the city is by Aqua Bus, hop on any of the docking areas around False Creek, and then hop off somewhere new. - an affordable option too

Based on experience and understanding of the neighbourhoods, the Top 05 Locations for locating your airbnb would be -
01. Mount Pleasant for it’s trendy cafes and quaint neighbourhood vibes overlooking the mountains 02. East Van for its creative, up and coming persona, amazing breweries and restaurants (all things local start here) 03. The West End, for it’s close proximity to English Bay, Third Beach and Stanley Park 04. Gastown for it’s charming cobblestone streets and energy that continues on into the evenings. 05. Kitsilano for it’s laid back vibes, ocean breeze and fun in the sun active lifestyle.

Who’s Hungry?

Good Eats

This guide wouldn’t be complete without mention of more good eats throughout the city. The food scene in Vancouver is something amazing, it’s creative, ever changing and full of culture. I’ve given you a fresh list of the most essential restaurants worth checking out on your next visit!

One thing Vancouver takes great pride in is the experience it provides, and that the food is just as good as the design of the space. From the moment you step into one of the restaurants on this list you will be entertained, wow’d and will 100% want to go back for more. Design is heavily present in most great Vancouver restaurants, so if you’re a design nerd like I am, then I curated this guide just for you.

My Top 03 recommendations for the Vancouver food scene are as follows - 01. Acorn, a refined vegetarian venue worth checking out, and because you didn’t know hollumi tasted so good. Add an extra piece; you’re welcome. 02. Turf, a cheerful spot in Kits that makes health look so damn good! try the lentil grits and grab a turmeric ginger tea. 03. Finfolk; for a new spin on an old favorite, Nordic inspired dishes brought to you by a local BC chef.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEA, SKY AND SIDEWALK

Landscape Photo Opportunities

At the beginning of this post I asked about what was the last thing you considered beautiful? For me, Vancouver, Canada was the last place that claimed that beauty for me and a lot of it had to do with the landscapes. I became a landscape photographer and truly fell into caring about the environment on a greater scale once living there. BC gives off this pulse, and when it comes to environmental issues and growth of the landscapes, locals and BC dwellers come fiercely to the frontline when it comes to doing what is right to preserve it’s beauty and longevity. With this list I hope you experience these places for yourself, but also make a conscious effort to respect and preserve the landscapes you explore. These are places that locals wish to share with tourists, but please leave the landscapes how you found them, if not better.

Places on the list below are areas to calm your mind, retreat from the busy city, and also an invitation to experience the breathtaking surroundings; from the ocean to the mountains to the forests, BC truly has it all. Here are 03 of my favourite places to do all of those things 01. Whytcliff Park for it’s rocky cliffs that line the Georgia Straight, it’s active marine life and amazing sunsets. 02. Sea to Sky Highway & Gondola this is popular amoung people who have a vehicle. It’s one of BC’s finest drives, along the ocean. Being only a short drive out of the city, it’s worth making this a day trip and then taking the gondola up to overlook Squamish, The ominous Chief, a granitic dome located adjacent to the town of Squamish. The Chief is popular for all, as it towers over 700m above the Howe Sound. 03. Dog Mountain this is one of my personal local favs, as it is a 5km, two hour round trip hike, I recommend doing an early morning hike, the crisp air will cure any hangover from the night before! There’s just something about it..

Although there are so many places that I’d love to recommend or that are a dead giveaway when it comes to touring around Vancouver, I feel as if those are the hidden gems worth sharing.

HOW TO PLAN THE BEST DAY TRIP IN VANCOUVER

coffee

Lunch

Dinner

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Douglas | Hotel | thedouglasvancouver.com

The Burrard Hotel | Hotel | theburrard.com

shopping

#shoplocal

Litchfield | Local Boutique | litchfieldtheshop.com

Old Faithful Shop | Local Boutique | oldfaithfulshop.com

quick eats

Their There | Quick Eats | theirthere.ca

Bestie | Quick Eats | bestiewurst.com

breakfast

cocktails

Stable House | Cocktails | thestablehouse.ca

fitness

Lagree West | Pilates | lagreewest.com

Tight Club | Fitness Studio | tightclubathletics.com

adventure

EXPLORE OTHER CITY GUIDES

VANCOUVER, BC

VANCOUVER TRAVEL GUIDE