Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
I've been to Vancouver once before and it was very rainy and extremely windy so my experience wasn't optimal! I've been doing quite a bit of research on what to do, see, eat, and drink in all of our ports of call. We will be arriving in Vancouver two days prior to embarkation for our cruise so I'm really looking forward to making the most of our time in this beautiful city! Several friends will be joining us at the Hyatt Regency and I plan to organize a dinner for the group... more later on this! Here are my thoughts on Vancouver!
Click here for a map of downtown Vancouver
A Hop-on Hop-off bus tour may be a good way to get an overview of the city.
HOHO (hop on, hop off) Bus Tour of Vancouver
Do a walking tour. Be sure to bring your comfy walking shoes so that you can take a free walking tour with the tour guys! There are several tours from which to choose. The tours are free but the guides work hard for tips!
Granville Island: Being a foodie as well as a shopper, Granville Island will be top of my list to do in Vancouver! Here is a bit from the Granville Island website that has roped me right in!
Hey, you can even buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home! Stop in at the Granville Island Brewery for a tour and tasting.
For lunch, how about The Edible Canada Bistro? It's located on Granville Island, across from the Public Market.
A fun & scenic way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus or the False Creek Ferry.
Gastown: the oldest neighborhood in Vancouver; reports say that it was born out of a whiskey barrel and grew up around a saloon! It's name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was a riverboat captain & a saloon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock. If you're a history buff, you may want to take one of the Forbidden Vancouver walking tours of Gastown, which you can book in advance online. You'll learn about the Lost Souls of Gastown or Prohibition City. After this history lesson, it's probably time for some wine, right? Stop at the Vancouver Urban Winery for a tasting.
Click here for a map of downtown Vancouver
A Hop-on Hop-off bus tour may be a good way to get an overview of the city.
HOHO (hop on, hop off) Bus Tour of Vancouver
Do a walking tour. Be sure to bring your comfy walking shoes so that you can take a free walking tour with the tour guys! There are several tours from which to choose. The tours are free but the guides work hard for tips!
Granville Island: Being a foodie as well as a shopper, Granville Island will be top of my list to do in Vancouver! Here is a bit from the Granville Island website that has roped me right in!
“Granville
Island Public Market - Go on, you deserve a little temptation. If
Granville Island is the king of Vancouver destinations, then the Public Market
is the jewel in the Island’s crown. A fascinating assortment of colorful
stalls, showcasing unique homemade products and the very finest in gastronomic
delights. All fresh from the ocean, the oven or the field. Try closing your
eyes right now and imagine the rich aromas permeating from the lavish displays.
Shimmering seafood, warm baked goods, plump fruit. Okay,
stop. That’s enough torture. Come and browse for yourself and see just why words don’t begin to describe it.”
Hey, you can even buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home! Stop in at the Granville Island Brewery for a tour and tasting.
For lunch, how about The Edible Canada Bistro? It's located on Granville Island, across from the Public Market.
A fun & scenic way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus or the False Creek Ferry.
Gastown: the oldest neighborhood in Vancouver; reports say that it was born out of a whiskey barrel and grew up around a saloon! It's name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was a riverboat captain & a saloon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock. If you're a history buff, you may want to take one of the Forbidden Vancouver walking tours of Gastown, which you can book in advance online. You'll learn about the Lost Souls of Gastown or Prohibition City. After this history lesson, it's probably time for some wine, right? Stop at the Vancouver Urban Winery for a tasting.
Now it must be time for lunch or dinner! For some great pub grub and beer, head to The Irish Heather. If you plan to go for dinner, you may want to participate in the Long Table Series. The Long Table Series (LTS) is an intimate gathering of friends, old and new, along our 40 foot communal table. Like coming home to "Sunday Dinner," but without the clean up: hearty home-cooked meals, good people, and great value $18 (plus tax and service) incl. artisan beer / beverage. And if you don't finish up, someone else will do it for you. The 40 foot table is a "communal" table—please sit wherever there is room. You may not know the folks beside you, but you will within 10 minutes.
Stanley Park, the crown jewel of Vancouver! Everyone says that the beauty of Stanley Park is breathtaking. Covering more than 1000 acres, you'll need to plan to spend at least a few hours here. Within the park you can enjoy the Aquarium, the totem pole collection, beautiful flower gardens, even an urban rain forest! There are walking & biking paths/trails, beaches to comb, the nine o'clock gun, the Brockton Point Lighthouse, many beautiful vistas and a number of restaurants.
Here's a YouTube documentary video of Stanley Park. I'm ready to visit!
I was hoping to go for dim sum in Chinatown, but online reviews indicate that dim sum is better outside of Chinatown... can anyone correct me on this???
No comments:
Post a Comment