Friendless In Vancouver
June 14, 2005 11:41 AM Subscribe
I'm going to be alone in Vancouver BC Wednesday June 15 to Friday. Everyone I know is out of town. What can I do?
I'll be without a car in the downtown area. I'm familiar with the city, but I find myself doing the same thing every visit - usually involving visiting friends at the Railway Club, going to a concert at the Commodore, a good dinner or two. Music, galleries, good walks/hikes, good breakfast joints, day time, night time, outside, inside, pubs, Suggestions of anything worth doing would be helpful. Any ideas?
I'll be without a car in the downtown area. I'm familiar with the city, but I find myself doing the same thing every visit - usually involving visiting friends at the Railway Club, going to a concert at the Commodore, a good dinner or two. Music, galleries, good walks/hikes, good breakfast joints, day time, night time, outside, inside, pubs, Suggestions of anything worth doing would be helpful. Any ideas?
If it's warm out, and you're feeling adventurous, go hang out at Wreck Beach.
posted by COBRA! at 12:01 PM on June 14, 2005
posted by COBRA! at 12:01 PM on June 14, 2005
Museum of Anthropology at UBC. Double up with walk at Spanish Banks or Jericho, or a dangle at Wreck Beach.
Naam Cafe on West 4th if you are a vegetarian, or even if you aren't.
Minor league baseball and great views at Nat Bailey Stadium.
Spend a day taking ferries around the gulf islands -- treat it like a mini-cruise (but bring yoour own lunch and a good book) -- take ferry from Tswassen to Galiano or Saltspring Island, and hence on to do the round of Mayne-Saturna-Pender-Saltspring islands. Really gorgeous scenery and you can chat up the locals on the small ferries. Schedule. You can take a city bus out to Tswassen, change buses at Ladner exchange, its not expensive.
Second the Stanley Park seawall. Granville Island market is quite nice.
Chinatown is large and lively. A lot of people swear by the Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens.
It is surprisingly reasonable to take the scheduled Harbour Air seaplane from Coal Harbour (Downtown) to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, or even to Victoria. Make the trip, have a beer near the other terminal, and then fly back. They fly nice and low over the Gulf of Georgia. Nothing much to do in Nanaimo though, and Victoria is quite touristy (good museum though). Better yet, you can fly Harbour Air to the Gulf Islands, then take the ferry back. One way Downtown Vancouver to Ganges (Saltspring Island) on a float plane is 74$ Canadian, or about 55$ US. See the Saturday Market at Ganges, have a beer, then wander back on the ferry (or vice versa). Nanaimo is about 50 bucks one way, and Victoria about 95.
posted by Rumple at 12:54 PM on June 14, 2005
Naam Cafe on West 4th if you are a vegetarian, or even if you aren't.
Minor league baseball and great views at Nat Bailey Stadium.
Spend a day taking ferries around the gulf islands -- treat it like a mini-cruise (but bring yoour own lunch and a good book) -- take ferry from Tswassen to Galiano or Saltspring Island, and hence on to do the round of Mayne-Saturna-Pender-Saltspring islands. Really gorgeous scenery and you can chat up the locals on the small ferries. Schedule. You can take a city bus out to Tswassen, change buses at Ladner exchange, its not expensive.
Second the Stanley Park seawall. Granville Island market is quite nice.
Chinatown is large and lively. A lot of people swear by the Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens.
It is surprisingly reasonable to take the scheduled Harbour Air seaplane from Coal Harbour (Downtown) to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, or even to Victoria. Make the trip, have a beer near the other terminal, and then fly back. They fly nice and low over the Gulf of Georgia. Nothing much to do in Nanaimo though, and Victoria is quite touristy (good museum though). Better yet, you can fly Harbour Air to the Gulf Islands, then take the ferry back. One way Downtown Vancouver to Ganges (Saltspring Island) on a float plane is 74$ Canadian, or about 55$ US. See the Saturday Market at Ganges, have a beer, then wander back on the ferry (or vice versa). Nanaimo is about 50 bucks one way, and Victoria about 95.
posted by Rumple at 12:54 PM on June 14, 2005
Stephos (West End) for the biggest, best plate of calamari you'll ever have the pleasure of eating. And it's cheap. But turn up early, or take away.
Rent a kayak and paddle around False Creek.
posted by dreamsign at 1:45 PM on June 14, 2005
Rent a kayak and paddle around False Creek.
posted by dreamsign at 1:45 PM on June 14, 2005
Meditate on being in a country not ruled by Bush/Cheney.
posted by matildaben at 2:08 PM on June 14, 2005
posted by matildaben at 2:08 PM on June 14, 2005
Lots of answers in this thread. Most of my answers there would apply to you too.
posted by fionab at 3:53 PM on June 14, 2005
posted by fionab at 3:53 PM on June 14, 2005
Walk across Lions Gate Bridge. In West Van, Ambleside and Dundarave are interesting, as is Lonsdale, in North Van.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:58 PM on June 14, 2005
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:58 PM on June 14, 2005
Or a Skytrain themed excursion. (Don't know much about the Surrey end of things - other Mefites?)
In New Westminster, there's Antique Alley, the Royal Star boat/casino and the New West Quay (like Lonsdale Quay, only smaller).
In Burnaby, there's Metrotown for the second largest mall complex in Canada (after West Edmonton Mall), people watching and shopping.
There's also Patterson station, which is in Central Park, which has nice running or biking trails, and Swanguard Stadium for Whitecaps soccer games.
In Vancouver, Main Street will get you near Chinatown, but there's also Science World (in a geodesic dome).
Then Granville and Burrard stations for downtown stuff, and Waterfront for Gastown strolling/shopping/eating.
From Waterfront is the Seabus ferry to Lonsdale Quay and the suggestions above re: North Vancouver.
Also second the UBC anthro museum, Granville Island (take a water taxi - they're neat), and third the seawall.
posted by birdsquared at 7:31 PM on June 14, 2005
In New Westminster, there's Antique Alley, the Royal Star boat/casino and the New West Quay (like Lonsdale Quay, only smaller).
In Burnaby, there's Metrotown for the second largest mall complex in Canada (after West Edmonton Mall), people watching and shopping.
There's also Patterson station, which is in Central Park, which has nice running or biking trails, and Swanguard Stadium for Whitecaps soccer games.
In Vancouver, Main Street will get you near Chinatown, but there's also Science World (in a geodesic dome).
Then Granville and Burrard stations for downtown stuff, and Waterfront for Gastown strolling/shopping/eating.
From Waterfront is the Seabus ferry to Lonsdale Quay and the suggestions above re: North Vancouver.
Also second the UBC anthro museum, Granville Island (take a water taxi - they're neat), and third the seawall.
posted by birdsquared at 7:31 PM on June 14, 2005
Two words: Wreck Beach (weather and your self-confidence permitting, of course)
posted by gwenzel at 9:28 PM on June 14, 2005
posted by gwenzel at 9:28 PM on June 14, 2005
take the seabus across to northvan, then the bus up to grouse mountain and do the Grouse Grind. Bring water and $5 so you can take the tram down.
posted by Iax at 12:45 AM on June 15, 2005
posted by Iax at 12:45 AM on June 15, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
Walk around the Seawall
Go to Queen Elizabeth Park
Visit Chinatown
Take the bus to North Vancouver, visit Lynn Suspension Bridge
Visit the Vancouver Art Gallery
Visit the art galleries along Granville Street, from 6th ave to Broadway (9th - but no one calls it 9th). If you do this early in the morning, then stop by Paul's Place for a lovely breakfast (he's on Granville between 7th and 8th)
Take bus to North Vancouver - to the base of Grouse mountain. Take the gondola up and visit the grizzly bears' pen, as well as the wolves' pen on top of the mountain. It's a controversial place to keep these wild animals, but they are a sight to see
Take a bus to Horseshoe Bay, take ferry to Bowen Island, visit Killarney Lake, and/or go up Mt Gardner. Enjoy a lovely microbrew as you await the ferry back.
posted by seawallrunner at 11:57 AM on June 14, 2005