Vancouver my crew!
June 30, 2015 1:13 PM Subscribe
Just found out our client has approved a film shoot in Vancouver. Hooray! Now, where do a crew of 5 Brooklynites stay?
We'll be there July 11 - 17. We'd prefer a walkable neighborhood, but will have a car if need be. (Some of us really don't drive at all, and don't want to get stuck relying on the drivers/cabs.)
We won't have much time to actually hang out, but would like to make the most of your fine eating and boozing and shopping establishments, once we've wrapped. A walkable neighborhood with lots of those would be great.
The set(s) will be throughout the city, so proximity to that isn't *terribly* important, but I mean, we can't be 2 hours from city center.
We're fine with Airb'n'b or hotels.
What neighborhoods would be good for us? I've heard Gastown is good? I know next to nothing about Vancouver.
We'll be there July 11 - 17. We'd prefer a walkable neighborhood, but will have a car if need be. (Some of us really don't drive at all, and don't want to get stuck relying on the drivers/cabs.)
We won't have much time to actually hang out, but would like to make the most of your fine eating and boozing and shopping establishments, once we've wrapped. A walkable neighborhood with lots of those would be great.
The set(s) will be throughout the city, so proximity to that isn't *terribly* important, but I mean, we can't be 2 hours from city center.
We're fine with Airb'n'b or hotels.
What neighborhoods would be good for us? I've heard Gastown is good? I know next to nothing about Vancouver.
Yep, Kitsilano is a wonderful walking neighbourhood with tons of restaurants and bars. Probably less expensive than Gastown (and Yaletown), which are undergoing gentrification. Kits got gentrified in the '70s. If your crew are all 20-25 yo, then Downtown/Gastown/Yaletown might make more sense.
It's also a 5-10 minute drive from Kits to Gastown/Yaletown/Downtown. I've walked across the Granville or Burrard bridges from Downtown to Kits many a times (it's about 45 mins, depending on exactly where).
I walk by this place a lot and it seems really nice.
List of places to stay in Kits.
posted by porpoise at 1:43 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's also a 5-10 minute drive from Kits to Gastown/Yaletown/Downtown. I've walked across the Granville or Burrard bridges from Downtown to Kits many a times (it's about 45 mins, depending on exactly where).
I walk by this place a lot and it seems really nice.
List of places to stay in Kits.
posted by porpoise at 1:43 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
Anywhere along 4th/Broadway/10th/16th west of Granville, I'd think, especially if you have access to a car. Point Grey is one of my favourite parts of town.
posted by bonehead at 2:24 PM on June 30, 2015
posted by bonehead at 2:24 PM on June 30, 2015
Commercial Drive baby!
posted by JenThePro at 2:29 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by JenThePro at 2:29 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
Where is your film shoot? Vancouver doesn't really have public transit, not like other major North American cities.
posted by Nevin at 2:58 PM on June 30, 2015
posted by Nevin at 2:58 PM on June 30, 2015
Response by poster: (We'll have a car for getting to the shoot and back, locations are TBD. We just would like to be car-free after work, for dinnering, cocktail-ing, etc.)
Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!
posted by functionequalsform at 3:20 PM on June 30, 2015
Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!
posted by functionequalsform at 3:20 PM on June 30, 2015
Last summer I was in Kitsilano for five days with my wife and in-laws. We stayed in the Asian Garden Suite belonging to the Kitsilano Heritage House B&B and were quite content with it—on a quiet street but not too far to groceries, restaurants, and nightlife. There's a parking space for the suite.
Ah, I see that porpoise has already linked to the Heritage House. The suite isn't actually in the same building; it's around the corner.
posted by brianogilvie at 3:56 PM on June 30, 2015
Ah, I see that porpoise has already linked to the Heritage House. The suite isn't actually in the same building; it's around the corner.
posted by brianogilvie at 3:56 PM on June 30, 2015
Kits would be ideal. Close to the city, close to amenities and some good neighbourhood restaurants, close to the beach...
posted by Nevin at 4:05 PM on June 30, 2015
posted by Nevin at 4:05 PM on June 30, 2015
It really depends what you're after. I love Mount Pleasant and East Vancouver for shopping/eating/boozing, and generally feel like those areas have a bit more heart and soul than Gastown\Kits\Yaletown. I'm biased as I live in Mount Pleasant, but I work in Yaletown and used to live in Kits, so I'm pretty familiar with them.
If you want to check out Vancouver's (really pretty decent) craft beer scene, a lot of the breweries are on the East side, on Main and near the very north end of Commercial Drive, both of which are very walkable.
MeMail me if you'd like any specific tips for things you're looking for. Really since you're from Brooklyn I'd maybe try and take advantage of the nature if you can - Brooklyn does the shopping/booze/dining thing better than Vancouver does, from what I've seen.
I'd grab a couple of rental bikes and scoot round the seawall of Stanley Park if I were you - it's a tourist classic, but it's a classic for a reason!
posted by Jon Mitchell at 4:53 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you want to check out Vancouver's (really pretty decent) craft beer scene, a lot of the breweries are on the East side, on Main and near the very north end of Commercial Drive, both of which are very walkable.
MeMail me if you'd like any specific tips for things you're looking for. Really since you're from Brooklyn I'd maybe try and take advantage of the nature if you can - Brooklyn does the shopping/booze/dining thing better than Vancouver does, from what I've seen.
I'd grab a couple of rental bikes and scoot round the seawall of Stanley Park if I were you - it's a tourist classic, but it's a classic for a reason!
posted by Jon Mitchell at 4:53 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
I love Brooklyn and I live in Vancouver, and my vote would not be for Kitsilano. Kitsilano has some great things, but for you folks I would say Gastown or Mount Pleasant, no question.
I think Kits is the UWS of Vancouver - if that's your thing, go for it.
posted by miles1972 at 7:37 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think Kits is the UWS of Vancouver - if that's your thing, go for it.
posted by miles1972 at 7:37 PM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
I see all these Kits suggestions and have to disagree, sleepy Kits is for an older, quieter crowd than you sound like.
I would suggests Gastown, maybe Yaletown.
Or even the West End, around Davie and Denman, there's a great pulse there, on the beach too.
posted by Cosine at 10:59 PM on June 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
I would suggests Gastown, maybe Yaletown.
Or even the West End, around Davie and Denman, there's a great pulse there, on the beach too.
posted by Cosine at 10:59 PM on June 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
I see all these Kits suggestions and have to disagree, sleepy Kits is for an older, quieter crowd than you sound like.
I would suggests
It's also worth noting that Kits can be an enormous traffic headache. Not so much getting around the immediate neighborhood as getting elsewhere.
Unless you know where the majority of your locations will be, I'd agree with ...
Commercial Drive baby!
Great neighborhood itself, easy Skytrain downtown (and all over really). Also, compared to Kits, it's fairly easy to get out of -- points south, west, north and south.
posted by philip-random at 12:51 AM on July 1, 2015
I would suggests
It's also worth noting that Kits can be an enormous traffic headache. Not so much getting around the immediate neighborhood as getting elsewhere.
Unless you know where the majority of your locations will be, I'd agree with ...
Commercial Drive baby!
Great neighborhood itself, easy Skytrain downtown (and all over really). Also, compared to Kits, it's fairly easy to get out of -- points south, west, north and south.
posted by philip-random at 12:51 AM on July 1, 2015
Strathcona. Seriously. It's the creative hub of the city. It's close to a rough area along Hastings St but it's not dangerous at all... in fact it is lovely, full of big historic houses, beautiful to walk around in, and an easy walk to Gastown which has all the cocktail bars and restaurants, or Chinatown which has a lot of up and coming hip spots -- the interesting shops are all around here (though $$). And you can walk up Main St to Mount Pleasant, or walk east to Commercial Drive, both of which are packed with restaurants and shops... all within 30 minutes walk or so. Kitsilano is comfy but kind of suburban and will probably feel a bit boring if you are coming from Brooklyn.
Or, go straight for Mt Pleasant (Main and Broadway ish) or Commerical Drive (1st ave ish) and have the bars and restaurants right at your door. They are more neighborhoody places with less nightlife and less city-ness, but more liveable and thus more walkable.
posted by PercussivePaul at 2:13 AM on July 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Or, go straight for Mt Pleasant (Main and Broadway ish) or Commerical Drive (1st ave ish) and have the bars and restaurants right at your door. They are more neighborhoody places with less nightlife and less city-ness, but more liveable and thus more walkable.
posted by PercussivePaul at 2:13 AM on July 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've always found Yaletown to be so very Yuccie and antiseptic. It smells like money but not much else.
posted by Nevin at 11:55 AM on July 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Nevin at 11:55 AM on July 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Drive (Commercial), seconded.
posted by ecourbanist at 3:45 PM on July 2, 2015
posted by ecourbanist at 3:45 PM on July 2, 2015
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