Ask MetaFilter Questions About Vancouver, BC

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pdb — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:49:49 GMT

I need a good breakfast spot in Vancouver for Saturday morning.

The lovely mrs. pdb and I are going to be in Vancouver this weekend to watch the Timbers play the Whitecaps. Our only real non-soccer-or-pub related free time will be on Saturday morning, and we need a good place for breakfast in central Vancouver. We're staying at the Comfort Inn, 654 Nelson St., and we have to be at the Railway Club on Dunsmuir by about 12.30-12.45 to meet up with the rest of our gaggle and collect our match tickets.

We won't have a car, but aren't averse to a reasonably short bus/cab ride to get to an awesome place for breakfast. Any Vancouverites have a favorite in the area?

Vancouver, BC with twin 2-year olds and no car

Emanuel — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:53:31 GMT

Me, my wife, and our twin 2-year old boys are taking a day-trip to Vancouver, BC next Friday, mainly to get some paperwork taken care of at the Bentall Centre downtown (above the Burrard Skytrain station). We'll be flying in by float plane in the morning, will be finished with our appointments at 11am, and taking a ferry home from Tsawwassen in the evening. What to do in-between?

The types of things we're looking for:

Somewhere to eat lunch. Near the Burrard Skytrain station would be best, because we'll probably be hungry right after our appointment. The default option would be the food court in the basement of the Bentall Centre, but I'd prefer something more interesting. None of us are picky eaters, but there should be something more-or-less toddler friendly on the menu and reasonably fast service would be best.
Parks with good playgrounds for toddlers.
Anywhere we could see freight trains (e.g., a switching yard)? The boys love trains.
Is there a good place at the airport for watching planes take off and land? They also love planes.
Libraries to hang out in.
Quiet, calm places to escape to if we get overwhelmed by the hectic big city.
Is there a part of Science World that would be appropriate for 2-year-olds?
Might they enjoy the short documentary-style films that are shown at Science World OmniMax? They've never seen a movie or even watched TV, so it would be a totally new experience for them.
Other ideas?

Everything has to be easy to access by public transit without much of walking, preferably near a SkyTrain station or major bus line. We won't have a stroller at our disposal, but are bringing backpack child carriers. I have visited Vancouver many times and basically know my way around the city and the major public transit routes.

I'd also appreciate any general advice on handling toddlers in the city, on busses, etc. We're total novices at going anywhere off our small rural island (pop. 900) with the kids. We've only done a few half-day trips to the small town of Sidney, BC (pop. 11,000) with a car. We don't even leave our property very often. The boys have never been in a city, so just about everything will be new to them. They're not used to seeing a lot of people or other children either. As such, we're not sure how much extra stimulation we'll need to provide vs. places to calm down. We basically don't know how to "do" cities with toddlers in tow, especially without a car, so any advice would be very much appreciated!

Moving from CA, US to BC, CAN w/very limited resources.

booksarelame — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:40:43 GMT

By my searching, it seems that there hasn't been a "moving to Vancouver" question yet this year, so I'm here to fill the gap. I am considering a move from Sacramento, CA to Vancouver, BC and would very much appreciate advice and ideas on getting immediate needs met in Vancouver for the first 1-3 months. (I have read the cbsa.gc.ca site's "Moving Back to Canada" pages, previous Ask MeFi answers, and other sources.)

Cross-country and cross-border moves are not entirely new to me. I know how to get settled in a city. But the one thing that I usually have prearranged is a contact person and a temporary place to stay until I can get setup with work and my own apartment. This time around, I would be moving to a city with no place to stay, no friends, and no job.

Some additional weaknesses are the fact that I'll have only a few thousand dollars and a car that will have little life left in it by the time it reaches BC. (I plan on disposing of the car rather than importing it, and hopefully switching to my bike as primary transposrtation.) The main strengths I have are Canadian citizenship, a college degree (from a US institution), and a willingness to rough it. Though I would prefer to avoid homelessness.

I am especially interested in knowing about any sort of official channels of aid and specific tips on initial living arrangements and job searches. I am cognizant of the fact that this is not the best constructed plan, but circumstances are such that it's one of my less unrealistic options, so I'd like to see if it might be possible to pull off... Plus Vancouver is awesome and I'm really keen on getting back to Canada after two decades away (I'm old)!... Thank you in advance for any and all tips and recommendations!

Traveling to Canada with a smartphone

pdb — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 18:02:24 GMT

I'm heading to Vancouver BC next month, and I have a smartphone. How can I use it without it costing eleventy bazillion dollars?

International traveling was so much easier without a smartphone, when my rule was "buy a cheap burner when you get to town and donate it somewhere before you leave", but now here I am in the modern world. I have a Verizon Galaxy Nexus that is rooted and unlocked, which strikes me as being a good thing for international use. I am traveling with a couple different groups of people and we're all staying in different places, so we'll need to coordinate meetups and whatnot, probably via text message, and it would be nice to have at least some access to things like Yelp and maps, just in case.

Here are the questions I have:

1. With an unlocked and rooted phone, I think I could just swap out the SIM card, but I'm only going for a long weekend, so I'm assuming buying a new SIM card would be cost-prohibitive?
2. If I can't just swap out SIM cards, would connecting to the internet via WiFi avoid international data charges?
3. Is there a free/lower-cost-than-Verizon replacement for text messaging? I'm pretty sure everyone traveling has a smartphone, so if something like Skype or Gchat or whatever (I'm not on Facebook and have zero desire to be) or some other app, would work for texting back and forth as we try to coordinate being in the same place at the same time, that would be good, but I am ignorant of these things.

I appreciate the help.

What do I eat, read, see in Vancouver BC?

Dauus — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 02:01:37 GMT

Traveling to Vancouver BC Jan 3rd to the 7th 2013 - What do I do? What do I eat? Where do I get books? Would love to get personal recommendations from those that have traveled to the city before or who live there now!

I will be visiting the great country of Canada and the excellent city of Vancouver on the above mentioned dates. Now I have a couple of questions that I am hoping you can give me some guidance on.

First, I have no clue what do in Vancouver. I love food (and saying that, I love high end dining...money is no object when it comes to what is tasty and good), I love books (more than food!) - I read contemporary philosophy, poetry and want to get into contemporary fiction. I hear that Canada has a GREAT poetry scene but I know nothing about it!
....and I would love to see really interesting and quirky things in your fair city. Finally, any good concerts occurring during my stay that I may not be aware of? I am not that picky - I run the gamut from jazz, hip-hop, house music and rock (just to name some broad categorizations) So, Vancouverites, what do I eat, read and see?

Second, are there any Vancouver MeFites that would like to imbibe a drink or two with me during my stay? Maybe share an afternoon looking at stuff? Maybe come by and browse books with me? If this sounds good, please feel free to pm me!

Also, I will be staying in the downtown Vancouver area so I believe that transportation won't be a problem.

Thanks again for your help!

Two wheels in Vancouver

Apollo's Favorite Mistake — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:36:50 GMT

BC locals, can you get around Vancouver (and Burnaby) by scooter? Will I be able to use it during the winter?

I've recently transplanted to Vancouver, BC for a long term work project. My car did not make the trip with me. I'm thinking about getting a moped for getting around town.

Better late than never!

fillsthepews — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:29:35 GMT

Last minute honeymoon--need input on the most awesome, strange, memorable places to stay on our road-trip between Seattle to Portland, and then down the coast to San Fran. Other "must see" advice is most welcome.

Damn the torpedoes, we're going on our honeymoon!

So far our plan involves: 2 nights in Seattle, 1 night in the Cannon Beach/Seaside area (or??), 2 nights in Portland, 1 night in the Coos Bay area (or??), 1 night in Eureka, 1 night in Santa Rosa, 1 night in SF.

We've got the most flexibility in the "Oregon Coast" part of our trip.

We'd like to stay in places that are generally nice, clean, and comfortable--but also interesting and/or in an interesting area. If we end up in a Motel 6 one night, no biggie. Luxury is cool, but isnt the be-all-end-all especially considering how much people charge for the teensiest suggestion of fancy stuff.

Our priorities for the trip: beer/breweries, good food, local flavor, weird/unique scenes, nature (the "drive somewhere and take a stroll and some pictures" variety, as opposed to the "hardcore hiking" variety).

Sadly, money is indeed a consideration but if something was super out of this world amazing, we might be able to make it work for a night.

Thanks for helping! I've been googling my heart out, but there's always this feeling that I'm missing something only an experienced traveler or local would know.

Vancouver in January?

bluelight — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:43:39 GMT

Should I visit Vancouver in January?

I'm not interested in winter sports and I won't have a car with me. I'll be visiting Seattle for a few days and was considering taking either the bolt bus or amtrak up to Vancouver because I've never been there before.

I'll be traveling fairly low-budget. I'm interested in seeing great public spaces/park or public art. Not really interested in sports or night life. I know that Vancouver has a very international crowd, which is one of the draws for me, as I like to walk through diverse cultural enclaves.

But is it worth it during the winter? I don't really like the cold (how do Vancouver's winters compare with Seattle's? Probably colder and maybe less rainy?) but I've heard good things about the city. I just need help with figuring out if Vancouver is worth visiting (and easy to get around with public transit).

Thanks

What to do on a honeymoon in Vancouver?

asnider — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:19:13 GMT

Vancouver honeymoon: what to do?

I asked a question about my upcoming honeymoon a while back but, for a variety of reasons, we've had to change our plans a bit. We'll now be spending our honeymoon almost exclusively in Vancouver.

This question from last year has some good tips, and my previous question does, too (we'll definitely be going to Miku).

The general tips in those two threads are awesome, but I'm wondering if there are any interesting things happening specifically during the week of July 1 - 8(ish).

Specifics for the time frame mentioned, as well as more general things not already mentioned in the previous threads that I've linked to are both welcome.

Also of note: in my previous question I noted that we'd be driving; we'll now be flying, instead.

Cool Souvenirs in Vancouver?

Apropos of Something — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:08:28 GMT

My mother went to Vancouver a few years ago and loved it. Her birthday is coming up, I'm visiting in a week, and I want to get a souvenir as a gift - something she'll like, around $40 or so, that's definitely evocative of Vancouver but without being a dumb t-shirt. I'll have a couple hours to go get something in downtown on a Tuesday afternoon. Ideas?

Vancouver or Bust!

ericthegardener — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:05:21 GMT

Trying to plan a last minute trip to Vancouver and need some hotel recommendations. Also, it's looking like it's significantly cheaper to fly into to Seattle. Would that make sense to fly into Seattle and then make my way to Vancouver via rental car, bus or train, OR would it be smarter to just pay the extra cost and just fly straight into Vancouver.

Looking for a cool, reasonably priced hotel not too far from downtown. It would be great if there were a lot of food options within walking distance. If it's close to some culture even better.

My evenings will be pretty full but don't hesitate to throw in any recommendations for cool Vancouver things that I can catch during the day. I love street food and all things music & art related.

I'll be flying out of DFW on the morning of the 23rd, coming back on the evening of the 26th.

Short stay in Vancouver BC need odd/unique recommendations!

5lbauthority — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:31:22 GMT

Short stay in Vancouver BC late September need unique, eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, strange, bizarre, peculiar, odd, recommendations!

Hi, Wife and I are going to Vancouver for the first time September 26th & 27th. She did the hotels and restaurants and it's up to me to find the 'stuff' to do. If I had my way I'd be searching only for climbing gyms/crags and hospitals that'd employ me (I'm a nurse). She lervs arts museums, abandonded buildings, homemade tej and james hampton (so do I). Additionally, we both love places like the visionary art museum in Baltimore and want to experience as many of the 'ethnic' neighborhoods (china/indian/korean/ethiopian/etc-towns) as possible, oh and all that nature-y stuff. I know two days isn't any real amount of time to experience a city, but I got a lot of parents living on the west coast and this is all we could squeeze in. We'll have a rental car. Oh, and to add more pressure, we are thinking of possible moving/relocating here permanent-like in the future (based solely on the experiences we have during two days, ha!).

fwiw, we are currently reside in brooklyn by way of seattle and michigan.

(thank you!)

What's to do on a honeymoon in Vancouver?

absalom — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:41:58 GMT

What stuff is there to do *next week* in Vancouver, BC? (7/25-8/1) Time sensitive and general touristy suggestions both need apply!

Honeymooning in Vancouver, BC starting Monday of next week. Interested in getting in as much cool stuff as possible, day and night. Never been to the city, or even to the region, and so am interested in things worth seeing and doing.

Especially interested especially in something that might be going on now that won't be around a month or a year from now. Also interested in museums - fine art and otherwise - and possibly some local music and eateries in the evening.

Oh, I suppose bonus points could be awarded for particularly romantic of scenic vistas and wotnot. You know, if that was your thing.

aircare confusion

mannequito — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:32:01 GMT

I live in Vancouver and may be buying a used car on Bowen Island. How do I go about insuring it with air care?

So from what I know Bowen Island is exempt from aircare despite being part of the lower mainland. I'll be going out to take a look this week and if I like it I can buy it on the spot. I know there is an insurance office on the island but (I'm guessing) there isn't anywhere to have it aircare tested. It should pass (93 Chevy pick-up with 200,000k on it) but I'm wondering how this would work. Can it be temporarily insured and then tested after driving it back down here? Or is there a way to test it out on the Island? Alternative ideas?

Bicycle routes in Vancouver BC

cccorlew — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:35:11 GMT

Cycling visit to Vancouver BC. Where should I stay, where should I ride?

I'm visiting Vancouver BC for a few days in July as part of my drag-the bicycle-new-places-and-ride-there vacation.

I'm looking for some good routes, maybe 40-60 miles to do on a road bike.

I'm also looking for reasonably priced places to stay (like motels,) perhaps on the outskirts of town if that makes it cost less. Feel free to toss in any advice for a bicycle crazed Californian visiting Vancouver (and Canada) for the first time.