Vancouver: Travel Diaries 2022

Hello everyone! Welcome to this Vancouver blog. This is the first time Jono and I step foot overseas after Covid, which makes this a very special trip. We also came this far at this point in time to assist to Jono’s best friend wedding so it makes it extra special. Although the wedding itself was in Sunshine Coast, we touched base in Vancouver city and explored for a few days. It was my first time ever in Canada overall so I was really excited.

Have a look at the full British Columbia blog where I mention the other areas we visited outside of Vancouver city such as Whistler, Sunshine Coast and Kewlona.

Vancouver is a bustling seaport on the west coast of British Columbia and is among the most densely populated and ethnically diverse cities in Canada. It is a popular destination for filming and is surrounded by mountains, as well as having an active artistic, theatrical and musical scene. The Vancouver Art Gallery is known for its works by regional artists, while the Museum of Anthropology houses sublime collections from Canada’s First Nations.

Day 1: Waterfront, Canada Place, Stanley Park & English Bay

We didn’t take too many pictures along the waterfront so we’ll have to make do with a stock picture for now but this is just your typical waterfront walk. I say that coming from Wellington, New Zealand. So rephrasing… It’s your typical waterfront walk but much much bigger. We got to see a bunch of people coming from a convention center.

Canada Place is a building located on Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the Vancouver Convention Center, the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, the Vancouver World Trade Center and the FlyOver Canada virtual flight.

Stanley Park is a park in the city of Vancouver. With its 405 ha extension, it is the largest urban park in Canada and one of the largest in North America. It receives its name in honor of the governor and Freemason Count Frederick Arthur Stanley.

English Bay is a bay in the city of Vancouver. It belongs to the Strait of Georgia and is located between it, the Burrard Inlet and the center of the city. It is a point of attraction for Vancouverites due to its beauty and being practically in the center of the city.

Day 2: Gastown & Capilano Park

Gastown

The lively Gastown neighborhood is known for its whistling Steam Clock and its mix of souvenir shops, independent art galleries and decor shops housed in Victorian buildings. The modern food and drink scene includes chic cocktail lounges and restaurants serving everything from gourmet sandwiches to local seafood. Trendy restaurants also abound on the neighboring Downtown Eastside, while the up-and-coming Railtown district is home to cutting-edge fashion studios.

I must say, although I’m all for ticking off the popular highlights, this clock wouldn’t necessarily pass the most do status in my books. Fortunately, Gastown is not too far from the area we were staying at and we walked in to have some brunch before heading out to Capilano Park. The street along the clock is a nice place to walk and shop for some cute souvenirs.

Capilano Park

The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is situated in a West Coast rainforest. Only 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, allow 2 – 3 hours for your visit to Vancouver’s iconic Capilano Suspension Bridge, hanging 450 feet (137m) across and 230 feet (70m) above Capilano River.

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the platform is suspended below the suspension cables by vertical braces. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s.

The park offers more than just the bridge. Its surrounding 27 acres celebrate nature, history and culture in unique and thrilling ways. Cliffwalk hangs for 213m (700ft) and reaches 91m (300ft) high, hugging the granite cliffside and offering a panoramic view of the thriving rainforest and canyon far below. On Treetops Adventure walk from one magnificent old growth Douglas-fir to another on a series of seven elevated suspension bridges, reaching as high as 110 feet (33m), for a squirrel’s eye view of the forest. Guides, signage and interactive exhibits throughout the park help you in your understanding of rainforest ecosystems and their sustainability.

Day 3: MOA Museum & Granville Island

Museum of Anthropology

The Museum of Anthropology on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, exhibits arts and cultures from around the world, particularly works from the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest.

Granville Island

Granville Island is a peninsula and business district in the Fairview neighborhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, across False Creek from downtown Vancouver, under the southern end of the Granville Street Bridge.

Eat

Miku
Japadog
Marutama Ramen