Overview
** VANCOUVER TOURS, CANADA **
Read travel tips for Vancouver, Canada from our amazing community of BLACK AND BROWN TRAVELERS that will help you find some of the best places to visit Vancouver, Canada. Our variety of travel tips will definitely help you plan your next trip. Our tips range from best places to visit in Vancouver, Canada, affordability, nightlife, local food, where to stay and even what it is like Traveling While Black. Lastly, we are working diligently to create a comprehensive city guide for Vancouver tours, Canada. Stay tuned! But in the meantime, scroll down to read tips below!
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During our time in Whistler, we stayed at the immaculate Fairmont Chateau Whistler. We were impressed with the service everything from airport pick and check-in. We arrived around Christmas time so the hotel was decorated in Christmas decor.
The hotel even had a special Christmas party where Mr. and Mrs. Clause made an appearance.!
The hotel is a quick walk to the Blackcomb Mountain SKi Slopes and the Villages Shoppes. The staff were very friendly and the daily breakfast was a feast for the gods.
We highly recommend staying here if you can!
Vancouver is the Seattle of Canada, literally. They have a nice downtown area with several nature and adventures just north of it. They have a sea bus that will transfer you from south Vancouver to North Vancouver. They have a lift ride that will take you to the top of a mountain with plenty of adventures and things to do. Such as, skiing, snowboarding, Ice skating, or just a walk around beautiful pine trees.
When it comes to polite and welcoming locals, Vancouver has to be one of the nicest places I’ve traveled to. Growing up in the states, (SF Bay Area to be exact) you’re lucky if people don’t run you down if you try to pick up something you drop. So when I witnessed someone drop their food and almost simultaneously a group of strangers began helping clean up the mess, I was blown away. Besides this crazy experience, the city has some really amazing views and a surprisingly live nightlife. I want to take another visit but its cold often and I’m not built for that type of weather.
The one thing I can say about Van City is that it felt extremely safe, like leave your doors unlocked safe. Which put me at ease immediately, I’m certain they have their version of racism so don’t let my experience tell you all black people will as safe as I did. I visited in September to watch a friend play football so the weather was perfect. I cant remember the hotel I stayed at but it was one of those Hyatt, Hilton types it was a nice hotel that I didn’t spend much time in. Their food was the same as the states except they love fries and mayonnaise, (yes I’m judging that combo). We bar hopped which was cool but there wasn’t much of a “turn up” in Van City. I’d go back to Vancouver but it’d have to be a really great reason to go back.
I’ve been to Vancouver twice and both times were nice experiences. It’s a pretty new city, so it’s basically beautiful and clean wherever you go, but there’s also a lot of people who have been dehomed by serious gentrification, so there are a lot of challenging areas.
For things to do, I’d definitely say that you should go out and see nature. I spent all day in Stanley Park and walked for hours (until my phone died and I fully got lost). This city is great for people who like the outdoors, definitely take some time to go canoeing, kayaking, and hiking.
I’d also take some time to go into the mountains, the views are impeccable and it’s truly breathtaking. In the mountain area there are a ton of wineries, last time I drove up to Kelowna and visited them. It’s far, but worth it.
I went to Vancouver many years ago for a family trip. I remember learning to ski in Whistler. My parents are life long skiers, and this destination was good for them and for me and my sister who had never skied before.
This review might be biased because Vancouver BC is now our new home! We have been living and working in VanCity since 2012 and are happy to call it our home. Not even sure where to start with this review so we will offer a list of recommendations for everyone when you decide to visit.
Weather
This is very important because it rains 10 months out of the year! Best time to visit is mid June through late September. Luckily it hardly gets cold here. There were a few winters where we wore hoodies only. Just make sure to bring water impermeable shoes! You will be doing a lot of walking as Vancouver is a commuter city.
Activities
We are very active so there is an endless amount of outdoor activities to do in Vancouver. You will notice most locals wearing leggings, shorts and sneakers. Working out is a life style in Vancouver.
Second Beach Pool at Kitsalano Beach is the size of 2 football fields! Its probably the nicest public pool we’ve ever been to. You also have access to the beach, park, and a spectacular view of Downtown.
Stanley Park is great all year round. It is North America’s second biggest park in a major city. There are beaches, bike trails, hiking trails, bridges, and it connects right to the Beach and North Vancouver.
If you are adventurous, check out Wreck Beach, it is a clothing optional beach next to a college campus. Its always turnt up on the weekends!
You must rent a bike and go biking around the Sea Wall, it has 22km of biking path surrounding the city! I normally bike a portion of the seawall on my bike home from work in the summer. Its so chill and the Sea Wall connects you too 3 beaches, Sunset Beach, English Bay and Third Beach. There is a hippie Drum Circle every Tuesday at Third beach.
Granville Island is a short ferry ride from downtown. Its a tiny island that is home to a farmers market, Emily Carr college, shops and restaurants.
Visit Dr. Sun Yet Park, a traditional Chinese garden, its a little oasis in the city. Its in Gastown/Chinatown but Gastown is also home to our own little skid row. There are hundreds of homeless people which can be scary but ignore them like everyone else. Avoid Hastings Street at all costs, it is 1 mile of the homeless people’s area!
All tourists go to Canada Place in Gastown/Downtown to see the big cruise ships. Its so ridiculous sometimes with tourists being obvious tourists, especially in the summer!
If you are adventurous, hike the Grouse Grind, we already did this and it was the hardest 1 hour and 15 minute workout we have ever done in our lives! And we are fitness people and were struggling up hell’s natural stairmaster. If you visit in Winter, you must check out our lovely mountains. Cypress and Grouse Mountains are about a 30 minute drive away. You can go skiing, snowboarding, snoeshoeing, and ski skating. if you rather chill, you can ride the tram up, and each mountain has ski lodges, shops, tours, and exhibits from the Olympics
Nightlife
There are tons of places to go out at night. The gay district on Dave Street, the famous Granville Street, Denman Street and Gastown. Whatever your fancy, each of these sections of Downtown has a night venue for you. Our personal faves are Soul Train Night at the Park Inn, Jamdown Dancehall at Calabash and Subculture night at Red Room.
Stay
We live downtown and would highly suggest you book your Air Bnb or hotel downtown, it is central to everything. If you want to stay in more affordable accommodations, anywhere near the Cambie or Burrard bridge is also good. DO NOT STAY anywhere near Hastings St or East Van, you will see it is cheap don’t fall for it. It is an area with the largest homeless population in North America. Very sad for such a pretty city too. Any other place is nice and clean.
Food
We dine out probably 3 – 4 times a week its actually cheaper than buying ingredients and cooking at home. You must have sushi during your stay. Vancouver has some of the best, you can even go to the dodgy spots and its still good and fresh. Here are a bunch of other places:
Jam Cafe
Deacons Corner
Blue Water Cafe
Cafe Medina
Meet (vegetarian fast food)
Minami Sushi
Calabash
Mezcal
Nicli Pizzaria
Ask Luigi
Cactus Club
Well, we hope you enjoy your visit to our city and hope this guide gives you an idea of what to do!
One of the BEST places I have ever been! The West Coast of Canada is just remarkable. The mountains, the food, the views! It’s all breathtaking. For all of my people that love things green ? This place is for you, California and the Caribbean ain’t got nothing on Vancouver, BC. British Columbia in general is dope, the night life are perfect! This is definitely the place for my shopping lovers and EXTREME PARTY ANIMALS! I Had the time of my life here and definitely a great place to raise a family. Super diverse and very very good foods from all over the world. The currency exchange is a HUGE plus as well!