Four hundred and ninety of my colleagues and friends from across Canada will be descending on Vancouver in a matter of hours to participate in the CBA’s National Immigration Law Conference (hashtag: #CBAIMM16).
I am assuming many of you will be busy Thursday to Saturday in the Downtown core attending all the great events and workshop planned for us. In the event that you are staying an extra day or two, I want to give you my ideal 24-hours in Vancouver.
First off the assumptions (we have to go legal on this one):
(1) You don’t own a car and will not be leaving Vancouver city-proper .
* I note that the Cities of Burnaby and Richmond are only minutes away and Richmond is actually where the airport is;
*I note that Surrey, Coquitlam, and North Van have some ridiculously good Indian, Korean, and Persian food respectively. Tasty Indian Bistro is one of the few Indian places I would actually eat at that are not my auntie’s house.
*I note that all the best skiing/hiking is in North Vancouver (30 minutes), Garibaldi (50 minutes) and Whistler (1.5 hrs) away. Grouse Mountain is also great if you want a great panoramic view of the city.
(2) You don’t wish to spend your day at any shopping malls.
*I note for those who want to go shopping, the aforementioned Burnaby is home to Metrotown and Richmond has the McArthurGlen Vancouver Designer Outlet both of which are are on SkyTrain/Canada lines.
(3) You are leaving all the fine-dining for the Gala and just want some good ethnic food at a reasonably cheap price.
I will keep some of the finer establishments off this list (they are good, no doubt).
Also, I am not getting paid to represent any of these companies (and not liable if you don’t agree!)
My Ideal 24 Hours in Vancouver
- Wake up reasonably not hungover and walk down to Stanley Park. Visit the Vancouver Aquarium for a few hours to look at the otters and whales and exhibits. Also keeps the kids happy if you have them along this time!
- Walk along the seawall until you hit Kitsilano (you have to cross the bridge!). Walk a little further to visit my second favourite cup of coffee in this city, Arbutus Coffee (My first is Arti at Viva Java but he doesn’t work Sundays, and it is in Richmond – breaks rules). Ask for a dirty chai to revitalize you after your long walk.
- Hop a bus (B-Line is fastest) to the University of British Columbia. Check out in my opinion one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. Don’t miss the Nitobe Japanese Gardens and the Chan Centre!
- Hop back on the 99-bus and take it Commercial Drive aka “the Drive.” Don’t eat too much, but sample some of Vancouver’s most interesting and diverse fair. The pizza is really good (both fast food and sit-down/Neopolitan). One of my favourite Japanese sushi spots in the city, Tatsu is located on the Drive.
- Make your way into Chinatown Vancouver. While it may look rough around the edges, the alleyways and streets have a history as long as the city itself. Dr. Sun-Yat Sen Vancouver Chinese Garden (closes 4:30pm on Sundays) is particularly beautiful. Alternatively, Granville Island is a great afternoon spot particularly for those with more artsy interests.
- Dinner at Pink Elephant Thai or Hai Phong. These restaurants are my two consistents in the city. Pink Elephant Thai has a killer Duck Red Curry and Soft-Shell Crab Pad Thai (do them ‘Thai Spicy” for extra kick) and Hai Phong has amazing pho.
- End the night up at a nice lounge in Downtown Vancouver. I won’t post links, but there are a ton of great ones close to the Granville Strip and in Gastown, all within walking distance. Each vibe is a bit different – some more ‘hipster’ than others.
Honourable Mentions
- 88 Supermarket for groceries – I can get lost hours here wandering the aisles;
- Dim Sum at Kirin, Wings and Squid at Phnom Penh , Ramen at the Ramen Butcher – sorry for all the food related recommendations;
- Kit’s Beach and 4th Avenue – Rain or Shine is my favourite ice-cream joint in the city right now.
- Kerrisdale – good for strolling
- Main Street – Little India
- Breaking the rules a little but…. I love The Reflections Lounge at the Hotel Georgia for a nice (but expensive) drink.
Vancouverites let me know if I have missed anything!!
Welcome to Vancouver colleagues and friends 🙂
