I never felt like a tourist during my time in Vancouver. The more I explored and discovered the city, the more it began to feel like I was back in Auckland. The downtown area marries up with the waterfront, in a scarily similar way to home. Dotted with cafes and restaurants, the ease at which you can navigate the city makes life so easy. I ended up extending my stay in Vancouver…I simply wasn’t ready to part with the city and all it had to offer.
When I landed into Vancouver, the first thing I realised was that they don’t have uber. I became so reliant on it during my time in LA that I just expected it to be in all the main cities around the world. This was an easy fix however with public transport around the city being extremely easy and accessible. There is a train that goes from just outside the terminal stopping at all the main downtown stations on the way to the waterfront. If in doubt, there are plenty of taxis available too. Once downtown, everything became pretty straightforward. The streets are in a grid layout, making it easy to navigate between the different neighbourhoods and explore around the city.
It was raining for part my time in Vancouver. During these moments, I became very well acquainted with Gastown. Scattered along the leafy streets are a collection of shops featuring local designers and industrial style cafes to sit and watch the world go by. It quickly became one of my favourite things about the city…so much so, I would find excuses to visit each day for my morning cup of tea. It’s also the perfect retreat for when exploring has been put on hold for a few hours. Just settle in and watch the rain trickle down the window panes.
In a similar respect, South Granville has a comparable vibe to it. Instead of it being a neighbourhood, its more just one long street with larger branded places dispersed between local offerings. The result is the best of both worlds.
The waterfront areas of Vancouver were the part of the city that made me relate to it the most. The waterfront between Canada Place and the Coal Harbour instantly reminded me of home. The layout is almost identical to Auckland. There is the Sea Bus that goes between north and central Vancouver, making the waterfront and surrounding areas easy to get to. The entire waterfront area is paved and is the perfect spot for a relaxing walk of an evening run…I can totally vouch for both.
Stanley Park morphs onward from the waterfront/downtown area and there are plenty of ways to explore this 400 hectare piece of land. Obviously walking is the easiest option, but I can also recommend cycling if you want to see more or have limited time. The park has cycle paths/tracks all over it as well as one around the perimeter. Make sure you do the seawall trail at least once. It shows off the city and surrounding areas so effortlessly and is the perfect way to get a dose of fresh air. Just hire a bike in the Coal Harbour area and explore away.
Over the weekend, I headed to Granville Island. This was another highlight of the trip. Even though its a bit busier, I would highly recommend visiting over the weekend. The activeness of the market makes it come alive. The food stalls in the markets inside paired with live music outside makes the overall atmosphere so colourful. I could have sat in that sunshine all day, just taking in all that Granville Island had to offer.
My final day in Vancouver was spent at Capilano Suspension Bridge. It was the perfect way to finish off my visit to this wonderful city. The park itself is broken up into three main parts: the suspension bridge, the cliff walk and the treetop boardwalk. Each part gives a unique view into the geography of the place…showing waterfalls, rivers and treetop views as well as giving a dose of history. There is a section or the park dedicated to the background of the area, showing its history and the development since it was opened in 1983. It was great to see how the area has changed over the years onto the park it is today.
Vancouver will remain in my mind as effortlessly beautiful. Its ease of getting around paired with the feeling of a home away from home makes it very appealing to visit again soon…giving me yet, one more reason to fall in love further with this amazing country.
Sending hugs & smiles,
Vanessa
