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Things to do in Vancouver (for someone who lives there)

RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
edited October 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
Here's the deal. I live in Vancouver, I know the city pretty well and I like discovering new places to visit and things to do, but I'm looking for suggestions to show a friend of mine while she's here.

My adorable gal from New Jersey is visiting me from November 6th to 13th (flying into Seattle; I will be picking her up and bringing her across the border). I live in Marpole, around Oak and 70th. I won't have a car during the majority of the week, but transit/taxiing will suit us just fine. As a result we'll be largely relegated to Vancouver proper + downtown, and maybe Richmond and the North Shore.

PA has helped me out before, so I was hoping that any of you Vancouverites, or anyone who has been to Vancouver as a tourist, could come up with recommendations. This is her first time in Vancouver, not to mention Canada, so we'll be going to the obvious destinations: the aquarium, Stanley Park, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain (dependent on what's open), exploring Downtown, Lonsdale Quay, etc. Those are broad, generic activities but I'm also looking out for more specific suggestions. If you guys have a favourite restaurant, coffee shop, club or bar, I'd love to hear it. Anything you feel is essential for a first time visit to Vancouver.

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Posts

  • DocDoc Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited October 2010
    A short hike in Lynn Canyon is nice.

    I liked the Black Frog in Gastown. If you like finer mixed drinks or cocktails, Pourhouse (also in Gastown) is great, probably the best in Vancouver.

    Foundation Lounge is fun, provided you don't mind hipsters. Get their nachos and their sangria pitchers.

    Our Town Cafe on the corner of Kingsway and Broadway is good.

    Bon's off Broadway (Nanaimo is the cross-street) is good, just to marvel at their $2.99 breakfast.

    Midnight shows at the Rio Theatre just off of Commercial are fun. They are showing two of the worst movies of all time: "The Room," and "Howard the Duck." Go heckle the screen with the rest of the audience.
    http://riotheatre.ca/events/

    Doc on
  • KochikensKochikens Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I like The Templeton a lot

    http://thetempleton.blogspot.com/

    also the Capilano suspension bridge is fun too.

    Kochikens on
  • SloSlo Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Downtown: Check out the lamplighter on a wednesday for 3$/ 1lb of chicken wings, and beer is pretty cheap. (Downtown Gastown)

    Another great place in gastown is Guilt & Company; Which only serves beer and small amounts of food (cheeses, chips, etc) but has neat live music (They throw together random artists from their roster and they just jam on stage) and they offer board games to play while you drink. Jenga while drinking is great.

    Richmonds got great sushi at Charcoal, which is on number 3 road, at westminster highway. A lot of neat types of sushi (Try the Lotus roll)

    Slo on
  • AzioAzio Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Slo wrote: »
    Another great place in gastown is Guilt & Company; Which only serves beer and small amounts of food (cheeses, chips, etc) but has neat live music (They throw together random artists from their roster and they just jam on stage) and they offer board games to play while you drink. Jenga while drinking is great.
    Yes, this is a favourite of mine. Avoid the tap beers though... I always get a terrible headache afterwards, even if I just have a couple pints. There are a number of other neat establishments in that neighbourhood as well. Six Acres has an impressive selection of fine imported beers and ciders. Salty Tongue Cafe is a great place to go for lunch. Chill Winston has a massive patio... if you can get there first.

    The Biltmore Cabaret on Kingsway has a thing every Saturday where they bring in live bands, who will usually play from 8 to 11, and then the house DJs take over and it turns into a dance party until closing. Cover is usually around $10, and the bar is cheap. I also find the crowd is a lot more agreeable than the types I usually encounter at the Granville clubs.

    Azio on
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Cliche, but if you're both sports fans, go see a hockey game. Either Canucks if you want to spend $Texas or the Giants if you want something more affordable.

    Corvus on
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  • DangerbirdDangerbird Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Doesn't Science World have that exhibit right now with real dead bodies preserved in various poses? Its not as morbid as I'm making it sound. Ah yes, its called Body Worlds. I've been meaning to check that out myself. An added plus is that its easy access with the new skytrain.

    Official Science World website

    By the way, you live like, 1 or 2 blocks away from me. Marpole 4 lyfe!

    Dangerbird on
  • RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Lynn Canyon is a good idea, bar suggestions are awesome, especially the Pourhouse, I've always wanted to go and never had the time. Same goes for the Lamplighter. Will keep both in mind.

    Also planning to check out Guilt & Company (did I mention I have a soft spot for Gastown?) and The Templeton. And of course the Biltmore is an institution.

    @Corvus: She desperately wants to go to a Canucks game with me but alas, they are on a road trip the entire time she is here! They're actually playing Detroit on the 6th but her flight is getting in late so we won't be in Vancouver till around midnight. Might try a Giants game though.

    @Dangerbird: Science World is a must see and I can't believe I didn't think of that before. I went to Body Worlds when it was here in 2006 so I know it's pretty cool. Great idea though. And I just moved into the apartment last month. Small world!



    Thanks for all the suggestions, going to keep all of those in mind (I had a running list of pubs that I've never gotten a chance to visit and now it's just grown a bit larger). If anyone else wants to suggest anything that would be welcomed.

    One last question: anyone know what exactly is open on Grouse around then? I know the mountain pretty well but I've never gone up there at that time of the year, and the website seems to imply November is a "transition" month between all the summer and winter activities...I'd love to take her skating but I don't know if it'll be cold enough yet (though I seem to recall once hearing that the rink at the top of grouse is artificially cooled, but again, that may be hearsay).

    Rikushix on
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  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    For what its worth, I think this is supposed to be a cold winter, so snow related stuff may be open. What is open on the local mountains is going to be heavily weather dependant. If there's enough snow, you could go snow shoeing if neither of you are into skiing or boarding.

    Also, the Robson Square ice rink would probably be open by then.

    Corvus on
    :so_raven:
  • RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    ...

    and that's another thing that I overlooked. That's a wonderful idea.

    Rikushix on
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  • cmsamocmsamo Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    For eats:

    - Memphis Blues on Granville and Broadway. Authentic BBQ fare! Cheap and cheerful, not too costly. They do an Elvis Platter which 4 people struggle to finish! Man, I love that place so much I'd almost swim the atlantic and run across Canada to get back there!

    - Gotham steakhouse is of course a little expensive $50 for a steak but it's really good.

    - If you manage to hit some nice weather, then walking along the boardwalk at Steveston village, and having coffee and muffins is a nice way to waste an afternoon. There's also some great fish and chips places along the front there (Pachos, and Dave's Fish n Chips)

    cmsamo on
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  • FagatronFagatron Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Take her to see a Moose!

    Fagatron on
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