Guidebook for Vancouver
Food Scene
Avoid this place for groceries but has surprisingly affordable and tasty salads, delicious gluten free baking and nice coffees. They also serve soy, almond and cow's milks ON TAP, as well as free fizzy water (also on tap).
34 locals recommend
DALINA
687 Main StAvoid this place for groceries but has surprisingly affordable and tasty salads, delicious gluten free baking and nice coffees. They also serve soy, almond and cow's milks ON TAP, as well as free fizzy water (also on tap).
Beautiful room. Nice place to set up your laptop so people can watch you write your screenplay. Good coffee and croissants but that's all I'd go there for, personally. So hipster it feels like a scene out of Portlandia.
94 locals recommend
Matchstick Chinatown
213 E Georgia StBeautiful room. Nice place to set up your laptop so people can watch you write your screenplay. Good coffee and croissants but that's all I'd go there for, personally. So hipster it feels like a scene out of Portlandia.
Vegan pizza. Warning: that means no cheese. Still, very good flavours and worth checking out, especially if you are vegan.
39 locals recommend
Virtuous Pie
583 Main StVegan pizza. Warning: that means no cheese. Still, very good flavours and worth checking out, especially if you are vegan.
Delicious fried chicken platters and a very reasonably-priced fried chicken sandwich. Very good sides. A perfect quick lunch or casual dinner. Kid friendly, too. Especially if they are picky eaters.
42 locals recommend
Juke Fried Chicken
182 Keefer StDelicious fried chicken platters and a very reasonably-priced fried chicken sandwich. Very good sides. A perfect quick lunch or casual dinner. Kid friendly, too. Especially if they are picky eaters.
Really good casual Asian Fusion. Nice open modern room. Pleasant atmosphere for a glass of wine paired with kimchi poutine or Bahn Mi and beer. If you're hungover or seeking comfort food on a rainy day, get one of their yummy curries.
101 locals recommend
The Union
219 Union StReally good casual Asian Fusion. Nice open modern room. Pleasant atmosphere for a glass of wine paired with kimchi poutine or Bahn Mi and beer. If you're hungover or seeking comfort food on a rainy day, get one of their yummy curries.
Really cozy and hip room, very southern vibe with taxidermy and quirky décor on the dark green walls. Interesting southern food. Nice place for a drink or a meal.
41 locals recommend
Mamie Taylor's
251 E Georgia StReally cozy and hip room, very southern vibe with taxidermy and quirky décor on the dark green walls. Interesting southern food. Nice place for a drink or a meal.
Traditional, official Neapolitan style pizza in a hole in the wall location. Delicious.
107 locals recommend
Pizzeria Farina
915 Main StTraditional, official Neapolitan style pizza in a hole in the wall location. Delicious.
Fat Mao Noodles
217 E Georgia StThai style noodles. This place is loved.
The Ramen Butcher
223 E Georgia StJapanese-style Ramen. Good prices and delicious.
Drinks & Nightlife
Expansive room, unpretentious feeling. Good for a pint in the afternoon. Watch sports, play darts & billiards. Gets busy on weekend nights.
31 locals recommend
London Pub
700 Main StExpansive room, unpretentious feeling. Good for a pint in the afternoon. Watch sports, play darts & billiards. Gets busy on weekend nights.
Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club Vancouver
17755 Cambie StComedy club. Always a fun way to spend the night.
A great tiny live music venue, located super close to the apartment. Take in a show here, if you get a chance.
10 locals recommend
The Cobalt Cabaret
917 Main StreetA great tiny live music venue, located super close to the apartment. Take in a show here, if you get a chance.
Parks & Nature
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
578 Carrall StRelaxing and just around the corner
Paved sea walk that wraps right around Vancouver's false creek and coal harbour. Rent a bike and take the seawall around Stanley Park, or in the other direction, walk towards Olympic village and then to Granville Island for a nice afternoon activity. You will see all the highlights along the way. Beautiful views, beautiful people.
304 locals recommend
Vancouver Seawall
Paved sea walk that wraps right around Vancouver's false creek and coal harbour. Rent a bike and take the seawall around Stanley Park, or in the other direction, walk towards Olympic village and then to Granville Island for a nice afternoon activity. You will see all the highlights along the way. Beautiful views, beautiful people.
All season activity. Take the gondola up for amazing views of the city. In the winter, rent snowshoes and do the "Snowshoe Grind", or go skiing / snowboarding. In the summer, just go for the view and walking around. Or, try the demanding "Grouse Grind" hiking trail for a crazy workout. Reward self with nachos and beer at the top.
1038 locals recommend
Grouse Mountain
6400 Nancy Greene WayAll season activity. Take the gondola up for amazing views of the city. In the winter, rent snowshoes and do the "Snowshoe Grind", or go skiing / snowboarding. In the summer, just go for the view and walking around. Or, try the demanding "Grouse Grind" hiking trail for a crazy workout. Reward self with nachos and beer at the top.
English Bay
Come here year round to eat al fresco and watch the sunset.
Tricky to get here without a car, but not impossible. Really beautiful little community nestled in a deep fjord. If weather's decent, highly recommend you rent a kayak and paddle out to Jug Island for a day trip. Also, hike up to Quarry Rock, an easy one hour hike with amazing views at the top. It can get quite busy here and is famous on Instagram. Make sure to visit Honey's donuts afterwards for the best donuts you've ever tried.
337 locals recommend
Deep Cove
4322 Gallant AveTricky to get here without a car, but not impossible. Really beautiful little community nestled in a deep fjord. If weather's decent, highly recommend you rent a kayak and paddle out to Jug Island for a day trip. Also, hike up to Quarry Rock, an easy one hour hike with amazing views at the top. It can get quite busy here and is famous on Instagram. Make sure to visit Honey's donuts afterwards for the best donuts you've ever tried.
This is a great way to spend half a day. Get yourself up to Squamish and hike the iconic 'Chief', approximately a 1 - 2 hour hike up. Views on top are incredible. At the very top of the trail it does get steep and challenging, expect to do a little rock scrambling with the help of chains. Nothing major, but medium level of fitness is required. Afterwards, reward yourself with lunch and beer at the fabulous Howe Sound Brewpub. Don't drive home drunk!
132 locals recommend
Stawamus Chief
This is a great way to spend half a day. Get yourself up to Squamish and hike the iconic 'Chief', approximately a 1 - 2 hour hike up. Views on top are incredible. At the very top of the trail it does get steep and challenging, expect to do a little rock scrambling with the help of chains. Nothing major, but medium level of fitness is required. Afterwards, reward yourself with lunch and beer at the fabulous Howe Sound Brewpub. Don't drive home drunk!
Essentials
Very Asian market but can still find staples here. Worth checking out for the experience alone.
326 locals recommend
T&T Supermarket
179 Keefer PlVery Asian market but can still find staples here. Worth checking out for the experience alone.
Nesters Market
333 Abbott StEntertainment & Activities
Great independent single screen venue that serves booze. An east van cultural icon. Watch burlesque, comedy festivals or weird and wonderful indie films
100 locals recommend
Rio Theatre
1660 E BroadwayGreat independent single screen venue that serves booze. An east van cultural icon. Watch burlesque, comedy festivals or weird and wonderful indie films
Old school 5-pin bowling alley. Get dinner at a funky eatery on Commercial Drive first, then come bowl a few games at this old school place. Good idea to book ahead on the weekend.
25 locals recommend
Grandview Lanes
2195 Commercial DrOld school 5-pin bowling alley. Get dinner at a funky eatery on Commercial Drive first, then come bowl a few games at this old school place. Good idea to book ahead on the weekend.
Another bowling alley, this one is huge and located in the adjacent suburb of Burnaby. Has that delightful, uncontrived seediness of a classic bowling alley and serves good greasy cheese pizza and jugs of beer. Good to go with a few friends. Take the sky train out there for an added touristic thrill. The skytrain gives you a great view of the whole city and suburbs and is cheap transportaion. To get to REVS, take the Millenium line and get off at Holdom Station.
17 locals recommend
REVS Bowling & Entertainment
5502 Lougheed Hwy.Another bowling alley, this one is huge and located in the adjacent suburb of Burnaby. Has that delightful, uncontrived seediness of a classic bowling alley and serves good greasy cheese pizza and jugs of beer. Good to go with a few friends. Take the sky train out there for an added touristic thrill. The skytrain gives you a great view of the whole city and suburbs and is cheap transportaion. To get to REVS, take the Millenium line and get off at Holdom Station.
Sightseeing
Lots of history and old architecture. Tourists love watching 'Gassy Jack'. Some of the best high end restaurants and bars are located in this neighborhood. Come here if you want to blow some money on a special meal.
1068 locals recommend
Gastown
Lots of history and old architecture. Tourists love watching 'Gassy Jack'. Some of the best high end restaurants and bars are located in this neighborhood. Come here if you want to blow some money on a special meal.
Truly authentic, historical and exciting neighborhood. All kinds of Chinese merchants selling a dazzling array of wares. Hipster joints are sprinkled throughout historic Chinatown, too.
171 locals recommend
Chinatown
Truly authentic, historical and exciting neighborhood. All kinds of Chinese merchants selling a dazzling array of wares. Hipster joints are sprinkled throughout historic Chinatown, too.
Hipster central. Lot's of great places to eat, shop and drink along Main Street.
82 locals recommend
Mount Pleasant
Hipster central. Lot's of great places to eat, shop and drink along Main Street.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery and beautiful people at Kits beach and walk along Cornwall Street and 4th Avenue for great shopping.
190 locals recommend
Kitsilano
Enjoy the beautiful scenery and beautiful people at Kits beach and walk along Cornwall Street and 4th Avenue for great shopping.
Take the public Sea Bus departing from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay for a super cheap and scenic boat ride across Vancouver's stunning Burrard Inlet. Get up close to cargo freighters and take in views of the beautiful north shore mountains. Enjoy a couple hours at Londsdale Quay shopping for neat artisanal items and sample all the food. They have an outdoor night market and beer garden in the summer. Lot's of nice restaurants along lower Lonsdale, too.
107 locals recommend
Lonsdale Quay Station
Take the public Sea Bus departing from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay for a super cheap and scenic boat ride across Vancouver's stunning Burrard Inlet. Get up close to cargo freighters and take in views of the beautiful north shore mountains. Enjoy a couple hours at Londsdale Quay shopping for neat artisanal items and sample all the food. They have an outdoor night market and beer garden in the summer. Lot's of nice restaurants along lower Lonsdale, too.
Arts & Culture
The Orpheum
601 Smithe StReally lovely old civic theatre.
Not a world class museum but worth seeing some Canadian Art and sometimes has decent visiting exhibitions. The building is beautiful with a lovely little café. In Summer they have a large open patio three piece jazz band. You will feel very elegant sipping your wine at the art gallery café with jazz in the background.
1154 locals recommend
Vancouver Art Gallery
750 Hornby StNot a world class museum but worth seeing some Canadian Art and sometimes has decent visiting exhibitions. The building is beautiful with a lovely little café. In Summer they have a large open patio three piece jazz band. You will feel very elegant sipping your wine at the art gallery café with jazz in the background.