24 HOURS IN....VANCOUVER!!

Hello everyone! May has been a crazy month of flights for me and I’ve barely had a second to catch my breath let alone power up my laptop but now that I’ve got a moment to myself I can get on with the latest blog and this time I’m headed to the Great White North- Vancouver!

Both sides of my family have roots in Canada (my grandmother has two sisters that live in Canada and she goes fairly frequently to visit) and although I had never been until now, I always felt a sense of camaraderie and connection with the Canadians. The reality did not disappoint. From the moment I caught a glimpse of the Rockies as we were coming into land I knew I was going to love Canada. Sadly my little glimpse of the country was not much more than that but I still managed to squeeze a lot in (heavily fuelled by the god’s at Tim Hortons!) and now I’m ready to share how to do Vancouver in 24 hours!

Start your day by fuelling up right on De Dutch breakfast (my favourite one is down at the waterfront, sit outside and get a great view of the seaplanes taking off and landing). I’ve had many a ‘big’ breakfast on my travels but nothing matches up to De Dutch-pancakes, hash browns and maple syrup in excess- what’s not to love? Get caffeine hit from the Nutella mocha, you won’t be disappointed. After breakfast, take a walk around the waterfront, on a clear day the view is amazing you can see right across to West Vancouver and all the way over to Stanley Park. My favourite quirky little part of the waterfront is the digital-Orca made of Lego!Here you can get seaplane tickets to Whistler and other islands around Vancouver for reasonable prices but if you only have a day to enjoy the city then I recommend staying put. There’s always lots of hustle and bustle going on in this area from the convention centre to the Olympic flame pit and city wide events so you don’t want to miss it on your city adventure.

From here head over to West Hastings Street to the Vancouver Lookout. It truly wouldn’t be one of my blogs unless it featured a tall building to scale for views of the city. As tall buildings go, the Vancouver Lookout requires a lot less effort than some of the others I’ve mentioned in previous blogs however the way up to the viewpoint features a glass lift that is not at all restrictive in its views of both the city and the lift shaft! For around 15 dollars, you can get to the top of the tower and get a great panoramic view of the many areas of Vancouver, from the water to the stadiums, high rise buildings to lush forests it’s amazing to take in how one place can have so much diversity. In some ways it’s like looking at the city version of a patchwork quilt, things that look like they shouldn’t work well together sewn together seamlessly to create a beautiful metropolis. Up here you can also take the time to grab your souvenirs in a little gift shop that (miraculously) won’t break the bank.

When you’ve taken in all the views and read up on your Vancity trivia, head back down the lift (it is no less scary going down than coming up) and make your way over to the Hyatt hotel.  Don’t worry I’m not including a tour of the cities hotels in my itinerary, this is just the location for getting the free bus to the next stop on the tour- Stanley Park.

Stanley Park is hands down not only my favourite place in Vancouver but also my favourite place in any of the new cities I’ve visited lately. The free bus takes around 20 minutes and takes you on a crazy journey from the heart of the city centre out into a lush green park with lakes and animals. The bus will take you to the entry point of the world famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. This is definitely an activity that is NOT for the faint of heart. Entrance to the bridge and the surrounding areas costs around 20 dollars (free if you’re cabin crew!) and it is worth every penny. 

Start at the entrance and collect a ticket stamp book and follow it round, remember to collect a stamp at each point so you can get a cool certificate at the end! The trail to reach the bridge is full of really interesting mementos and statuettes to the past, from the totem poles representing the ancient Indian roots to the remnants of the industrial process that lead to the creation of the bridge. Each little station has plaques with stories to help you learn the history of the bridge, those who built it and those who have lived in the area since before its construction. When you finally arrive at the bridge, the first thing you notice is how long the bridge is and how high up you are, it is actually a little dizzying!

When you step on the bridge, it can be a little leg-wobbling at first, seeing the whole river beneath you and feeling the bridge move from all other tourists walking along it. The view from the bridge is amazing, it’s pure nature all around and feels like a million miles away from the city you woke up in that morning. Maybe it’s just because I’m a city girl at heart but it is so crazy to be able to take a 15 minute bus ride from the heart of the busy metropolis and be in the centre of a huge lush forest surrounded by nature!

At the end of the bridge, head over to the Tree Top Trail for a little in the trees adventure. If you’re travelling with kids or someone with a kid-like personality, this is a fun little activity, with swinging wooden bridges to walk over and animals to spot. Also there’s another stamp to collect to add to your passport, taking you a little closer to your certificate. When you cross back over the bridge, there’s one last test of your nerves in the form of the glass bottomed cliff walk, with views underfoot of the rocks and melting glaciers. Head away from the exit of the cliff walk towards the exit station to collect your certificate for finishing! Maybe it’s because of all the heights or because I’m  secretly still an 8 year old inside but getting that certificate was definitely the most exciting part of my trip.

  

 

Grab the 'inside park' bus out now to Prospect Point for more gorgeous views of the city from above. At this point (weather permitting) sit down on the grass and have a little picnic while you soak in the views. In spring/summer, when the flowers are in full bloom it’s really beautiful to walk amongst them out to the furthest point overlooking the sea and the bridge leading back into the city. The whole park is really beautiful and you could so easily spend days and days exploring it but I would definitely say that Prospect Point is my favourite spot. 

 

Heading back into the city, get off the bus a few stops early on Robson St. and take a stroll around. If the weather up at Prospect Point wasn’t great, grab lunch at one of the little cafes or restaurants. One of the amazing things Vancouver has to offer is its wealth of different cuisines, from Italian to all over Asia, and for surprisingly low prices, there’s something for whatever mood you happen to be in! My top recommendations are the Banh Mi’s in any of the Vietnamese places or sushi from Blue.

After lunch, take a bus over to China Town and have a stroll through all the

little shops and stalls. Head into the gardens if you have time although be wary as they close early! The china town area of Vancouver is one of the biggest I’ve visited and well worth a look.

When you’ve got all of your souvenirs and had a nice long walk through the city, head back to your hotel and change for dinner. As mentioned earlier, Vancouver has abundance of amazing food places but for a really great night out head into Gastown. With all of the restaurants, the cute old fashioned streets and the great relaxed vibe, there’s really no contest for where you should spend your evening. Each different eatery has something different to offer and there’s no wrong choice.

So there you go, a whole 24 hours in the home of Ryan Reynolds and the most beautiful views!

Hope you enjoy!