VANCOUVER TRAVEL GUIDE
SUMMER TRAVEL SERIES, PART 3: my favorite spots from a summer trip to BC with a little help from a hometown friend
It’s not typical for weather-induced flight disruptions and delays to turn out in a traveler’s favor, but maybe just this one time it did. 48 hours before I landed in Vancouver, British Columbia, I was packing my bags for a beach weekend in Holbox, Mexico. Hurricane Beryl definitely missed the memo. And so at the last minute, our group pivoted to a polar opposite plan: One that took us north of the border to Canada’s beautiful west coast paradise. And summer paradise it was, indeed!
I felt like I was at summer camp (which I never actually went to as a kid lol) surrounded by so much natural beauty and changing landscapes. I spent my days unplugged, taking photos on my film camera, picking fresh blueberries and huckleberries, hiking, cliff jumping, swimming, and yes, still finding somewhere to sip an aperol spritz or two. My friend and host, Amalia, played tour guide with her local prowess, showing us around her hometown from the mountains of Whistler to the hip breweries along Vancouver harbor. Here are a few of the places I loved on my first visit to BC!
Ambleside Beach - for a Sunday morning walk to the coffee shop along the shore with a picturesque view of Lions Gate Bridge
English Bay - to take sushi to-go and watch a sunset on the shore
Homer Street Cafe - sit on the patio to soak up that fresh BC summer air and order the steak tartare with tater tots, trust me
Kitsilano - in general, the Kitsilano neighborhood and West 4th Ave have lots of shops, cafes, and hip spots; in the summer it hosts Khatsahlano Street Party, Vancouver’s largest free music and arts festival featuring indie artists and bands
Maxine’s Cafe & Bar - a retro-style spot downtown serving up an ECF-approved Sunday brunch (my favorite meal of the week); also worth appreciating for the chic bathroom wallpaper
Whistler Mountain & Village - for skiing of course, or in the summer season, hiking through the ice walls at the peak (and you can still get an apres-ski spritz even if the slopes are melted)
Plus, I’d recommend a ride in the Aquabus around Vancouver Harbor and a visit to the Olympic Village.
