10 Things That Made Me Fall In Love With Vancouver Again

I’m working on a full review of my trip but in the meantime there is this. Over the past week I’ve been travelling in Vancouver and being here the second time around has made me fall in love with the west coast all over again. There is something about it that you don’t quite feel back in Toronto. Here are a few of my favourite things that really solidified my love for the west coast:

1. Fresh Seafood — Vancouver is right on the sea and that is the very reason why the seafood is so fresh. While I was here I had sushi twice and a seafood platter on Granville. The food feels real and it’s the best I’ve ever had. I’m not sure if I can eat seafood anymore in Toronto and Mississauga.

2. Ice Cream scene — Vancouver loves its ice cream and so do I. The amount of ice cream parlours is phenomenal. Among the best were Earnest Ice Cream where I had the London Fog flavour, Bella Gelateria where I had coconut with real coconut pieces, and La Casa where I had strawberry champagne. La Casa was also home to 238 different flavours where I sampled some wild flavours such as wasabi.

3. Transit — While you might not think transit is something to remember it was a special experience mostly because transit in Toronto and Mississauga is so lousy. The buses are to be expected of a bus system and some of them especially downtown are completely electric connected overhead to wires. There is also the skytrain which is sort of like a subway but spends most of its time above ground except downtown. And finally there is the seabus which is a ferry which connects downtown Vancouver with North Vancouver (where I spent most of my stay). And one ticket is just $1.75 (if you’re in high school which I’m not but I look young).

4. Mountains — Stepping out of the waterfront station and taking a quick walk around the building, you can immediately see the range of mountains towering above the city just across the bay. Cypress, Grouse, and Seymour. The three big ones are within 20 minutes by car from downtown. It’s a very spectacular view and I don’t know if I can get tired of it.

5. Downtown connectedness — The downtown core of Vancouver is small enough that you can walk around it in a day and it connects to some of the amazing sights. Stanley park and English bay are to the north, while the waterfront which includes the Olympic torch and Canada Place is to the northeast as well as Gastown. Meanwhile Granville island is to the south; Science World, BC place and Chinatown to the southeast, and everything else in between.

6. Scenic views — Arguably the best thing about Vancouver is that it is so close to spectacular views. The Grouse grind is a hike of about an hour for the average person up a mountain to get a stunning view of the downtown area. Or the hike to Quarry rock from Deep Cove also gives you a view of the fiord like landscape. Not only that but several minutes taking the highway past West Vancouver, you immediately are greeted with one of the most beautiful highways in the world: blue green seas, winding mountain roads, and forested landscapes. It’s a lot to take in.

7. Architecture and parks — One really neat thing I noticed walking through the city is some of the beautiful architecture. Some buildings are just beautifully made. Two buildings along the waterfront including the Cactus Club restaurant which you can walk on top of, have a rooftop garden. The rotating restaurant similar to the CN Tower, and the swooping rooftop of Canada place add to the beauty of the cityscape. Not only that but here and there, you find nice little areas to sit and relax in. Sometimes a public piano to add some enjoyment, other times, a quaint little square to behold.

8. Stanley Park — This park is so large it might as well be a zoo. It boasts the magnificent seawall which is easily bikeable in an hour or so. If you go inwards, there’s totem poles, a hollow thousand year old tree, Beaver lake, and the aquarium. If you continue the perimeter, you’ll see the Lion’s Gate bridge, Siwash rock, many of the beaches, and English bay. And the entire time you’re greeted with pleasant scenery.

9. Public Art — This really adds to the flavour of Vancouver. Walking through the city I’ve seen many pieces of public art from a tree with a stack of cars to a 3 metre deer antler to a large gathering of figures with different faces. It would take a long time to find every piece and admire it.

10. Fresh Air — The first thing about this city. The air is fresh and there seems to be less pollution in it. Trees are everywhere and the city is surrounded by nature. The salty sea, the scents of pine and cedar trees from the mountains, the crash of waterfalls and rivers running through to the sea. It’s one of the small things that I think people forget to realize. It is the cherry on top to what makes this place truly beautiful.