48 HOURS IN VANCOUVER
Vancouver is on the west coast of Canada, and draws many people for its impressive rainforest in Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and its trails on peaks like Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour. However, if you are not venturing to those nature spots and just staying in the city centre, here is how I would spend two days exploring what the city has to offer if this was my first time!
Start your day passing by the Gastown Steam Clock. While the clock is exactly what you would expect, it does draw a small crowd and if you want to get pictures of it with no one around, I recommend checking it off your list first thing in the morning! Then from the clock, make your way to breakfast at Belgard Kitchen. CJ loves the blueberry French toast, and I had a lovely avocado toast!
Gastown Steam Clock
Vancouver is known as a pretty rainy city, which is why ducking into the Vancouver Art Gallery for the rest of the morning is a great idea. Just a quick jaunt from the museum is Hawksworth Restaurant, a wonderful Michelin star eatery in the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. It is less on the casual side, as you will quickly see once you peep the large chandelier and wall of wine in the dining room.
Then spend the rest of the afternoon in Stanley Park, Vancouver’s largest urban park. Perhaps take a walk around the seawall, a scenic path that circles the park or stop by the park’s collection of totem poles sourced from different areas of British Columbia. I also highly recommend taking a walking tour in the park from Talaysay Tours, a tour company that invites you to discover Indigenous culture.
Stanley Park
End the evening at the incredible Botanist, a Michelin restaurant in the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. This restaurant is on the fancier side, so dress accordingly. The service is professional and warm, the food is outstanding, and the staff pay close attention to allergies. I had a dairy free off menu dessert item that was to die for!
The next day, get an early start at Craffles, a small casual breakfast spot. Please note that reservations are not taken, so a line does form about 15 minutes prior to opening. I highly recommend waiting in line, as their croissant/waffle concoctions are delicious. If you are not into the craffle, note that CJ had the pancakes and he loved them!
After breakfast, walk over to Granville Island. Tons of artisan shops and the lively Granville Island Public Market await you! Once you have built up an appetite shopping, head to the mouthwatering Italian restaurant Ask for Luigi. CJ and I split the focaccia which was fantastic and we both had comforting bowls of pasta.
If it is a beautiful day, spend the afternoon at the VanDusen Botanical Garden. If, however, it is a cold or rainy day, make your way to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia to view a vast collection of Northwest Coast First Nations art. End the evening at the mouthwatering Bao Bei, a modern Chinese restaurant with sharing plates. Come hungry, order a ton of dishes, and split everything (if you can part with it, of course!)
VanDusen Botanical Garden
I will say that Vancouver isn’t my favorite city, but the food is phenomenal and the locations listed above are lovely to visit if you find yourself in this metropolis! Let me know what you think!
