crookedindifference asked: any suggestions on what to do out here? im in whistler today but come back to vancouver tomorrow night.
Oh goodness yeah there is so much to do here! I don’t know much about your timeline or budget but here are some suggestions:
- If you like museums, I highly recommend the Museum of Anthropology at UBC. It’s a really beautiful space primarily featuring cultural works by BC First Nations artists - some historic, and some contemporary commissioned pieces. The interpretation is all supplemented by transcriptions of oral history, and the exhibits tend to be really thoughtfully curated. My favourite Vancouver museum.
- Because it’s such a classic feature of the city, I’m obligated to recommend Stanley Park. It’s got a forest huge old trees and beautiful views out across the water and some amazing totem poles and it’s on a peninsula directly adjacent to downtown. Seriously, even if you can just fit in a half-hour walk on the Seawall, it’s worth it.
- While you’re in Vancouver, you have to do sushi, because we do cheap and delicious sushi like nowhere else in North America. I’d recommend Tanpopo or Shabusen for all-you-can-eat (for best results, starve yourself all day beforehand). If you feel like something really fancy, I’d recommend Tojo’s, which costs way more (like, on the order of $60) and but features custom-made omasake meals for every diner.
- Another decent museum is the Vancouver Maritime Museum, which teaches you more about boats and Vancouver history than you ever thought possible. The current main exhibit is a collaboration with the Squamish First Nation on the Squamish canoe, and it’s supposed to be really interesting. (Haven’t had a chance to go yet, though.)
- If you want to see some impressive trees and tall mountains and such, the Capilano Suspension Bridge just north of town is a little touristy but very scenic. Note that the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge offers similarly epic views for free.
Also on your way back from Whistler if the weather is nice tomorrow (and you’re up for a climb) I’d strongly recommend the Stawamus Chief, which is the huge exposed granite dome you pass on the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler. It’s a beautiful (but kind of strenuous) hike, and the views are absolutely incredible.
Would offer to do some tour guiding, but tomorrow I have an exam and then I’m basically immediately leaving on my own West Coast road trip (in a southward direction). Also, this time of year is unfortunately a little slow in terms of festivals and beaches and open-air night markets, so I can’t make any recommendations there.
(I’m posting this publicly to solicit suggestions from other Vancouver tumblrs. I was born here and have lived here most of life so I might be missing out on some awesome tourist activities.)
