Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
www.translink.bc.ca (bus information)
http://vancouver.craigslist.com (free online classefieds: furniture, jobs, apartments, etc...)
www.cfox.com (radio station- announces upcoming events online.)
www.pollstar.com (city search: Vancouver for concert listings)
There is a hostel on the corner of Homer and Pender downtown that only charges $10 per night for a dorm bed. Next door is Finches Tea and Coffee, which has the best baguettes you have ever tasted AND Fair Trade coffee. During the day the area is full of 9-5'ers but at night it is a bit dodgy. The majority of backpacker hostels congregate on Granville Street downtown (the clubbing area) and are about $25 per night. There is also one in Kitsilano but not exactly sure where.
To get downtown from the Airport catch the public Airport Circle bus from outside arrivals which will take you to Airport Station Bay 2. There you transfer to the 98 B-Line Burrard Station bound. (Richmond is the opposite direction so you don't want take that one unless you are staying with friends in Richmond.)
Buses only take exact change. 1 Zone is $2.25 (Airport to Downtown is 2 Zones- I think $3.25, but if you are travelling after 6pm or it is a Saturday or Sunday than it is all 1 Zone.)
If you are looking for work, a good place to start is Robson Street, downtown. All the shops are almost always hiring. Print a bunch of up to date resumes and hand them out at all the shops. Also try Pacific Centre Mall. (Enter via the Sears on Robson.) Granville Street, Commercial Drive, Denman Street, Park Royal Mall, Broadway, West 4th in Kitsilano, Lonsdale Avenue in North Van. (etc...) For office jobs, look in Newspapers and Online Classefieds.
Favourite Restaurants:
Rain City Grill, Denman Street: View of English Bay- very fancy- organic, locally produced gourmet food.
Tanpopo, Denman Street: All you can eat Sushi. Lunch is $11, Dinner is $21, but they add fancier things to the menu like Salmon Tataki, and in between and afterwards they have happy hour specials.
Havana, Commercial Drive: Cuban food, pitchers of Mojitos, amazing atmosphere. medium sort of price range.
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, Cypress Street, Kitsilano: Best Pizza in Vancouver. Organic and Locally Sourced Produce- completely sustainable down to the recycled materials napkins and furniture.
Anatole Souvlaki, Lonsdale Avenue: Amazing quality Greek food in a fantastic atmosphere. You get what you pay for though at about $17 dollars for the platter (chicken, tzatziki, salad, pita bread, rice, potatoes.) You can get lesser quality but perhaps bigger quantity if you try Stephos on Davie Street, also very popular for around $10.
India Bistro, Davie Street: Excellent, cheap Indian food, and cool cocktails on offer.
Raglans, Lonsdale Avenue: cheap bar snacks, but you can't beat the massive Monsoon Bowl cocktails.
Vina Vietnamese, Marine Drive, Dunderave, W.Van: Excellent Vietnamese food in a classy atmosphere, but surprisingly cheap.
For grocery shopping try Capers, a big Pro-Organic supermarket chain with locations on Robson Street downtown and in Kitsilano, etc...
In winter you can go ice-skating up on Grouse Mountain- they freeze over the area that is a park in the summer. You can rent Ice Skates up there.
For a good hike, you can actually hike up Grouse Mountain. It is famous in Vancouver and called the "Grouse Grind."
There are hundreds of hiking opportunities on the North Shore. Capilano Suspension Bridge is pricey but the tourists seem to love it. The locals go to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge instead because it is scarrier and it is free.
The downtown waterfront area at night is a little dodgy, avoid wandering off the beaten path in Gastown especially. The East End of West Hastings Street is where all the heroin addicts and prostitutes hang out.
In the Summer there is a waterslide in English Bay. Also in the last week of July and first week of August is the Festival of Light, the worlds largest international fireworks competition, and the whole of Vancouver heads to the waterfront, especially English Bay, to watch. (Usually Wednesday and Saturday nights.) It is a great thing for a traveller to see as it really unites the city.
The biggest display of Vancouver culture by far, is the Canucks. Our Hockey team. You have to go to a game, but if like most Vancouverites it is above your budget, at least go to a bar to watch the games, or if you know someone, go to a party to watch it. And if you are lucky, keep checking www.ticketmaster.ca for when they "sell" free tickets to the practices. Even if you don't get one, head down to GM place that day anyways they usually hand them out at the door.
If I think of anything else I will add it. Good luck!
Log In
