Our recent adventure took us to one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen, Vancouver, BC! Besides being a beautiful place it is also the new home to my youngest son. It’s the farthest we have traveled in quite some time. Between Covid shutting everything down and caring for my Mom for the last 4 years, we have not been able to travel very far from our home.
Getting there
Our flight from North Carolina to Seattle was about 5 1/2 hours long(it was cheaper to fly into Seattle than Vancouver). I really enjoyed looking down on the mountain ranges of Montana, Utah, and Washington.
We rented a car at the airport and drove the 3 hours to our Airbnb in North Vancouver.
It was a nice drive! We were able to see the Seattle skyline from the highway. My son suggested that we stop in Mt. Vernon, which is about halfway, for lunch. Mt. Vernon, WA is a very cute town. I highly recommend a stop at the Skagit Valley Coop for all kinds of goodies!
This trip has renewed our sense of adventure and taken us to a very beautiful place! This was our second trip to Canada. The first was several years ago when we went to Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Vancouver BC
Vancouver is a coastal city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Located about 145 miles north of Seattle, Washington. The city of Vancouver has a population of over 737,000 and is the 8th largest city in Canada. Metro Vancouver has over 2,000,000 residents and includes 21 municipalities.
Our Airbnb was in North Vancouver. We also spent time in Kitsilano(neighborhood) and West Vancouver.
FUN FACT: The city was named after Captain George Vancouver, a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791-1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America’s northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coast of what are now the U.S. states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California.
History of Vancouver
The Indigenous settlement of Vancouver began more than 8,000 years ago and included the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh(Burrard) peoples. The first modern city was orginally named Gastown and grew around the site of a tavern near Hastings Mill, built in 1867 and owned by “Gassy Jack”**. It was formally renamed “Granville” by the colonial Government in 1870 in honor of the British Secretary of State for the colonies, Lord Granville.
**John Deighton was better known as “Gassy Jack”, he was a tavern owner in British Columbia. The Gastown neighborhood of Vancouver got it’s name from him. He build his tavern on the south side of Burrard Inlet at the request of his friend, Captain Edward Stamp, the owner of Hastings Mill. Most of his patrons were sailors and workers from the nearby sawmill.**
The city was renamed “Vancouver” in 1886 through a deal with the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Canadian Pacific Transcontinental railway was extended to the city in 1887.
Geography
The city of Vancouver is located on the Burrard Peninsula. It is surrounded by water on three sides.
The Burrard Inlet borders the city to the North, Fraser River to the South, and the Strait of Georgia to the West. The Pacific Ocean lies beyond Vancouver Island.
The city is divided into 4 sides(like most cities), East and South Vancouver on the Southside of the Lion’s gate bridge and West and North Vancouver over the bridge to the North. The Lion’s gate bridge is Hwy 99 and crosses the Burrard Inlet and Vancouver harbor.
In every side of the city you will find great restaurants, beautiful parks, nature, and amazing mountain views.
NOTE: The Lion’s gate bridge gets bogged down several times a day. It’s best to keep your timing flexible.
One of the first things we did was to take a drive up Cypress Mountain. Cypress Mountain is a ski area in West Vancouver, located just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver. It has 53 named alpine ski runs and 11 miles of cross country trails.
We took the drive up the mountain to see the great views of Vancouver!
Beautiful things to see
- West Vancouver Centennial Seawalk
- Dundarave Park
- Cypress Mountain
- Sea to Sky Highway
- Squamish
- Shannon Falls
- Cleveland Dam
- Capilano Lake
- Grouse Mountain
- Kitsilano Beach
- Stanley Park
Dundarave Village is in West Vancouver. It is a quaint and welcoming seaside village. It is also home to delicious restaurants, cafes, and bakeries. Many places offer outdoor dining. One of our favorite breakfast/bakery places was the BakeHouse. We had a great breakfast there and bought some amazing muffins; strawberry/rhubarb and lemon/blueberry! YUM!
Dundarave Park
We spent some time at Dundarave Park. It’s an amazing place with beautiful views. Some of the highlights for us were the views of the Lion’s Gate Bridge and the Centennial Seawalk. I also found the landscaping at the park very pretty.
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FUN FACT: Centennial Seawalk is an out-and-back trail near West Vancouver. It’s an easy 1.7 kilometer route from Dundarave Park to 18th Street Park. It was built in 1967 to commemorate and celebrate Canada’s centennial.
Here are some Park Amenities:
- Wide sandy beach
- Waterfront access
- Centennial Seawalk
- Palm trees
- Floating swimming dock
- Playground
- Washrooms
- Concession stand
- Dogs are allowed in the park
- Picnic tables
- Beautiful landscaping
One day we saw a cruise ship going by, fairly close to the beach!
One of our favorite restaurants is located near the entrance to the Park, The Beach House Restaurant. We had a wonderful seafood dinner there! My husband had the Miso Sea Bass and I had Prawn & Scallop Spaghettini. It’s a semi-casual place with comfy chairs outside on the back deck overlooking the water. The kind of place that you could linger for awhile and enjoy your meal and a cocktail.
Park photos:
Sea to Sky Highway
The Sea to Sky Highway(also known as Hwy 99) is an amazing drive from Vancouver to Whistler. This stretch of Highway gets it’s name from the blue waters on one side and soaring cliffs on the other with nothing but open skies ahead of you! As you drive along you will find yourself leaving civilization far behind! When we came around the first turn, the view took our breath away! We have never seen anything like it before!
If you drive the whole length it takes about 2 hours, we only drove as far as Squamish, which was about 50 minutes.
The drive takes you along the Howe Sound with views of the Tantalus Mountain Range. There are several opportunities to pull off the highway to check out the scenic views!
Here are some highlights along the drive:
- Sea to Sky Gondola
- Britannia Mine Museum
- White Water Rafting
- Whistler Peak 2 Peak Gondola
- Stawamus Chief
- Shannon Falls
- Town of Squamish
Stawamus Chief Mountain
Also known as “The Chief” is one of the largest granite monoliths in the world. It is located close to the town of Squamish BC and towers 2297 feet above the waters of Howe Sound.
The indigenous people of this area considered it to be a spiritual place.
Because of The Chief and several other high-quality climbing areas, Squamish has become a world-class rock climbing destination. It is sometimes referred to as “Yosemite North”.
The Stawamus Chief Park is open year-round from 7am to 11pm daily. Along with Rock climbing opportunities, the park has great hiking trails, with beautiful views of the Howe sound, Squamish town, and the surrounding mountains. There is also an opportunity for Tent Camping.
Shannon Falls Park
We stopped at Shannon Falls Park along our drive and we were very happy we did! There is a parking lot, which fills up very quickly, so you may want to plan accordingly. It is a very popular day-use park offering picnicking, hiking, and access to the Stawamus Chief Trail.
You will also find a small concession and information center which offer snacks, information, and souvenirs.
It’s an easy walking trail along Shannon Creek and through the forest. The trail leads to spectacular views of Shannon Falls, which is the third highest waterfall in BC. The water falls from a height of 1099 feet. The falls are named after William Shannon who first settled the property in 1889.
You can view the falls from below along Shannon creek in the park, or above via the Sea to Summit trail.
Town of Squamish
Our journey on the Sea to Sky Highway ended at the town of Squamish.
Squamish BC has a population of about 24,000. The Squamish people are Indigenous people who have lived in this area for thousands of years. It’s a cute little town with great places to shop and eat! It is a beautiful location at the northern tip of the Howe Sound and surrounded by mountains including the towering Stawamus Chief.
In Squamish, you will find an endless amount of outdoor activities, including; Sea to Sky Gondola, hiking to the Shannon waterfall, bike trails, hiking trails, fishing, and even world-class rock climbing! If you continue down Highway 99, you will come to the town of Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb which is one of the largest ski resorts in North America.
Cleveland Dam/Capilano Lake
Cleveland Dam is in North Vancouver just outside the city. It’s located at the Capilano River Regional Park. Capilano Lake with the Mountains behind is such a spectacular sight! Capilano-Pacific Trail runs 5 miles north from Ambleside Park to Capilano Lake.
The Park has several short hikes and trails with amazing views of the dam and lake.
NOTE: The dam was built in 1954 and blocks Capilano Lake which supplies fresh drinking water for much of the Greater Vancouver region.
Kitsilano Beach
Kitsilano is a popular neighborhood in Vancouver, mainly due to it’s closeness to the beach and oceanfront.
Kitsilano Beach or “Kits Beach”, as it’s known, has a very beautiful waterfront. It’s one of the most popular beaches in Vancouver! The beach faces the English Channel. The best part is the amazing views of the North Shore Mountains, downtown Vancouver, and the Burrard inlet. Here are some features of the beach;
- The Seaside Seawall
- Concession
- Public Restrooms
- Tennis Courts
- Basketball Courts
- Playground
- Lifeguards
- Pay Parking
- Volleyball courts
- Kitsilano Pool
As you can see from these photos, Summertime is the busiest time at the beach, the rest of the year, not so much!
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is Vancouver’s largest urban Park! It’s over 900 acres of rainforest with scenic views of water, mountains, and majestic trees. The park is located just minutes from downtown on Vancouver’s west side. The main entrance is at the west end of Georgia Street, you can also enter the park from the English Bay side via Beach Avenue. If you want to spend the day in Stanley park, consider buying a daily parking pass which allows you to move your car and park at any location within the Park. Otherwise, hourly parking passes are also available .
The park is open from 6am to 10pm.
Some of the highlights of the park are:
- Miles of trails
- Famous Seawall
- Beautiful Beaches
- Local Wildlife
- Great food
- Historical landmarks
- Canada’s largest aquarium
Stanley Park In Conclusion
We had an amazing time on our trip to Vancouver BC! One week is not enough to see and do everything, we will definately have to come back. I can honestly say we had some of the best food(especially seafood) that we have had in a long time! It helps that my son, a chef, knew the best places to go. I can’t say enough how beautiful the city and surrounding area is!
We also went to Vancouver Island, the city of Victoria(capital of BC), and whale watching.
Check back to read these posts.
I would love to hear from you! Have to been to this part of Canada? Have you been to other cities in Canada?
We can’t wait to explore more of Canada!
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