City break (noun): a brief vacation spent in a metropolis, akin to when on enterprise journey.
Before there was bleisure journey, there was the metropolis break—the quick house of leisure time that grants you entry to the cultural and culinary facilities that huge cities supply. In this sequence from JourneyIt, we discover a number of the world’s greatest cities for planning a fast getaway or extending a piece journey.
Here are our ideas for profiting from your metropolis break in Vancouver.
Where to fly in
Located about 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the primary airport vacationers fly into for home and worldwide journeys alike.
Once on the bottom, you have got a lot of choices for attending to your lodge or trip rental. A taxi or trip share is probably going the quickest and best approach to get to your vacation spot.
Taxi stands are situated on Level 2 when you exit the terminal. Note that taxis use a zoned charge fare and the fee will fluctuate based mostly in your vacation spot.
Uber can be (however solely just lately) out there from the airport.
Alternatively, SkyTrain’s Canada Line supplies fast rail service between the airport and downtown Vancouver. Trains depart the YVR station roughly each seven minutes. The journey to downtown Vancouver takes about 26 minutes, stopping in downtown Vancouver at Yaletown, Vancouver City Centre and Waterfront.
For maps, schedules and extra fare info, go to the TransLink web site.
Where to remain throughout your metropolis break
It’s laborious to withstand reserving a room with a view in Vancouver—and why do you have to? Hotels like The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver and the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel supply views of the harbor in addition to the North Shore Mountains.
If you’re attending an occasion on the Vancouver Convention Centre, you may’t beat the comfort of the Fairmont Waterfront. The lodge and conference middle are related by a coated walkway, so you may simply bounce between the 2 with out a second thought concerning the climate.
If a lodge in a primary Vancouver location is what you’re after, look no additional than the Delta Hotels Vancouver Downtown Suites. The lodge is just some minutes stroll from the conference middle, with handy entry to Gastown, Vancouver’s authentic downtown. By day, Gastown is a superb dwelling base for exploring the town, accessing lots of the must-see and must-dos. And by night time? Gastown twinkles, romancing you with its old-timey avenue lamps, steam clock (pictured above), and light-adorned timber.
Need house for an occasion? The Hyatt Regency Vancouver gives 45,000 sq. toes of assembly and occasion house.
Vacation leases, like these booked by Airbnb, are additionally out there in Vancouver.
How to get round
Travelers have quite a lot of choices for getting across the metropolis. If you like public transportation, take the SkyTrain, Vancouver’s gentle fast transit system. There are three traces providing service to downtown Vancouver in addition to Metro Vancouver’s suburbs—the Expo Line, the Canada Line, and the Millennium Line.
You can even get round city through bus; many bus stops are situated close to SkyTrain stations to make connections between the 2 simple and environment friendly.
Curious about your micromobility choices in Vancouver? Right now, public bike-sharing program Mobi by Shaw Go could be your go-to. In addition, the town introduced plans to launch a scooter-sharing program in 2023.
Hailing a taxi or an Uber to traverse the town is an choice, too.
Pro tip: Use JourneyIt’s Navigator characteristic to go looking transportation choices out there to you. It will present you the estimated prices and journey instances for every choice, so you may determine which works greatest. For instance, should you add a restaurant reservation to your itinerary (extra on the place to eat, beneath), Navigator additionally helps you discover one of the best transportation choices for attending to your desk. You can discover Navigator inside your plan particulars screens.
Where to eat
If you solely have time for one upscale meal in Vancouver, e-book a reservation at L’Abattoir. Request to sit down within the solarium should you’re planning a romantic date night time; go for the upstairs seating should you’re a much bigger group. The delicacies is primarily seafood dishes with a French twist. The handcrafted cocktails are incredible, the wine is divine, and better of all, the service is excellent.
To pattern distinctive, Aburi-style (i.e., flame-seared) sushi, head to Minami Restaurant in Yaletown. These delectable, layered rolls make sure you style every taste in each chunk.
For Old World pasta in fashionable digs, head to Di Beppe in Gastown. Or, should you’re within the temper for a domestically sourced burger and a domestically brewed beer, make your approach to Alibi Room, a gastropub additionally situated in Gastown.
Prefer to attempt some native wine? Pay a go to to Vancouver Urban Winery within the Railtown district. Here you may pattern all kinds of Canadian wines—from glowing to candy to daring—and in a stunning tasting room besides. VUW shares its house with Settlement Brewing and Belgard Kitchen, that means there’s actually one thing for everybody in your social gathering—even should you’re a celebration of 1.
Last however not least, save room for dessert at BETA5 Chocolates. Known for his or her clever truffles and chocolate bars, BETA5 lovers additionally flock there for his or her limited-release number of ice cream sandwiches and cream puffs.
What to do in your metropolis break
Love searching for murals on a metropolis break? Same! Start your day with a self-guided tour of Vancouver’s mural scene. Download the map, strap in your comfy sneakers, and discover the numerous works of public artwork on foot. Visiting Vancouver in August? You may catch the annual Vancouver Mural Festival—and its many muralists—in motion.
Prefer your artwork on a smaller scale? Head to Pacific Arts Market—Vancouver’s 2,500-square-foot gallery stuffed with artwork, jewellery, and crafts made by native artists. Or, pay a go to to the Museum of Anthropology which options artwork by indigenous peoples from Canada and around the globe.
If you’re visiting Vancouver throughout hockey season, you should definitely catch a Canucks (National Hockey League) or Giants (Canadian Hockey League) recreation. More of a soccer fan? The Vancouver Whitecaps FC play at BC Stadium—the third largest stadium in Canada by seating capability. You may additionally have the ability to catch a BC Lions (Canadian Football League) or Vancouver Canadians (minor league baseball) recreation, relying on the time of yr you go to.
Fortunately, Vancouverites embrace the nice open air all yr lengthy—and so do you have to. Planning a visit within the winter? Head to Grouse Mountain to snowshoe and ice skate. In the hotter months, head to the town’s picturesque Stanley Park to stroll or bike alongside its seawall. Or, in order for you a dose of nature exterior the town, head to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Try and get there early within the morning earlier than the crowds—you’ll have manner much less enhancing to do in your Insta photographs.
Note: As locations reopen around the globe, you should definitely seek the advice of and cling to all native tips and journey restrictions, as they fluctuate extensively and can proceed to alter. One approach to keep on prime of fixing tips is to seek the advice of the COVID-19 journey steerage characteristic within the JourneyIt app for destination-specific info, together with testing and vaccination necessities, present an infection charges, quarantine guidelines upon arrival, and different info you want to know earlier than visiting the world.