Sept. 2 - 5 (4D4N):  Leg 1 of our Pacific Northwest trip where we continued our journey visiting various spots in Washington State including Seattle.  Vancouver - what a metropolitan city, full of energy and vibrant food scene! Beware of Gastown if you have a rental car. Our rental got broken into so definitely put away everything even though the city feels pretty safe!

*Highly Recommended Food & Accommodation

Day 1

• 1am flight arrival in Vancouver from JFK

• Pick up rental car from National @ Vancouver Int. airport (closes at 1:30am)

• Drive to River Rock Resort & Hotel and rest

• Dim sum @ Kirin*

• Starbucks Reserve*

• Drive around Stanley Park:

  • Brockton Point lighthouse

  • Totem Poles

  • Prospect Point lookout

  • Third Beach

  • Lost Lagoon

• Walk around Robson Street

• Dinner @ Miku (beautiful view if you can get a seat by the window; otherwise food was average)

• Walk around waterfront + Gastown (check out the Steam Clock)

• Grab bubble tea from Bubble Queen*

Day 2

• Eclair from L'eclair de Genie

• Gastown:

  • Breakfast @ Birds & the Beets*

  • Gassy Jack Statue

  • Maple Tree Square

  • Learn the history of Gastown

• Lynn Canyon Park (hike the 30ft pool trail via suspension bridge; suggested duration 1 hr)

• Lunch @ Go Fish*

• Granville Island (suggested duration 1 hr)

  • Public Market

  • Look out to False Creek

  • Gelato @ Pistachio* (next to Bridge restaurant)

• Follow Frommers Downtown walking tour

• Stevenston Fisherman’s wharf

• Dinner @ Kitch izakaya

Day 3

• Quick slot machine @ River Rock Resort & Hotel Casino ($5 playing credit for staying at the hotel)

• Breakfast @ Yung Ho Soy*

• Drive to Whistler (1:53hr):

  • Brandywine Falls Provincial Park & Bungee Bridge (20 mins hike)

• Check in @ Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside, Whistler*

• Hiking trails @ Whistler (Make it a loop – go up Whistler, across the PEAK 2 PEAK and down Blackcomb; suggested duration 3.5hr)

  • Take the lift up to the Summit & down (some hiking is needed to take the 2nd lift up to the summit)

  • Beer break @ the Lodge

  • The Harmony Lake Trail Loop (40 mins RT; leads to a small, postcard-perfect mountain lake)

  • Peak to Peak Gondola

  • The Upper Village

• Relax at the pool/jacuzzi

• Dinner @ 21 steps*

• Walk around the village

Day 4

• Walk around the village (Olympic sign) & breakfast @ Pure Bread*

• Drive to Vancouver (1.5 hr)

• Brunch @ Raisu*

• Drive to Washington State/broader crossing (1.5 hr)

Other points of interest & food

• When in Granville Island, stop by the ferry stand to charter a boat. The price is pretty reasonable but they ran out of boat for rental when we got there.

• Hokkaido ramen santouka (2 locations to choose from)

• Pajo’s Fish & Chips

Tips

• If you an Equinox member, stop by the Vancouver downtown location. It is one of the best in my opinion!

• You can also rent a bicycle to bike around Stanley Park. We opted to drive and stop by each site as we had a rental car.

• If you are wondering why I did not put Capilano on here that's because I went there in 2008 and while it was nice, it is very expensive (C$43). As suggested by a friend from Vancouver, Lynn Canyon is a much better alternative - it is free, has a nice long suspension bridge, and not as touristy!