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Trip Reports

Dan, AJK here and here , Chapshnell, UshDadude, sam28, YudiG, Tzfas, mochada, jagstangz, Neil, dpk4588, BKYW, tzifanya54, stever, mordechain, nafnaf12, SLMYRCB, Friars500


Flight Options (as of 04/18)

Cathay Pacific flies directly to/from JFK (777-300ER).         

Final date for this route, 02/23/20

Economy:
12.5K BA OW
17.5K AS OW
20K CX OW (30K RT)

Premium Economy:
25K BA OW
20K AS OW
24K CX OW (36K RT)

Business Class:
37.5K BA OW
25K AS OW
25K CX OW (50K RT)

First Class:
50K BA OW
35K AS OW
40K CX OW (70K RT)
Air Canada flies directly to/from EWR (787-800).
Economy:
12.5K SQ, UA, AC OW

Premium Economy:
20K AC OW

Business Class:
20K SQ OW
25K UA, AC OW

There is also a Delta flight direct to/from JFK in the summer months (prices vary as expected from Delta).   

DP01 (07/13): CX availability becomes better closer to the flight. (MEIR613)
DP02 (04/18): CX availability disappears 3-5 days out on BA and AS. (SLMYRCB)
DP03 (08/18): CX availability can only show up on BA or AS if there is more than 1 seat remaining, if it's only 1 seat, it will only be available on CX.com Use CX.com to see actual # of seats available. (@Yehuda)


Food - BC Kosher List

Cafe Forty One (dairy - cholov yisrael) formerly Shuk Eat/Play
5750 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
V6M 2V9, Canada
Tel: 604-563-4141
Delivery Service via Skip The Dishes (Fairmont Pacific Rim is not within the deliverable area)
"Really great, everything tasty good value, best Caesar Salad ever, and order pizza in advance for good "camp" like homemade yummyness." (shiframeir)
"Nice selection of pastries in addition to their dairy menu. The pizzas and sandwiches are very good." (SLMYRCB)

Nava Creative Cusine (dairy/pareve - non cholov yisrael)
950 West 41st Avenue
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 676-7579
Located at the JCC - right around corner from Cafe Forty One

Omnitsky's Kosher (meat)
5775 Oak Street,
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 321-1818
Just across the street from Cafe Forty One

Sabra Bakery (meat)
3844 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 733-4912
Two miles down Oak Street near the Sharei Tzedek Shul

Maple Grill (meat)
1967 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6J 1Z3, Canada
Tel: (604) 568-4885

Mount Royal Bagels - North Vancouver
701 Queensbury Ave
North Vancouver, BC
V7L 3V9, Canada
Tel: (604) 904-1116

Real Canadian Superstore
Marine Drive
Has kosher products

Kosher Food Warehouse
612 Kingsway (rear)
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 709-9889


Shabbos

Chabad Downtown - walkable from many hotels, no Eruv, Shacharis on Shabbos followed by Kiddush, Friday night Minyan last weekend each month.
TheKollel - in the community, yes Eruv, Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre only points hotel in the Eruv, Airbnb options, all Minyanim, free Shabbos meals. Some hotels downtown (outside the Eruv) are about an hour walk.
Eruv - https://goo.gl/maps/D2oLBC39GT72


Activities

Stanley park - trolley, rent bikes at Bayshore Bike/Spokes/lots of other places (Westin Bayshore provides 2 hours of free bikes), playground/water are, 9 o'clock gun
Aquarium in Stanley Park
Capilano suspension bridge - also tree walk and cliff walk
Capilano Salmon Hatchery
Lynn Canyon suspension bridge and hikes (Twin Falls, 30 Foot Pool) - free
Grouse Mountain - gondola up, can take chairlift even higher, then an elevator to top of windmill, view of Vancouver, ziplining, parasailing, lumberjack show, see grizzly bears, Grouse Grind - way to hike up the mountain instead
Granville island - market, street performers, kayaking, stand up paddleboat, false creek ferries, brewery tour, kids play area, rent a boat, can bike to here
Seaplane around Vancouver harbor or to Whistler -  http://www.harbour-air.com/index.php 
Whale watching
Victoria Island - ferry to the island/back, Butchart Gardens (expensive, underwhelming), Miniature World, Fisherman's Wharf, oldest Synagogue in Canada. Victoria seems to be very expensive, ferry $30, to bring a car $100, gardens $30.
Bowen Island
Seabus - cheap ferry across harbor and back
Deep Cove kayaking
UBC Garden - Greenheart TreeWalk (look for Groupon)
Zoo
Harbor boat tours - boatrent.ca, Harbor Cruises was terrible - dpk4588
Sea wall
Watch sea planes
Cypress Mountain
Seymour Mountain
Art Museum
Science center imax
Pacific Center Mall
See Olympic torch
"Tour Guys" free walking tour
Rivers to see salmon spawn (swim upstream)
Robson street
Denman street
Vancouver Convention Center - Olympics memorabilia
Kitsilano Beach
Kids Bowl Free
Takaya golf centre
Poets cove
Elizabeth gardens
Van dusen gardens - better than Elizabeth gardens
Canada Place - fly over canada ride experience
Brittania Mine Museum
Vancouver Lookout
Gastown - steam clock
Chinatown
Yaletown
http://scenicrush.com/ - exotic car drive up the Sea to sky highway
Dr SunYatSen Chinese Garden (Dan and a DDFer said not worth it)
Free Chinese Garden
Lighthouse park
Safari Eco Boat Tour and Seaplane flight  Sewellsmarina.com

On the way to Whistler: (see Whistler Master Thread)
Sea to sky highway
Sea to sky gondola in Squamish, can hike up and take gondola down
River rafting in Squamish
Shannon Falls
Brandywine Falls
Panorama Ridge Hike in Lake Garibaldi in between Squamish and Whistler

« Last edited by pointer on February 16, 2020, 11:32:24 PM »

Author Topic: Vancouver Master Thread  (Read 275842 times)

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #60 on: June 03, 2012, 04:32:30 PM »
PUTPAC

i didnt call it was online...can such a thing only be done over the phone?

has anyone done lax-sea or lax-yvr...how many avios....7,500?

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #61 on: June 11, 2012, 01:52:11 AM »
AS with BA miles?
Ouch. Just saw this. (Oddly at the same time as I saw your reply in our KE discussion)

Thanks for idea.


I did check it at the time - avail is very generous. Its 4.5k + $85 (using USA acct) for some reason. Cannot be booked online. I did want to do it, as never flew AS before, but ultimately it required me to leave YVR  2 hours earlier than driving would, considering there's passport control before departure. In retrorespect, I heard driving 50 over in CA is mandatory arrest, so it was quite stupid of me to drive. B'h I didn't get caught.

There seems to be some issue with taxes when renting from YVR to SEA, as I was waiting for someone to join me & spent the time getting quotes from all the rental car companies. They all had cars that had to go down and were quite happy I would do it, but none would give it to me for less than 150. (Daily rate was $35 all in for a local return)

Zaater felalfel is right in downtown, just a minute or two drive from the waterfront area. It is one of the best felafels I have ever had. Very wholesome. The owner is quite nice (Israeli style). It is clean and nice inside. The city is very Chinese, and we saw some assimilation in zaater, nebech.
Just a word of caution, all they have is felafel. I was kinda planing on schintzel or something, but nada.


A small Fyi for someone flying into YVR, don't take the bus from the int'l terminal to the car rental place, just cross the street and walk 50 feet to the right.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2012, 02:14:12 AM by PlatinumGuy »
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #62 on: July 12, 2012, 02:05:44 PM »
Anyone have any suggestions for a nice day trip off the beaten track out of YVR?

Has the new dairy restaurant in the Chabad Center opened for business?

Offline mainstain123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #63 on: July 12, 2012, 09:52:41 PM »
is westin grand or sheraton wall centre nicer?what about the westin harbor

Offline Bp

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #64 on: July 12, 2012, 11:31:59 PM »
is westin grand or sheraton wall centre nicer?what about the westin harbor
didnt stay at the westin, but it looked like a new property,and a great location, right on the water in downtown

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #65 on: July 13, 2012, 01:41:13 AM »
didnt stay at the westin, but it looked like a new property,and a great location, right on the water in downtown

any highlights to share?

any nice places anyone know of for a camping trip in the bc area?
« Last Edit: July 13, 2012, 02:35:48 AM by YudiG »

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #66 on: July 14, 2012, 06:25:59 PM »
found a campsite - http://www.klahaniecampground.com - now its time to find some activities in squamish...anyone have any advise?

Offline theeari

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #67 on: July 15, 2012, 10:35:20 PM »
Whitewater rafting. I went back in the day.

I would drive up to Whistler and go ATVing.

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #68 on: July 16, 2012, 06:15:27 AM »
Whitewater rafting. I went back in the day.

I would drive up to Whistler and go ATVing.
is it worth driving all the way up for the atv vs going somewhere local?

where did you stay in whistler?

Offline YudiG

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Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #70 on: August 16, 2012, 10:33:05 PM »
How many days do people recommend going to YVR for?
Activities suitable with an infant?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #71 on: August 16, 2012, 10:44:35 PM »
Depends if you want to visit only the Vancouver metro or the various places around it (whistler, seattle, etc etc)
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline sky121

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #72 on: August 16, 2012, 11:13:53 PM »
How many days do people recommend going to YVR for?
Activities suitable with an infant?

Is this considered suitable? :)
 http://www.capbridge.com/
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Bp

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #73 on: August 16, 2012, 11:16:07 PM »
How many days do people recommend going to YVR for?
Activities suitable with an infant?

I think 2- 2 1/2  ,

I loved the fairmont pacific rim,  awesome views the property is very new,
« Last Edit: August 16, 2012, 11:25:33 PM by Bp »

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #74 on: August 17, 2012, 12:35:34 AM »
Depends if you want to visit only the Vancouver metro or the various places around it (whistler, seattle, etc etc)
Metro or within 1 hour.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline theeari

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #75 on: August 17, 2012, 10:50:56 AM »
Metro or within 1 hour.

You can't go to Vancouver and not go to Whistler. It's a 2hr nauseating drive, but well worth it.

I would do 2-3 days Vancouver and 1-2 days Whistler. Make sure to go in summer months, where it is probably one of the best climates anywhere, otherwise lots of rain!

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #76 on: August 17, 2012, 10:52:52 AM »
You can't go to Vancouver and not go to Whistler. It's a 2hr nauseating drive, but well worth it.

I would do 2-3 days Vancouver and 1-2 days Whistler. Make sure to go in summer months, where it is probably one of the best climates anywhere, otherwise lots of rain!
It's worth driving 4.5 hours round-trip for 1 night there? What's there?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline theeari

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #77 on: August 17, 2012, 11:15:27 AM »
It's worth driving 4.5 hours round-trip for 1 night there? What's there?

The drive is 2 hours max and there are nice places to stop at like Shannon Falls. It's not so bad. To tell you the truth, I have only done Whistler without my kids, and done awesome ATVing, whitewater rafting, crazy mountain biking, and hiking. They are all awesome! But, in terms of activities with an infant, you may be limited to just the hiking and walking around the village. Still will be really beautiful views, but may not be as exciting. Personally, I would still make the trip.

In terms of Vancouver itself with an infant, you should check out Stanley Park and the sea wall. Its a beautiful park right on the water with an aquarium and many other activities around. I believe there is a trolley that goes around the park. Also, hit up Capilano suspension bridge (hold ur baby!)and grouse mountain. Take the gondola up. Oterhwise just stroll around downtown Vancouver and Robson street. Should be a very relaxing trip.

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #78 on: August 17, 2012, 01:38:22 PM »
I think you can take a seaplane to Whistler. One of them has a very nice lounge...

Its a cute way to tour the mountains.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #79 on: August 19, 2012, 07:08:07 PM »
Anyone know of a good Doctor (family medicine/internal medicine) who will see patients privately in Vancouver? TIA