Topic Wiki

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 274617 times)

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1080 on: August 07, 2018, 11:16:41 PM »
Alamo is open until 1:30 but seems to close...
I plan on taking a taxi to my hotel and picking up a car downtown the next day. Taxi will hopefully be quickest way to hotel (not dealing with getting a car rental), the cost should be a wash with hotel parking there night, and downtown rates are cheaper than airport rates because of airport taxes.

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1081 on: August 08, 2018, 06:37:15 PM »
I will say that I have never seen such expensive car rental rates in any city that I have ever rented a car.  Not only that but almost all the agencies are closed with the CP flight. 

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1082 on: August 08, 2018, 06:57:40 PM »
I will say that I have never seen such expensive car rental rates in any city that I have ever rented a car.  Not only that but almost all the agencies are closed with the CP flight.
Most of the people here who took that flight seem to have used Avis. We just don't know what code they used.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1083 on: August 09, 2018, 07:22:30 PM »
I will say that I have never seen such expensive car rental rates in any city that I have ever rented a car.  Not only that but almost all the agencies are closed with the CP flight.
Just bite the bullet and get the van!  :P

Online shiframeir

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1084 on: August 09, 2018, 11:47:30 PM »
bec
I will say that I have never seen such expensive car rental rates in any city that I have ever rented a car.  Not only that but almost all the agencies are closed with the CP flight. 
i ended up renting from a place far from the airport (i took a cab to the avis) that had a cheaper rate, but that was during the day.

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1085 on: August 10, 2018, 07:51:16 AM »
Just bite the bullet and get the van!  :P

I did - but doesn't mean I can't grumble about it.

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1086 on: August 22, 2018, 12:08:00 AM »
I'm going to post a full 1 week itinerary when I have the time to write it up, but a strong warning (that maybe someone can add to a prominent place in the wiki) about traveling to Vancouver in August. It is apparently forest fire season in British Columbia. It makes for a very, very difficult time as the views (the main attraction here) are quite hampered. This year is the second worse ever but it seems that the last few years had similar issues (just not as bad). I wish someone had warned me, so consider yourself warned.

Offline Square

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1087 on: August 22, 2018, 01:28:21 PM »
We did the ferry and gardens as a day trip from Vancouver, and or was a highlight of the of the whole trip.

We did the same, and it was a day wasted for us.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1088 on: August 22, 2018, 03:06:02 PM »
I'm going to post a full 1 week itinerary when I have the time to write it up, but a strong warning (that maybe someone can add to a prominent place in the wiki) about traveling to Vancouver in August. It is apparently forest fire season in British Columbia. It makes for a very, very difficult time as the views (the main attraction here) are quite hampered. This year is the second worse ever but it seems that the last few years had similar issues (just not as bad). I wish someone had warned me, so consider yourself warned.
From my research this doesn't happen often. Someone I know who lives there says it was only like this 3 times in the past 40 or so years. I agree it definitely hampered the trip, although thankfully I still had a great time last week despite not being able to do many of the highlight activities.

We did the same, and it was a day wasted for us.
Heard similar from a traveler last week. Crazy how it's hit or miss. My gut says the gardens are beautiful, but the trip becomes a long day and for someone who doesn't mind the commute, it's a great day, for those who aren't fans of the long boat rides and travelling on the island + the cost, it becomes a drag of a day.

Online shiframeir

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1089 on: August 23, 2018, 04:15:53 PM »
It is apparently forest fire season in British Columbia. It makes for a very, very difficult time as the views (the main attraction here) are quite hampered. This year is the second worse ever but it seems that the last few years had similar issues (just not as bad). I wish someone had warned me, so consider yourself warned.
i was there for a week end of august last year and had no mention or notice of forest fires, had a great time.

Offline sam28

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1090 on: August 24, 2018, 10:17:04 AM »
I was there Aug 2016 I head nice weather all week .

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1091 on: August 24, 2018, 01:53:28 PM »
I was there Aug 2016 I head nice weather all week .
i was there for a week end of august last year and had no mention or notice of forest fires, had a great time.

And this is precisely my point. On the Banff thread Aarony wrote that last year he had the same problem in August and Shiframeir didn't.  Someone who went two weeks ago was likely fine.

The point is exactly that. During forest fire season, because you never know which week may have zero visibility, you're taking a risk that is not the usual weather related risks.

Offline wonderlust

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1092 on: August 24, 2018, 06:12:57 PM »
I'm going to post a full 1 week itinerary when I have the time to write it up, but a strong warning (that maybe someone can add to a prominent place in the wiki) about traveling to Vancouver in August. It is apparently forest fire season in British Columbia. It makes for a very, very difficult time as the views (the main attraction here) are quite hampered. This year is the second worse ever but it seems that the last few years had similar issues (just not as bad). I wish someone had warned me, so consider yourself warned.
Ditto! I’ve been wondering for a while why the fairmont/4 seasons are 200-300 a night in whistler during summer months while they are 800-1000 in banff.. now I know the answer..

Offline Tzadik Nistar

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1093 on: August 26, 2018, 02:39:23 AM »
Ditto! I’ve been wondering for a while why the fairmont/4 seasons are 200-300 a night in whistler during summer months while they are 800-1000 in banff.. now I know the answer..
It's cheap because it's off season as the main attraction in whistler is skiing in the winter
Banff had the same wild fire issues as whistler last week

I went 2 weeks ago and had beautiful weather and visibility
During the spring and fall they have lots of rain so July-Aug is still usually the best time to visit

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1094 on: August 26, 2018, 08:32:46 AM »
There are at least a dozen TRs on DDF, and no one else mentioned having this issue. I think we just got back luck @Friars500 . @Suz can probably chime in as someone who spends a lot of summers in YVR.

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1095 on: August 26, 2018, 08:34:52 AM »
No fire issues in YVR in August 2012 or 2016 when we were there.
It was really cold and wet in 2016 though.
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 Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1096 on: August 26, 2018, 10:14:54 AM »
No fire issues in YVR in August 2012 or 2016 when we were there.
It was really cold and wet in 2016 though.

Perhaps it was bad luck or perhaps it was the start of a new trend. I don't know but forest fires in BC have been an issue for some years and this not the first year this has been issue. Whether the fires effect Vancouver is probably a factor on precipitation in July/August, wind patterns and timing.  This is why Tzadik Nistar had no issue and @yehuda came a day after he left had issues. This is why I had a nice day in Squamish, the day after they actually closed the gondola due to visibility issues. I think early August is probably better than late August and if it rains in August (which it didn't this year), then there will probably be no issues.

My point is and remains that August is forest fire season in BC. If the conditions are like they were this year, your trip will be hampered and if you are like me, a person who saves miles each year to take a once in a year vacation to a nice place with his family, you may want to take into consideration and be forewarned. If you are a person who drops in and out of vacations or has miles to spare, it probably won't matter much.


Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1097 on: August 26, 2018, 12:40:41 PM »
There are at least a dozen TRs on DDF, and no one else mentioned having this issue. I think we just got back luck @Friars500 . @Suz can probably chime in as someone who spends a lot of summers in YVR.

I’ve been spending long summers (May-October 1) in Vancouver for 13 years and this year seems to have been the longest stretch of the bad air.  It hasn’t been an every year occurrence as you can tell by other commenters.  Of course, it’s not ideal if you are only here for a week but weather is unpredictable. 

Offline wonderlust

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1098 on: August 27, 2018, 02:22:04 PM »
I’ve been spending long summers (May-October 1) in Vancouver for 13 years and this year seems to have been the longest stretch of the bad air.  It hasn’t been an every year occurrence as you can tell by other commenters.  Of course, it’s not ideal if you are only here for a week but weather is unpredictable.

They kept telling me last yr was the worst since it was like that for almost a month (heard that from many different ppl there)

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1099 on: August 27, 2018, 04:17:22 PM »
They kept telling me last yr was the worst since it was like that for almost a month (heard that from many different ppl there)

Lol, because everyone keeps saying that this year is the worst. But that is my point, people just need to be aware of the possibility and make an informed decision. If you look at the Whistler webcams or the Sea to Sky webcams, just 96 hours after I left, it looks like it mostly cleared up and a week before I got there it was nice also.