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 274611 times)

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1140 on: June 12, 2019, 04:56:51 PM »
Wil be heading to vancouver for 6 days in july. Landing there friday morning and leaving late wednesday night. Trying to figure out the best way to maximize my time. Will have 1.5 yr. old an a 4 year old.
Friday we dont plan on doing much and just relaxing and getting ready for shabbos.
Is it worth it to drive to Whistler with the limited amoint of time we have?
Any other suggestions for activities that we should do that will work with kids?
Not much to do in Whistler with kids those ages. You can go up the mountains and do peak to peak. Its very expensive and not worth it IMO. I would drive like about an hour towards whistler on the Sea to Sky highway, and take the Sea to Sky Gondola. There is also a mine there that was pretty cool.

Offline pointer

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1141 on: June 18, 2019, 11:03:11 PM »
Wil be heading to vancouver for 6 days in july. Landing there friday morning and leaving late wednesday night. Trying to figure out the best way to maximize my time. Will have 1.5 yr. old an a 4 year old.
Friday we dont plan on doing much and just relaxing and getting ready for shabbos.
Is it worth it to drive to Whistler with the limited amoint of time we have?
Any other suggestions for activities that we should do that will work with kids?
Not much to do in Whistler with kids those ages. You can go up the mountains and do peak to peak. Its very expensive and not worth it IMO. I would drive like about an hour towards whistler on the Sea to Sky highway, and take the Sea to Sky Gondola. There is also a mine there that was pretty cool.
OMG you are wrong!
(ok not wrong, its your opinion)
went there with a 9 month old, enjoyed every second of it!
even the drive itself is worth it!
its stunning up there! peak to peak is def. worth it!
Do yourself a favor @rileywiles23 and take the trip, you'll thank me
« Last Edit: June 18, 2019, 11:06:25 PM by pointer »

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1142 on: June 18, 2019, 11:16:55 PM »


OMG you are wrong!
(ok not wrong, its your opinion)
went there with a 9 month old, enjoyed every second of it!
even the drive itself is worth it!
its stunning up there! peak to peak is def. worth it!
Do yourself a favor @rileywiles23 and take the trip, you'll thank me

Worth it to go if I need to drive back the same day and not sleeping over in Whistler?
Life is as good as you make it...

Offline pointer

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1143 on: June 18, 2019, 11:18:57 PM »

Worth it to go if I need to drive back the same day and not sleeping over in Whistler?
Absolutely! (ok, IMHO)
I did the same.

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1144 on: June 18, 2019, 11:22:49 PM »
Not much to do in Whistler with kids those ages. You can go up the mountains and do peak to peak. Its very expensive and not worth it IMO. I would drive like about an hour towards whistler on the Sea to Sky highway, and take the Sea to Sky Gondola. There is also a mine there that was pretty cool.
Agreed.
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 pointer

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1145 on: June 18, 2019, 11:54:05 PM »
Not much to do in Whistler with kids those ages. You can go up the mountains and do peak to peak. Its very expensive and not worth it IMO. I would drive like about an hour towards whistler on the Sea to Sky highway, and take the Sea to Sky Gondola. There is also a mine there that was pretty cool.
Agreed.
Again, if you looking to "do" stuff, then its no place for a kid
But I don't see why you have to do anything besides take in its mind boggling beauty
we were awestruck by the scenery, the snowy caps, eating lunch on top of on top of blackcomb, beautiful!
Perfect for a day trip.
Might even be able to have a little snowball fight with your 4 year old!

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1146 on: June 18, 2019, 11:55:51 PM »
Again, if you looking to "do" stuff, then its no place for a kid
But I don't see why you have to do anything besides take in its mind boggling beauty
we were awestruck by the scenery, the snowy caps, eating lunch on top of on top of blackcomb, beautiful!
Perfect for a day trip.
Might even be able to have a little snowball fight with your 4 year old!
Can get that with the Sea to Sky Gondola and Grouse Mountain.
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 pointer

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1147 on: June 19, 2019, 12:01:22 AM »
Can get that with the Sea to Sky Gondola and Grouse Mountain.
no way in in the world to grouse mountain!
Did you ever go up blackcomb in the summer?

Didn't do Sea to Sky Gondola, went straight up to whistler

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1148 on: June 19, 2019, 12:02:52 AM »
I said and, not or.

I did P2P in April. It's nice, but certainly not Banff.
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 @Yehuda

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1149 on: June 19, 2019, 09:10:33 AM »
Also, please read the forest fire forecast before you go. Was so smokey on our trip, we didn't go up any gondolas. Can also view each one's webcam online before you go to see how bag the smoke is up there.

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1150 on: June 20, 2019, 11:37:33 AM »
Also, please read the forest fire forecast before you go. Was so smokey on our trip, we didn't go up any gondolas. Can also view each one's webcam online before you go to see how bag the smoke is up there.

July should be fine.  Our trips were mid-to-end of August where most of the problem is but in theory he should check.  Last year was also particularly bad. 

I also am going to chime in on the Whistler question - I agree with Tzifanya (of course) and Dan.  I did both and drove back to Vancouver each time.  If someone will only do one, check out my TR (link in Wiki) and do my Squamish Day.  Not much to "do" in Whistler with an infant and you get the beauty with the sea to sky gondola, plus some hiking and mine. 

Offline nsastamps

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1151 on: July 08, 2019, 11:30:02 PM »
Has anyone stayed at the Residence inn? especially  for shabbos?

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1152 on: July 14, 2019, 11:29:05 AM »
Any need to reserve places for Shabbos at Chabad/The kollel?
Life is as good as you make it...

Offline KSMH

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1153 on: July 14, 2019, 12:14:00 PM »
Any need to reserve places for Shabbos at Chabad/The kollel?
If you are not going with a large group then the answer is NO.

Always praying for delayed baggage.

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1154 on: July 21, 2019, 11:22:00 AM »
Tentative itinerary with 16 month old, and a 4 year old. Any suggestions-changes?

Landing at 9 a.m.

Friday
Aquarium + Stanley Park
( UBC Botanical Gardens with Treetop)

Sunday
Victoria Island- Butchart Gardens

Monday
Grouse Mountain
Capilano Salmon Hatchery -
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

Tuesday
Squamish Area - Sea to Sky Highway to Sea to Sky Gondola, Shanon Falls hike.

Wednesday
Granville Island

Flight home at 11

Walk around gas town china town one night


Life is as good as you make it...

Offline pointer

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1155 on: July 21, 2019, 06:51:53 PM »
Lynn Canyon Park might be too tiring with 2 little ones. IDK.

unless you just want to cross the bridge, which IMO is totally not worth the trip

I strongly disagree with:

"It’s not something you can do while holding a baby, even taking pictures while on the bridge is scary. However the view is simply incredible"

Offline ludmila

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1156 on: July 22, 2019, 01:18:43 AM »
Any recommendation for 2 college students , have 8 days for a trip. Would you recommend Vancouver or Montreal and Quebec City?  TIA
I was the Best,still the Best, and will always be the Best.
Pele Good,Maradona Better, George Best.

Offline KSMH

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1157 on: July 22, 2019, 07:53:22 AM »
Any recommendation for 2 college students , have 8 days for a trip. Would you recommend Vancouver or Montreal and Quebec City?  TIA
Vancouver
Always praying for delayed baggage.

Offline Friars500

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1158 on: July 22, 2019, 09:57:08 AM »
Tentative itinerary with 16 month old, and a 4 year old. Any suggestions-changes?


Landing at 9 a.m.

Friday
Aquarium + Stanley Park
( UBC Botanical Gardens with Treetop)

Sunday
Victoria Island- Butchart Gardens

Monday
Grouse Mountain
Capilano Salmon Hatchery -
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

Tuesday
Squamish Area - Sea to Sky Highway to Sea to Sky Gondola, Shanon Falls hike.

Wednesday
Granville Island

Flight home at 11

Walk around gas town china town one night



Looks familiar! 😉

Keep option open on the Squamish day for the mine. We really enjoyed it. As for holding a baby, use the baby carrier. Worked great for us on the treetop walk, shannon fall walk and everything else we did with with hike that the stroller wasn't an option.
« Last Edit: July 22, 2019, 10:02:16 AM by Friars500 »

Offline nsastamps

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #1159 on: August 08, 2019, 10:46:25 AM »
Anyone know if theres a store in Vancouver that has reliable stock of meat and chicken ?