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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 275898 times)

Offline AJK

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #320 on: November 12, 2013, 10:16:59 PM »
It begins to pick up 90 mins prior and you'll have a wait. 2.5 hours + and YVR is a ghost town.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #321 on: November 12, 2013, 10:20:29 PM »
It begins to pick up 90 mins prior and you'll have a wait. 2.5 hours + and YVR is a ghost town.
2.5 hour wait??

How many flights are flying at that time?

Offline AJK

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #322 on: November 16, 2013, 06:40:28 PM »
No, at 2.5 hours prior, YVR is a ghost town.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline itsyehuda

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #323 on: November 16, 2013, 07:16:50 PM »
No, at 2.5 hours prior, YVR is a ghost town.

With 12 hours total, I don't want want to spend an hour and a half waiting in the airport. What's the latest I can get to the airport without missing the flight? Also should I count on Thanksgiving factoring in at all?
I remember when a coke was a nickel, and you could buy VRs in OD.

Online Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #324 on: November 16, 2013, 08:12:12 PM »
With 12 hours total, I don't want want to spend an hour and a half waiting in the airport. What's the latest I can get to the airport without missing the flight? Also should I count on Thanksgiving factoring in at all?
Thanksgiving was in October. It won't play any factor
90 min and you'll be fine
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline sky121

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #325 on: February 03, 2014, 12:28:17 PM »
Vancouver in April/May?

How's the weather?
"Not all who wander are lost"

Online Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #326 on: February 03, 2014, 12:29:30 PM »
Vancouver in April/May?

How's the weather?
Can't be worse than the weather I had in June
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline sky121

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #327 on: February 03, 2014, 12:30:20 PM »
Can't be worse than the weather I had in June

Lol- Rained the whole time?
 
"Not all who wander are lost"

Online Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #328 on: February 03, 2014, 12:31:14 PM »
Lol- Rained the whole time?
 
Had one nice day
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Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #329 on: March 17, 2014, 12:01:35 PM »
Thinking about taking a trip over July 4th weekend Thursday night-Monday night. CMIIAW its probably not enough time to do anything more than Vancouver itself? Anyone who did shabbos what hotels did you stay at and were they shabbos friendly? Any other info I should know.

Online Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #330 on: March 17, 2014, 12:09:02 PM »
Thinking about taking a trip over July 4th weekend Thursday night-Monday night. CMIIAW its probably not enough time to do anything more than Vancouver itself? Anyone who did shabbos what hotels did you stay at and were they shabbos friendly? Any other info I should know.
Hyatt Regency was fine for shabbos, just had to take the steps through the kitchen area.
Two days is ideal for vancouver, I would probably go up one day to whistler
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Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #331 on: March 17, 2014, 12:11:29 PM »
Hyatt Regency was fine for shabbos, just had to take the steps through the kitchen area.
Two days is ideal for vancouver, I would probably go up one day to whistler
overnight in whistler or just day trip?

Online Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #332 on: March 17, 2014, 12:13:59 PM »
overnight in whistler or just day trip?
overnight in whistler or just day trip?
Tough call. I'd probably drive up Sunday evening after dinner.
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Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #333 on: March 17, 2014, 12:15:44 PM »
Tough call. I'd probably drive up Sunday evening after dinner.
and come back monday afternoon/evening?

Anyone know if there is a US border pre-clearance for the night time CX flight?

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #334 on: March 17, 2014, 12:16:34 PM »
Anyone know if there is a US border pre-clearance for the night time CX flight?
There is not.
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 myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #335 on: March 17, 2014, 12:17:41 PM »
There is not.
hmm i need to make it into work by 9:30 in jersey city. could be difficult with a 7am arrival and having to clear customs

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #336 on: March 17, 2014, 12:28:43 PM »
hmm i need to make it into work by 9:30 in jersey city. could be difficult with a 7am arrival and having to clear customs
No nexus/global entry?
I still think you could do it, though
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Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #337 on: March 17, 2014, 12:31:08 PM »
No nexus/global entry?
I still think you could do it, though
I might go get nexus/GE just for this lol. yea its possible i can do this. I would imagine assuming no checked bags that I can get out of the airport to the airtrain in around 45 minutes and then its about an hour and a half to work.

Offline Yitz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #338 on: March 17, 2014, 01:04:26 PM »
Thinking about taking a trip over July 4th weekend Thursday night-Monday night. CMIIAW its probably not enough time to do anything more than Vancouver itself? Anyone who did shabbos what hotels did you stay at and were they shabbos friendly? Any other info I should know.
I have 2 friends that stayed in Fairmont and walked to a chabad for shabbos meals. The Fairmont was very accommodating, I think Dan has a report on this trip on also. I am thinking of going the same time.

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #339 on: March 17, 2014, 01:24:20 PM »
I have 2 friends that stayed in Fairmont and walked to a chabad for shabbos meals. The Fairmont was very accommodating, I think Dan has a report on this trip on also. I am thinking of going the same time.
The Fairmont Pac Rim is rated as the best hotel in Canada.
Very highly recommended and don't miss the spa facilities!
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.