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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 275930 times)

Offline AJK

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #340 on: March 17, 2014, 01:28:02 PM »
Full disclosure - there's no way you paid for spa facilities  :D
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 myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #341 on: March 17, 2014, 01:31:17 PM »
The Fairmont Pac Rim is rated as the best hotel in Canada.
Very highly recommended and don't miss the spa facilities!
but from a post upthread its not very shabbos friendly

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #342 on: March 17, 2014, 01:48:52 PM »
Full disclosure - there's no way you paid for spa facilities  :D
Free suite, spa, and booze, that's just how I roll.
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 #343 on: March 17, 2014, 01:50:29 PM »
Free suite, spa, and booze, that's just how I roll.
Jealous. Im going to see if the hyatt had C+P availability and book using a suite upgrade I think.

Offline Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #344 on: March 17, 2014, 01:57:23 PM »
Jealous. Im going to see if the hyatt had C+P availability and book using a suite upgrade I think.
We were in a nice suite on a high floor for Wed/Thurs night and then moved down for shabbos to a regular room. Make sure they have suites on a floor you are willing to stay on for shabbos to make sure it's worth your while
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #345 on: March 17, 2014, 01:57:42 PM »
but from a post upthread its not very shabbos friendly
Link?

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 #346 on: March 17, 2014, 02:00:34 PM »
Link?
I saw it in a comment on ur TR my bad. But then there was a clarifying comment http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/24056#comment-267116. So seems like it could be ok. Will check rates and see if its worth applying for Fairmount Visa

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #347 on: March 17, 2014, 02:03:36 PM »
Check AMEX FHR rates and other deals as well.
And open an FPC member account and see what deals they send you as well.
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 #348 on: March 17, 2014, 04:08:45 PM »
Tough call. I'd probably drive up Sunday evening after dinner.
any other opinions on how long to spend in Vancouver and how long in whistler?
Check AMEX FHR rates and other deals as well.
And open an FPC member account and see what deals they send you as well.
cant seem to find any decent deals but will keep looking. However, with the hyatt being category 3 and being able to use my anniversary night for one nigh and hopefully c+p for the other 3 nights..............

Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #349 on: March 18, 2014, 08:56:04 AM »
No one else has any opinions on how much time we should spend in vancouver V in Whistler?

Offline Yitz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #350 on: March 18, 2014, 09:20:00 AM »
No one else has any opinions on how much time we should spend in vancouver V in Whistler?
I noticed a few people wrote about the trip on this thread and they mentioned Whistler. Look at reply 302 and 303

Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #351 on: March 18, 2014, 10:02:36 AM »
I noticed a few people wrote about the trip on this thread and they mentioned Whistler. Look at reply 302 and 303
ive read the thread. My question is for my Thursday night to monday night trip is it really worth driving up to whistler for a day. Candle lighting is at 9pm so we will have a full day on friday. So can we do most of what vancouver has to offer on friday and shabbos (I figure walk arund stanley park and what not on shabbos), and then do whistler for part of sudnay and monday.

Offline Tzfas

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #352 on: March 18, 2014, 10:31:47 AM »
ive read the thread. My question is for my Thursday night to monday night trip is it really worth driving up to whistler for a day. Candle lighting is at 9pm so we will have a full day on friday. So can we do most of what vancouver has to offer on friday and shabbos (I figure walk arund stanley park and what not on shabbos), and then do whistler for part of sudnay and monday.
Things did take a little longer than expected when we were there, if you find you did most of what Vancouver has to offer by Sun, than by all means head up to Whistler for a day.

Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #353 on: March 18, 2014, 10:33:45 AM »
Things did take a little longer than expected when we were there, if you find you did most of what Vancouver has to offer by Sun, than by all means head up to Whistler for a day.
that difficult with hotel reservations and what not. I guess we could do a day trip but.......

Offline Yitz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #354 on: March 18, 2014, 10:42:08 AM »
Things did take a little longer than expected when we were there, if you find you did most of what Vancouver has to offer by Sun, than by all means head up to Whistler for a day.
How far is Whistler from Vacouver by car?

Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #355 on: March 18, 2014, 10:43:24 AM »
How far is Whistler from Vacouver by car?
I believe 2hrs each way

Offline AJK

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #356 on: March 18, 2014, 11:15:11 AM »
I'd skip whistler with your timeline.
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 myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #357 on: March 18, 2014, 11:21:09 AM »
I'd skip whistler with your timeline.
Thats what im leaning towards. And if on sunday we decide we want to do whistler we can figure it out.

Offline Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #358 on: March 18, 2014, 11:21:42 AM »
No one else has any opinions on how much time we should spend in vancouver V in Whistler?
What's wrong with my opinion?
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline myb821

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #359 on: March 18, 2014, 11:23:59 AM »
What's wrong with my opinion?
Nothing i was just wanting to know if anyone has any other opinions. Right now im leaning towards
Thats what im leaning towards. And if on sunday we decide we want to do whistler we can figure it out.
However I will do some more research to see how much of whistler we could do sunday evening into monday afternoon.