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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 276000 times)

Offline smart brit

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #380 on: May 18, 2014, 01:09:14 AM »
Is there anyway I can get a better price at the Fairmont pacific rim?
I need 2 rooms for 3 nights
Thanks

Offline @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #381 on: May 18, 2014, 03:57:25 PM »
any tips for using verizon wireless phone while in yvr? they say its .89/min and expensive data (or buy100mb for $25), but any better ways? I would like to be able to use phone as GPS and also make a decent amount of calls locally and back to US. TIA

Offline sillypainter

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #382 on: May 18, 2014, 04:02:04 PM »
any tips for using verizon wireless phone while in yvr? they say its .89/min and expensive data (or buy100mb for $25), but any better ways? I would like to be able to use phone as GPS and also make a decent amount of calls locally and back to US. TIA

VZW has a plan for Canada 1000 min. For I thing 15-20 month, however it's prorated for the month, and you need to add it on to start from the beginning of the bill cycle. Data however is expensive @ $25/100mb. Which for GPS is ok,

Offline @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #383 on: May 18, 2014, 04:06:03 PM »
thanks.. sorry i meant to mention, i have unlimited data so cant do that cuz its considered changing the plan and would lose my data:(
any other ideas? any options with renting/ buying canadian sim or anything like that if nothing else within verizon? thanks a lot.

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #384 on: May 18, 2014, 04:13:45 PM »
thanks.. sorry i meant to mention, i have unlimited data so cant do that cuz its considered changing the plan and would lose my data:(
any other ideas? any options with renting/ buying canadian sim or anything like that if nothing else within verizon? thanks a lot.
You can change your plan for up to 8 days and still switch back to unlimited data.
PUTPAC.
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 @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #385 on: May 19, 2014, 11:10:57 AM »
You can change your plan for up to 8 days and still switch back to unlimited data.
PUTPAC.

they claim they wont do it if we knowingly change it, only if its accidentally changed or something like that...

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #386 on: May 19, 2014, 11:22:57 AM »
they claim they wont do it if we knowingly change it, only if its accidentally changed or something like that...
HUCA. I got a rep to do the switch both ways.
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.

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #387 on: May 19, 2014, 05:12:51 PM »
Did u have the change backdated to beg of month or just did it prorated for the days you were there?

Offline @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #388 on: May 20, 2014, 12:05:04 AM »
did zaatar close?

Offline AJK

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Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #390 on: May 20, 2014, 02:19:18 AM »
can someone please verify: I know ba availibilty gets better closer to the flight flying JFK-YVR, but when it says only 1 or 2 reward seats left does that mean there was availabilty, and now its full? If thats the case I guess there would be a much smaller chance of it opening up.... or is it still just as likely that they will get more availabilty before the flight? (acording to their website chances of more seats becoming available once it says x amount left is very slim)

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #391 on: May 20, 2014, 10:31:41 AM »
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zaatar-mediterranean-hummus-bar-vancouver  :(
Really sad news.
Was the best felafel I had outside of Israel and was so convenient for the downtown hotels.
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 @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #392 on: May 20, 2014, 10:33:17 AM »
I was looking forward to fairmont BMW taking me there:( any any other restaurants or kosher food place downtown?

Offline sillypainter

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #393 on: May 22, 2014, 10:25:17 AM »
Did u have the change backdated to beg of month or just did it prorated for the days you were there?

It's your choice.

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #394 on: May 22, 2014, 11:25:20 AM »
i know, i was just wondering if that has any impact on the ability to change back with no problems later.

Offline @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #395 on: May 22, 2014, 11:28:48 AM »
anyone have experience with the free local rides from the fairmont pacific rim? going to be there a few days and thinking of not renting my own car for the first day and having them drive us to local downtown attractions, perhaps with a cab or two if necessary. but I don't want to end up waiting a lot and limiting how much we can get done. anyone know if they are generally pretty available and efficient or if much better off getting the car (and paying another day of $43 parking!)?

Offline @jack123

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #396 on: May 25, 2014, 11:12:01 PM »

anyone have experience with the free local rides from the fairmont pacific rim? going to be there a few days and thinking of not renting my own car for the first day and having them drive us to local downtown attractions, perhaps with a cab or two if necessary. but I don't want to end up waiting a lot and limiting how much we can get done. anyone know if they are generally pretty available and efficient or if much better off getting the car (and paying another day of $43 parking!)?

Anyone?

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #397 on: May 26, 2014, 01:24:05 PM »
Does anyone know if you can buy cholov Yisroel milk in Vancouver?

Offline sam28

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #398 on: May 26, 2014, 03:16:42 PM »
Where is nice place to spend shabbes near a shoul ?

Offline peacenlove613

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #399 on: May 27, 2014, 11:29:15 PM »
Where do you rent a car from when taking the cx flight? All rental locations seem to be closed by then