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 316120 times)

Offline Matovu

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #660 on: August 10, 2015, 01:56:48 PM »
Squamish is on the way (didn't stop there)


Offline Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #661 on: August 10, 2015, 02:25:29 PM »
Squamish is on the way (didn't stop there)


We did awesome white water rafting in Squamish; otherwise there is no reason to stop
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline Elchay

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #662 on: August 19, 2015, 10:41:28 AM »
I took up a Cessna on Glacier Air in Squamish which was very nice.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #663 on: August 19, 2015, 12:14:59 PM »
There is a chain store called "super store" all over, the one on Marine Drive, (google it) sells cholov yisroel products and has a half an aisle with kosher products. They also sell Marvid frozen meat the heimish meat from Montreal.
Maybe we should put this in the wiki...
YMMV on the cholov Yisroel they had very very little in stock when I was there. It's also like a 25 min drive from downtown and maple grill IIRC.

Offline ella

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #664 on: September 21, 2015, 05:28:16 PM »
Hi
Hope Im doing this right
My husband and I are going to Vancouver for Chol Hamoed and wanted to know if Bowen Island is worth seeing?
Also anyone with experience with Sea to Sky Gondola, how much time is needed?
Any tips would be great
yes I read through most of this discussion and read some of the TRs

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #665 on: September 21, 2015, 06:52:44 PM »
Hi
Hope Im doing this right
My husband and I are going to Vancouver for Chol Hamoed and wanted to know if Bowen Island is worth seeing?
Also anyone with experience with Sea to Sky Gondola, how much time is needed?
Any tips would be great
yes I read through most of this discussion and read some of the TRs

No experience with sea to sky but IIRC over the phone they told me to allow 2 hours (it's 3 different gondolas). Driving time is supposed to be around 1.5 hour each way


Offline Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #666 on: September 22, 2015, 01:20:16 AM »
Drive should be 45 minutes each way
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline abo456

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #667 on: September 28, 2015, 05:59:37 PM »
Any tips on sim cards or data? I will be in vancouver just for a long weekend, all the sim cards I've researched online run about $20-$30 for one month of data. It seems like a waste for only 4 days. I'm mainly just looking to use Google for public transit directions.

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #668 on: September 29, 2015, 09:04:02 PM »
Any tips on sim cards or data? I will be in vancouver just for a long weekend, all the sim cards I've researched online run about $20-$30 for one month of data. It seems like a waste for only 4 days. I'm mainly just looking to use Google for public transit directions.

I did a roaming plan from verizon and used wifi.

Offline YudiG

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #669 on: October 20, 2015, 07:54:08 AM »
2 thumbs up for Cafe 41 at Oak and 41..newish cholov yisroel cafe

food was great and great location..free parking in garage downstairs

omnitskys deli is now right across street

nava's in JCC (not all cholov yisroel) is just around the corner

Offline Buruch

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #670 on: November 04, 2015, 12:15:18 PM »
What/where are the kosher grocery stores? Not restaurants.

Also, are there any Amtrak stops in the city besides pacific central?

Offline Feivish

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #671 on: November 04, 2015, 03:32:46 PM »
What/where are the kosher grocery stores? Not restaurants.

Also, are there any Amtrak stops in the city besides pacific central?
Omnitsky has some kosher items.
There seems to be some other places too. See link

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #672 on: November 04, 2015, 08:59:34 PM »
What/where are the kosher grocery stores? Not restaurants.

Also, are there any Amtrak stops in the city besides pacific central?
From what I remember not much of a kosher grocery scene over there.

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #673 on: November 04, 2015, 09:24:08 PM »
From what I remember not much of a kosher grocery scene over there.

The link above has a grocery listed. No idea what they have.
Omnisky has rolls challah some bakery stuff candles grape juice etc. (more than the kosher aisle, but not a full fledged place) 
I guess they use a supermarket like Safeway for all standard stuff.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #674 on: November 04, 2015, 10:08:36 PM »
The link above has a grocery listed. No idea what they have.
Omnisky has rolls challah some bakery stuff candles grape juice etc. (more than the kosher aisle, but not a full fledged place) 
I guess they use a supermarket like Safeway for all standard stuff.
Right. In other words:
From what I remember not much of a kosher grocery scene over there.
:)

Offline Buruch

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #675 on: November 04, 2015, 11:49:44 PM »
Wow, I was under the impression it was a bit more happening kosher wise. I have a couple hours after I arrive in Vancouver before I go to Whistler for about 5 days (including Shabbos). Anybody know what kinda groceries I can get in Whistler? :)

Offline Feivish

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #676 on: November 04, 2015, 11:53:34 PM »
Wow, I was under the impression it was a bit more happening kosher wise. I have a couple hours after I arrive in Vancouver before I go to Whistler for about 5 days (including Shabbos). Anybody know what kinda groceries I can get in Whistler? :)
There is a nice big supermarket in the center of town. I seemed to have all the basic stuff you find back in the states.

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #677 on: November 05, 2015, 12:14:18 AM »
Right. In other words: :)

The difference is that between Omnisky & Safeway you can probably get everything an ultra orthodox  Jewish person needs for a week, except maybe cholov Yisroel milk. (They have cheese, only milk is an issue). You will not find every flavor of crackers, but all basic necessaties are met.
IIRC sabra has shabbos hot plates for sale
« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 12:27:25 AM by BKYW »

Offline SrulyP

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #678 on: January 10, 2016, 12:03:47 PM »
I am going to be in Vancouver this summer from a Wednesday evening until thursday night (one day). I am looking to stay in a nice hotel that will allow me to do the most while I am there (preferable using points).

Additionally, if anyone know of one night activity and two sights to see during the day then that would be incredible.

Any help would be great.

Offline abo456

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #679 on: January 10, 2016, 12:52:30 PM »
I am going to be in Vancouver this summer from a Wednesday evening until thursday night (one day). I am looking to stay in a nice hotel that will allow me to do the most while I am there (preferable using points).

Additionally, if anyone know of one night activity and two sights to see during the day then that would be incredible.

Any help would be great.

by far the highlight of my visit to Vancouver was renting bikes at Spokes and riding around Stanely park and out to the seawall, took about 2 hours. The park is massive, no way to see it all on foot unless ur a long distance runner. I also really liked the vandusen gardens, which are much better than the Elizabeth gardens and worth the $8CAD entrance fee. Or skip the gardens and do the capilano suspension bridge. I went to the Lynn park suspension bridge bc it was free, bridge itself was kinda small, I heard capilano has many more.