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 274650 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #760 on: May 24, 2016, 10:58:58 AM »
Anyone have experience getting rental car after CX 889 JFK>YVR flight which arrives at 12:50am? Seems like most airport rental locations there close at 1 or 130.
They stay open for passengers from this flight.
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 Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #761 on: May 24, 2016, 10:59:14 AM »
How is Maple Grill not in the Wiki and what else is missing?
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 asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #762 on: May 24, 2016, 10:59:45 AM »
They stay open for passengers from this flight.
Thanks! (whew)

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #763 on: May 24, 2016, 02:58:15 PM »
Anyone have experience getting rental car after CX 889 JFK>YVR flight which arrives at 12:50am? Seems like most airport rental locations there close at 1 or 130.
keep in mind that flight is usually delayed

Offline asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #764 on: May 24, 2016, 03:04:05 PM »
keep in mind that flight is usually delayed
Yeah, I see that on google flights...delayed departure and also arrival? (they don't make up the time?)

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #765 on: May 24, 2016, 03:06:13 PM »
keep in mind that flight is usually delayed
Not that bad...



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 stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #766 on: May 24, 2016, 04:44:54 PM »
Shuk @ Chabad.

See wiki.

not seeing anything on twin falls on wiki. whats the consensus on buschard gardens?

Offline asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #767 on: May 24, 2016, 05:08:03 PM »
not seeing anything on twin falls on wiki. whats the consensus on buschard gardens?

Wiki doesn't currently have any local attractions listed. See the several TR's listed in the wiki or feel free to make updates :)

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #768 on: May 24, 2016, 05:18:14 PM »
Wiki doesn't currently have any local attractions listed. See the several TR's listed in the wiki or feel free to make updates :)

Ya saw them all, will do after trip..

Offline asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #769 on: May 24, 2016, 05:21:34 PM »
Ya saw them all, will do after trip..
Looking forward!

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #770 on: May 24, 2016, 11:30:57 PM »
not seeing anything on twin falls on wiki. whats the consensus on buschard gardens?
FTFY- Butchart gardens
Only go if you are really into that kind of stuff. Its a bloody fortune per person, and very underwhelming IME.

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #771 on: May 25, 2016, 09:54:06 AM »
How is Maple Grill not in the Wiki and what else is missing?

was amazing! we went twice! Some of the best wings i've ever had. the mapel glazed were my favorite

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #772 on: May 25, 2016, 09:55:33 AM »
Anyone want to adopt this Wiki and update restaurants and activities?
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 stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #773 on: May 25, 2016, 12:25:15 PM »
FTFY- Butchart gardens
Only go if you are really into that kind of stuff. Its a bloody fortune per person, and very underwhelming IME.

anything similar thats cheaper? all i hear about is how nice the scenery is

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #774 on: May 25, 2016, 01:21:19 PM »
anything similar thats cheaper? all i hear about is how nice the scenery is
Depends on your budget, travel companions etc...
Was supposed to write  a TR but never got around to it, I will give the rough outline of what we did.

Landed Thursday night

Friday- Granville Island

Shabbos-just chilled and walked up and down several times to the 31st floor!

Sunday-1)Grouse Mountain+shows and gondola 2)Lynn canyon suspension bridge 3)/capilino suspension bridge 4)a place where u see salmon swim upstream.

Monday- drove round trip to whistler mountain, stopped at some amazing waterfalls along the way. We couldn't do much on the mountains (3yr old and 1yr old) but the peak2peak gondola was pretty cool and insanely expensive.

Tuesday- took a seaplane sightseeing tour. Very cool, highly recommended if it's in your budget.
Checked out Stanley park and the sea wall, started to rain IIRC went to the aquarium for a few hours.
Evening we did the Chinese gardens (waste of time IMO) checked out gas town china town etc...

Wednesday- took the BC ferry (with the car) to Victoria- huge ship pretty cool. Don't recall exactly what we did there I think it was a museum and a mini Victoria place, and just walked around.

Thursday- checked out the town a bit, drove to butchart gardens spent a few hours there (had to get my monies worth) late afternoon took the ferry to Washington.

Friday- downtown Seattle, space needle, chihuly gardens, island crust cafe.

Shabbos- chilled (ground floor this time😃)

Sunday- drove to the volcanic mountain (don't recall the name) then headed down to Portland. Did the drive (don't recall the name) it had turnouts for lots of water falls.

Monday- Oregon coast, sea lion caves, sand dunes.

Tuesday- drove to crater lake (a few nice falls along the way), and then back up to Seattle.

Wednesday- Seattle waterfront, Ferris wheel, first Starbucks, pikes place market. Afternoon we headed up to Everest and did the Boeing tour. Crossed the border, overnighted in Vancouver.

Thursday- Relaxed after all that running around, went back to Granville island, Flew home.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2016, 01:46:20 PM by tzifanya54 »

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #775 on: May 25, 2016, 01:56:18 PM »
Depends on your budget, travel companions etc...
Was supposed to write  a TR but never got around to it, I will give the rough outline of what we did.

Landed Thursday night

Friday- Granville Island

Shabbos-just chilled and walked up and down several times to the 31st floor!

Sunday-1)Grouse Mountain+shows and gondola 2)Lynn canyon suspension bridge 3)/capilino suspension bridge 4)a place where u see salmon swim upstream.

Monday- drove round trip to whistler mountain, stopped at some amazing waterfalls along the way. We couldn't do much on the mountains (3yr old and 1yr old) but the peak2peak gondola was pretty cool and insanely expensive.

Tuesday- took a seaplane sightseeing tour. Very cool, highly recommended if it's in your budget.
Checked out Stanley park and the sea wall, started to rain IIRC went to the aquarium for a few hours.
Evening we did the Chinese gardens (waste of time IMO) checked out gas town china town etc...

Wednesday- took the BC ferry (with the car) to Victoria- huge ship pretty cool. Don't recall exactly what we did there I think it was a museum and a mini Victoria place, and just walked around.

Thursday- checked out the town a bit, drove to butchart gardens spent a few hours there (had to get my monies worth) late afternoon took the ferry to Washington.

Friday- downtown Seattle, space needle, chihuly gardens, island crust cafe.

Shabbos- chilled (ground floor this time😃)

Sunday- drove to the volcanic mountain (don't recall the name) then headed down to Portland. Did the drive (don't recall the name) it had turnouts for lots of water falls.

Monday- Oregon coast, sea lion caves, sand dunes.

Tuesday- drove to crater lake (a few nice falls along the way), and then back up to Seattle.

Wednesday- Seattle waterfront, Ferris wheel, first Starbucks, pikes place market. Afternoon we headed up to Everest and did the Boeing tour. Crossed the border, overnighted in Vancouver.

Thursday- Relaxed after all that running around, went back to Granville island, Flew home.

good stuff! how was granville? sounds like Grouse and Lynn canyon suspension bridge is a must. any other musts iyo?

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #776 on: May 25, 2016, 02:22:36 PM »
For kids amazing.... For adults, it's cute, but not a must.
As far as must dos: I think the sea to sky highway on the way up to whistler was really nice.
If you can afford it deffinetly do the seaplane. Also I personally (after going to both) would do the capilino bridge (they charge an entrance fee) over the (free) Lynn canyon one. It's also got a cliff walk and treetop walks in there. As far as food Maple Grill is very solid and if you go to Seattle ISland Crust cafe is amazing. In Seattle the must dos: Space needle and chihuly gardens.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2016, 03:55:31 PM by tzifanya54 »

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #777 on: May 25, 2016, 03:03:56 PM »
For kids amazing.... For adults, it's cute, but not a must.
As far as must does: I think the sea to sky highway on the way up to whistler was really nice.
If you can afford it deffinetly do the seaplane. Also I personally (after going to both) would do the capilino bridge (they charge an entrance fee) over the (free) Lynn canyon one. It's also got a cliff walk and treetop walks in there. As far as food Maple Grill is very solid and if you go to Seattle ISland Crust cafe is amazing. In Seattle the must does: Space needle and chihuly gardens.

cool, going without kids. is seaplane smooth? will be there for 3 nights, any other decent place open other than MG? i see some places have closed down

Offline sky121

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #778 on: May 25, 2016, 03:10:53 PM »
Shuk Eat and Play is pretty great. 
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #779 on: May 25, 2016, 03:20:30 PM »
cool, going without kids. is seaplane smooth? will be there for 3 nights, any other decent place open other than MG? i see some places have closed down
pretty smooth, maybe slightly choppy when it lands. We basically stuck to MG.