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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 275913 times)

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #800 on: June 01, 2016, 10:52:09 PM »
Why not daven and eat at kollel by maple grill on Friday night?

The walk is pretty far from our hotel, Google maps say it would be about an hour. Shabbas is already very late. We were hoping to get a meal for shabbas lunch somewhere. If not, we have no problem just ordering and eating deli/cold shnitzel for lunch. I contacted the Chabad rabbi, but I have not heard back yet.

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #801 on: June 02, 2016, 07:47:24 PM »
Shabbas is already very late.

The entire community does early Shabbos around plag time which means that you have too. Check the websites of kollel / Chabad / MO for exact time.

IIRC kollel also did Shabbos lunch. But an hour is a long walk

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #802 on: June 15, 2016, 01:23:51 PM »
Thanks for all the help and suggestions so far.

Has anyone spent shabbas in the Fairmont Pacific Rim, any tips? Are the doors only electronic?

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #803 on: June 16, 2016, 08:56:46 PM »
Thanks for all the help and suggestions so far.

Has anyone spent shabbas in the Fairmont Pacific Rim, any tips? Are the doors only electronic?

The doors are not electronic.  Doormen at the main entrance.  I am not observant but spend months at the Fairmont Pacific Rim private residences.   I think it's the best hotel in Vancouver.

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #804 on: June 16, 2016, 11:42:25 PM »
Thanks! I'v heard great things about the hotel and am looking forward to staying there.

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #805 on: June 17, 2016, 12:06:12 AM »
Thanks! I'v heard great things about the hotel and am looking forward to staying there.
When do you arrive?  If you have any questions while you are here, just send me a message.

Offline Matovu

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #806 on: June 17, 2016, 12:33:16 AM »
Thanks! I'v heard great things about the hotel and am looking forward to staying there.
Beutiful property.
Make sure you get a river view... watching those sea planes....

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #807 on: June 17, 2016, 09:18:00 AM »
When do you arrive?  If you have any questions while you are here, just send me a message.

We arrive on Friday July 1 and are staying until July 4. Thanks!

Beutiful property.
Make sure you get a river view... watching those sea planes....

I tried but they only have cityview rooms available  :-\

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #808 on: June 17, 2016, 09:41:23 AM »
We arrive on Friday July 1 and are staying until July 4. Thanks!

I tried but they only have cityview rooms available  :-\

July 1 is Canada Day, so it's a busy time.  Hope you don't have a long wait on customs line (unless you have Nexus).  If you arrive early enough you will get to enjoy the festivities right outside the hotel.  https://www.canadaplace.ca/events/canada-day/

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #809 on: June 17, 2016, 09:54:11 AM »
Ya I know, we are excited to see everything happening. We are coming from Calgary that morning so we dont have to go through customs then. We get into the city at 7:30am so we should be able to see all the celebrations!

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #810 on: June 17, 2016, 10:13:37 AM »
Ya I know, we are excited to see everything happening. We are coming from Calgary that morning so we dont have to go through customs then. We get into the city at 7:30am so we should be able to see all the celebrations!

That's good!  If they don't have your room available ask for the key to have spa access. Great spa area with lounges, tea, great snacks, fruit, etc!

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #811 on: June 20, 2016, 01:30:42 PM »
Can you book Philippine airlines Via Eithad or ANA for 23K each way?  (Jfk-YVR) They have pretty decent fares now so prob not worth miles!

Offline sedge

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #812 on: June 28, 2016, 01:11:39 AM »
Is the Westin Bear Mountain on Vancouver Island kid/family friendly?

Offline michael

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #813 on: July 05, 2016, 08:27:40 PM »
On Grouse Mountain. My baby just won the wooden chair at the lumberjack show!

Offline asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #814 on: July 13, 2016, 11:47:51 AM »
Any opinions on Hilton Vancouver Airport in terms of hotel and weekday proximity to minyan/kosher?
Also, any recommendation for hotel to stay at in Whistler with family for possibly one night (Fairmont not an option), or is it best to make one longer day trip?

Offline AJK

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #815 on: July 13, 2016, 04:43:13 PM »
Probably a long shot, but anyone done any salmon fishing in and around YVR? Specifically, Campbell River / April Point, or even Ucluelet?
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 Matovu

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #816 on: July 13, 2016, 09:09:18 PM »
Any opinions on Hilton Vancouver Airport in terms of hotel and weekday proximity to minyan/kosher?
Also, any recommendation for hotel to stay at in Whistler with family for possibly one night (Fairmont not an option), or is it best to make one longer day trip?
There's a nice Westin, SPG property there.
Stayed there.

Offline emak

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #817 on: July 13, 2016, 09:18:25 PM »
There's a nice Westin, SPG property there.
Stayed there.
+1. Got upgrade for SPG Gold to nice suite.

Offline mordechain

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #818 on: July 24, 2016, 01:42:43 AM »
+1. Got upgrade for SPG Gold to nice suite.
Am I better off at westin airport, or at the westin grand downtown? I'm doing a weekday trip.

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #819 on: July 24, 2016, 01:45:34 AM »
Am I better off at westin airport, or at the westin grand downtown? I'm doing a weekday trip.

Downtown