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 274679 times)

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #840 on: August 01, 2016, 11:22:14 AM »
Any recommendations from Shuk Eat & Play?
Wasn't the cleanest, went for breakfast - decent eggs and coffee. Really liked the JEC next door. Went there the next 2 mornings

Offline michael

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #841 on: August 01, 2016, 04:21:29 PM »
Any recommendations from Shuk Eat & Play?

I had the falafel a couple weeks ago. It was very good.

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #842 on: August 02, 2016, 04:21:36 PM »
travelling with 5 people +luggage
 planning on driving from Vancouver to Seattle
cant seem to find any minivan rental 
any advice would be much appreciated
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline Buruch

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #843 on: August 02, 2016, 08:11:48 PM »
travelling with 5 people +luggage
 planning on driving from Vancouver to Seattle
cant seem to find any minivan rental 
any advice would be much appreciated

Train ride? It's very nice.

Offline asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #844 on: August 03, 2016, 11:58:24 AM »
Greenheart TreeWalk- best for which ages? (groupon available)

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #845 on: August 03, 2016, 12:39:08 PM »
Train ride? It's very nice.
thank you
looks like that's my only option
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #846 on: August 03, 2016, 12:58:12 PM »
travelling with 5 people +luggage
 planning on driving from Vancouver to Seattle
cant seem to find any minivan rental 
any advice would be much appreciated

Call the local branch
When I was there Avis had loads of cars with US plates, people travel one way (both directions) all the time. But the website might not be programmed to allow dropping off in another country.

Call the local branch & ask

Offline asks

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #847 on: August 03, 2016, 01:00:08 PM »
Call the local branch
When I was there Avis had loads of cars with US plates, people travel one way (both directions) all the time. But the website might not be programmed to allow dropping off in another country.

Call the local branch & ask
Most places will add a one way fee of at least $100+

Offline mordechain

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #848 on: August 03, 2016, 08:29:34 PM »
Here are a few data points from a recent trip.
1. Air Canada has excellent availability in lie flat J on a dreamliner or 777 from Toronto. 40k roundtrip using Singapore miles or even less using Lufthansa miles.
2. The city itself is really beautiful
3. A great day trip from Vancouver is to ride the BC Ferry from Vancouver/Tawswassen to Victoria, and back. The  1.5 hour ride is absolutely beautiful. I saw otters and seals along side the boat, and a distant snow capped Mount Baker along the way.
In Victoria, Butchart Gardens are really the most elaborate garden most of us will ever see. The ferry costs $16 per person plus $50 for the car each way. It can be a better idea to park your car at the Vancouver ferry terminal, because you avoid the need to make reservations. Taxis in Victoria to the gardens run about $45 each way. There is no Uber in British Columbia.
3. The Chabad of Richmond had only 9 men the day I was there. Schara Tzedeck had a reliable minyan 3 times a day.
4. I thought Grouse Mountain was quite skippable.
5. Flyover Canada ride at the canada place downtown was fantastic! Right outside we also watched the seaplanes take off and land.
6. The food at maple grill was in my opinion exceptional, and reasonably priced.
7. There is a decent selection of kosher food and fresh bakery goods at Real Canadian SuperStore near the airport, on
marine drive.
8.The bike Ride around Stanley Park was beautiful.

Offline sam28

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #849 on: August 05, 2016, 06:11:07 PM »
Thanks for the info planning a trip there did u go with kids ?

Offline sam28

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #850 on: August 05, 2016, 06:11:58 PM »
Can any tell me what to do in wistler .

Offline mordechain

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #851 on: August 06, 2016, 10:15:12 PM »
Thanks for the info planning a trip there did u go with kids ?
With a baby

Offline mordechain

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #852 on: August 06, 2016, 10:16:17 PM »
Peak 2 peak gondola, sea to sky sky ride, Shannon falls.

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #853 on: August 07, 2016, 02:31:55 PM »
Peak 2 peak gondola, sea to sky sky ride, Shannon falls.
+1 that was excellent

Offline sam28

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #854 on: August 07, 2016, 02:46:40 PM »
Peak 2 peak gondola, sea to sky sky ride, Shannon falls.

so 2 days is more then enough time with kids ages 2 and 9

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #855 on: August 07, 2016, 02:47:35 PM »
so 2 days is more then enough time with kids ages 2 and 9
Shannon falls is about 40 min before whistler

Offline sam28

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #856 on: August 08, 2016, 09:42:04 AM »
can u get kosher milk in Vancouver ?

how about bringing in meat and milk is it a problem ?

as per the Wiki there is 2 meat places and there is maple grill is there anything else ?

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #857 on: August 08, 2016, 01:31:56 PM »
can u get kosher milk in Vancouver ?

how about bringing in meat and milk is it a problem ?

as per the Wiki there is 2 meat places and there is maple grill is there anything else ?

Dairy products are not an issue, milk is thougher. Try calling shuk eat & play if they can sell you / bring in extra

You can bring in meat & dairy, have them clearly marked product of US. In the banff thread a local wrote that don't bring them in boxes, as these get more scrutiny. Use a suitcase / bag etc

Per BC kosher website, that's it.   http://www.bckosher.org/consumer/foodservices.html

Offline casualchurner

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #858 on: August 09, 2016, 10:32:59 AM »
Parents are in Vancouver right now and shocker of shockers the weather is actually not too great.
Anyone know of any indoor stuff to do in the city on a rainy day?
TIA

Offline Feivish

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #859 on: August 09, 2016, 10:40:20 AM »
Parents are in Vancouver right now and shocker of shockers the weather is actually not too great.
Anyone know of any indoor stuff to do in the city on a rainy day?
TIA
Flyover Canada @ Canada Center.