80 Hours in Vancouver – HallieDaily

Cherry blossoms greeted us everywhere when we arrived in Vancouver, Canada, to enjoy a brief family vacation last month. It was Red Bear’s Easter vacation time, and we decided to take a short trip north. It was Red Bear’s first trip there, and he was pleased that it’s only an easy 3-hour flight from Los Angeles (just enough time for a movie and some snacks on the plane!). I’ve always liked Vancouver, maybe because of the cherry trees, or the parks, or the water all around, or the many interesting neighborhoods. We only stayed about 80 hours in the city, but it was really a fun and lovely family trip. I hadn’t visited Vancouver in more than 10 years, and I was amazed how much new development there was, but everything we saw was attractive and well-planned.

We had a great time every minute, so please let me share with you what we did in Vancouver, in case you’re thinking of visiting there yourself. I’m already trying to figure out when we can return to enjoy even more!

Where we stayed:

We spent the whole time — 3 nights — at the new and luxurious JW Marriott Parq Vancouver (39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3604-676-0888) during our trip. JW Marriott Parq Vancouver has 329 nice rooms and suites, a tranquil spa, modern fitness studio, and over 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space. It’s in a really convenient area, with great places to walk all around it — and, if you’re a hockey fan, it is immediately next to Rogers Arena, where the Vancouver Canucks play.

My husband and I took the time to explore the hotel, and found 8 discerning restaurants and lounges! We really liked the sunset view at the 6th floor park. The hotel property also has a casino on it — having Red Bear with us, we didn’t go there to check out the gambling situation, but I did go there one time to get a good Chinese meal to take to our room! Also connected to the lobby is an affiliated boutique hotel called The Douglas. To sum up our experience, the hotel shined in every way, from the rooms to the staff.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

Where we ate:

Dinner at Honey Salt Vancouver (39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3; website with menu is honeysalt.ca )

It’s on the first floor of the hotel, right next to the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver lobby. We really love the restaurant decor — it’s casual, yet very sophisticated. About the food, Red Bear said they have the best Mac and Cheese he ever ate (and he tries it everywhere!) My husband and I both give thumbs up for their chocolate banana cake . . . and I am not normally a chocolate nor a cake person! We tried several other dishes, and every single one of them was superior. It was a real treat to dine at Honey Salt. (In fact, Red Bear and my husband dined there a second night, while I was in the Spa enjoying a massage — that’s their testimonial to how much they enjoyed Honey Salt!)

Breakfast at Bird & Beets. (55 Powell Street).

We went there to meet a friend for breakfast. It’s about 30 minute stroll from our hotel to this restaurant — and I do mean stroll, because we went at a leisurely pace, exploring and taking pictures all the way. If we hadn’t been sightseeing, we could have walked there in less than 15 minutes, I’m sure. But we were so happy we took the walk, because we got to see so many interesting buildings and stores on our way. It’s a very nice neighborhood with some plenty of “early Vancouver” atmosphere. The restaurant has a very natural vibe, lots of wood and vintage decorations. We ate and chatted in a quiet little nook there. It’s a good place to spend an hour or two chatting with friends and eating various freshly made dishes and baked goods. I especially loved their mini-floral shop by the window, and my husband loved the coffee. Oh, I also tried their Miso barley bowl — it was super yummy!

Brunch at the JW Executive Lounge:

So many yummy food choices — buffet style — for breakfast or brunch! We actually ate there 2 mornings, which is unusual for us, because on the road we normally like to try as many different places as possible. But this food was so good, we had to go back! And the lounge looks so cozy and welcoming. We really enjoy our morning big meal there, together with the beautiful city view.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

What We did:

For Mom: Spa by JW Vancouver.I always like to visit the spa in the hotel when traveling. For me, it’s the best way to get rid of any jet-lag, and to relax after flying. The Spa by JW Vancouver is located on the the 17th floor of the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. The spa is very clean and smells so good. I took a 50 minute relaxation massage, and I felt totally relaxed at the end! Got to mention that the Spa also offers many other beauty and massage treatments that can be tailored to each guest’s individual needs, which are centered around four distinctive results and benefits: Calm, Indulge, Invigorate and Renew.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

For The Whole Family:

1. The Fitness Center of JW Vancouver. The fitness center is also on the 17th floor of the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. It is a well-equipped gym and workout room, with lots of equipment there that suited all our needs, and we just came in whenever we felt the urge.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

2. FlyOver Canada: This is a great attraction in Vancouver! Absolutely breathtaking and truly felt like flying, as you enjoy a virtual/3D “journey” across Canada, from Atlantic to Pacific. It’s good and quick way to explore Canada and enjoy its beauty!

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

3. Bike around the Stanley Park Seawall. Vancouver is VERY “bike friendly,” and there are bicycles to rent every place you turn around! I think it’s the best way to enjoy Vancouver’s abundant natural and man-made beauty.

4. Visit the Vancouver Aquarium (845 Avison Way, Stanley Park). The Vancouver Aquarium is located in world-renowned Stanley Park, and it’s very convenient to stop in when biking around the Stanley Park Seawall. The Aquarium houses more than 50,000 creatures originating from the Arctic to the Amazon. Red Bear especially enjoyed their true-to-life recreation of a South American rainforest, and he was also so happy he got to touch the rays. We were all surprised what a large number of fish they had on display, and we all enjoyed the Aquarium.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][column]
[/column][/column-group]

5. Visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. This is a very classical Chinese garden, with a surrounded by typical classic Chinese house that serves as a museum. Being Chinese, I really wanted my husband and my son to know experience and learn more about the Chinese culture. This garden is located just a few blocks from the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver where we stayed. It was raining when we were there, but everything smell so fresh and looks just great! One particular thing Red Bear really enjoyed there was a calligraphy room, where he sat and practiced copying Chinese characters with a brush, in Chinese style. He didn’t want to leave there, he had so much fun. There is also a gift shop there, with all kinds of books, gifts, and souvenirs about classic Chinese culture.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

[column-group]
[column][/column]

[column]

[/column][/column-group]

6. Visit Granville Island. It’s just a short drive across a bridge to get there, but when you do, you find a very interesting and exciting neighborhood of many restaurants, tourist shops, and a BIG indoor “Granville Island Public Market,” which I especially enjoyed exploring. It has all kinds of fresh produce, meats, seafood, other foods and treats, and a food court with many informal dining choices. For example, one of us had Indian food, another had pizza, and the third had Chinese food — but there were also sandwiches, Vietnamese, sushi, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and too many other choices to count.

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

For the kids, there is the amazing and large “Kids’ Market,” a large separate building with two floors of many different stores and games all aimed at children of all ages — Red Bear loved it (and so did I). Granville Island is truly a fun and interesting place to spend the day. Oh, did I mention Red Bear got to taste a sugar cane? It was his first time in his life — ha-ha! — and he loves it!

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

There are many other places that we really wanted to visit, including nearby Victoria, on Vancouver Island, but time was too short, so we decided to leave it for next time. Have you been to Vancouver? And what’s your travel experience there? I would like to hear from you, too!

[column-group]
[column][/column]
[column]
[/column][/column-group]

We specially thank JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and Tourism Vancouver for working with us on this story. And thank you for visiting today! Happy weekend, y’all!

Where we stayed:

Where we ate:

What We did:

One thought on “80 Hours in Vancouver”