Today I’m switching gears to share the final recap from our Canadian vacation: a long weekend in Vancouver. If you want the full overview of the trip, you can also check out our western Canada hiking trip itinerary.
We spent the last few days of our trip in Vancouver, and it was the perfect way to end an active week of travel. We arrived on Friday in the early evening, and my brother drove up from Seattle to meet us. The weather could not have been better: sunny, warm, and in the 70s to low 80s, with very little humidity and a cool ocean breeze. Vancouver made a fantastic first impression right away.
It was wonderful to spend time with two of my favorite people. On our first evening, we wandered around the city for a while before choosing dinner at a small sushi spot near our bed and breakfast. We stayed at the charming English Bay Inn, and dinner was at Kitaya Sushi. It was casual, delicious, and surprisingly affordable, which is always a winning combination while traveling.
On the walk back, we were treated to a gorgeous Vancouver sunset. The city looked especially beautiful in the evening light.
Saturday morning started with breakfast at our bed and breakfast. It was a multi-course meal and such a nice way to begin the day. The scones were my favorite part.
Right after breakfast, we headed out to meet my brother for one of the most popular outdoor activities in Vancouver: hiking the famous Grouse Grind up Grouse Mountain.
Several people had recommended the Grouse Grind as a touristy but fun Vancouver experience, and they were right. It is also a serious workout. The route is often called “Nature’s Stairmaster” because it climbs steeply for 1.8 miles with about 2,800 feet of elevation gain. It is short in distance, but it is definitely intense.
As you can see from the photos, we were not the only ones with that idea. It was a beautiful morning, so the trail was busy. I was impressed by how many people were tackling the climb because it was not easy.
We paused briefly at the quarter and halfway points, then pushed through the rest without stopping. It was the kind of hike that gets your heart rate up fast.
All the hiking we had done earlier in the week at higher altitudes definitely helped. My legs were burning, but my lungs felt strong, which made the climb feel manageable.
After 1 hour and 15 minutes, we made it to the top.
The Grouse Grind is no joke, but the views from Grouse Mountain were absolutely worth the effort.
For safety reasons, hikers are not allowed to climb back down the Grouse Grind. That was fine with us because we got to take the gondola down instead. The ride offered beautiful views and gave us a clear look at just how high we had climbed.
Later that day, we headed to Granville Island Public Market. We took a small water taxi over, which made the outing even more fun. The market was full of local food, colorful produce, and plenty of tempting options to browse and snack on.
For dinner on Saturday, we took a cab to Gastown. Gastown is Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood and a national historic site located at the northeast end of downtown. It was a great area for walking, with lots of restaurants and a lively atmosphere. I would definitely recommend checking it out during a Vancouver weekend trip. We ate at an Italian restaurant, although I can’t remember the name and forgot to take photos.
Sunday morning began with another Vancouver must-do: running the seawall. Everyone I talked to said that runners visiting Vancouver should not miss it, so we made it part of our morning.
The Vancouver Seawall is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path. It extends for 28 kilometers, from the Vancouver Convention Centre to Spanish Banks Park. We ran the section that loops around beautiful Stanley Park. I especially loved that the path has designated areas for runners and walkers as well as cyclists, which made it feel much more relaxed and organized.
We ran 2 miles along the seawall, then turned into Stanley Park for another 2 miles on the trails.
After our run, Matt and I decided to skip breakfast at the bed and breakfast so we could have one last meal with my brother before he drove back to Seattle. At his suggestion, we went to Chambar, and it was excellent. The waffles were incredible, especially with Greek yogurt, orange, and fig marmalade toppings.
After saying goodbye to my brother, Matt and I rented bikes and spent more time exploring Stanley Park. I had expected Stanley Park to feel more like Central Park, with open lawns and a manicured layout, but I was surprised by how wild and wooded it felt. It was beautiful and much larger than I had imagined. The seawall was crowded with cyclists, but once we moved onto the dirt and gravel trails inside the park, it was much quieter.
We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on English Bay Beach, which was not something I expected to do during a Canada vacation. The weather was warm enough to sit by the water, and I hadn’t realized Vancouver had such an accessible public beach. It was a lovely surprise.
We also got gelato, which felt perfect for such a sunny afternoon. Mint chocolate chip is always my favorite.
For our final dinner in Vancouver, Matt and I walked to the Beach Bay Café near our bed and breakfast. We were able to get an outdoor table, which meant we could enjoy the beginning of the sunset while we ate. We started with a delicious salad, and I loved the vinaigrette.
For my main meal, I ordered several starters because they all sounded too good to pass up. The seafood was excellent.
After dinner, we walked over to the seawall and sat on the ledge with our legs dangling over the water as the sun went down. It was a stunning view and the perfect ending to a memorable trip.
I’ll share more highlights from our Canada vacation over the coming weeks, mixed in with regular daily life content. There is still more to come.
Have you ever been to Vancouver? What should be on the list for our next visit? I definitely hope we can return someday. Vancouver is such a beautiful, energetic, and active city, especially when the weather is this perfect.