A Weekend in Downtown Vancouver

Young and I spent the last weekend commemorating our 7-year wedding anniversary in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Here are several of things we did right/would do again:

1. Our hotel, the Ramada in Downtown Vancouver, was well located. 2 blocks to the seawall promenade, 3 blocks to the Art Meseum and shopping. Just down the block from McLeod's Used Books.

2. The hotel had in-room free WiFi access. Just turned on the laptop, connected to the network, and surf away. Worked well, very convenient.

3. The Anthropology Museum at the U of BC was spectacular. Probably the highlight of the trip. The Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park and Grouse Mountain were also worthy destinations.

4. We brought real rain gear- javkets, hats, pants, and it was worth it. It rains quite a bit there, and we were smart to have come prepared.

5. We did not once step foot in a Starbucks. All of the coffee we drank was from local coffee shops, which are to be found on nearly every corner.

6. Dinner at the Observatory Restaurant at the top of Grouse Mountain was worrth it. The wine list was good, the service was relaxed but attentive, and the views are great.

Some things we would do differently next time:

1. Downtown Vancouver is no NY/Chicago/Paris/London. It has a few cultural destinations, but you can probably cover them in 1/2 to 2/3 of a day. We should have made more plans to visit surrounding areas.

2. We didn't make enough time to get to Victoria or the channel islands. Everyone and their mom told us to visit Butchart Gardens near Vicctoria, but the ferry round is nearly 3 hours each way...so it's not a trip you want to do in one day. Next time we want to spend a weekend in the pacific northwest, we'll probably spend the entire time in Victoria.

3. We should have made advanced plans for something like river rafting or ocean kayaking. There is lots of water around Vancouver, and I think we should have spent more time on it.

So there you have it. The pictures are here:

Vancouver 2004 Gallery