What to do and see in this Canadian city
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Fall is a great time to plan a trip to Vancouver, British Columbia due to the mild climate that’s ideal for outdoor fun like hiking, biking, and water activities.
Visitors also have a chance to enjoy the fall foliage and take advantage of off-season rates at most hotels.
It’s a busy place with lots to offer and one of Canada’s most diverse cities.
Here are some of our tips and recommendations for your visit to Vancouver.
Book a stay The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. It is located downtown where shopping, dining and many activities are within easy reach. The historic property with preserved architecture offers more than 500 guest rooms and suites with a full-service day spa, 24-hour fitness center and indoor pool. For added indulgence, book a room on the hotel’s Gold Floor, which offers luxurious amenities such as breakfast, afternoon tea, hors d’oeuvres and late-night snacks, as well as all-day beverages. If you’re a fan of cocktails, make reservations at the hotel’s ultra-chic restaurant notch8that serves delicious food to go with its sophisticated drink creations.
The Shangri-la Hotel, Also located in the heart of the city, is a boutique hotel offering luxurious rooms and suites with elegant and sophisticated decor. Book the 90-minute Sangre de Fruta treatment at the hotel’s award-winning Spa Chi. The service begins with an invigorating body scrub, followed by a steam shower and ends with a relaxing massage using plant-based body cream that will leave you melting. Be sure to check out the highly acclaimed ones Carlino restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Be sure to try the delicious waffles for breakfast and after dinner, leave room for dessert.
For veggie lovers, look no further than The Acorn Restaurant, which offers creative dishes made from fresh local ingredients. The menu changes frequently to reflect the changing seasons as Chef Devon Latte works with local farms and businesses to bring authentic farm-to-table dishes. With dishes like hay-roasted turnip greens with garden shiso and Du Puy lentil pie de campagne and smoked turnip, you’ll never look at plants the same way again.
The Vancouver Art Gallery is just minutes away where visitors can visit the largest art museum in Western Canada. Save time and buy your tickets online in advance. Be sure to visit The Gallery Store or a gift shop that offers a wide range of Canadian take-home items.
For outdoor fun, head to Stanley Park and take part in a 90-minute forest bathing adventure Talaysay tours. Founded by Candace Campo, the company offers an authentic Aboriginal cultural and ecotourism experience. Forest bathing, also known as shinrinyoku, is the art of involving the senses in nature while strolling among the trees. This wellness practice requires no experience or props. It’s a way of experiencing nature that doesn’t ask for a goal or purpose. Lead Guide Taylor McKee takes participants on a journey to connect with nature on a new level – seeing, smelling, touching and hearing, without the distractions of technology.
For even more adrenaline go to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, where you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours. The suspension bridge for which the park is named is nearly 460 feet long and 229 feet above the Capilano River. The walk is a fun activity for both children and adults who don’t mind heights. Within the park is Treetops Adventure, a series of seven suspension bridges attached to magnificent 250-year-old Douglas fir trees. Fun fact: These bridges were built to allow for the continued growth of the trees by attaching the platforms with a tree collar system.
To stay healthy while on vacation, take a 50-minute Control Pilates class Core Community Pilatesa bright and modern studio with experienced trainers who encourage movement and proper form on the reformer, a type of Pilates machine used to strengthen the core and improve flexibility and mobility.
Granville Island
Granville Island, a peninsula in Vancouver’s Fairview neighborhood, offers visitors a very different experience. In the late 1970s, the area was transformed into an arts and culture haven. Today it is Canada’s second most visited travel destination.
stick with Granville Island Hotel, located directly on False Creek. Rooms are modern and spacious, and equipped with mini-fridges. For added comfort and larger families, book the penthouse suites with kitchens and whirlpool tubs. Start the morning with a stroll along the waterfront, where the stunning views will make you feel like you’re not in a city.
The hotel is the central place for the popular public market, an indoor offering of food, produce and local crafts. Grab your breakfast from one of the grocers and browse the nearby ateliers selling pottery, textiles, jewelry and more.
piper
When in Vancouver, make the less than 2-hour drive to Whistler, British Columbia, one of the largest and most popular ski resorts in North America. Best known for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and sledding, Piper Blackcomb is a year-round destination for families, couples and girlfriend getaways. Host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, the area also offers mountain biking, hiking and water sports such as SUP, kayaking and swimming.
A book Fairmont Chateau Whistler as your home base due to its convenience and many luxurious amenities such as large and recently renovated rooms, a heated outdoor pool, several outdoor Jacuzzis, a dry sauna and two eucalyptus steam rooms.
Set aside some time in a private cabana where food and drinks are served, or perhaps head for a round of the 18-hole Audubon-certified championship golf course. The resort offers so much to do for all ages through its unique Whistler Experience Guide program that offers daily excursions such as hiking, biking, skiing and more, all at no additional cost to hotel guests. Guides are knowledgeable and provide a safe environment for learning.
Many families choose Fairmont Gold for the convenience of sophisticated dining options and personalized service. For those checking in under the label, most can skip long check-in waits, along with the privacy of a lounge for working remotely or just relaxing.
The hotel also offers a variety of dining options ranging from fine dining at Wildflower to a pub-style menu at The Mallard Lounge. Wildflower is great for a special occasion or if you’re just looking for fine dining. Order the fillet of beef or halibut and ask your waiter about the ideal wine pairing. The atmosphere at Mallard Lounge is more casual, but don’t miss the chicken wings and greenhouse tomato salad.
Despite being such a large hotel, the Fairmont Chateau is committed to sustainable practices like reducing plastic use and switching to compostable material whenever possible. Responsibility and community are important to the brand as it works with local food banks to reduce food waste and promote food accessibility for all. The hotel maintains an edible rooftop garden with a pollinator bee hotel so it makes its own honey.
Nature is what makes Whistler so great. A hiking trail leads right outside your front door Lost Lake, where there are plenty of paths ready to be discovered. Bear warning signs are in place so always be aware of your surroundings and if you are traveling with a four-legged friend do not let them run loose.
A short drive or shuttle ride takes you to Rainbow Falls, an easy 1.3-mile loop that takes you to a scenic waterfall where visitors like to cool off in the warmer months. Whatever your plans, Whistler Blackcomb has over 8,100 acres of skiable terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, over 200 hiking trails and a fun PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola connecting the two ski areas.
