One of the most exciting, but also a little stressful is when family or friends come and visit. Pressure is on to entertain, host and plan their trip.
Here’s my Top 5: What to do when you have visitors, make sure you share your own suggestions in the comments.
1. Hockey
Don’t call it ice hockey, Canadian’s will laugh at you, as if there’s any other kind of hockey.
Go see the Canucks play if you can, there are often cheaper tickets available for mid-week games and you can sometimes pick them up on other websites (use your street smarts here people). If you go visit Visitor Services and tell them it’s your first game, they’ll give you a super cool necklace and it makes the people next to you even more helpful when you’re trying to understand.
The first few minutes are a bit shocking, you soon accept the agro coming from the ice but still cringe with every crash!
2. Donuts…or Doughnuts
Whatever you call them, go nuts.
There are much more to donuts in Canada than Tim Hortons, but no road trip is complete without decidedly average coffee and timbits.
My favourite donut stop would have to be 49th Parallel, even better, they make the best flat white I’ve had since touching down in Canada. Lemon Meringue? Maple Bacon? Yum.
2. Whistler
I’m partial to an overnight visit to Whistler! Make sure you hit up the Sea to Sky Gondola for that iconic shot over Howe Sound, a stop at Shannon Falls and Brandywine Falls and, if you’re lucky enough I’ll tell you about a certain street that all of the bears hang out, it’s go an 80% success rate for me at the moment.
Whistler itself is good fun, skiing/snowboarding in winter I’m told is fab, but if you’re anything like me and are like a flamingo on skis, there’s plenty of other stuff to do too! Try snowshoeing in the winter, if you can walk, you can snowshoe.
P.S. Snow walls are only available in June but they are incredible.
3. False Creek Ferries/Aquabus
This is the coolest way of getting around Vancouver in my opinion. Stops include Granville Island, Kitsilano, Yaletown and Olympic Village (close to Vancouver’s largest beer selection at CRAFT!).
It’s relatively cheap (have cash to make it easy) and is fun for all ages!
4. Museum of Anthropology
Because sometimes it rains in Vancouver, this is an indoor option! It’s a little challenging to get to, but it’s pretty cool and a great way to learn a bit more about Indigenous cultures in Canada, and around the world. Make sure you keep an eye out for the New Zealand section!
5. Craft beer
Last but definitely not least, Vancouver has been upping it’s Craft Beer game in the last couple of years. There’s now the BC Ale Trail which is an awesome way to explore BC breweries, but there’s also an interactive map from Craft Beer Vancouver if you’re looking for something local.
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