Hi, me again! So... now DH and I are torn about Napa - http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/napa-recommendations#post-1801016 - and are now looking into Vancouver as another option for our 5th year anniversary. I know there are a ton of Canadian Bees on the boards, so can anyone weigh in on places to eat, things to do/see, hotels to stay, and why Vancouver is worth visiting? 
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Why are you torn?? I'd choose Napa over Vancouver any day!
I do have to say that Vancouver is a gorgeous city. You have the ocean, mountains and city. Great restaurants, decent shopping (but don't faint at the sales tax) and relaxed vibe. It depends on what you're looking for in a weekend, i suppose!
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They're two completely different places! I don't live in Vancouver, I'm a couple hrs south in Seattle, and we looooooove Vancouver
The city is very friendly, public transportation is wonderful, if staying downtown you'll walk or cab anywhere, the food is fantastic, and there is plenty to do.
Are you looking for specifics? Granville Island, Chinese Garden, Stanley Park, Capilano Bridge, Punjabi Market, cruise Gastown and Yaletown.
We spent a NYE pre kids in Vancouver then headed north to Whistler
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@Freckles: Haha, for one, the hotel prices in Napa! And as I started planning out the itinerary it sounded like it would just be eat, drink wine, eat some more. We like wine, but we're not regular wine drinkers by any means. I also heard places close pretty early... so what would we do at night? We stay in every night as it is, so it would be nice to have some more variety. I don't know... Napa seems tooooo chill.
Is there stuff like hiking or any sort of scenic things we can do there besides stare at wineries and go on tours? Vancouver sounded nice because it's still on the West Coast so not too far away, and I've never been to Canada! We want to go somewhere close to home, but still far away enough that it feels like a getaway. Our 3rd option is Vegas - DH is going to do a cost analysis (that nerd) of all 3 places. We know Vegas pretty well, but it's hard to beat vegas with its amazing food, great hotels, and fantastic nightlife.
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@filly: No specifics, just anything and everything you can think of. We heard the Japanese food there is amazing - any good sushi places you'd recommend? Is Japadog worth a visit or is that all hype? Any fun outdoorsy things we can do? What do people like to do for fun at night? How many days can you "do" Vancouver in? Thanks for all the recs!
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I was going to say that they would be two completely different vacations. I've never been to Napa but I've been to Sonoma. Like you said, it would be an eat, drink, relax and shop kind of vacation.
Vancouver is my favourite city ever and we hope to move there one day. There are tons of hiking / walking / exploring options (e.g. Stanley Park, Grouse Mountain) and if you have a car you can drive up to Whistler or take the ferry to Victoria for a day. I would say you could spend at least 5 days in Vancouver and not be bored!
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@Sammyfab: What you described is my IDEAL vacation. I love all that outdoorsy, exploring type stuff. I love being able to walk everywhere and just take in the culture, people watch, and enjoy little eateries here and there.
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@Mrs. High Heels: One thing to note is that November can get pretty rainy (although the weather has been so unpredictable lately) so that's the only risk. Like @sammyfab said, Vancouver has a great balance of outdoor activities, eatery options (so much good food!!) and areas to just chill.
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@Mrs. High Heels: everything @Sammyfab said! I love Stanley Park, Grouse Mountain, and Victoria. You could even go whale watching not far from Victoria!
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@Mrs. High Heels: Vancouver is awesome and yes, it has really good Japanese (and Chinese food). I love shopping on Robson Street, checking out the Granville Island public market and walking on Kitsilano beach when its nice. I also always eat 4-5 meals everytime I go up there because there is so much awesome food to eat!!!! If you decide on Vancouver, I can get you specific restaurant names.
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@Mrs. High Heels: vancouver just has a great vibe where it feels like everyone loves to be outdoors! I didn't realize when you were planning your trip though but @Freckles: is right. the weather in oct/nov can be downright dreadful (so. much. rain)
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@Seattlemom: @Sammyfab: I love the rain! I would move to Seattle in a heartbeat if I could. We are in a massive drought, and I have been longing for rain! How bad is the rain in November though? Is it heavy, pouring rain all day long?
@sunny: Yes, I'll let you know - thanks!!
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I don't have any specific recommendations, other than make sure to get some Chinese food while you're there. Some of the best north of SF
And if you want a fun excursion, check out Victoria for a day trip.
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@Mrs. High Heels: Not typically. I think Vancouver gets kind of a drizzly rain all the time.
Yes, move to Seattle!!!
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@Mrs. High Heels: no it doesn't usually pour. It will probably just be grey and a bit misty. Just dress in layers. Most people don't even carry umbrellas with them. But do wear shoes that can get wet.
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Not a Canadian bee, but we went to B.C. a few years ago and had a blast. Visiting Victoria Island was amazing. We saw Orca in the wild-such an incredible experience. In Vancouver we stayed at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia-it was truly a splurge, but they were renovating the hotel at the time so we got a good deal. It was incredible! A trip to Chinatown is a must-there is a place that sells hot apple pastries/buns that is amazing.
Feel free to wall me for more info if you want!
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If you go to Vancouver, you'll need to go down to Seattle if you love seafood. OMG, the food is AMMMMMMAZING there! I don't live anywhere near Seattle, but everytime we hear that city, DH and I drool about the food. lol
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@Mrs. High Heels: I love living in Vancouver and could not imagine living anywhere else in the world! November is usually rainy (definite rain, more than drizzle) and can be quite windy, but sunny fall days are beautiful and crisp (my favourite days of the year!) You might want more than 2-3 days though.
I suggest staying downtown if you can find affordable rates, and I wouldn't worry about staying at the very pricey places. I have stayed at The Best Western on Granville Street and the Sutton Place and both rooms were comparable!
If you enjoy the outdoors/hiking/parks there are plenty of places to explore in Vancouver proper within a bus ride including Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, University of British Columbia (has lots of gardens as well as Pacific Spirit Park), Van Dusen Garden (Private with pay admission, but I recommend it).
There is also the local mountains, but I don't know what activities will be happening that time of year. It's between hiking and skiing seasons. If you do go to Vancouver I also recommend the restaurant on the top of Grouse Mountain. It has amazing views on a clear day, the food is good, and the gondola ride up is included with reservations I believe. If you do go to Whistler ( a couple hour drive from Vancouver) there may not be much going on, but the Scandinavian spas have been recommended to me many times over (but I still haven't been)
There is a lot of shopping downtown, but most retailers are what you would have in the States and typically more expensive compared to American stores. There are lots of restaurants and street vendors.
That's a lot of info
if you have any questions let me know!
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We spent 24 hours in Vancouver at the end of June. It was such a beautiful city! We stayed at a cute B&B called Nelson House.
if you have any questions let me know!
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