Dear Lazyweb, Vancouver BC tourism edition

[gement]

My dear J has to take some vacation time before it expires. He's tentatively thinking of taking the train up to Vancouver and tooling around for about a week.

He likes bookstores, museums, live music if it's not too loud, cultural attractions, walks outside when it's grey out, and places that he can be near people without being crowded or needing to make conversation.

If you've been to Vancouver, especially if you've lived there, do you have any suggestions for what he might see or do there? It doesn't have to be flashy. He just needs some kind of plan to avoid feeling aimless and clueless.

Comments

[cow.livejournal.com]

First, a caveat: I moved away about a year and a half ago. Any data below may have changed in the in between time.

The downtown library's pretty neat. I liked it better than Seattle's, although not nearly as much as Toronto's. You can hang out in the atrium all day and be around people, but it's not crowded.

Vancouver Art Gallery is usually the best of the museums, although you'll want to see if any exhibits pique your interest first, of course.

Bookstores: my favourite is Pulp Fiction on E Main between .. uh, Kingsway and 8th, I think? The #3, #8, and #19 buses from downtown. Really impressive SF/F collection, really impressive Beat collection, and one of the only used bookstores I've ever seen with a literary theory and criticism section. Best (only?) queer bookstore is Little Sisters on Davie St.

Ride the Canada Line out to Aberdeen Station, walk one block east to Aberdeen Centre, and you're in what's essentially a Hong Kong mall. The food court is full of strange and wonderful things, like the only North American branch of a Tokyo pizza chain. (Hokkaido potato tuna pizza! for example.) Plus lots of random shops and things you don't see anywhere else around here.

Take the SeaBus to North Vancouver, and wander around Lonsdale Quay. Some decent food there, too, plus on a clear day there's a rather nice view looking back at the city. It's the same transit agency as SkyTrain and the buses, so you can use the same transfer (although it's a two-zone fare on weekdays).

Live music: the Atlantic Tap and Gill is a little taste of Halifax in Vancouver. They even have Halifax donairs (do not recommend, but it's definitely A Thing). They have live music most nights of the Scottish/Nova Scotian variety.

Uh...that's a pretty good starting list. Feel free to send any other questions. :)

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

dude I totally should have talked to you before we went through Van.

[cow.livejournal.com]

I did live there for 2 1/2 years! But, well, next time. :)

(The list of cities I can make a list like that for is getting rather long. Sadly, nobody ever goes to Minneapolis or Halifax except me, so that information is in vain.)

[gement.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I figured if I put out the call I'd get an essay from you. This is exactly the essay I needed.

[cow.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Glad I could be of help.