Since our first family trip last year for one of Keith's shows, Vancouver has joined the ranks of annual family traditions along with Leavenworth, North Bend, the Oregon Coast, and a handful of other favorite new-to-us spots that are easily reachable from Seattle.
Vancouver offers so much and is so close (relatively speaking) that it's an excellent option for a weekend adventure. If you, like us, see two open days on a calendar as an invitation, this one's for you. For this particular trip, we arrived in Vancouver around 2pm Saturday and left around 2pm Sunday. We tend to pack our time pretty tight but you could certainly stretch it out and enjoy everything just as much as we did (maybe even more!)
Saturday
2pm. Coffee (of course!) & Explore Gastown
Revolver (Gastown) is a hipster's dream. Its cafe is all raw wood and metal, with a serious pour over station and multiple espresso options. They're purisits, so you're not going to find an eggnog latte or other festive flavors, here but you will find one delicious cup of coffee. You can even select the particulary espresso beans you'd like your drink made from, which was new to us. Note that they offer only cow's milk and oat milk (no soy or nut based milks). This spot gets packed, but there is an attached workspace next door, so you should be able to find a seat. Walking around Gastown with a to-go Revovler is our preferred option if there's no seating available in the main space.
Gastown is the oldest neighborhood in Vancouver and is great fun to walk around. It's equal parts enchanting boutiques, art galleries, touristy gift shops, and cocktail and coffee bars, all housed in beautiful Victorian buildings. Revolver, one of our favorite coffee shops (info above) is in Gastown, as is the phenomenal E.C. Rare Books, complete with one of the most beautiful collections we've ever seen and one of the most knowledgeable and generous proprieters too.
Make sure to stop by the whistling Steam Clock, one of the only clocks of it's type in the world, and a big hit with kids of all ages.
The edges of Gastown can be a bit sketchy but if you're accustomed to exploring cities, you'll be able to tell when you're starting to travel too far for comfort. Keith and I lived in New York City for years, so unless someone is aggressive or starts to follow us, we're pretty unbothered. From that standpoint, we found even the rougher edges of Gastown fine. That being said, Bella hasn't lived in a city since she was a baby and found some of it upsetting. Just food for thought if you're traveling with littles.
5pm. Head to the North Shore
Now for the biggest festive adventure of your trip: Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. If you're looking to go, Canyon Lights is on through January 21, 2024. The best way I can think to explain the feel of Canyon Lights is as though Dr. Seuss' Whos lived in a treetop canopy and had been given a lifetime supply of Christmas lights with which to decorate their treetop world. It's absolute magic on a scale that's almost bewildering. There's also live music, a scavenger hunt for kids complete with tickers and a little booklet, a gift shop, a grill, and a more formal restaurant.
Note that if you're not a fan of heights, Capilano probably isn't for you. To get to the Treetops Adventure, you have to cross a 450 foot suspension bridge 230 feet high above the rushing Capilano river. According to the Park's website, that's the height of the shoulder of the Statue of Liberty! The bridge sways quite a bit--it is a suspension bridge after all--but can allegedly hold the weight of a 747.
There's also a Cliff Walk, which is a definite thrill. Cliff Walk is a series of cantilevered walkways and viewing platforms anchored to a cliff face with 16 anchors.
I don't know exactly how far we walked but suffice it to say we had worked up an appetite by the time we finished exploring. We had hoped to eat at The Cliff House (part of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park) last year, but ran out of time. Our expectations were high for dinner there this year, and lucky for us, it didn't disappoint.
8pm. Dinner at The Cliff House
The Cliff House does not take reservations but if you visit during Canyon Lights and are alright sitting outside for dinner, that shouldn't be an issue. We actually wanted to eat outside because we were so keen on their Adirondack chair & fire pit seating. Eating outside was also made much more doable by the fact that the weather happened to be mild.
When we visited last weekend, Cliff House had a Grinch-themed feature menu in addition to their regular offerings. I enjoyed the Holiday Cheermeister (mulled wine), which was perfect for a crisp night around the fire, and the Quinoa Salad with salmon. The Quinoa salad is primarily greens with just a sprinkling of quinoa, which is exaclty how I like it, and the salmon was excellent. Keith had the Braised Beast, which he said was quite good, although he wished it included a vegetable side. Bella opted for a lavender lemondae and a Pulled Pork Sandwich (the fries were a major hit) which they were able to put on a gluten free bun. All in, the food and drink were quite a success, and the atmosphere, perched on the side of the canyon, is a delight. Cliff House did a great job making sure everything was allergy-friendly for us, so highly recommended from that perspective as well.
Post dinner (last seating is at 9pm) head back to your hotel for the night.
Sunday
OEB is our favorite spot for brunch in Vancouver. Not only are there lots of gluten free options (they even have gf/df waffles!), they also have some of the tastiest bacon--both Canadian and hardwood smoked--and free-range eggs we've ever had (in Canada, free range eggs are called "free run" eggs, which I find endlessly charming).
Everything at OEB is very fresh, the waitstaff is excellent at assisting with options if you have dietary restrictions, and they double check with the kitchen to be sure anything you order will be safe if you have allergies.
Their maple syrup is also top-notch. Insider tip: order a side of maple syrup with your breakfast and add some to your latte for arguably the yummiest maple latte around. Maple lattes don't seem to be a thing outside of New England, so making my own in Vancouver was a highlight!
11am. ScienceWorld
Science World is one of Bella's favorite places in any season. There are interactive exhibitions on everything from engineering to the human body. On our last visit, there was also a phenomenal James Cameron retrospective. There's nothing quite like having seen The Terminator, Aliens, Titanic, the Avatar Films, etc. and then realizing that the great mind behind all those films is also an incredibly accomplished diver, undersea explorer, and artist. I'm still blown away. If you go after the Cameron exhibit (it ends January 1st, so if you're in the area, hurry!) there's still a great deal to enjoy at Science World.
1:30pm. Coffee
After Science World, it's time to get back on the road. For our family , though, no road trip is complete without a pre-drive refuel (aka bougie coffee). Rocanini (Yaletown) didn't show up on any of the coffee research we did before our trip (yes, coffee research is part of every single trip we take), but I'm really glad we ended up there. It was one of the best lattes I've had in ages. Keith's mocha and Bella's holiday steamer received top marks too. The cafe is cute, with a modern meets cozy vibe. It's definitely more laid-back than Revolver. You won't get to choose your own espresso beans but you will get a wonderful cup of coffee with any customization you like in terms of syrups, milks, and temperature.
2pm. Start your drive back to the States, Rocanini coffee in hand
...And maybe stop for the requisite "one foot in Canada, one foot in US" photo (see above).
Before you embark on your own 24 Festive Hours in Vancouver...
Getting there: Seattle is a 4 hour drive from Seattle, theoretically speaking. There are three factors that could make your trip longer: traffic, ferries, and border control.
We usually leave bright and early, take the ferry from Port Townsend to Coupeville, and then continue driving from there. This subverts Seattle traffic, but of course adds in wait time for the ferry. If you decide to follow the same route, it's a good idea to book your ferry ticket in advance. Note that you won't pay until you show up for your departure but you will incur a cancellation fee if you don't give advance notice that your plans have changed. Good to know: those under 19 years of age travel free on all Washington State Ferries.
Because we never know exactly what time we'll be heading back, and it's generally after dark (meaning there's not as much to see from the ferry), we tend to drive the full distance returning to the Seattle area from Vancouver.
We've had times where we've been able to breeze through the border and others where it's added an hour on to our travel time. It's a good idea to make any Vancouver-area reservations with a time buffer just in case.
For entry into Canada: passports aren't required until the age of 16. If you're traveling with little ones, you'll be fine bringing their birth certificates as proof of ID and citizenship (along with your passport, of course!)
Happy journeying,
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