Culture and Cuisine Itinerary

Photo Credit: COURTESY OF COAST

Vancouver is home to many diverse cultures and is renowned internationally for incredible cuisine and as a West Coast hub for arts and culture. Open your mind and expand your palate through a weekend of one-of-a-kind cultural experiences, exploring museums and enjoying innovative cuisine in our Culture and Cuisine Itinerary.

Day One

DISCOVER CHINATOWN
Start your day learning about the long history of Vancouver’s Chinese community at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre. The museum is under ten minutes away from the centre of downtown by SkyTrain and features interactive exhibits and learning experiences. Chinatown has a multitude of coffee shops and restaurants, so you can grab a bite on the way. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial for lunch after your visit to the centre, try The Union. Located at the edge of Chinatown they serve up Southeast Asian fusion in a cozy contemporary environment.

FROM PAINTING TO PLATE
Walk or hop on the SkyTrain back downtown and visit the Contemporary Art Gallery. Entry is free and the gallery supports local and up-and-coming artists, and it’s a short walk over to the Vancouver Art Gallery. The VAG’s permanent local and historic collection includes a multitude of works by celebrated West Coast painter Emily Carr, and exhibits large internationally renowned artists. Conveniently attached to the gallery is a cafe with a sunny, serene patio overlooking Robson Square. Sit down and enjoy a refreshing beverage after wandering through the gallery. Steps away, you can continue the exploration of contemporary West Coast culture with dinner at Coast, an elegantly modern restaurant featuring a menu dedicated to one of the local culinary highlights of the area, seafood.

Photo: Museum of Anthropology

Day Two

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
Rise and shine, it’s time to try one of Kitsilano’s most celebrated bakeries for coffee and a croissant (or whichever pastry takes your fancy), just a few minutes from downtown, Beaucoup Bakery is a neighborhood gem located on your way to the Museum of Anthropology. Head West to the University of British Columbia and spend the morning exploring the vast collection of Northwest Coast First Nations art and spectacular rotating exhibitions and over 9,000 objects from around the world at the Museum of Anthropology. The museum itself is a work of art overlooking the mountains and the sea, designed by celebrated architect Arthur Erickson.

NATURAL WONDERS
The Beaty Biodiversity Museum, also located on the grounds of the university, celebrates a region that is rife with diverse plants and wildlife. The museum displays the natural history of the landscape with over 500 exhibits of fossils, birds, insects, plants and more. To highlight learning about the biodiversity of the area, dine at Botanist in the evening. Inspired by the abundant natural beauty of the area, the restaurant turns the botany of the West Coast into artistically inspired culinary delights.

Photo Credit: COURTESY OF BOTANIST

Day Three

DOWNTOWN DELIGHTS
Brunch is an essential part of any weekend away, especially when you’re connecting with friends or loved ones. Linger over a late morning feast at Chambar downtown. The Belgian-themed restaurant has a patio, and an inviting brick-walled dining room where they serve up modern brunch classics. Amble through downtown and over to the Bill Reid Gallery, the only public gallery in Canada dedicated to contemporary Indigenous Northwest Coast Art and the works of master Haida artist Bill Reid.

BY THE WATER
Take the SeaBus across the water from downtown to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, and you’ll find The Polygon Gallery. A by-donation Canadian public art gallery with a focus on photography and media-based art, the recently designed modern building is as worth seeing as the exhibits. Once you’re on the Quay, wander around the market and take in the sights by the harbour before boarding the SeaBus and ending your day in Coal Harbour with sushi and a view at Miku. Their gourmet cuisine fuses Japanese flavours and techniques with fresh West Coast ingredients, not to mention the dining room looks out over the water.

Polygon Gallery in Lower Lonsdale

INSIDER TIPS

• If you find yourself in Whistler, be sure to check out The Audain Art Museum  
• Searching for museums offering something a little different? Try the Vancouver Maritime Museum or the Vancouver Police Museum for unique exhibits and experiences.