Inside Vancouver

Cruising Vancouver’s False Creek – Aquabus Style

by Jane Weiss in Uncategorized on April 25, 2016

Aquabus tour of False Creek Photo: Rob Weiss

What comes to mind when you think about cruising? Cocktails on the Lido deck, gourmet meals, shipboard entertainment and exotic destinations? Well, reimagine cruising and conjure up the image of a little engine that could chugging through the waters of False Creek. Now add a Canadian flag, a rainbow coloured exterior and voila – Aquabus. These ferries have been plying Vancouver’s waters since 1983, transporting passengers between stops located along the banks of False Creek. I decided it was time to discover my inner mariner and spend a day with Aquabus, a staycation so to speak.

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Cruising Vancouver’s False Creek – Aquabus Style

Granville Island Date Itinerary: From Cake Doughnuts to Live Theatre

by Tara Lee in Town, Uncategorized on April 21, 2016

Flickr: Natty K

It was around this time of year that I had a stellar date on Granville Island. Warm, sunny days were back in the city, and suddenly, indoor dates in coffee shops and bars seemed less than appealing. I had met this cute guy on-line (again), we had gone on the obligatory first date where we mutually ascertained that neither of us was crazy (I hid my quirks well), and then agreed to meet up again.

Granville Island really is one of my favourite places in Vancouver. I worked at a (now closed) bookstore there one summer, regularly do yoga classes there at Semperviva, and often shop there for groceries and gifts for friends. So, when my date made an impromptu suggestion that we hang out at Granville Island, I gave him an enthusiastic, “Yes!” Our meeting gave me the template for the perfect Granville Island date.

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Granville Island Date Itinerary: From Cake Doughnuts to Live Theatre

Best Metro Vancouver Day Trips to Do Without a Car

by Inside Vancouver in Town on April 8, 2016

No need to let the lack of a vehicle prevent you from exploring the multiple attractions in and around Vancouver. Below are a handful of adventures with easy transit options.

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Best Metro Vancouver Day Trips to Do Without a Car

FOUR WATERBORNE WAYS TO BEAT THE SUMMER SIZZLE

by Inside Vancouver in Outside, Uncategorized on June 4, 2015

Photo: James Wheeler | Flickr

There’s no better way to spend a hot day than exploring Vancouver’s Instagram-worthy waterfront, savouring gelato while strolling the seawall, or lounging at Kits Beach. But when the waterways surrounding the city sparkle like diamonds under the summer sun, you’ll feel the irresistible urge to dive headlong into the surf. Here are four ways to get wet in Vancouver:

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FOUR WATERBORNE WAYS TO BEAT THE SUMMER SIZZLE

Insider’s Guide to the Perfect Date Night

by Inside Vancouver in Insider on October 6, 2009

Granville Island
The following post was contributed by Tourism Vancouver’s own Wendy Surkan, Manager, Meeting & Convention Sales, Eastern US. Born and raised in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Wendy has lived in Vancouver for the past 22 years where she and her husband enjoy all the excitement the city has to offer. Read below for Wendy’s guide to the perfect date night:

Vancouver may be known for its scenic splendor and great food, but what animates the city is the annual 10-day jazz festival leading up to Canada Day. In its 25th year in 2010, from June 25 – July 4 from noon to the wee small hours, a rich tapestry of jazz, blues, Funk, Latin, fusion and world music fills the air at venues big and small, indoor and outdoor across the city. By taking the music to parks, community spaces, concert halls, clubs, public plazas and neighbourhood streets, the Jazz Festival electrifies the city with over 400 concerts – 150 of them free – and moves the souls of more than 500,000 people each year.

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Insider’s Guide to the Perfect Date Night

There’s no road rage on Vancouver’s watery highways

by Julie Ovenell-Carter in Insider on August 29, 2009

Coastal Link Ferries, Vancouver to Bowen Island
You’ve heard of the commute from hell? Well, mine’s from the other place.

A couple of times a week I make the short and scenic trip from my Bowen Island home to my office in downtown Vancouver by boat: Coastal Link Ferries, to be exact.

After leaving Snug Cove, the 70-seat passenger vessel (affectionately dubbed “the tin sausage” by regulars) speeds across Howe Sound, past Lighthouse Park, under the Lion’s Gate Bridge and delivers us 25 minutes later at the Thurlow St. dock just below the new convention centre. It’s a pretty civilized way to get to and from work.

A decade or so ago I visited Hong Kong and was impressed by that city’s active harbour. I wondered then why Vancouver wasn’t making more use of its waterways to relieve some of our traffic and transit problems. Finally, it’s happening. And it’s good for locals and for tourists (not to mention the environment).

Besides the Coastal Link, some of my favourite watery crossings include the BC Ferries crossing to Bowen from West Vancouver, the False Creek and Aquabus water taxis across False Greek, and the SeaBus run to North Vancouver. They’re like mini-cruises–for the cost of a latte or two.

Gridlock can make its kinda hard to remember how gorgeous this city really is. Sometimes the best way over a bridge is under it…