We stayed at The Sutton Place, which is well located in the centre of town. The hotel is well run and has good facilities. The styling okay, but a little fussy and old fashioned.
View from room at Sutton Place
Marina
There are a few surprises for the visitor. Sales of alcohol are strictly regulated and heavily taxed. It can only be sold in designated shops, so it isn’t a case of popping into the supermarket and getting a bottle. In fact there was a wine store next to our hotel, but it was noticeable that to buy alcohol in general, you had to make an effort. In conversation with a wine merchant, I discovered the taxation of alcohol is a major reason why Canada manages to have low taxation on income, but to fund socialised healthcare.
The other surprise was a very visible drugs problem in Eastside. What is so striking is the concentration of people in this part of town who live on the streets. The city has a strategy in place to tackle its drugs problem, but judging by what we saw, it has some way to go.
If you can ride a bike, then it is well worth hiring one form one from of the cycle hire companies near Stanley Park. The park has a cycle path round its perimeter, much of which is by the seawall. It is an easy route and is fairly flat, so the views are more likely to take you breath than the cylcling.
Capilano Suspension Bridge is a little out of town, but easy to get to. It is a good option for people with children, but felt a bit tame and like a theme park. Genuine outdoorsy type and adrenaline junkies would probably be disappointed by this attraction.
Food and drinks are strong themes on Granville Island. It has a brewery and impressive food market. It’s an easy walk from the city centre. The food highlight of the Vancouver was a meal at Le Crocodile, which is downtown. The food has a strong Alsation influence and the service is good, if a little formal. I got a disapproving look from the wine waiter for getting my emphasis wrong when I ordered a bottle of Nuit St Georges. It is the last place you’d expect to leave without paying, but that is just what we did. The waiter was given a cash tip and card, but forgot to swipe the card. They’d lightened up a little by this point and we were so busy discussing the origins of the restaurant, the fabulous food and the excellent choice of art on the walls, that no one realised. We did realised later and the bill was paid the following morning.
The beach scene in Vancouver is outstanding and the visitor is spoilt for choice because there are beaches in all directions. Kitsilano (also referred to as Kits) is a little away from the centre in a residential part of Vancouver. Tree trunks are scattered across the beach to rest against, there is a shower as you leave the beach and a couple of places to eat. A short walk away there are a range of neighbourhood shops and more restaurant options. This is an interesting option if you want to get a bit of a feel for what the city is like away from the main tourist spots. Closer to the city, in fact just a 20 minute walk from downtown, is English Bay Beach and Sunset Beach. This is a great spot for an afternoon because there are lots of places to eat and drink just across from the beach. There are sometimes street entertainers in this area, which makes for a lively atmosphere. We were lucky to catch a memorable sunset from here, long after the sun had gone the orange red glow lit up the sky.
View from Stanley Park seawall
Secluded beach, Stanley Park
Unusual building overlooking English Bay Beach
A memorable sunset from English Bay Beach
Unusual building overlooking English Bay Beach
A memorable sunset from English Bay Beach
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