What To Do in Vancouver For a Weekend Getaway
Aritzia cropped sweater, J. Galt high-waisted light wash jeans
FILA white sneakers, Forever 21 mini backpack
Photography by Reginald Guinto
Recently, my boyfriend and I went to Vancouver for the weekend to take in British Columbia for all it’s glory. We lucked out because the weather was actually a nice 68 degrees and we even got a little sun. There was soo much to do and we honestly had to cut it down to a couple of must-see things, since we were only there for three days.
So if you’re only able to go for a little getaway trip one of these weekends, these are what made my list of things to do in Vancouver:
Eat a dozen oysters
There are so many seafood options up in Vancouver, and we heard trying an oyster bar is a must. We went to Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar and divulged in their seafood tower, which was a nice little dinner for us. We were actually celebrating our 2-year anniversary so it was the perfect setting. I would say if you go here, go for the seafood and the romantic ambiance. They are known for their steak as well, but we were a little unimpressed with the lamb dish (but the tower was delish).
Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge
I’m not much of a hiker, but the Capilano Suspension Bridge is a must if you’re visiting. It can get pretty crowded at times, but usually people are somewhat spread out and you can try to get a nice photo. (Though if you’re really aiming for that gram shot, I’d recommend going super early). You can get tickets here and they range about $47 each.
Get the Pappardelle at Ask for Luigi
If you can only pick one spot from this list, I would choose this dainty little Italian place. The restaurant is so cute, with a total mom-and-pop feel. We tried the carbonara, pappardelle and a side of pork belly. It was still technically brunch so they threw on a soft-boiled egg, and we were honestly not disappointed. The server was super knowledgeable in their wines too, and we had ourselves a nice lunch by the window. Yelp here, if you want to read their reviews!
Spend too much money at Aritzia
Alright so if you’re like me, you’ve shopped at Aritzia before a couple times, mostly online for their cozy sweaters and stylish outerwear. Knowing this brand originated in Vancouver, the fashionista in me just had to check out their store in person. And admittedly, I bought more than I originally planned, but in my defense their cropped sweaters fit sooo well. It’s super flattering for my body type (which is frankly, tall for ya girl at 5’8’’) so I had to stock up. I got this lovely Aritzia Lolan sweater in white, and it’s on sale now for $75 - in case cute cropped sweaters are your thing.
Get cultured at the Vancouver Art Gallery
Loved visiting this! I’m a fan of galleries and museums, so I always try to make it a point to visit when I’m in a new city. Tickets were $24 each and the gallery included a Parisian collection along with interactive elements. We had fun walking around and perusing the art, even if some of it was a liiittle too contemporary for us.
Indulge in cocktails at Long Table Bar
If you’re into gin, you have to stop by Long Table Distillery. The bar serves gin exclusively in the form of gin-and-tonics, signature cocktails and classics. They also have bite-sized snacks (I’d recommend the Castelvetrano olives) to keep you grounded while you sip away. My favorite drink was the Hotel Georgia - mostly because of the botanical foamer. Definitely would recommend!
Try the Boston cream donut at Tim Hortons
You gotta just trust me on this, you will NOT regret it. (Their vanilla latte wasn’t too bad either.)
Grab some dim sum in the city
It sounds weird, right? My boyfriend and I kept consistently hearing that Vancouver is actually known for their bomb Chinese food, so we decided to try out Dinesty Dumpling House. It wasn’t your standard cart dim sum, but still amazinggg nonetheless. Their dumplings were so good - even better than our favorite spot in LA. We tried the pork and shrimp dumplings and stuffed ourselves basically til we couldn’t move. We have no regrets.
Stop by Mejuri for their pop-up + piercing party
One of my favorite jewelry brands recently decided to open up a pop-up there! I love every single piece I have from there, so I was excited to hear that they’re expanding into other cities (I’ll be waiting for their LA shop!). The pop-up will run from Mar 27 - Apr 3, so if you’re in the area, definitely check it out!
xx