3 Concierge Recommendations for a Perfect Day Out in Vancouver

We asked Vancouver’s top concierges to share their personal recommendations for the perfect day in the city

MIRIAM EDWARDS

“Start your morning with a leisurely breakfast at the Café Pacifica at the Pan Pacific Hotel while enjoying our breathtaking view of the mountains and ocean.

After breakfast, take a private limousine tour of Vancouver with an experienced driver and guide from the exclusive Black Gloves tour company. You will drive through the famous Stanley Park, cross the Lions Gate Bridge and enter West Vancouver, passing Ambleside Beach and quaint little shops along Marine Drive to the village of Horseshoe Bay. Return along the Upper Highway and be sure to catch a view of the downtown skyline from the top of Cypress Mountain. The tour will bring you back into Vancouver through Granville Island where you will find a vibrant public market as well as an art gallery, specialty shops, restaurants and theaters. This is where the locals spend their weekends and days off. If there is time, be sure to stop by the nearby South Granville district for shopping and also to visit its many art galleries and antique stores. For a casual lunch, the fish and chips at Go Fish hit the spot, or head over to the big patio at Bridges for a burger or more. In the afternoon, take an Extended Panorama scenic flight of Vancouver. This 45-minute tour will take you up to Whistler and back along the Sunshine Coast – definitely a different perspective of the region. After the tour, it’s just a short stroll back to the hotel in time to refresh and enjoy a swim in our salt water pool. There are so many great restaurants in Vancouver, but for a total Vancouver experience, enjoy the 100 Mile Tasting Menu at Raincity Grill, where the focus is on regional ingredients and sustainability. Their award-winning wine list has an excellent selection of wines from British Columbia. After dinner, walk along English Bay and watch the sun go down.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

Blue Water Cafe

Cuisine: Seafood

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Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Tojo’s

Cuisine: Japanese

BEST SHOPPING

Betty Hemmings

For: distinctively crafted briefcases, business accessories, luggage and leather goods Address: 415 Hornby Street, V6C 2Y2

Fox & Fluevog

For: unique designer shoes by Vancouver native John Fluevog Address: 65 Water Street, V6B 1A1

Harry Rosen’s

For: premier men’s fashion Address: 650 West 41st Avenue, V5Z 2M9 and 700 West Georgia Street, V7Y 1E8

info@panpacificvancouver.com

SEBAS TEN TIJE

“In the morning, climb to the top of Grouse Mountain and enjoy its breathtaking views across Vancouver.

After breakfast at the Wedgewood Hotel, visit Stanley Park and view the one-hundred-year-old Hollow Tree, a long-standing old red cedar. Then take a trip to the nearby Museum of Anthropology, which houses one of the finest displays of West Coast First Nations art. Stop for lunch at Granville Island’s public market, browse the artists’ shops and sample the local microbreweries. In the afternoon, adventurous travelers will enjoy a seaplane excursion to the Sunshine Coast, an expedition rewarded by a lunch overlooking the Strait of Georgia and its forests, inlets and islands. Others can take in the sights at North America’s second largest Chinatown, with its Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, or Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood and historic district. A ferry ride to Victoria will reveal British Columbia’s beautiful Gulf Islands, Inner Harbor and the world-famous Butchart Gardens. Wildlife-viewing boat excursions and whale watching can be enjoyed at the lovely Horseshoe Bay.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

Bacchus Restaurant

Cuisine: Modern French

Blue Water Cafe

Cuisine: Seafood

Cioppino’s

Cuisine: Italian

BEST SHOPPING

Holt Renfrew For: designer apparel, beauty products and haute handbags for women Address: 737 Dunsmuir Street, V7Y 1E4

BEST TO DO

Grouse Grind Hike to the top of Vancouver’s Grouse Mountain Night skiing at Grouse Mountain

MATTHEW SCOTT

“It always begins with the Stanley Park seawall! Whether you walk, jog or cycle, the seawall allows you to enjoy both the beauty of the forest and the breeze of the ocean.

As you exit the park from the south side you will find yourself at English Bay: here you can see the locals relaxing with their ever-present cups of java. Follow the path to the Aquabus ferry terminal and cross False Creek to the Granville Island public market, which offers a bounty of fresh fruit, produce, seafood and more. Beyond the market are many unique artisans selling exquisite handmade original works of art. Hop back on the Aquabus, this time bound for Yaletown. Once you arrive, walk up the dock where a quaint lunch spot awaits: Provence Marinaside. Whether you choose to eat on the outdoor patio or opt for indoors, this casual space offers an array of breakfast, lunch, and brunch items to enjoy. A quick 20-minute walk through the city will bring you back to Fairmont Pacific Rim in time for afternoon tea. Our Asian spin on this English ritual has quickly become a local favorite. Enjoy dinner in ORU Cuisine, our hotel restaurant, which offers exquisite Pan Asian fare with recipes thoughtfully created from many of the chef’s favorite childhood dishes. After dinner, wander down to the Lobby Lounge for live music and perhaps a little dancing and then retire to Giovane Wine Bar for a glass of wine. We offer over 70 wines, including a selection of 40 by the glass. Wine in hand, thoughtfully reflect on the day before retiring for the evening.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

ORU Restaurant

Cuisine: Oriental

Blue Water Cafe

Cuisine: Seafood

CinCin Ristorante

Cuisine: Italian wood-fired

BEST SHOPPING

“Explore the vibrant cafes and shops of the ever-changing eclectic neighbourhoods along Main Street. Begin on lower Main Street browsing the one-of-a-kind vintage clothing shops and neighborhood coffee houses. Head south, known as SoMa, to find Canadian antiques and original items in home accessory stores.”