As a Seattleite, I think of Vancouver as a sister city (along with Portland). The whole Cascadia region shares a lot of the goods and bads. Homelessness is a huge problem of course, but the biking, walkability, and magnificent nature out our doorsteps is probably unbeaten anywhere in North America. I sort of think Vancouver is the nicest of the three because of the commitment to building a great transit network, as well as the impressive density of residential downtown. This is a great area of the continent and I'm glad you guys enjoyed it.
Your perception of Vancouver and its balance with nature is spot on. As a Vancouverite born and raised, I find myself consistently blown away when I travel and return back home, by the natural beauty at my doorstep. I definitely use the natural beauty too on a daily or at least weekly basis by going on walks on the seawall (there are many), or just around my local park, or for a hike in the North Shore mountains, or just to head down to the beach to chill out. It really is something irreplaceable! Btw thank you so much for your videos! I recently travelled to Istanbul and my girlfriend and I used your videos a lot to get tips and learn about some things to do. It was a great help!
I live in Cape Town and feel the same way. Nature, the beaches, the sea, the mountains. I guess Vancouver is a safe version of CPT although I've lived here 57 years now and never had a problem but Vancouver is definitely on my bucket list.
Glad to hear the videos have been helpful! Hope you all enjoyed your time in Istanbul -- such a cool city. You definitely have something special up in Vancouver!
The homelessness problem would go away easily, like you saw in Canada there is so much land to build low income housing which doesn't exist in BC Canada ..... such a shame , so happy you got see the beauty here in BC as it won't last long unless the housing issue gets fixed
Homelessness: keep in mind a lot of people come to Vancouver as homeless people because of the temperate weather compared to the rest of Canada. I may be totally off here but I witnessed this over many years of experience. 😞
You nailed it. Your first impression is exactly what Vancouver is: the dogs, daily contact with nature, walkable city (I live and work downtown and don't own a car as I walk everywhere), slower pace than other big cities. Even water features everywhere. 😄 Unfortunately, homelessness and drug addiction too.
American living in Vancouver here. I leapt at the chance to move here when the opportunity came my way, because of how Vancouver lets one enjoy both city life and access to nature. I live in an outer, majority-minority neighbourhood that is not on the main tourist track, and in my opinion the food scene is both better and less expensive than Downtown and the West End in areas like mine. It’s not as close to nature as the West End, but I can walk to a bus that takes me directly into Stanley Park. As others have said, Vancouver does actually consistently rank high for livability on lists of world cities. As to why it’s not so well-known, that is simple: Vancouver proper has a population of under 700,000 and the metro area as a whole has a population of about 2.5 million. That pales in comparison to true alpha world cities like NYC, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, etc. Vancouver is really a mid-sized regional city with a cosmopolitan population.
And... we like it this way. We do not aim to become like New York city. Our city has already become so populated compare to what it was even 10 years ago. Traffic is now everywhere. Keep in in mind, Vancouver was not designed to be a big city. If you look at the highway system you will understand. Highways do not go through the city. With everyone wanting to move here, balance has now to be found. Vancouver is already loosing its charm with the many high rises growing like mushrooms. Fyi, Vancouver has truely only started to become more cosmopolitan over the past decade to 15 years. Following the 2010 Olympic, we started to witness more immigration from various cultures and it has been steady since.
@@ttbt1234 I would say that as a port city, Vancouver has long had a cosmopolitan aspect, and that the thing that really kicked current trends into high gear was not the Olympics but the turnover of Hong Kong to China. The Olympics were merely a continuation and intensification of an already by then well-established trend.
That connection with nature is exactly why I love living here. I can swim in the 137m outdoor beachside pool before I head to my downtown office 10min away, and then after work I can drive 20min to the forests edge and hike an hour up the Grouse Grind (800m elevation gain) and be high up in the mountains watching the sun set over this spectacular city. If you love the outdoors, no large city comes close to what Vancouver offers.
Great observations. I think you got it right. I moved to Vancouver from Calgary about fifty years ago to go to university, and I still love it here. I've travelled internationally, but *everything I want is here.* I'll always come back. (I've never heard of Lee's Doughnuts.) I live in the West End, about a ten-minute walk from Sunset Beach, and about 15-20 min. from English Bay and Stanley Park. To answer your question, I rarely leave the West End or Downtown, because everything I want to see, or do, or buy is within an easy walk, here. Housing is extremely expensive here -- largely because for many years there was no control on rich "investors" snapping up properties, and renting them out for top dollar, or flipping them for a huge profit without doing a thing to improve them. With the government change, there are moves to crack down on non-resident buyers and speculators, which is starting to help improve the situation. That's one reason the homeless population is large -- but also it's a lot warmer here in the winter, so people tend to migrate out to the Pacific Coast from "back east", because they're less likely to freeze to death on the street.
Really recommend Montréal or Québec City next. Im from Ontario and those are my favourite places in the country. It’s like travelling to another country whenever I visit Québec. I’ve noticed the locals appreciate it when you ask them “do you speak English” in French. It’s a sign of respect.
I spent some time there back in the 90s so this is 25 to 30 years ago. It was when Hong Kong was being handed over to China and a lot of the money from there, fled to Vancouver. Housing prices became insane as many Chinese relocated there. Housing in Canadian cities has always been high. Vancouver is generally on the list as one of the most livable cities in the world, always in the top ten. It’s one of the most beautiful cities that I’ve ever been to. Stanley Park is amazing.
I remember in 1986 the house we rented with our new baby was sold to someone in Hong Kong who had hired an agent to buy 1 house a week. Add Expo 86 and the olympics and Vancouver has been a giant real estate sale for investors, removing accessability and shelter from those that were second and third generation Vancouverites.
I found your questions about Vancouver neighbourhoods quite interesting and it made me think about how I relate to them. I have lived in many and they all have a different vibe, character, and features. Many of the neighbourhoods are a walk, seabus, harbour taxi, or Skytrain (transit) ride from the seawall and downtown. The seawall itself touches many neighbourhoods (Yaletown, Coal Harbour, West End, south False Creek, Kitsilano, Olympic Village and others... These neighbourhoods are all connected via the Seawall (28km long) to each other and downtown. As a result, there is a lot of foot and bike traffic between and among these areas. There are many other neighbourhoods a bit further away, but also typically a short transit ride or bike ride away from the water, beaches etc. Many of these areas, although not all next to the water, are also destinations in their own right. Many people travel to the North Van, West Van (great sandy hidden pocket beaches), Main, Commercial, Jerico, Mt Pleasant, and other areas for their vibe, or food choices, parks, etc. There are many more but my experience in living in many of these areas is that we will travel among them for a change of pace, food, festivals, parks, etc. Of course, regardless of which area you start in, the Seawall walk is always a big draw on a nice day... you can pick forest, urban, market, downtown, or select from a number of beaches - whatever suits your mood at the time. Also, there is a park a short drive form Stanley park that is twice as big... roughly 2000 acres. It is a wild park between the city of Vancouver and the University of BC. It has many km of trails starting from the beach at Spanish Banks and climbing up to the plateau on which UBC rests. There are meadows, bogs, deciduous and evergreen forests. You can head to the beach then hike through the park and when you need a break duck out to UBC and grab a coffee or lunch. It make a very cool day that never gets old and can be differenct every time you go. Beyond that note that while Stanley park is a truly fantastic oasis in the heart of the city, and Pacific Spirit Park is a true wilderness in the city, basically everything from the top row of houses on the North Shore is park... 100s of thousands of hectares all the way up to and past Whistler. Happy exploring next time you're in town!
Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment! Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this. I'm looking forward to exploring more during the next visit and will definitely check out that park. Thanks again!
I felt bittersweet and nostalgic as you were talking about Vancouver. I used to be a local there. It was lovely. I just wish I could afford to live there but had to leave at the time after realizing I could not get head financially which stunted my growth and my ability to live my particular life to the max. Culturally its great. I bring that culture with me wherever I hang my hat.
As a vancouver local....you are absolutely correct about the access to nature. We love it here. Hiking and getting into nature is 90% of the cities young peoples recreational activities like even on dating apps those are typical dating activities. I think most of what you covered in this video is spot on tbh. I do not eat out but everything is expensive out here. Homelessness is INSANE out here. We have the biggest fentanyl epidemic globally. There's good there's bad. I lived in tbe neighboring cities and I worked in Van so yes back and forth every day. Surprisingly not often for recreation we usually bypass the city and go straight into the mountains. If you go again visit north Vancouver, it's gorgeous.
As someone who's lived in Vancouver for 20+ years, the nature aspect is one of the things I notice right away when I travel. Like I was in Toronto recently and it was jarring to compare downtown Vancouver to downtown Toronto. It was just a concrete jungle where here there's trees everywhere and you can't go that far without coming across dedicated green areas. I genuinely miss it when I'm visiting other places, but it's a really hard thing to articulate to other people.
It’s listed in the top, most liveable cities in the world. Only problem with those is they don’t take into account how expensive housing is here whether you’re buying or renting.
Indeed, you are correct about the access to nature. It’s within the city and all around us. The Mountains and thousands of miles of nature are our backyard. We also have ocean and mountains, which is pretty rare.
As a Vancouver local I never go downtown, it’s where all the traffic and crowds are. Those cool hip neighborhoods you speak of, that’s where most locals go eat/shop etc… Mt Pleasant, East Van etc…
Lee's Donuts is one of the biggest traps in the city IMO. Honey's donuts in Deep Cove is worth the drive every time. Although we do not have a unique food scene of our own, a massive component of our cuisine comes from our Asian influence. Vancouver has a huge Asian population, and with that comes the delicious foods that come from those countries. We are very lucky to have high quality Asian food everywhere in the city and surrounding areas. Whether it is Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indian, Persian, Malaysian, Thai...etc you name it, we have it. Whenever I travel, I crave Asian food the second I come home. Largely because I don't feel the Asian food I have had abroad stacks up to what we have back here in Vancouver. Unless of course the destination of my travel is in Asia. But I won't even attempt eating Asian food in parts of the States, Mexico or Europe. Maybe I am just a snob
My American husband ;an avid foodie) thinks Vancouver has a great culinary scene with immense diversity, he’s always bragging to his American friends and family that it’s relatively inexpensive (due to the 🇨🇦>🇺🇸 exchange rate) … & we travel a lot. I’m from Vancouver, and never really gave any thought to how wonderful my home city & metro region has to offer.
Vancouver is a relatively modern city and the urban planning has taken an educated approach. As a longtime resident ( also originally from Ontario) I must admit the cost housing is a little out of reach. We were fortunate to get into the market a long time ago, but we too couldn’t do it again if needed. That said even 40 years ago Vancouver was an expensive city compared to most Canadian the markets. The best way to enjoy moving around the city is on a bicycle ( e-bikes are especially fun because they flatten out the few daunting hills which do exist ). It is important to understand though that when a person travels to anywhere new they see most things with inch deep perspective. After spending some time there, societal cracks do become more obvious. Vancouver is not exempt of that just because it is a modern city. It is however still the very best in terms of climate and access to nature that Canada has to offer. ( In my opinion ).
I just came across your page and thanks for all you share. I have lived in Vancouver for 28 years. I've seen a lot of changes, but I've also seen a lot of changes in every other Canadian city. Other than the very high cost of living, it is a very liveable city. Especially if one loves nature and is active.The mountains, ocean, seawall - and the 6 beaches right downtown is likely why I have lived here longer than any other city I have lived in. It definitely has it's issues though, and has changed a lot over the years. I'm very grateful that I settled here when I did. Otherwise I definitely would not be able to afford to ($3,000+ per month for a 1 bdrm etc.) and I definitely would not have been able to buy. Plenty of people still do though "if" they can find a place as there is a major housing shortage sadly for rentals. As far as donuts go...I don't really know anyone who does the donut thing too much here. Maybe it's more of a tourist thing. Although coffee is huge. Looking forward to reading more of your posts. Hope you come back sometime. Happy travels!
I found your channel because I’m going to east Europe soon and I loved your tips and reviews . I decided to watch this one because I have lived in Vancouver for 8 years and I also have visited several cities around the world . Your thoughts are all correct (even the donuts which I don’t like lol). So now that I have watched your Vancouver videos I can trust your reviews from other cities , plus you have lived in several places and I trust your taste 😅 thank you! Amazing videos all
Vancouver is expensive for food, but go to the surounding cities and neighbourhoods for real good. Richmond for exceptional Chinese food that attracts people across North America, Surrey for Punjabi and Indian food, Coquitlam for Korean food.
I agree with your comments but the food Lees donuts is not Vancouver food. We have some of the best sushi and Asian food in the world. Our access to local farms, the sea and California produce gives us excellent food. I am not sure where you ate but you missed something good.
Totally agree. Not only ethnic restaurants, but a wide variety of ethnic grocery stores with authentic foods from Asia, India, The Caribbean, Africa, Middle East etc.
He's in Vancouver and eating a Lees donut. That makes it Vancouver food. Vancouverites are very sensitive. They need a lot of ego stroking to justify the cost of living there. I was born in Vancouver and moved to the Valley in the 90s so I could afford a house and kids. If I want to go to Vancouver, it's not that far.
Yes, I love Vancouver as a place to visit. I used to live there, but moved to smaller cities elsewhere in BC. I now have Victoria as my home when I'm not at home in Thailand. NEW FLASK: In case you missed it, Victoria was just named "The Best Small City in the World". Similar than Vancouver in some ways, but smaller, friendlier, cleaner and wonderfully walkable/bikable. Also much less rain than Vancouver.
Vancouver is and has been consistently at the top of the list on best livable cities of the world. Not sure what lists you’ve been looking at but it definitely has been at the top (usually the best for Canada as well). The main issues that drive it down the list nowadays are the housing costs and the homelessness issues (which are basically the same issue).
We live on the other side of the downtown bridges, close to Pacific Spirit park and the university. I travel downtown by bike for work everyday, I also hit various farmers markets throughout the City, also via bike. If you live in the actual City, not the suburbs, the City is very pedestrian and cyclist friendly, you really don’t need a car. Kits is a very popular neighbourhood, lots of restaurants, beaches and quick access to downtown. You’ll get the most out of living in Vancouver if you join clubs, running, musical, paddling etc, this is the best way to meet people and form community. Having a dog is also a great way to meet people, I still keep in touch with people I met at the dog park years ago. Lees donuts was good 20 years ago, but there’s so much better these days. If you didn’t eat any Asian food during your visit you missed out, great sushi, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese and Indian. Happy travelling!
The one thing that Vancouver does not need is an influx of misplaced Americans. Who judges a city by donuts? They are the most unhealthy food on the planet anyway . Dealing with Homelessness is a global problem. We love Vancouver.❤
Very interesting thoughts on the food in Vancouver. There are places that are absolutely overhyped on social media. Lee's Donuts being one of them. As a local, I've never understood the hype. It's a satisfactory donut. That's it. The location at Granville Island (another overhyped location) probably helps its visibility. Meanwhile, Mello Donuts in Chinatown remains amazing, and mostly unknown on social media. The donuts are fantastic. Metro Vancouver's food scene excels in it ethnic offerings and diversity, and that's mostly found in neighbourhoods outside of downtown and surrounding tourist traps. We live in Cnetral Vancouver and frequently visit Richmond, Burnaby and Coquitlam to eat.
skytrain makes downtown really accessible to the rest of the city. There are a lot of people myself included who don't live in vancouver per say but do live on skytrain so we kind of base our lives around where skytrain can go.
I'm an ex-Vancouverite, 25 years was enough...the homelessness and drug use eroded my love of the city. It was difficult to work in the DT east side but I actually do miss the food. There is a great melting pot of culture there and you can find everything you want. And the cycling is great....and the beaches. and the brew pubs...
I’m born and raised in Vancouver - of the 650 streets and avenues in the city, one only has to avoid a 5 block stretch along one street. Please. Vancouver has the same problem as every single metro area in North America and elsewhere, yet it’s contained.
You worked in the downtown eastside, right in the centre of homelessness and addiction. Most people here don't experience that because that is centralized in a 4 block radius.
Truth about the drugs and homeless but you have to remember that what you described is also true in major cities worldwide and not exclusive to Vancouver.
Nature is easily available. When I moved to Vancouver 35 years ago, the big thing people said was you could ski in the morning and play golf in the afternoon. Like when you travel to any city, where the tourists go to is different from where the locals go. This is especially true for restaurants. When you go into the West End, Commercial Drive, Kits, etc, there are restaurants serving food from all around the world. And as someone who spends a lot of time in the US, restaurant food is pretty inexpensive in Vancouver. Like many cities around the world, Fentanyl is destroying a lot of people. It is horrible to see here and in so many cities I have been to around the world. The whole Vancouver seawall is around 18 miles long. The path is for walking and cycling. It starts near the convention centre and goes all the way to the west side beaches out in the Point Grey neighbourhood. I'm not sure if you're talking about neighbourhoods (Yaletown, Kits, West End, Commercial Drive, Mount Pleasant, etc) or suburbs (cities like Richmond, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, etc). But my answer, as someone who lives in Yaletown, yes I do go to other neighbourhoods to walk, cycle, shop in, go to farmers markets and just explore the city. I do go to other cities: Steveston for fish and chips, West Vancouver to walk along the beach or go hiking in the mountains, North Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay. There is just so much to see. In response to commenters talking about how homelessness and drugs have 'destroyed the Vancouver', I would say that is a huge over generalization. Yes, there definitely is a big problem in parts of downtown, mainly the Downtown Eastside. But that is a tiny part of a wonderful city. It reminds me of when I took my parents to Seattle about 25 years ago. My mom wanted to use a washroom. She went to 3 different places downtown and the washrooms were not clean (or up to her standard). Since then, she still says that Seattle is a dirty city. Vancouver is a beautiful city, with lots of diversity, nature, and great people. And like many (most) large cities, it also has its problems. I feel very blessed to be able to live in Vancouver.
Chinese food is normally very good and authentic in major Canadian cities because of the sheer size of the Chinese communities in these locations. I'm not talking Michelin quality; I'm referring to average Asian eateries everywhere in these cities beat the pants off what you'll find in most cities around the world, including the U.S. (possibly barring places like NYC and LA). Other Asian cuisines, like Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese, are super abundant in Canadian cities (again, I mean "normal" eateries, not fine dining places).
I been living in Vancouver for over 30 years. The nature is amazing, if you’re in to hiking, biking ect you will definitely enjoy this city but the catch is its only sunny for about 4 months of the year, the rest it’s mostly raining 🌧️ also its very expensive here, especially housing, To rent and especially to buy! I would say this city is good for people who are in to nature dont mind rain and are not struggling financially.
Born and lived in Vancouver 1955-2010. I have now shifted to Vancouver island to escape the density . Vancouver was always like a small town . Even though classified as a major city, it never felt that way. The major changes I saw were driven by events that although were cultural amounted to giant real estate sales. I refer to expo 86 and then 2010 olympics. Each time I watched as they sucked the money away from small businesses and killed neighborhood high streets. I watched as wealthy investors who didn’t live here, would be buying a property a week. If they couldn’t develop the way they wanted they torched it or let it rot. All of this driving rents and property prices out of reach. Homelessness is world wide. In Canada being homeless in a city where you won’t freeze to death in winter is a consideration. The minimum wage in BC won’t pay the rent on a basic apt. Don’t need to be on drugs to be on the street. Nature access is wonderful and deeply part of me, but when I visit and see how far up the north shoe mountains the development has climbed it saddens me. The trails and hiking are wonderful but are becoming crowded. As a young adult I could be up Cypress mountain in 30 minutes and cross-country skiing for free. Now I couldn’t afford it.
I used to live near Joyce and Kingsway around the corner from the amazing Jambo Grill (East African/Indian). You could hear 6 different languages just going that far. The restaurants ranged from Indian, Chinese , Vietnamese and more. Not alot of nature right there but Joyce Station to Comercial and then a short bus to UBC and you could be at Wreck Beach in Pacific Spirit Park.
Sure, Stanley Park is a gem, and seems large by some standards, but wow there is so much more. Pacific Spirit Park on the Point Grey Peninsula is significantly bigger than Stanley Park, and it surrounds UBC, a gorgeous campus. Sandy beaches all around as well, all of which is about 20 minutes from downtown (by car, but also well served by transit). Also by transit or car: Lighthouse Park, an untouched old growth forest (take the loop trail instead of straight down to the lighthouse). There's tons more incredible hiking on all the mountains, and even decent skiing, with 3 ski areas visible from the city, and Whistler 100km / 60 mi beyond. And it doesn't end at the outskirts, it just keeps going and going, getting wilder and more remote all the way up to Alaska, or east to the Rockies. In short, for an active lifestyle of hiking, biking, skiing, sailing, kayaking etc, you really can't beat this city. Homelssness is probably exacerbated by having the mildest winters in Canada, but yes, it is a challenge everywhere, and it is not just about poverty but mental illness, abuse, and addiction. I really wish we did better, but I suspect treating the causes might have to precede just dealing with the outcomes.
Your observations are pretty much right on with respect to the abundance of nature available to Vancouverites. I'll leave it to others to comment on foodie comparisons but I don't hear many complaints. As the longtime leader of a year-round outdoor walking group of West End seniors, we feel so blessed to have such natural beauty at our doorstep ... there's something about a walk under the canopy of an old growth forest or a brisk stroll on the seawall to refresh the body and satisfy the soul. No need to drive anywhere to find such refreshment. Keep up the good work, kiddo.
Absolutely we wander all around the city and metro - and it takes years to see it all. There are so many unique communities and neighbourhoods and what I like the most is that by and large the shops and restaurants are family owned or local - not chains - so way more variety.
Stay near commercial dr next time, much better food than downtown - little Italy, but also lots of other cultures here. Also make sure to go into the mountains on the north shore, much more expansive than Stanley Park and worth the trip 😊
Was fortunate enough to spend time in both those areas and you're spot on! The mountains were incredible and we had a few great meals over on Commercial Dr. Thanks for the recs!
Very cool to hear your perspective on Vancouver. Next visit check out Lynn Canyon on the North Shore. This is accessible by transit and the hiking trails are spectacular. Stanley Park is indeed surrounded by water but isnt an island. Many locals are being pushed out to suburbs as Vancouver and the North Shore has become very expensive. Hosting Expo '86 changed Vancouver forever as far as growth in population. The secret of our quieter city was released! Nature is just outside our doors. Kayaking one moment to hiking the beautiful mountain trails all in a day. Cheers to Beautiful BC.😊
Another point you touch on is whether people go downtown. The answer is no. If you don’t work downtown there is literally no reason to go downtown since the neighbourhoods of Vancouver have everything you’d need. Downtown is generally avoided unless you’re going to a play, musical, symphony, fancy restaurants, very specific shopping, clubbing, or showing out-of-town friends and family around.
And about Stanley Park… locals rarely go there, or Gastown for that matter because of how many tourists clung up the place. We have other parks like Pacific Spirit Park, all the beaches, and the north shore forests to enjoy.
@@davidmcintosh7563 exactly! And even if you live a little more East, I rather just take the highway and go to Harrison or Steelhead area :) Or Golden Ears when it's not stupidly packed.
Exc comment re walkability great to hear. Our dad loves walking and using transit to seeing greenery people making new friends. He takes transit to work bus always on time clean seats. His car is rarely used. Much better for one's health to walk and use transit.
When you come to visit Vancouver again, take the ferry over to our lovely Victoria! Beautiful nature and if you think Vancouver has great bike infastructure, you should see Victoria (though some locals find it overkill). Unfortunately, both cities are expensive and the homelessness situation is real and heartbreaking.
I love how eloquent you were about the homelessness/mental health crisis that plagues my home town. It's hard to witness even for us locals. As for doughnuts, you should have hit Cartem's or Lucky's at Parallel 49. I lived in Yaletown on the Seawall, Fairview/Mt. Pleasant, as well as Fraser/Sunset areas, and I was in and out of downtown and the surrounding areas daily as they all have their own unique offerings. In terms of the access to nature, you're spot on, and it's like that even in the rain and snow.
The food comment is surprising to me because I consider Vancouver to have a hand cuff on me because of the access incredibly authentic and affordable ethnic restaurants, arguably only on the Asia side, that I don’t see anywhere else in the world. Sure, our produce is like other big North American cities, but have you considered the ethnic grocery chains everywhere? They are usually cheaper produces and everywhere as well. I would say that compare to Montreal, where it is also a very diverse place, their access to good seafood and other non-europe-centric food is one of the biggest problem for me when I considered moving there. Plus the winter there is truly awful. I don’t like Lee’s donut, it is just a tourist spot.
I lived in North Vancouver for 17 years and the view from my deck out into the forests of the North Shore Mountains made it feel like I was living in a national park, not 20 minutes from the downtown of a city with 3 million people. The access to nature plus the nature of that nature is why the tourism slogan for years was Supernatural, British Columbia.
After moving to Vancouver, I find myself spending a lot more time outside. Whether it's jogging the seawall, biking around Stanley Park, or just walking around the many parks, I always feel connected to nature! Side note though - Lee's Donuts is very touristy and not particularly high quality. There's a lot of delicious non-fine dining options that are excellent. Vancouver really shines when it comes to moderately priced/affordable Asian food. The Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese food here is top notch. As for donuts, my favourite would be the Korean donut shop, Mello!
Lived downtown for 30 yrs… Nature IS why I am here. Food - great restaurants. Went to a 3 Michelin star restaurant in San Fran this month - and a 1 star in Vancouver… Vancouver was faaaaarrrr superior. Usually I never donut… :)
I'm in my 60's and have lived in or close to Vancouver all of my life. I don't make much use of the natural part but it's nice to see it all the time. I live in a neighbourhood close to downtown and go there regularly but many people avoid it. The homelessness isn't the problem but it's the drug addiction and mental health issues that are. Vancouver is one of the only two cities in Canada where you don't freeze to death outside in the winter. It's also a major port and entry point for drugs. The people you are seeing are from all over BC and the rest of Canada. Vancouver has become a magnet for them and there is a massive and well-funded infrastructure for them and it's centered in downtown Vancouver, which is very unfortunate. In many other cities the same level exists but it's spread out. I saw almost no addicts in Manhattan and London when I was there recently but they are present, but out of sight of the tourists.
Wow! I love that you love my city! I have visited many cities and I still regard Vancouver as THE ONLY city I want to live. I guess I am very much like you who value highly walkability, nature interrwined within the city. i love walking and in fact, i do not have a car. The Vancouver suburbs (neighbourhood) are worth exploring... they are equally stunning or even more, actually.. you still have many places to explore.
The layout goes: downtown Vancouver, uptown Vancouver, Metro Vancouver aka the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) which are the surrounding cities like Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and several others that are more suburban, and then beyond those are the cities like Maple Ridge, Chilliwack, Mission, and several others which are suburban with some rural parts. Then, there’s the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, which is a whole other world.
As a Vancouver local living in "the suburbs" New Westminster, and knowing people living in some other neighborhoods as well, I'd say locals tend to avoid downtown. You just go if you need to attend an event or something. Otherwise, there are really nice pockets of nature all around the Greater Vancouver. One of the never do, is drive to Vancouver downtown. Really inconvenient! In terms of food, as many have stated before, there are PLENTY of really authentic cuisines from around the world. Missing an Argentinian restaurant, tho!
Re: “neighborhoods”, the entire area used to be called the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) and is just known as The Lower Mainland. I’ve lived in various parts of it from right downtown, Richmond, New Westminster & Burnaby. We have always enjoyed exploring every part from West & North Vancouver to White Rock. It’s that diversity of areas and the beauty to be found in each that makes it so amazing to live here. You can go to the Fraser Valley, up one of the three ski mountains in town, to endless beaches, parks and botanical gardens and most are free. My favourite spot to live is Richmond. It’s on the water, has an amazing urban/farm land ratio maintained so you can get organic delicious food right from farms close to your home year round. The airport is there as its secret beach that feels like you are in the wild. Hope you found it. Finally it has a lot of ethnic diversity (not just Asian) with amazing food & festivals.
The answer to ‘do ppl visit other parts of Greater Vancouver area?’ Is yes. Ppl don’t necc live in the same part of GVRD (greater Vanc regional district) as they work. Ppl have friends & family in all parts of the city. We travel around for school, sports, events, shopping, etc. My husband works everywhere between Lions Bay (south of Squamish) to Delta, Langley, Tsawwassan, Ladner, etc. we live in North Van.
When you live in the suburbs of Vancouver you might have a short drive to get into nature, but you have more variety than just Stanley park and the sea wall.
One thing worth noting is Transit - which is relatively well developed for the size of the city, at least in North American terms. But what makes that even more special is the technology used by SkyTrain which is still not that common in the world, (but catching on). Basically with relatively small automated (driverless) trains, the system is very flexible and a pleasure to use. On the busiest line (Expo Line) going in and out of Downtown at rush hour, trains are 90 seconds apart. You're just never waiting for trains for long. Off peak, maybe more like 3 minutes apart and maybe up to 6 minutes on some lines / times. It's also flexible, thanks to being driverless, so if there's a hockey game or concert in the stadium, they just shoot a bunch of extra trains out at the right time with a push of a button. You'll also notice if you look out in certain directions towards the suburbs -clusters of towers. This is T.O.D. - Transit Oriented Development. Certain areas clustered around skytrain stations have become towering cities unto themselves. Vancouver is very geographically constrained, hence density has to make up for it.
If you liked Vancouver and Amsterdam, you would love Montreal and Quebec City (although Nov-April is quite cold). My partner and I moved to the Netherlands from the US and we still dream about the food, nature, and quiet vibrancy of Quebec. Montreal also probably has the best metro system in North America (apart from say NYC in terms of expansiveness), and in Quebec City we had the best food of our lives. It felt like a region that combined North American, Scandinavian, and French culture - like you are in multiple places at once.
@@camdendavid It’s been great, overwhelming, but in short…I feel more hopeful about the future here. It’s sort of a ‘Goldilocks’ country, where things aren’t too extreme, you can visit a small beach town, hike in a national park, and get dinner in Amsterdam all in the same day, the culture is less status oriented, and it’s really cozy almost everywhere you go 😊 It’s not all roses but I think that has more to do with the experience of being a foreigner and not related to the country itself.
I am a local born here and with regards to accessing and/or utiilizing all that the city offers I regularly do the following: 1. Gravel cycling the seawall and Pacific Spirit Park and numerous other urbal trails and mountain bike the nearby trails on the North Shore and Whistler, 2.Urban hike around my neighborhood (Grandview Woodlands) 3. Hike local mountain trails (North Shore) 4. Go to local neighborhood festivals such as Italian Festival on Commercial Drrive, Car Free Day Festivals etc. The important thing to note is that I am not alone in this participation and activity. Vancouverites in my opinion are actively seeking things to do and explore in their own city all the time.
Hiya! Long time Vancouverite here! 😊 Great feedback on our city! To answer your question- do people who live downtown venture to the other neighbourhoods of Vancouver and vice versa? Absolutely! All the time. I live in the West End (next to Stanley park)/ downtown- and I’m always going to say Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Commercial drive etc- for shopping, events to see friends etc. Everything really is so close. it takes me anywhere from 25 min to 1 hour to walk or bike to most places. Public transit is great too. Really Vancouver is so small- most areas don’t feel far away and each has something unique to offer. Great video by the way! Just stumbled upon your TH-cam channel today ☺️
Absolutely! Vancouver is such a beautiful city. Have you done an ‘Unfiltered Thoughts’ on Toronto yet? That would be really interesting to see. Thank you for your really informative work, Camden.
I haven't seen your Toronto thoughts yet but you have to discover the ravine system. Most hidden in a big city. I'm less than four blocks away from my closest access where I could walk down to the lake. About 10km (to Cherry Beach dog park) or up all the way out of the city to north cottage country and I'd never have to walk along a street for long. It's ravine all the way.
I am from Vancouver. It is really close to nature. I definitely agree about Lee’s donuts, it is nothing special. One reason why there is so much homelessness in Vancouver is because a lot of people come here in the winters since it is one of the few places that isn’t frozen in the winters since. I do love that you can get lots of good international food, especially Asian. Housing prices are outrageous, but we have the ocean and mountains here. It is nice to see how much you enjoyed our city. If you are in the outskirts, you do go downtown to work or for different food or events. People from downtown don’t go to the outskirts as much without having a specific purpose (hiking, farms).
Born and raised in Vancouver and I live in a neighbourhood outside the downtown core but like many who don't live downtown, I pass through downtown every day going to and from work and many of us work downtown. Also, we do go downtown for a Saturday night out or special event.
Born and raised in Vancouver here. Dog-friendly: yes. If you have a home that allows dogs. Many rentals don't or they limit the size and number of dogs you can have. Water features: I never really noticed that. I usually think of the 9 months of rain as the main water feature. ;) Nature: absolutely. Untouched? No. You have to go very far north to get untouched. The access to nature is awesome. It is getting very very crowded on the trails in the last 5 years or so and there have had to be limits put on how many people can be on the trails because of that. It also causes a false sense of security. People will access a trail they have no business being on while unprepared because some blogger wrote about a trip they went on. Food: we have a large number of 'granola-crunchy' people who only eat Whole Foods type food. But the large grocery stores are very much like the US, minus the alcohol. The trauma is so in your face in one particular area of the city because it is so concentrated. The spread between have and have nots is really apparent in Vancouver. It is a very walkable city and so much access to bike routes that go nearly everywhere. Going downtown: when we lived in the suburbs as kids, going downtown was a treat. We went to Granville Island a lot. Going to the symphony or to do a downtown activity on the skytrain was super fun. Now as an adult I don't like going downtown as I prefer my local neighbourhood or nature to unwind. Most people like to spend their time in their local neighbourhood or maybe the adjacent one. Traffic getting to the mountainous area can be horrendous on weekends because everyone going there and back has to funnel into two bridges.
Great description of Vancouver! I moved here 7 years ago and am still in love with this city for same reasons you listed. I will admit that I am missing the smell and taste of European bakeries and patisseries. We have few great places but it’s just not the same here. The safety in some areas and the cost of living are important considerations but hey which great cities don’t have some attractive and inconvenient aspects.
Without it's great location , Vancouver is a beautiful generic North American city. If you want to see a city with it's own identity ,you should go to Montreal.
The weather is the main thing that holds Vancouver down. Its fantastic in the 2 months of the year that the sun is shining. The cold November rain will get to you the other 10 months of the year.
@@Joferry2000 Yes, don't you miss the sun? Don't you miss having dry feet? I play golf all year rain or shine (but it's usually just rain). I go out on the water most weekends. I used to ski >100 days a year. I eat at Granville Island at least once a week. I live the Vancouver lifestyle. It's not horrible for Canada but for a "world class city" the weather is not good. My kids used to cry when they were little after returning from California or Hawaii the second we stepped out of the airport into rain.
Be careful, once you move here for a month you will never leave. The main drawback is the overcast skies in winter. I don’t mind the rain but not seeing much sun is a downer. Many people hit the slopes in winter or plan a trip to Hawaii or Mexico to beat the winter blues. Have fun on your next adventure.😊
Gotta get out of central Vancouver to find the best food scenes. We are totally a foodie city with access to the most ethnic/diverse offerings - hope you come back and give it another go!
I grew up on the west coast. Nanaimo as a kid. Burnaby, Surrey as an Adult. I now live in Edmonton AB. The reason why I moved. The big one is 6-7 months of rain. It is a rain forest climate so from October to about April you have rain. No Sun just grey skies. Even on the days with no rain it’s cloudy. The next is cost of living. It is out real for rent. Forget about buying a house when most start at $800,000. Yes you can find cheap places to eat but it is still expensive. To visit during the summer is great but live. Hmmmm.
Halifax is my new favorite Canadian city. Everything I love about Vancouver without the negatives. I suggest you visit before the inevitable urban decay finds its way to the east coast.
Can you go Snowboarding after work in Halifax? Because one of the really nice perks here is mountains are so close you can do winter sports after you finish your work day!
NY has its bridge and tunnel separating people culturally, and Vancouver has is bridges, bridges and more bridges separating people distinctly from each other. Suburbs are very American. Downtown is great, but I am glad we left 24 years ago. We're nearby in Victoria which is even more walkable than Vancouver, but driving distances are way less and wilderness is even more accessible.
A week is not enough in Vancouver. I moved to Vancouver and moved back to Montreal where Im from after 2 years. It's a spectacular city because of the surrounding nature. It's the rain and greyness that I couldn't stand. I needed more sun in the winter. Same weather as Seattle. Depressing.
OMG. Everything you say about Vancouver is correct. It does have beautiful nature and mountains etc. However, it has the most depressing winter weather...bone chilling wet cold. It may not get the deep cold of some other areas of Canada but the almost constant winter rain and often near freezing temperatures have prevented me from ever considering living in coastal BC again. It gives me chills just thinking about it.
The homelessness issue is a real tough nut to crack. I first visited Vancouver in 1984 (I am from Ontario) and was specifically told not to go to Oppenheimer Park due to a drug and homelessness problem. Nothing has changed in 40 years except it has gotten worse. A big part of the problem was letting mentally ill patients out of the mental hospitals in the 1970's in what was seen as a compassionate policy but , due to lack of ongoing support, plus releasing some people who should never have been released due to the serious nature of their mental illness, well.... Then the scourge of drugs made it worse, plus legacy racism against the Indigenous who were displaced as the city grew and finally all this misery concentrated in the same area, the poorest postal code in all of Canada, the downtown eastside. Another aspect is that, like in California, this is considered the warmest winter climate in Canada so we get an extra dose of people in the winter coming from the other colder provinces. Also there is what I call the Misery Industry which perptuates the problems they are supposed to solve, all being paid high wages with no incentive to jeopardize their jobs by actually solving the problem. Quite honestly, I think they should redevelop the whole area and disperse all these troubled souls so they aren't surrounded by others who keep leading them down the wrong path. Kind of like it's better to keep people out of prison in the first place if you really want to rehabilitate them - we should keep troubled people OUT of the downtown eastside as it just creates more trouble, if that makes sense. We need to get rid of the Misery Industry and have proper funding for housing. You can't do much without a roof over your head and a safe place to live.
Love your on-point videos!! I live in North Van and grew up around here; interesting to hear your perspectives, especially with your wife being from Toronto (which is our American Canadian city!). I've travelled a ton (60 countries & counting), and I think that Vancouver is a fantastic 'place'...but it doesn't hold a candle to other world-class cities as a 'city' destination. As another commenter mentioned, Lee's Donuts is only popular because of Seth Rogan, and shouldn't be a measure of our food scene - which is diverse, ethnic, and up and coming. I go to other Vancouver neighbourhoods and the suburbs (different) mostly due to friends/family, shopping, restaurants, and breweries. Yes, the homeless situation is awful, and it's multi-faceted but primarily due to mental illness, fentanyl, and cost of housing - and is by no means a Vancouver-only problem (we just get more because it's warmer here).
Lees is a tourist trap imo. I was in Japan recently and they have amazing pastries that put us to shame, but there’s also tourist trap deserts (the one yen edible coin, fluffy pancakes, etc.). When you do a proper search you’ll find some amazing pastries! We have a lot of great Asian and French bakeries that do a great job!
Seems like lots of parolees who get out out prison choose Vancouver. I was at the Winnipeg Via Rail station and noticed that Corrections Canada had a parole office there. Seems like parolees get free train tickets to Vancouver once they are out. They then end up in the downtown eastside in Vancouver homeless and addicted to drugs.
As a Vancouverite, I can confidently say that we have an incredible variety of affordable restaurants here, because we are such a multicultural city, and the quality and authenticity is usually very high. We have very high end restaurants that the average person wouldn’t normally go to, but if you have a craving for Vietnamese, Japanese (some of the best sushi in the world), Chinese, Thai, Philippine, Vegan fare, Farm to Table, etc., that is quite reasonable in price, you will find it here.
I live here and I've never heard of Lee's Donuts. Also a foodie, I think the culinary experience here is more like a NYC with the variety of cultures and affordability. Lots of local markets and seasonal choice as an alternative to the major chains.
you really made me think so I was hoping to comment on a few of your questions and comments I used to live in Vancouver and I now live on the island but as a person who lived in British Columbia for a long time and lived in Vancouver for 20 years these are my thoughts can we afford the food? The really awesome foodie restaurants are very pricey. But then the little mom and pop shops when you get to know them, you can find really amazing things. I really miss all the great little veggie stores and Asian markets, etc. that were in Vancouver where you could go and find food to make yourself if you’re a foodie that were so affordable in comparison. like so many places I have found when I travel you’re quite often recommended the things that I would always skip and sometimes it takes a while to get to know the little hidden secrets because nobody really wants you to know about them !!! the best experiences are always a little bit off the beaten path 😊re: nature I think almost anywhere in British Columbia that you live or visit, You’re going to have nature close by now you’re never going to have everything and I have to say for a city. Vancouver has a lot close by, but if you don’t have a lot of money and you have to live in the burbs you’re not as close to the beach and you hardly ever go because it takes you so long to get there kind of thing. That’s why I moved away from Vancouver, but I’ll get to that in a minute. It seems like everywhere in this province we have a problem with homelessness and there are multiple issues with that and I know that that is not even an acceptable terminology anymore, but I don’t know the right words. it is our incredible climate here that draws so many people who cannot afford to actually stay alive in a lot of colder places so they come here. We also have a great system that seems to take care of everyone pretty much and at the same time nobody really. with the economy it seems to me like most people that I know are just barely hanging on, but we do take care of those less fortunate. I do think so that we have a very messed up idea in our country that someone had the brilliant idea that if you give free drugs, it’s going to decrease overdose and homelessness, and from what I can see, it has increased exponentially. I think here like everywhere it is very expensive to live. and this is the first time I’ve seen your blog and if your jam is only cities, then I have to say Vancouver is probably one of the best, but I cannot figure out why anyone would want to spend time in Vancouver when they can come to Vancouver Island, there is this vibe like Island time the pace slows down the access to nature is triple fold. I got sick of vancouver after a while, you’re right it started to feel too busy to me and too much like the US in that it lost its person next-door feeling. when I lived in Vancouver, I lived in the West End. Well, no I’ve lived all over Vancouver lol but I was close to Stanley Park and to the ocean and to the shopping and to the restaurants. I have also lived in quite a few burbs there, and they all have their pros and cons, and they all have their lovely parks, and they all have their cute and trendy restaurants. but honestly, I love Vancouver Island since I left Vancouver I hardly ever have a desire to go back. here I have all the box stores if I want them a 20 minute drive away and I have a beach less than 20 minutes in five directions I can hop on my ebike and in five minutes be in the country - farms, wineries etc. I highly recommend when you come back to British Columbia spend maybe two days in Victoria because it’s just a mini Vancouver. go to the great places on the island like Tofino, the Comox Valley and also where I currently live, which is the cowichan valley. we are warmer here. There are farms everywhere with fresh produce. I buy organic meat at the farms and at the farmers market. there are beaches so close everywhere. and why would you wanna share a busy beach when you could go Find a totally quite private one??? and visit a winery or two on the way? There’s not a lot of choices, but it is not like the US - you have all the chain stores. I personally haven’t been to the donut shop you talked about. but I go to the little one ofs, coffee, shops, restaurants, that all have their own individual flare. They are personally owned with people who have a lot of pride and work really hard. There’s little gems all over the island. honestly, I’ve been to the US. I’ve been to Europe and I love them all and I would go back again but I could go on vacations every weekend 20 minutes an hour away and I could experience an entirely different experience each time and there is nature of every degree depending on how, brave and experimental, you are! every town has parks, but then you can drive down the road and go explore places that are very natural, ocean, wildlife experience, different foods and berry picking or whatever your level is that you want to experience but I see you and your baseball hat, talking about being a foodie well there’s nothing like diet on the fact that we have everything around us!!!! I think you missed the boat when you didn’t take the big white boat across the water lol. I can handle Vancouver one or two days a year, but I’ll never move back now that I’m in Island mode. lol.
Born in Vancouver in '72, lived near Vancouver all my life. I'll see if I can answer your questions. 1. Nature? Absolutely! From the mountains and the beaches to the parks - not just Stanley - but the local parks and protected wildlife areas - we make great use of our connection to all this beauty on a regular basis (though it never feels like it's enough). Make sure to see Queen Elizabeth park - the views, and flowers in spring, are spectacular. 2. Food? Yeah - we are very Americanized, as they are our next-door neighbours and our biggest trading partners. However, cheap excellent eats as others have said are plentiful - just got to know where to go - lots of hidden gems. Bin 4 Burger Lounge on South Granville - some of the best burgers I've ever had (not super cheap but amazing food). 3. Homelessness? It's always been a problem - since Covid it's been worse - and it's always been connected to drugs, but now fentanyl makes it much worse. That said, homelessness is not a large part of the population or takes up a large part of the city - they are just very visible - so people notice. Which I'd say is important, because it's a problem that needs to be worked on. 4. Non-downtown Vancouver? Yes, there are places we go - the PNE/Playland is a huge draw in the summer. Many places to go and see in and around UBC like the Museum of Anthropology. Beside Q.E. Park is Nat Bailey Stadium - one of the best places to watch a ballgame. Kits and West 4th ave - great food and kitschy stores. Commercial Drive - amazing cultural food, events, people - must go especially during a World Cup! 5. Else? Robson and Granville: Epic streets with cool stuff happening all the time. False Creek: Wonderful walking or riding paths right by the ocean. In North Van, Lynn Valley suspension bridge and creek - one of my favourite places ever anywhere. In West Van, Lighthouse Park - the oldest, largest trees in the Vancouver area - real wilderness with well-maintained trails less than 30 mins away from downtown. Why not more popular? Cost of living is high. Public transportation is problematic. But most of all? We don't promote. We get enough tourist dollars without much promotion as it is, so we like to keep things relatively quiet lest we get overwhelmed with visitors. That said, we'd love to have you back. Thanks for the thoughtful vid!
I live on Vancouvers North Shore. It does indeed make many of the best places to live in the world lists. It’s not perfect - it’s very expensive and because many want to move here, salaries can be a bit lower irregardless. The homeless issue is real anywhere in Canada and while the DTES is not great, outside of that it looks like most places in Canada. Vancouver is more a town than a big city - it’s opposite to TO. The ability to recreate here, if that’s your thing, is unparalleled anywhere in the world with all the sheltered salt water, mountains, mountain sports and nature very close to the city. The taxes are making me crazy but outside of that, can’t beat it.
I lived on the prairies until I was 14 so I know winter. I have been in Vancouver now for 30 years. Love eonough that I’ve moved into a van rather than move away but rental prices are definitely going to change the great down to earth neighborhoods. Also never heard of Lees. Sushi here is world class
i live in riley park/little mountain, adjacent to mount pleasant. usually i'll go downtown for events (shows/concerts that book the larger, more mainstream venues, meetups), for certain types of shopping (eg: apple store, other big brands), to meet up with people who live/work around there, or for running / biking around the seawall. it's a quick bike ride or drive, and you can skytrain most of the way back if you don't want to go up a hill again. it's great to have easy access to, but not ideal for living after your early 20s. in my opinion/experience, the neighbourhoods surrounding the downtown area are better for day to day quality of life in late 20s and beyond. you have easy access to smaller shows (like at the wise hall, biltmore, hollywood), smaller family businesses (like neptoon records), and new cafes/restaurants/bakeries/etc (before they franchise and can inflate prices based on a name and prioritize scaling above quality). also, there is more space for your dog(s). i agree, lee's donuts is overrated! 49th parallel/luckys and cartems are the best ;)
A few points... First, about the homeless. As others have already mentioned, one reason Vancouver has a large relative homeless population is that thid is one of a very few cities in Canada with temperatures mild enough in the winter that the homeless can survive outside. So Vancouver's homeless population comes from everywhere. It is true that we have not figured out how to manage/serve/adequately care for the homeless--people who often suffer from mental health and addiction issues. But, as a Vancouverite, I am proud that we remain committed to that struggle. Many other comparable North American cities simply herd and bus the homeless out to suburbs or assign them to dangerous, under-served government-run ghettos. I am proud that we have not resorted to those "solutions" in Vancouver and hope that we keep working to and eventually do find the better path.
Second, yes, property costs alot to buy or rent in Vancouver. Less expensive than Paris, Manhattan, Sydney Australia, Hong Kong, etc.--but still at the high end. But total "occupancy costs" (my term) are lower than for many comparable cities. Property taxes, utility service costs (internet, phone, electricity, heat) tend to be significantly higher in comparable US cities. Part (not all) of the reason real estate and rental costs are high is that the VCs are exploiting the opportunities to capitalize on the lower (relative) occupancy costs. We pay almost 5× more--all taxes and levies included--per kWh for electricity in a small home we own in the US than we pay in Vancouver. And most of that proximate access to nature that you talk about is "free" (paid for out of our property taxes, which are till lower than they are for most comparable US properties). If you choose to live in Vancouver because you are, primarily, "outdoorsey", the numbers don't feel so bad.
Finally--for now--the food scene. Vancouver has our fair share of US-style big retail chains, e.g. Safeway, Costco, Walmart, etc. And the products they sell look like and often are no different from what you see in the US. But US-style retail chains tend not to do as well, financially, in Vancouver as one might expect, given Vancouver demographics. That is because a significant share of the Vancouver population is steadfastly loyal to smaller, independent stores. So--especially, but not only, in the neighborhoods you mention--you see more independent groceries, coffee shops, clothing stores, etc., than we typically see in most comparable US cities. It costs a little more to buy your steak or lamb at Jackson's, or your seafood from any of the 3 fish markets at Granville Island, or your groceries from Stong's. But these are mostly 3rd generation family-owned businesses that deliver high quality and have survived competition from Safeway due to the loyalty of their neighborhoods.
To live in Vancouver for a month, you have to list all of the favorite activities of you and your wife Then we can recommended the best location and best month (e.g. skiing, canoeing, hiking, road/mountain/gravel biking)
As a local who's lived in Vancouver for decades and also travelled extensively around the world, you're on point with many of your observations. Vancouver is ranked in the top 5 of most liveable cities in the world. It's the 3rd largest city in Canada so doesn't get quite the same attention like the bigger cities of Toronto and Montreal, just like the big cities like New York, London, and Paris overshadow smaller cities in their countries. Also, Vancouver is a relatively young city (just over 130 years) so it doesn't have that unique historical or cultural draw like London and Paris. It's been a sleeper on the world stage that has now been discovered in the last two decades and that unfortunately has led to unaffordable housing prices. Demand has driven prices to levels comparable to places like New York and Tokyo. This (along with also being the gateway for illicit drugs from Asia) lead to the homeless problem you've mentioned. Regarding all those "water features" around the city, that's because Vancouver is also known for its dreary winter season where it can rain for weeks on end (doesn't snow much) without seeing any sun. It has a nickname, "Raincouver" or the "WetCoast" of Canada.
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Yes. I was born in Vancouver. I’m 82 now and I can still go out in the forests or the ocean and appreciate this. ❣️
Much love
As a Seattleite, I think of Vancouver as a sister city (along with Portland). The whole Cascadia region shares a lot of the goods and bads. Homelessness is a huge problem of course, but the biking, walkability, and magnificent nature out our doorsteps is probably unbeaten anywhere in North America. I sort of think Vancouver is the nicest of the three because of the commitment to building a great transit network, as well as the impressive density of residential downtown. This is a great area of the continent and I'm glad you guys enjoyed it.
My exact thoughts . Vancouver it’s, but love Seattle
Your perception of Vancouver and its balance with nature is spot on. As a Vancouverite born and raised, I find myself consistently blown away when I travel and return back home, by the natural beauty at my doorstep. I definitely use the natural beauty too on a daily or at least weekly basis by going on walks on the seawall (there are many), or just around my local park, or for a hike in the North Shore mountains, or just to head down to the beach to chill out. It really is something irreplaceable!
Btw thank you so much for your videos! I recently travelled to Istanbul and my girlfriend and I used your videos a lot to get tips and learn about some things to do. It was a great help!
I live in Cape Town and feel the same way. Nature, the beaches, the sea, the mountains. I guess Vancouver is a safe version of CPT although I've lived here 57 years now and never had a problem but Vancouver is definitely on my bucket list.
Glad to hear the videos have been helpful! Hope you all enjoyed your time in Istanbul -- such a cool city. You definitely have something special up in Vancouver!
The homelessness problem would go away easily, like you saw in Canada there is so much land to build low income housing which doesn't exist in BC Canada ..... such a shame , so happy you got see the beauty here in BC as it won't last long unless the housing issue gets fixed
Homelessness: keep in mind a lot of people come to Vancouver as homeless people because of the temperate weather compared to the rest of Canada. I may be totally off here but I witnessed this over many years of experience. 😞
We also have many older SRO's that were built for loggers, miners, rail workers, etc. that very low income people move into.
💯
@@frenchyroastify What is an SRO?
@@Saintly2single room occupancy
@@Saintly2 Single Resident Occupancy rooms. Share bathrooms, maybe has a hotplate?
You nailed it. Your first impression is exactly what Vancouver is: the dogs, daily contact with nature, walkable city (I live and work downtown and don't own a car as I walk everywhere), slower pace than other big cities. Even water features everywhere. 😄 Unfortunately, homelessness and drug addiction too.
Much love
American living in Vancouver here. I leapt at the chance to move here when the opportunity came my way, because of how Vancouver lets one enjoy both city life and access to nature. I live in an outer, majority-minority neighbourhood that is not on the main tourist track, and in my opinion the food scene is both better and less expensive than Downtown and the West End in areas like mine. It’s not as close to nature as the West End, but I can walk to a bus that takes me directly into Stanley Park. As others have said, Vancouver does actually consistently rank high for livability on lists of world cities. As to why it’s not so well-known, that is simple: Vancouver proper has a population of under 700,000 and the metro area as a whole has a population of about 2.5 million. That pales in comparison to true alpha world cities like NYC, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, etc. Vancouver is really a mid-sized regional city with a cosmopolitan population.
And... we like it this way. We do not aim to become like New York city. Our city has already become so populated compare to what it was even 10 years ago. Traffic is now everywhere. Keep in in mind, Vancouver was not designed to be a big city. If you look at the highway system you will understand. Highways do not go through the city.
With everyone wanting to move here, balance has now to be found. Vancouver is already loosing its charm with the many high rises growing like mushrooms.
Fyi, Vancouver has truely only started to become more cosmopolitan over the past decade to 15 years. Following the 2010 Olympic, we started to witness more immigration from various cultures and it has been steady since.
@@ttbt1234 I would say that as a port city, Vancouver has long had a cosmopolitan aspect, and that the thing that really kicked current trends into high gear was not the Olympics but the turnover of Hong Kong to China. The Olympics were merely a continuation and intensification of an already by then well-established trend.
@@davidbarts6144expo then Olympics run off.
That connection with nature is exactly why I love living here. I can swim in the 137m outdoor beachside pool before I head to my downtown office 10min away, and then after work I can drive 20min to the forests edge and hike an hour up the Grouse Grind (800m elevation gain) and be high up in the mountains watching the sun set over this spectacular city. If you love the outdoors, no large city comes close to what Vancouver offers.
Great observations. I think you got it right. I moved to Vancouver from Calgary about fifty years ago to go to university, and I still love it here. I've travelled internationally, but *everything I want is here.* I'll always come back. (I've never heard of Lee's Doughnuts.)
I live in the West End, about a ten-minute walk from Sunset Beach, and about 15-20 min. from English Bay and Stanley Park. To answer your question, I rarely leave the West End or Downtown, because everything I want to see, or do, or buy is within an easy walk, here.
Housing is extremely expensive here -- largely because for many years there was no control on rich "investors" snapping up properties, and renting them out for top dollar, or flipping them for a huge profit without doing a thing to improve them. With the government change, there are moves to crack down on non-resident buyers and speculators, which is starting to help improve the situation.
That's one reason the homeless population is large -- but also it's a lot warmer here in the winter, so people tend to migrate out to the Pacific Coast from "back east", because they're less likely to freeze to death on the street.
Really recommend Montréal or Québec City next. Im from Ontario and those are my favourite places in the country. It’s like travelling to another country whenever I visit Québec. I’ve noticed the locals appreciate it when you ask them “do you speak English” in French. It’s a sign of respect.
Those are both high on my list! Hopefully will get to visit soon :)
D’accord!
Vancouver native here. I have no idea why Lee's is so famous. But if you do go, stick with a fresh, warm honey dip.
I spent some time there back in the 90s so this is 25 to 30 years ago. It was when Hong Kong was being handed over to China and a lot of the money from there, fled to Vancouver. Housing prices became insane as many Chinese relocated there. Housing in Canadian cities has always been high. Vancouver is generally on the list as one of the most livable cities in the world, always in the top ten. It’s one of the most beautiful cities that I’ve ever been to. Stanley Park is amazing.
I remember in 1986 the house we rented with our new baby was sold to someone in Hong Kong who had hired an agent to buy 1 house a week. Add Expo 86 and the olympics and Vancouver has been a giant real estate sale for investors, removing accessability and shelter from those that were second and third generation Vancouverites.
Hence the name 'Hongcouver'! I lived there for almost ten years, from 1992 on.
I found your questions about Vancouver neighbourhoods quite interesting and it made me think about how I relate to them.
I have lived in many and they all have a different vibe, character, and features. Many of the neighbourhoods are a walk, seabus, harbour taxi, or Skytrain (transit) ride from the seawall and downtown. The seawall itself touches many neighbourhoods (Yaletown, Coal Harbour, West End, south False Creek, Kitsilano, Olympic Village and others... These neighbourhoods are all connected via the Seawall (28km long) to each other and downtown. As a result, there is a lot of foot and bike traffic between and among these areas. There are many other neighbourhoods a bit further away, but also typically a short transit ride or bike ride away from the water, beaches etc. Many of these areas, although not all next to the water, are also destinations in their own right. Many people travel to the North Van, West Van (great sandy hidden pocket beaches), Main, Commercial, Jerico, Mt Pleasant, and other areas for their vibe, or food choices, parks, etc. There are many more but my experience in living in many of these areas is that we will travel among them for a change of pace, food, festivals, parks, etc. Of course, regardless of which area you start in, the Seawall walk is always a big draw on a nice day... you can pick forest, urban, market, downtown, or select from a number of beaches - whatever suits your mood at the time.
Also, there is a park a short drive form Stanley park that is twice as big... roughly 2000 acres. It is a wild park between the city of Vancouver and the University of BC. It has many km of trails starting from the beach at Spanish Banks and climbing up to the plateau on which UBC rests. There are meadows, bogs, deciduous and evergreen forests. You can head to the beach then hike through the park and when you need a break duck out to UBC and grab a coffee or lunch. It make a very cool day that never gets old and can be differenct every time you go. Beyond that note that while Stanley park is a truly fantastic oasis in the heart of the city, and Pacific Spirit Park is a true wilderness in the city, basically everything from the top row of houses on the North Shore is park... 100s of thousands of hectares all the way up to and past Whistler.
Happy exploring next time you're in town!
Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment! Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this. I'm looking forward to exploring more during the next visit and will definitely check out that park. Thanks again!
I felt bittersweet and nostalgic as you were talking about Vancouver. I used to be a local there. It was lovely. I just wish I could afford to live there but had to leave at the time after realizing I could not get head financially which stunted my growth and my ability to live my particular life to the max. Culturally its great. I bring that culture with me wherever I hang my hat.
As a vancouver local....you are absolutely correct about the access to nature. We love it here. Hiking and getting into nature is 90% of the cities young peoples recreational activities like even on dating apps those are typical dating activities. I think most of what you covered in this video is spot on tbh. I do not eat out but everything is expensive out here. Homelessness is INSANE out here. We have the biggest fentanyl epidemic globally. There's good there's bad. I lived in tbe neighboring cities and I worked in Van so yes back and forth every day. Surprisingly not often for recreation we usually bypass the city and go straight into the mountains. If you go again visit north Vancouver, it's gorgeous.
As someone who's lived in Vancouver for 20+ years, the nature aspect is one of the things I notice right away when I travel. Like I was in Toronto recently and it was jarring to compare downtown Vancouver to downtown Toronto. It was just a concrete jungle where here there's trees everywhere and you can't go that far without coming across dedicated green areas. I genuinely miss it when I'm visiting other places, but it's a really hard thing to articulate to other people.
Vancouver appears as one of the top cities on many lists over the years. Usually in the top three
It’s listed in the top, most liveable cities in the world. Only problem with those is they don’t take into account how expensive housing is here whether you’re buying or renting.
Indeed, you are correct about the access to nature. It’s within the city and all around us. The Mountains and thousands of miles of nature are our backyard. We also have ocean and mountains, which is pretty rare.
As a Vancouver local I never go downtown, it’s where all the traffic and crowds are. Those cool hip neighborhoods you speak of, that’s where most locals go eat/shop etc… Mt Pleasant, East Van etc…
Lee's Donuts is one of the biggest traps in the city IMO. Honey's donuts in Deep Cove is worth the drive every time. Although we do not have a unique food scene of our own, a massive component of our cuisine comes from our Asian influence. Vancouver has a huge Asian population, and with that comes the delicious foods that come from those countries. We are very lucky to have high quality Asian food everywhere in the city and surrounding areas. Whether it is Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indian, Persian, Malaysian, Thai...etc you name it, we have it. Whenever I travel, I crave Asian food the second I come home. Largely because I don't feel the Asian food I have had abroad stacks up to what we have back here in Vancouver. Unless of course the destination of my travel is in Asia. But I won't even attempt eating Asian food in parts of the States, Mexico or Europe. Maybe I am just a snob
My American husband ;an avid foodie) thinks Vancouver has a great culinary scene with immense diversity, he’s always bragging to his American friends and family that it’s relatively inexpensive (due to the 🇨🇦>🇺🇸 exchange rate) … & we travel a lot. I’m from Vancouver, and never really gave any thought to how wonderful my home city & metro region has to offer.
Vancouver is a relatively modern city and the urban planning has taken an educated approach. As a longtime resident ( also originally from Ontario) I must admit the cost housing is a little out of reach. We were fortunate to get into the market a long time ago, but we too couldn’t do it again if needed. That said even 40 years ago Vancouver was an expensive city compared to most Canadian the markets.
The best way to enjoy moving around the city is on a bicycle ( e-bikes are especially fun because they flatten out the few daunting hills which do exist ).
It is important to understand though that when a person travels to anywhere new they see most things with inch deep perspective. After spending some time there, societal cracks do become more obvious. Vancouver is not exempt of that just because it is a modern city. It is however still the very best in terms of climate and access to nature that Canada has to offer. ( In my opinion ).
I just came across your page and thanks for all you share. I have lived in Vancouver for 28 years. I've seen a lot of changes, but I've also seen a lot of changes in every other Canadian city. Other than the very high cost of living, it is a very liveable city. Especially if one loves nature and is active.The mountains, ocean, seawall - and the 6 beaches right downtown is likely why I have lived here longer than any other city I have lived in. It definitely has it's issues though, and has changed a lot over the years. I'm very grateful that I settled here when I did. Otherwise I definitely would not be able to afford to ($3,000+ per month for a 1 bdrm etc.) and I definitely would not have been able to buy. Plenty of people still do though "if" they can find a place as there is a major housing shortage sadly for rentals. As far as donuts go...I don't really know anyone who does the donut thing too much here. Maybe it's more of a tourist thing. Although coffee is huge. Looking forward to reading more of your posts. Hope you come back sometime. Happy travels!
I found your channel because I’m going to east Europe soon and I loved your tips and reviews . I decided to watch this one because I have lived in Vancouver for 8 years and I also have visited several cities around the world . Your thoughts are all correct (even the donuts which I don’t like lol). So now that I have watched your Vancouver videos I can trust your reviews from other cities , plus you have lived in several places and I trust your taste 😅 thank you! Amazing videos all
Much appreciated!!
Vancouver is expensive for food, but go to the surounding cities and neighbourhoods for real good. Richmond for exceptional Chinese food that attracts people across North America, Surrey for Punjabi and Indian food, Coquitlam for Korean food.
I agree with your comments but the food Lees donuts is not Vancouver food. We have some of the best sushi and Asian food in the world. Our access to local farms, the sea and California produce gives us excellent food. I am not sure where you ate but you missed something good.
Totally agree. Not only ethnic restaurants, but a wide variety of ethnic grocery stores with authentic foods from Asia, India, The Caribbean, Africa, Middle East etc.
California does not produce great food. We have the best from the local farms in BC. I've lived in California and I know the difference.
Right!? We’re a foodie city and I have NO idea where he was getting his info from!
He's in Vancouver and eating a Lees donut. That makes it Vancouver food. Vancouverites are very sensitive. They need a lot of ego stroking to justify the cost of living there. I was born in Vancouver and moved to the Valley in the 90s so I could afford a house and kids. If I want to go to Vancouver, it's not that far.
Yes, I love Vancouver as a place to visit. I used to live there, but moved to smaller cities elsewhere in BC. I now have Victoria as my home when I'm not at home in Thailand. NEW FLASK: In case you missed it, Victoria was just named "The Best Small City in the World". Similar than Vancouver in some ways, but smaller, friendlier, cleaner and wonderfully walkable/bikable. Also much less rain than Vancouver.
Vancouver is and has been consistently at the top of the list on best livable cities of the world. Not sure what lists you’ve been looking at but it definitely has been at the top (usually the best for Canada as well). The main issues that drive it down the list nowadays are the housing costs and the homelessness issues (which are basically the same issue).
As a Canadian - the livability of Vancouver is greatly overhyped.
I’ve lived in Vancouver for a decade. It really is a wonderful city
I grew up there and moved a couple years ago. It used to be nice. Now it's a dump. It also rains 9 months of the year. Very depressing place.
Very depressing place, not much to do. I'm from South America and I regret selling all my shit back home and moving here everyday.
the bigger issues are the gatekeepers and the policies that drove it to insanity.
We live on the other side of the downtown bridges, close to Pacific Spirit park and the university. I travel downtown by bike for work everyday, I also hit various farmers markets throughout the City, also via bike. If you live in the actual City, not the suburbs, the City is very pedestrian and cyclist friendly, you really don’t need a car. Kits is a very popular neighbourhood, lots of restaurants, beaches and quick access to downtown. You’ll get the most out of living in Vancouver if you join clubs, running, musical, paddling etc, this is the best way to meet people and form community. Having a dog is also a great way to meet people, I still keep in touch with people I met at the dog park years ago. Lees donuts was good 20 years ago, but there’s so much better these days. If you didn’t eat any Asian food during your visit you missed out, great sushi, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese and Indian. Happy travelling!
Thanks for sharing all this! I was fortunate to have some GREAT meals -- I'll mention a few of them in my next Vancouver video :)
The one thing that Vancouver does not need is an influx of misplaced Americans. Who judges a city by donuts? They are the most unhealthy food on the planet anyway . Dealing with Homelessness is a global problem. We love Vancouver.❤
Very interesting thoughts on the food in Vancouver.
There are places that are absolutely overhyped on social media. Lee's Donuts being one of them. As a local, I've never understood the hype. It's a satisfactory donut. That's it. The location at Granville Island (another overhyped location) probably helps its visibility. Meanwhile, Mello Donuts in Chinatown remains amazing, and mostly unknown on social media. The donuts are fantastic.
Metro Vancouver's food scene excels in it ethnic offerings and diversity, and that's mostly found in neighbourhoods outside of downtown and surrounding tourist traps. We live in Cnetral Vancouver and frequently visit Richmond, Burnaby and Coquitlam to eat.
I’ve lived in Vancouver for my entire life of 30 years and I’ve never had a lees donut nor do I ever plan to. 😂
skytrain makes downtown really accessible to the rest of the city. There are a lot of people myself included who don't live in vancouver per say but do live on skytrain so we kind of base our lives around where skytrain can go.
I'm an ex-Vancouverite, 25 years was enough...the homelessness and drug use eroded my love of the city. It was difficult to work in the DT east side but I actually do miss the food. There is a great melting pot of culture there and you can find everything you want. And the cycling is great....and the beaches. and the brew pubs...
So much to love
I’m born and raised in Vancouver - of the 650 streets and avenues in the city, one only has to avoid a 5 block stretch along one street. Please. Vancouver has the same problem as every single metro area in North America and elsewhere, yet it’s contained.
You worked in the downtown eastside, right in the centre of homelessness and addiction. Most people here don't experience that because that is centralized in a 4 block radius.
Truth about the drugs and homeless but you have to remember that what you described is also true in major cities worldwide and not exclusive to Vancouver.
Oh please .. really you had enough? And you moved to somewhere else with absolutely no problems? Every city has issues ..
Nature is easily available. When I moved to Vancouver 35 years ago, the big thing people said was you could ski in the morning and play golf in the afternoon. Like when you travel to any city, where the tourists go to is different from where the locals go. This is especially true for restaurants. When you go into the West End, Commercial Drive, Kits, etc, there are restaurants serving food from all around the world. And as someone who spends a lot of time in the US, restaurant food is pretty inexpensive in Vancouver.
Like many cities around the world, Fentanyl is destroying a lot of people. It is horrible to see here and in so many cities I have been to around the world.
The whole Vancouver seawall is around 18 miles long. The path is for walking and cycling. It starts near the convention centre and goes all the way to the west side beaches out in the Point Grey neighbourhood.
I'm not sure if you're talking about neighbourhoods (Yaletown, Kits, West End, Commercial Drive, Mount Pleasant, etc) or suburbs (cities like Richmond, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, etc). But my answer, as someone who lives in Yaletown, yes I do go to other neighbourhoods to walk, cycle, shop in, go to farmers markets and just explore the city. I do go to other cities: Steveston for fish and chips, West Vancouver to walk along the beach or go hiking in the mountains, North Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay. There is just so much to see.
In response to commenters talking about how homelessness and drugs have 'destroyed the Vancouver', I would say that is a huge over generalization. Yes, there definitely is a big problem in parts of downtown, mainly the Downtown Eastside. But that is a tiny part of a wonderful city. It reminds me of when I took my parents to Seattle about 25 years ago. My mom wanted to use a washroom. She went to 3 different places downtown and the washrooms were not clean (or up to her standard). Since then, she still says that Seattle is a dirty city. Vancouver is a beautiful city, with lots of diversity, nature, and great people. And like many (most) large cities, it also has its problems.
I feel very blessed to be able to live in Vancouver.
Chinese food is normally very good and authentic in major Canadian cities because of the sheer size of the Chinese communities in these locations. I'm not talking Michelin quality; I'm referring to average Asian eateries everywhere in these cities beat the pants off what you'll find in most cities around the world, including the U.S. (possibly barring places like NYC and LA). Other Asian cuisines, like Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese, are super abundant in Canadian cities (again, I mean "normal" eateries, not fine dining places).
I been living in Vancouver for over 30 years. The nature is amazing, if you’re in to hiking, biking ect you will definitely enjoy this city but the catch is its only sunny for about 4 months of the year, the rest it’s mostly raining 🌧️ also its very expensive here, especially housing, To rent and especially to buy!
I would say this city is good for people who are in to nature dont mind rain and are not struggling financially.
Born and lived in Vancouver 1955-2010. I have now shifted to Vancouver island to escape the density . Vancouver was always like a small town . Even though classified as a major city, it never felt that way. The major changes I saw were driven by events that although were cultural amounted to giant real estate sales. I refer to expo 86 and then 2010 olympics. Each time I watched as they sucked the money away from small businesses and killed neighborhood high streets. I watched as wealthy investors who didn’t live here, would be buying a property a week. If they couldn’t develop the way they wanted they torched it or let it rot. All of this driving rents and property prices out of reach. Homelessness is world wide. In Canada being homeless in a city where you won’t freeze to death in winter is a consideration. The minimum wage in BC won’t pay the rent on a basic apt. Don’t need to be on drugs to be on the street. Nature access is wonderful and deeply part of me, but when I visit and see how far up the north shoe mountains the development has climbed it saddens me. The trails and hiking are wonderful but are becoming crowded. As a young adult I could be up Cypress mountain in 30 minutes and cross-country skiing for free. Now I couldn’t afford it.
Well said.
Yup! 😢
But you can still afford to sun bathe at Wreck Beach. You don’t even need a bathing suit.
I used to live near Joyce and Kingsway around the corner from the amazing Jambo Grill (East African/Indian). You could hear 6 different languages just going that far. The restaurants ranged from Indian, Chinese , Vietnamese and more. Not alot of nature right there but Joyce Station to Comercial and then a short bus to UBC and you could be at Wreck Beach in Pacific Spirit Park.
I agree with you about Lee’s Donuts👍
Sure, Stanley Park is a gem, and seems large by some standards, but wow there is so much more. Pacific Spirit Park on the Point Grey Peninsula is significantly bigger than Stanley Park, and it surrounds UBC, a gorgeous campus. Sandy beaches all around as well, all of which is about 20 minutes from downtown (by car, but also well served by transit). Also by transit or car: Lighthouse Park, an untouched old growth forest (take the loop trail instead of straight down to the lighthouse). There's tons more incredible hiking on all the mountains, and even decent skiing, with 3 ski areas visible from the city, and Whistler 100km / 60 mi beyond. And it doesn't end at the outskirts, it just keeps going and going, getting wilder and more remote all the way up to Alaska, or east to the Rockies. In short, for an active lifestyle of hiking, biking, skiing, sailing, kayaking etc, you really can't beat this city. Homelssness is probably exacerbated by having the mildest winters in Canada, but yes, it is a challenge everywhere, and it is not just about poverty but mental illness, abuse, and addiction. I really wish we did better, but I suspect treating the causes might have to precede just dealing with the outcomes.
Your observations are pretty much right on with respect to the abundance of nature available to Vancouverites. I'll leave it to others to comment on foodie comparisons but I don't hear many complaints.
As the longtime leader of a year-round outdoor walking group of West End seniors, we feel so blessed to have such natural beauty at our doorstep ... there's something about a walk under the canopy of an old growth forest or a brisk stroll on the seawall to refresh the body and satisfy the soul. No need to drive anywhere to find such refreshment. Keep up the good work, kiddo.
Much appreciated :)
Absolutely we wander all around the city and metro - and it takes years to see it all. There are so many unique communities and neighbourhoods and what I like the most is that by and large the shops and restaurants are family owned or local - not chains - so way more variety.
Stay near commercial dr next time, much better food than downtown - little Italy, but also lots of other cultures here. Also make sure to go into the mountains on the north shore, much more expansive than Stanley Park and worth the trip 😊
Was fortunate enough to spend time in both those areas and you're spot on! The mountains were incredible and we had a few great meals over on Commercial Dr. Thanks for the recs!
Very cool to hear your perspective on Vancouver. Next visit check out Lynn Canyon on the North Shore. This is accessible by transit and the hiking trails are spectacular. Stanley Park is indeed surrounded by water but isnt an island. Many locals are being pushed out to suburbs as Vancouver and the North Shore has become very expensive. Hosting Expo '86 changed Vancouver forever as far as growth in population. The secret of our quieter city was released! Nature is just outside our doors. Kayaking one moment to hiking the beautiful mountain trails all in a day. Cheers to Beautiful BC.😊
Another point you touch on is whether people go downtown. The answer is no. If you don’t work downtown there is literally no reason to go downtown since the neighbourhoods of Vancouver have everything you’d need. Downtown is generally avoided unless you’re going to a play, musical, symphony, fancy restaurants, very specific shopping, clubbing, or showing out-of-town friends and family around.
And about Stanley Park… locals rarely go there, or Gastown for that matter because of how many tourists clung up the place. We have other parks like Pacific Spirit Park, all the beaches, and the north shore forests to enjoy.
@@davidmcintosh7563 exactly! And even if you live a little more East, I rather just take the highway and go to Harrison or Steelhead area :) Or Golden Ears when it's not stupidly packed.
Exc comment re walkability great to hear. Our dad loves walking and using transit to seeing greenery people making new friends. He takes transit to work bus always on time clean seats. His car is rarely used. Much better for one's health to walk and use transit.
When you come to visit Vancouver again, take the ferry over to our lovely Victoria! Beautiful nature and if you think Vancouver has great bike infastructure, you should see Victoria (though some locals find it overkill). Unfortunately, both cities are expensive and the homelessness situation is real and heartbreaking.
I love how eloquent you were about the homelessness/mental health crisis that plagues my home town. It's hard to witness even for us locals. As for doughnuts, you should have hit Cartem's or Lucky's at Parallel 49. I lived in Yaletown on the Seawall, Fairview/Mt. Pleasant, as well as Fraser/Sunset areas, and I was in and out of downtown and the surrounding areas daily as they all have their own unique offerings. In terms of the access to nature, you're spot on, and it's like that even in the rain and snow.
I'll give those spots a visit during my next trip -- thanks for the rec! And I appreciate the kind words :)
The food comment is surprising to me because I consider Vancouver to have a hand cuff on me because of the access incredibly authentic and affordable ethnic restaurants, arguably only on the Asia side, that I don’t see anywhere else in the world. Sure, our produce is like other big North American cities, but have you considered the ethnic grocery chains everywhere? They are usually cheaper produces and everywhere as well. I would say that compare to Montreal, where it is also a very diverse place, their access to good seafood and other non-europe-centric food is one of the biggest problem for me when I considered moving there. Plus the winter there is truly awful. I don’t like Lee’s donut, it is just a tourist spot.
If it was just homeless it would be easier to fix but it's also a drug addiction problem which is much harder to deal with.
Seth Rogen visited Lee's on a show. Instant business. Never had a line until then. It was much better when it had less customers.
Ahhhhhh
I lived in North Vancouver for 17 years and the view from my deck out into the forests of the North Shore Mountains made it feel like I was living in a national park, not 20 minutes from the downtown of a city with 3 million people. The access to nature plus the nature of that nature is why the tourism slogan for years was Supernatural, British Columbia.
After moving to Vancouver, I find myself spending a lot more time outside. Whether it's jogging the seawall, biking around Stanley Park, or just walking around the many parks, I always feel connected to nature! Side note though - Lee's Donuts is very touristy and not particularly high quality. There's a lot of delicious non-fine dining options that are excellent. Vancouver really shines when it comes to moderately priced/affordable Asian food. The Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese food here is top notch. As for donuts, my favourite would be the Korean donut shop, Mello!
Lived downtown for 30 yrs…
Nature IS why I am here.
Food - great restaurants. Went to a 3 Michelin star restaurant in San Fran this month - and a 1 star in Vancouver… Vancouver was faaaaarrrr superior.
Usually I never donut… :)
I'm in my 60's and have lived in or close to Vancouver all of my life. I don't make much use of the natural part but it's nice to see it all the time. I live in a neighbourhood close to downtown and go there regularly but many people avoid it. The homelessness isn't the problem but it's the drug addiction and mental health issues that are. Vancouver is one of the only two cities in Canada where you don't freeze to death outside in the winter. It's also a major port and entry point for drugs. The people you are seeing are from all over BC and the rest of Canada. Vancouver has become a magnet for them and there is a massive and well-funded infrastructure for them and it's centered in downtown Vancouver, which is very unfortunate. In many other cities the same level exists but it's spread out. I saw almost no addicts in Manhattan and London when I was there recently but they are present, but out of sight of the tourists.
Wow! I love that you love my city! I have visited many cities and I still regard Vancouver as THE ONLY city I want to live. I guess I am very much like you who value highly walkability, nature interrwined within the city. i love walking and in fact, i do not have a car. The Vancouver suburbs (neighbourhood) are worth exploring... they are equally stunning or even more, actually.. you still have many places to explore.
The layout goes: downtown Vancouver, uptown Vancouver, Metro Vancouver aka the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) which are the surrounding cities like Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and several others that are more suburban, and then beyond those are the cities like Maple Ridge, Chilliwack, Mission, and several others which are suburban with some rural parts. Then, there’s the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, which is a whole other world.
Definitely access to nature is my number 1 reason for living here. Transplanted from Toronto in ‘89… never looked back!
As a Vancouver local living in "the suburbs" New Westminster, and knowing people living in some other neighborhoods as well, I'd say locals tend to avoid downtown. You just go if you need to attend an event or something. Otherwise, there are really nice pockets of nature all around the Greater Vancouver. One of the never do, is drive to Vancouver downtown. Really inconvenient!
In terms of food, as many have stated before, there are PLENTY of really authentic cuisines from around the world. Missing an Argentinian restaurant, tho!
Re: “neighborhoods”, the entire area used to be called the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) and is just known as The Lower Mainland. I’ve lived in various parts of it from right downtown, Richmond, New Westminster & Burnaby. We have always enjoyed exploring every part from West & North Vancouver to White Rock. It’s that diversity of areas and the beauty to be found in each that makes it so amazing to live here. You can go to the Fraser Valley, up one of the three ski mountains in town, to endless beaches, parks and botanical gardens and most are free. My favourite spot to live is Richmond. It’s on the water, has an amazing urban/farm land ratio maintained so you can get organic delicious food right from farms close to your home year round. The airport is there as its secret beach that feels like you are in the wild. Hope you found it. Finally it has a lot of ethnic diversity (not just Asian) with amazing food & festivals.
The answer to ‘do ppl visit other parts of Greater Vancouver area?’ Is yes. Ppl don’t necc live in the same part of GVRD (greater Vanc regional district) as they work. Ppl have friends & family in all parts of the city. We travel around for school, sports, events, shopping, etc. My husband works everywhere between Lions Bay (south of Squamish) to Delta, Langley, Tsawwassan, Ladner, etc. we live in North Van.
I'm so glad you enjoyed my home though 🥰
When you live in the suburbs of Vancouver you might have a short drive to get into nature, but you have more variety than just Stanley park and the sea wall.
One thing worth noting is Transit - which is relatively well developed for the size of the city, at least in North American terms. But what makes that even more special is the technology used by SkyTrain which is still not that common in the world, (but catching on). Basically with relatively small automated (driverless) trains, the system is very flexible and a pleasure to use. On the busiest line (Expo Line) going in and out of Downtown at rush hour, trains are 90 seconds apart. You're just never waiting for trains for long. Off peak, maybe more like 3 minutes apart and maybe up to 6 minutes on some lines / times. It's also flexible, thanks to being driverless, so if there's a hockey game or concert in the stadium, they just shoot a bunch of extra trains out at the right time with a push of a button. You'll also notice if you look out in certain directions towards the suburbs -clusters of towers. This is T.O.D. - Transit Oriented Development. Certain areas clustered around skytrain stations have become towering cities unto themselves. Vancouver is very geographically constrained, hence density has to make up for it.
If you liked Vancouver and Amsterdam, you would love Montreal and Quebec City (although Nov-April is quite cold). My partner and I moved to the Netherlands from the US and we still dream about the food, nature, and quiet vibrancy of Quebec. Montreal also probably has the best metro system in North America (apart from say NYC in terms of expansiveness), and in Quebec City we had the best food of our lives. It felt like a region that combined North American, Scandinavian, and French culture - like you are in multiple places at once.
Thanks for this! Can't wait to go and check out those cities :) How are you enjoying the Netherlands?
@@camdendavid It’s been great, overwhelming, but in short…I feel more hopeful about the future here. It’s sort of a ‘Goldilocks’ country, where things aren’t too extreme, you can visit a small beach town, hike in a national park, and get dinner in Amsterdam all in the same day, the culture is less status oriented, and it’s really cozy almost everywhere you go 😊 It’s not all roses but I think that has more to do with the experience of being a foreigner and not related to the country itself.
@@yeppso Glad to hear that! We'd love to eventually end up in the Netherlands. Maybe we'll run into you guys at some point
I am a local born here and with regards to accessing and/or utiilizing all that the city offers I regularly do the following: 1. Gravel cycling the seawall and Pacific Spirit Park and numerous other urbal trails and mountain bike the nearby trails on the North Shore and Whistler, 2.Urban hike around my neighborhood (Grandview Woodlands) 3. Hike local mountain trails (North Shore) 4. Go to local neighborhood festivals such as Italian Festival on Commercial Drrive, Car Free Day Festivals etc. The important thing to note is that I am not alone in this participation and activity. Vancouverites in my opinion are actively seeking things to do and explore in their own city all the time.
Love that!
Hiya! Long time Vancouverite here! 😊 Great feedback on our city! To answer your question- do people who live downtown venture to the other neighbourhoods of Vancouver and vice versa? Absolutely! All the time. I live in the West End (next to Stanley park)/ downtown- and I’m always going to say Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Commercial drive etc- for shopping, events to see friends etc. Everything really is so close. it takes me anywhere from 25 min to 1 hour to walk or bike to most places. Public transit is great too. Really Vancouver is so small- most areas don’t feel far away and each has something unique to offer. Great video by the way! Just stumbled upon your TH-cam channel today ☺️
It’s been consistently on the top city lists for at least the last 15 years, both in North America and also the world!
Well deserved!
Absolutely! Vancouver is such a beautiful city. Have you done an ‘Unfiltered Thoughts’ on Toronto yet? That would be really interesting to see. Thank you for your really informative work, Camden.
@@fionawillis2104 Not yet but I will at some point within the next year :)
Nah, boring city.
I haven't seen your Toronto thoughts yet but you have to discover the ravine system. Most hidden in a big city. I'm less than four blocks away from my closest access where I could walk down to the lake. About 10km (to Cherry Beach dog park) or up all the way out of the city to north cottage country and I'd never have to walk along a street for long. It's ravine all the way.
I am from Vancouver. It is really close to nature. I definitely agree about Lee’s donuts, it is nothing special. One reason why there is so much homelessness in Vancouver is because a lot of people come here in the winters since it is one of the few places that isn’t frozen in the winters since. I do love that you can get lots of good international food, especially Asian.
Housing prices are outrageous, but we have the ocean and mountains here.
It is nice to see how much you enjoyed our city.
If you are in the outskirts, you do go downtown to work or for different food or events. People from downtown don’t go to the outskirts as much without having a specific purpose (hiking, farms).
I appreciate you taking the time to share :)
Born and raised in Vancouver and I live in a neighbourhood outside the downtown core but like many who don't live downtown, I pass through downtown every day going to and from work and many of us work downtown. Also, we do go downtown for a Saturday night out or special event.
Born and raised in Vancouver here. Dog-friendly: yes. If you have a home that allows dogs. Many rentals don't or they limit the size and number of dogs you can have. Water features: I never really noticed that. I usually think of the 9 months of rain as the main water feature. ;) Nature: absolutely. Untouched? No. You have to go very far north to get untouched. The access to nature is awesome. It is getting very very crowded on the trails in the last 5 years or so and there have had to be limits put on how many people can be on the trails because of that. It also causes a false sense of security. People will access a trail they have no business being on while unprepared because some blogger wrote about a trip they went on. Food: we have a large number of 'granola-crunchy' people who only eat Whole Foods type food. But the large grocery stores are very much like the US, minus the alcohol. The trauma is so in your face in one particular area of the city because it is so concentrated. The spread between have and have nots is really apparent in Vancouver. It is a very walkable city and so much access to bike routes that go nearly everywhere. Going downtown: when we lived in the suburbs as kids, going downtown was a treat. We went to Granville Island a lot. Going to the symphony or to do a downtown activity on the skytrain was super fun. Now as an adult I don't like going downtown as I prefer my local neighbourhood or nature to unwind. Most people like to spend their time in their local neighbourhood or maybe the adjacent one. Traffic getting to the mountainous area can be horrendous on weekends because everyone going there and back has to funnel into two bridges.
Great description of Vancouver! I moved here 7 years ago and am still in love with this city for same reasons you listed. I will admit that I am missing the smell and taste of European bakeries and patisseries. We have few great places but it’s just not the same here. The safety in some areas and the cost of living are important considerations but hey which great cities don’t have some attractive and inconvenient aspects.
So glad to hear you're still loving it! Where in Europe did you move from?
@@camdendavidI moved from Toronto but travelled a lot and lived in Geneva and Lyon, France. I grew up in Eastern Europe between Georgia and Russia.
Without it's great location , Vancouver is a beautiful generic North American city. If you want to see a city with it's own identity ,you should go to Montreal.
It's on my list!
The weather is the main thing that holds Vancouver down. Its fantastic in the 2 months of the year that the sun is shining. The cold November rain will get to you the other 10 months of the year.
I live in Vancouver and I love the climate. Do you live here?
@@Joferry2000 Yes, don't you miss the sun? Don't you miss having dry feet? I play golf all year rain or shine (but it's usually just rain). I go out on the water most weekends. I used to ski >100 days a year. I eat at Granville Island at least once a week. I live the Vancouver lifestyle. It's not horrible for Canada but for a "world class city" the weather is not good. My kids used to cry when they were little after returning from California or Hawaii the second we stepped out of the airport into rain.
No sun gets really depressing for so long , triggers my seasonal affective disorder
Be careful, once you move here for a month you will never leave. The main drawback is the overcast skies in winter. I don’t mind the rain but not seeing much sun is a downer. Many people hit the slopes in winter or plan a trip to Hawaii or Mexico to beat the winter blues. Have fun on your next adventure.😊
Gotta get out of central Vancouver to find the best food scenes. We are totally a foodie city with access to the most ethnic/diverse offerings - hope you come back and give it another go!
Looking forward to it!
Safe injection site and free drug supply policy sounds helpful but it underestimates the dark side of humanity .
I grew up on the west coast. Nanaimo as a kid. Burnaby, Surrey as an Adult. I now live in Edmonton AB. The reason why I moved. The big one is 6-7 months of rain. It is a rain forest climate so from October to about April you have rain. No Sun just grey skies. Even on the days with no rain it’s cloudy. The next is cost of living. It is out real for rent. Forget about buying a house when most start at $800,000. Yes you can find cheap places to eat but it is still expensive. To visit during the summer is great but live. Hmmmm.
Halifax is my new favorite Canadian city. Everything I love about Vancouver without the negatives. I suggest you visit before the inevitable urban decay finds its way to the east coast.
Added to my list -- thanks!
And twice as cold in winter
Can you go Snowboarding after work in Halifax? Because one of the really nice perks here is mountains are so close you can do winter sports after you finish your work day!
NY has its bridge and tunnel separating people culturally, and Vancouver has is bridges, bridges and more bridges separating people distinctly from each other. Suburbs are very American. Downtown is great, but I am glad we left 24 years ago. We're nearby in Victoria which is even more walkable than Vancouver, but driving distances are way less and wilderness is even more accessible.
A week is not enough in Vancouver. I moved to Vancouver and moved back to Montreal where Im from after 2 years. It's a spectacular city because of the surrounding nature. It's the rain and greyness that I couldn't stand. I needed more sun in the winter. Same weather as Seattle. Depressing.
OMG. Everything you say about Vancouver is correct. It does have beautiful nature and mountains etc. However, it has the most depressing winter weather...bone chilling wet cold. It may not get the deep cold of some other areas of Canada but the almost constant winter rain and often near freezing temperatures have prevented me from ever considering living in coastal BC again. It gives me chills just thinking about it.
The homelessness issue is a real tough nut to crack. I first visited Vancouver in 1984 (I am from Ontario) and was specifically told not to go to Oppenheimer Park due to a drug and homelessness problem. Nothing has changed in 40 years except it has gotten worse. A big part of the problem was letting mentally ill patients out of the mental hospitals in the 1970's in what was seen as a compassionate policy but , due to lack of ongoing support, plus releasing some people who should never have been released due to the serious nature of their mental illness, well.... Then the scourge of drugs made it worse, plus legacy racism against the Indigenous who were displaced as the city grew and finally all this misery concentrated in the same area, the poorest postal code in all of Canada, the downtown eastside. Another aspect is that, like in California, this is considered the warmest winter climate in Canada so we get an extra dose of people in the winter coming from the other colder provinces. Also there is what I call the Misery Industry which perptuates the problems they are supposed to solve, all being paid high wages with no incentive to jeopardize their jobs by actually solving the problem. Quite honestly, I think they should redevelop the whole area and disperse all these troubled souls so they aren't surrounded by others who keep leading them down the wrong path. Kind of like it's better to keep people out of prison in the first place if you really want to rehabilitate them - we should keep troubled people OUT of the downtown eastside as it just creates more trouble, if that makes sense. We need to get rid of the Misery Industry and have proper funding for housing. You can't do much without a roof over your head and a safe place to live.
Love your on-point videos!! I live in North Van and grew up around here; interesting to hear your perspectives, especially with your wife being from Toronto (which is our American Canadian city!). I've travelled a ton (60 countries & counting), and I think that Vancouver is a fantastic 'place'...but it doesn't hold a candle to other world-class cities as a 'city' destination. As another commenter mentioned, Lee's Donuts is only popular because of Seth Rogan, and shouldn't be a measure of our food scene - which is diverse, ethnic, and up and coming. I go to other Vancouver neighbourhoods and the suburbs (different) mostly due to friends/family, shopping, restaurants, and breweries. Yes, the homeless situation is awful, and it's multi-faceted but primarily due to mental illness, fentanyl, and cost of housing - and is by no means a Vancouver-only problem (we just get more because it's warmer here).
Thanks so much for taking the time to share all this! You live in an awesome city :)
How different do you think.Canada can be from the US? Same people just living on either side they happened to be on when they started the border
From Vancouver... What's a water fixture?
The definition of one has to do with plumbing. So I don't know what you mean.
Pretty fountains everywhere serving no purpose other than enhancing the aesthetics :)
Lees is a tourist trap imo. I was in Japan recently and they have amazing pastries that put us to shame, but there’s also tourist trap deserts (the one yen edible coin, fluffy pancakes, etc.). When you do a proper search you’ll find some amazing pastries! We have a lot of great Asian and French bakeries that do a great job!
Vancouver attracts 'struggling' Canadians from all corners of Canada, would you rather be unhoused in Winnipeg or Vancouver?
Seems like lots of parolees who get out out prison choose Vancouver. I was at the Winnipeg Via Rail station and noticed that Corrections Canada had a parole office there. Seems like parolees get free train tickets to Vancouver once they are out. They then end up in the downtown eastside in Vancouver homeless and addicted to drugs.
@@yvr2002rtw interesting tidbit.
@@yvr2002rtwoh wow, that’s crazy, and then Vancouver gets to deal with the issue and reputation, that’s unfair
I had a reporter from one of Vancouver's travel guides ask me where I was going on my vacation. "RIGHT HERE" (I have lived here most of my 87 years!)
As a Vancouverite, I can confidently say that we have an incredible variety of affordable restaurants here, because we are such a multicultural city, and the quality and authenticity is usually very high. We have very high end restaurants that the average person wouldn’t normally go to, but if you have a craving for Vietnamese, Japanese (some of the best sushi in the world), Chinese, Thai, Philippine, Vegan fare, Farm to Table, etc., that is quite reasonable in price, you will find it here.
I live here and I've never heard of Lee's Donuts. Also a foodie, I think the culinary experience here is more like a NYC with the variety of cultures and affordability. Lots of local markets and seasonal choice as an alternative to the major chains.
you really made me think so I was hoping to comment on a few of your questions and comments I used to live in Vancouver and I now live on the island but as a person who lived in British Columbia for a long time and lived in Vancouver for 20 years these are my thoughts can we afford the food? The really awesome foodie restaurants are very pricey. But then the little mom and pop shops when you get to know them, you can find really amazing things. I really miss all the great little veggie stores and Asian markets, etc. that were in Vancouver where you could go and find food to make yourself if you’re a foodie that were so affordable in comparison. like so many places I have found when I travel you’re quite often recommended the things that I would always skip and sometimes it takes a while to get to know the little hidden secrets because nobody really wants you to know about them !!! the best experiences are always a little bit off the beaten path 😊re: nature I think almost anywhere in British Columbia that you live or visit, You’re going to have nature close by now you’re never going to have everything and I have to say for a city. Vancouver has a lot close by, but if you don’t have a lot of money and you have to live in the burbs you’re not as close to the beach and you hardly ever go because it takes you so long to get there kind of thing. That’s why I moved away from Vancouver, but I’ll get to that in a minute. It seems like everywhere in this province we have a problem with homelessness and there are multiple issues with that and I know that that is not even an acceptable terminology anymore, but I don’t know the right words. it is our incredible climate here that draws so many people who cannot afford to actually stay alive in a lot of colder places so they come here. We also have a great system that seems to take care of everyone pretty much and at the same time nobody really. with the economy it seems to me like most people that I know are just barely hanging on, but we do take care of those less fortunate. I do think so that we have a very messed up idea in our country that someone had the brilliant idea that if you give free drugs, it’s going to decrease overdose and homelessness, and from what I can see, it has increased exponentially. I think here like everywhere it is very expensive to live. and this is the first time I’ve seen your blog and if your jam is only cities, then I have to say Vancouver is probably one of the best, but I cannot figure out why anyone would want to spend time in Vancouver when they can come to Vancouver Island, there is this vibe like Island time the pace slows down the access to nature is triple fold. I got sick of vancouver after a while, you’re right it started to feel too busy to me and too much like the US in that it lost its person next-door feeling. when I lived in Vancouver, I lived in the West End. Well, no I’ve lived all over Vancouver lol but I was close to Stanley Park and to the ocean and to the shopping and to the restaurants. I have also lived in quite a few burbs there, and they all have their pros and cons, and they all have their lovely parks, and they all have their cute and trendy restaurants. but honestly, I love Vancouver Island since I left Vancouver I hardly ever have a desire to go back. here I have all the box stores if I want them a 20 minute drive away and I have a beach less than 20 minutes in five directions I can hop on my ebike and in five minutes be in the country - farms, wineries etc. I highly recommend when you come back to British Columbia spend maybe two days in Victoria because it’s just a mini Vancouver. go to the great places on the island like Tofino, the Comox Valley and also where I currently live, which is the cowichan valley. we are warmer here. There are farms everywhere with fresh produce. I buy organic meat at the farms and at the farmers market. there are beaches so close everywhere. and why would you wanna share a busy beach when you could go Find a totally quite private one??? and visit a winery or two on the way? There’s not a lot of choices, but it is not like the US - you have all the chain stores. I personally haven’t been to the donut shop you talked about. but I go to the little one ofs, coffee, shops, restaurants, that all have their own individual flare. They are personally owned with people who have a lot of pride and work really hard. There’s little gems all over the island. honestly, I’ve been to the US. I’ve been to Europe and I love them all and I would go back again but I could go on vacations every weekend 20 minutes an hour away and I could experience an entirely different experience each time and there is nature of every degree depending on how, brave and experimental, you are! every town has parks, but then you can drive down the road and go explore places that are very natural, ocean, wildlife experience, different foods and berry picking or whatever your level is that you want to experience but I see you and your baseball hat, talking about being a foodie well there’s nothing like diet on the fact that we have everything around us!!!! I think you missed the boat when you didn’t take the big white boat across the water lol. I can handle Vancouver one or two days a year, but I’ll never move back now that I’m in Island mode. lol.
Born in Vancouver in '72, lived near Vancouver all my life. I'll see if I can answer your questions.
1. Nature? Absolutely! From the mountains and the beaches to the parks - not just Stanley - but the local parks and protected wildlife areas - we make great use of our connection to all this beauty on a regular basis (though it never feels like it's enough). Make sure to see Queen Elizabeth park - the views, and flowers in spring, are spectacular.
2. Food? Yeah - we are very Americanized, as they are our next-door neighbours and our biggest trading partners. However, cheap excellent eats as others have said are plentiful - just got to know where to go - lots of hidden gems. Bin 4 Burger Lounge on South Granville - some of the best burgers I've ever had (not super cheap but amazing food).
3. Homelessness? It's always been a problem - since Covid it's been worse - and it's always been connected to drugs, but now fentanyl makes it much worse. That said, homelessness is not a large part of the population or takes up a large part of the city - they are just very visible - so people notice. Which I'd say is important, because it's a problem that needs to be worked on.
4. Non-downtown Vancouver? Yes, there are places we go - the PNE/Playland is a huge draw in the summer. Many places to go and see in and around UBC like the Museum of Anthropology. Beside Q.E. Park is Nat Bailey Stadium - one of the best places to watch a ballgame. Kits and West 4th ave - great food and kitschy stores. Commercial Drive - amazing cultural food, events, people - must go especially during a World Cup!
5. Else? Robson and Granville: Epic streets with cool stuff happening all the time. False Creek: Wonderful walking or riding paths right by the ocean. In North Van, Lynn Valley suspension bridge and creek - one of my favourite places ever anywhere. In West Van, Lighthouse Park - the oldest, largest trees in the Vancouver area - real wilderness with well-maintained trails less than 30 mins away from downtown.
Why not more popular? Cost of living is high. Public transportation is problematic. But most of all? We don't promote. We get enough tourist dollars without much promotion as it is, so we like to keep things relatively quiet lest we get overwhelmed with visitors. That said, we'd love to have you back. Thanks for the thoughtful vid!
I live on Vancouvers North Shore. It does indeed make many of the best places to live in the world lists. It’s not perfect - it’s very expensive and because many want to move here, salaries can be a bit lower irregardless. The homeless issue is real anywhere in Canada and while the DTES is not great, outside of that it looks like most places in Canada. Vancouver is more a town than a big city - it’s opposite to TO. The ability to recreate here, if that’s your thing, is unparalleled anywhere in the world with all the sheltered salt water, mountains, mountain sports and nature very close to the city.
The taxes are making me crazy but outside of that, can’t beat it.
Stay near Stanley park if you can book a hotel. It's relatively quiet and if course very very beautiful.
I lived on the prairies until I was 14 so I know winter. I have been in Vancouver now for 30 years. Love eonough that I’ve moved into a van rather than move away but rental prices are definitely going to change the great down to earth neighborhoods. Also never heard of Lees. Sushi here is world class
i live in riley park/little mountain, adjacent to mount pleasant. usually i'll go downtown for events (shows/concerts that book the larger, more mainstream venues, meetups), for certain types of shopping (eg: apple store, other big brands), to meet up with people who live/work around there, or for running / biking around the seawall. it's a quick bike ride or drive, and you can skytrain most of the way back if you don't want to go up a hill again. it's great to have easy access to, but not ideal for living after your early 20s. in my opinion/experience, the neighbourhoods surrounding the downtown area are better for day to day quality of life in late 20s and beyond. you have easy access to smaller shows (like at the wise hall, biltmore, hollywood), smaller family businesses (like neptoon records), and new cafes/restaurants/bakeries/etc (before they franchise and can inflate prices based on a name and prioritize scaling above quality). also, there is more space for your dog(s).
i agree, lee's donuts is overrated! 49th parallel/luckys and cartems are the best ;)
Welcome back anytime and there are much more to explore and add to your adventure in BC.
Can't wait to explore!
A few points... First, about the homeless. As others have already mentioned, one reason Vancouver has a large relative homeless population is that thid is one of a very few cities in Canada with temperatures mild enough in the winter that the homeless can survive outside. So Vancouver's homeless population comes from everywhere. It is true that we have not figured out how to manage/serve/adequately care for the homeless--people who often suffer from mental health and addiction issues. But, as a Vancouverite, I am proud that we remain committed to that struggle. Many other comparable North American cities simply herd and bus the homeless out to suburbs or assign them to dangerous, under-served government-run ghettos. I am proud that we have not resorted to those "solutions" in Vancouver and hope that we keep working to and eventually do find the better path.
Second, yes, property costs alot to buy or rent in Vancouver. Less expensive than Paris, Manhattan, Sydney Australia, Hong Kong, etc.--but still at the high end. But total "occupancy costs" (my term) are lower than for many comparable cities. Property taxes, utility service costs (internet, phone, electricity, heat) tend to be significantly higher in comparable US cities. Part (not all) of the reason real estate and rental costs are high is that the VCs are exploiting the opportunities to capitalize on the lower (relative) occupancy costs. We pay almost 5× more--all taxes and levies included--per kWh for electricity in a small home we own in the US than we pay in Vancouver. And most of that proximate access to nature that you talk about is "free" (paid for out of our property taxes, which are till lower than they are for most comparable US properties). If you choose to live in Vancouver because you are, primarily, "outdoorsey", the numbers don't feel so bad.
Finally--for now--the food scene. Vancouver has our fair share of US-style big retail chains, e.g. Safeway, Costco, Walmart, etc. And the products they sell look like and often are no different from what you see in the US. But US-style retail chains tend not to do as well, financially, in Vancouver as one might expect, given Vancouver demographics. That is because a significant share of the Vancouver population is steadfastly loyal to smaller, independent stores. So--especially, but not only, in the neighborhoods you mention--you see more independent groceries, coffee shops, clothing stores, etc., than we typically see in most comparable US cities. It costs a little more to buy your steak or lamb at Jackson's, or your seafood from any of the 3 fish markets at Granville Island, or your groceries from Stong's. But these are mostly 3rd generation family-owned businesses that deliver high quality and have survived competition from Safeway due to the loyalty of their neighborhoods.
To live in Vancouver for a month, you have to list all of the favorite activities of you and your wife
Then we can recommended the best location and best month (e.g. skiing, canoeing, hiking, road/mountain/gravel biking)
As a local who's lived in Vancouver for decades and also travelled extensively around the world, you're on point with many of your observations. Vancouver is ranked in the top 5 of most liveable cities in the world. It's the 3rd largest city in Canada so doesn't get quite the same attention like the bigger cities of Toronto and Montreal, just like the big cities like New York, London, and Paris overshadow smaller cities in their countries. Also, Vancouver is a relatively young city (just over 130 years) so it doesn't have that unique historical or cultural draw like London and Paris. It's been a sleeper on the world stage that has now been discovered in the last two decades and that unfortunately has led to unaffordable housing prices. Demand has driven prices to levels comparable to places like New York and Tokyo. This (along with also being the gateway for illicit drugs from Asia) lead to the homeless problem you've mentioned.
Regarding all those "water features" around the city, that's because Vancouver is also known for its dreary winter season where it can rain for weeks on end (doesn't snow much) without seeing any sun. It has a nickname, "Raincouver" or the "WetCoast" of Canada.