Things To Do
Granville Island
The seawall near Granville island is the first place (apart from Zoom) that we spent a long amount of time together (see our story on the homepage). When we come to Granville island, we love to wander through the public market, grab some donuts from Lee's, or just sit and watch the geese.
Kitsilano
Lots of stores, coffee shops, restaurants in this cute neighbourhood, it's a pleasant place to walk around! Kitsilano Beach and Granville Island are walking distance. A walk to Kitsilano Beach with a coffee was one of the things we did in our first one-on-one hang out as "friends".
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is Vancouver's largest urban park, located right alongside downtown. We've gone on plenty of walks through here and even saw our fav artist (Niki supremacy) for the first time here. We'd recommend going for a walk/ride along the ocean on the seawall (around the whole park) or diving into some of the trails in the park itself!
Deep Cove
Iain grew up in Deep Cove and unsurprisingly developed a huge love for the ocean. It's also where he got to spend time with Sakiko's family for the first time, and convinced them he was a seagull in disguise. Here, we'd recommend going for a quick hike up Quarry Rock (although it can be pretty busy), renting some kayaks to head out on the water or even just hanging out by the ocean.
False Creek
The False Creek seawall is an amazing walking place for anyone who wants a more urban experience. We've gone on countless walks and runs here, including Sakiko's first 10k (without a kid's strength & energy) that left her dead for the next couple of days.
VanDusen Botanical Garden
VanDusen Botanical Garden is a huge garden paradise in the heart of Vancouver full of plants from around the world. We love walking through the garden in the winter to see all the Christmas lights, but it's a lovely, calm space to unwind in with a walk through a multitude of different plants.
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is one of Vancouver's 3 mountains on the North Shore. Although we've still never gone together, we both love skiing here in the winter. The views in the summer are just as incredible, and it's certainly worth the trip if you want to get into the mountains. Here, you can take a ride up the tram, or put yourself through a grueling hike (the "Grouse Grind") which makes the view at the top feel even more spectacular.
The University of British Columbia
We both studied at UBC and absolutely love the campus. Although our experiences here are filled with both highs & lows, we'd both definitely recommend going for a walk around campus. UBC's campus is full of green space, including a couple of botanical gardens, as well as lots of interesting buildings & architecture.
Iona Jetty
Iona Jetty is the place that we go for every anniversary, as well as the place that Iain proposed! If you're looking for a gorgeous sunset not too far from the airport, this is the place. Sadly, to get here you do need a car.
Raisu - Food
Japanese Food One of our go-to spots for higher quality food. Can be a little pricey but some of the yummiest Japanese food you'll find in Vancouver.
Richmond Public Market - Food Court
Chinese/Asian Food Court A local food court full of lots of great food. It can be a little chaotic, and cash only, but it's so fun! We recommend the rice rolls from Hei Hei Rice Roll, but make sure you order as soon as you get there since they can take a little while to be ready depending on the wait times.
Sura Korean Royal Cuisine Restaurant - Food
Korean Food Sakiko would go simply for the side dishes. If you can go for lunch they have a great lunch set menu! (Some other recommendations are Sumi, Sandeul, Toe Dam)
Red Star Seafood Restaurant - Food
Dim Sum There are SO many amazing dim sum places in Vancouver, not just this one. We love Red Star's shrimp dumpling and scallop fried rice. (Some other recommendations are Kirin, New Mandarin, Sun Sui Wah)
Phnom Penh Restaurant - Food
Vietnamese/Cambodian Food Super yummy food (Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand) for a reasonable price. Fried chicken and beef carpaccio are a must. The only trouble is getting in. The wait tends to be very long and you need at least 6 people in order to reserve.
Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen - Food
Vietnamese Food A spot we frequent for Vietnamese food. The wings are MSG glory (cannot deny or confirm). (Some other recommendations are Anh and Chi, Crab Hot Lau, Bahn Mi Saigon)
Wasuta Pasta - Food
Japanese-Italian Food Yummy little Japanese-Italian spot. A convenient location if you're staying near our venue, as it happens to be right across the street!
Big Way Hot Pot - Food
Hot Pot Multiple locations around Metro Vancouver. Great place for a fun experience and (potentially) affordable good food! You get to fill up your pot with whatever you'd like, and then choose your soup base for your own personal customized hot pot. Just be aware that you pay by the weight, so be careful what you're grabbing! We recommend joining the online waitlist (accessible through Google Maps or their website) prior to arriving.
Oidé Coffee
Currently a top contender for both Sakiko & Iain's favourite coffee shops. Minimalistic and ~quality~ (We have way too many coffee shop recommendations, please reach out if you'd like more!)
Chun Fun How - Bubble Tea
Also a location in Richmond. Our favourite bubble tea spot. Sakiko's favs: Grapefruit lychee green tea or osmanthus milk tea. Iain's favs: Guava lychee green tea.
Rain or Shine - Ice Cream
Multiple locations around Vancouver and a local staple. Iain bought Sakiko's ice cream after a UCM picnic worship night while they were still friends, which kick started them becoming more than friends ;)
Elephant Garden Creamery - Ice Cream
All the Asian flavoured ice creams. A recent rediscovery for us and we're never leaving it again.