1. Vancouver was originally called Granville back in the late 1800s. It was formally made a city in 1886 and was renamed to honour the British explorer George Vancouver who was the first to survey the coast in 1792. Prior to that this region was inhabited by the idendigenous people of Pacific Northwest mainly from Squamish, Tsleil-waututh and Xwméthkwyiem tribes. 

2. Vancouver is a stone’s throw from Seattle. After considering several interesting and potentially scenic modes of transportation like the seaplane, Amtrak train and the speed boat via Victoria, I settled on the more accessible and affordable option – the humble greyhound bus. It was sufficient and dropped at the Pacific Central Station in under 4 hours. The border check was straightforward and probably the first time I crossed a land border checkpoint. 

3. My favorite memory of Vancouver was exploring Stanley Park on foot. The scenery is beautiful with a bit more laid back vibe compared to the ones in Seattle. The views of the harbor from seawall on a sunny day is an invitation to picnic and catch up on the book lazing in the grass. 

4. I did my obligatory Tim Horton’s pit stop.The coffee and donuts are ok but it is more of a tradition. Vij’s is a Vancouver staple but there are probably better options elsewhere in Canada or south of the border. The waffles with unique sauces at Medina cafe were A+ while Bella Gelateria serves some of the best gelato anywhere. In fact, James Coleridge of Bella won the awards at the Firenze gelato competition. Vancouver’s Chinatown is bustling but the real deal are apparently in the suburb of Richmond. It is known to have some of the best dim sum in North America.  The Granville island public market was charming and the food hall has something for everyone.

5. Vancouver offers easy access to nature including the world class skiing zones at Whistler. I vowed to return back in the Winter but chickened out and settled for the ones closer to home at Mount Baker. Suspension bridges are a thing in Vancouver, while Capilano was built as a tourist attraction, the one at the Lynn Canyon is more charming. The Lynn Canyon park is great for hiking, its tall trees are green and leafy in the summer.