Our Weekend Guide to Vancouver

My recent trip to Vancouver fulfilled a long time travel wish and it didn’t disappoint in the least! If you haven’t been, definitely add this British Colombia city to your must-visit list! It is home to some of the most amazing scenery and restaurants-get ready for my list of favorites below – and for those of us in California, it’s only a 3 hour flight away, making it possible to see the best of this city in a quick weekend rendezvous. We flew in on Friday afternoon and our weekend went as such…

4pm: Check In

We stayed at the Loden Hotel in the West End of the City. I can’t even tell you how incredible the hotel was. To start, the hotel staff service was impeccable and they did everything they could to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. We felt like we were home the second we walked in the door! To add, The Loden is located near everything you could need so we were able to walk to most of the local spots. Our room had massive glass windows with a view that overlooked the city streets–it was unbeatable. I can’t even imagine staying anywhere else!

6pm: Dinner

The night we arrived, we ate at the on-site restaurant at Loden, Tableau Bar Bistro, and let me tell you… the food was on point. I don’t think I’ve ever had French food as good as this. We shared a bunch of yummy appetizers including a meat and cheese plate that I am still thinking about. Since Vancouver can be quite rainy this time of year round, The Loden and Tableau offer complimentary umbrellas that you can borrow for walking around the city. And they even have a London Taxi that will take you wherever you want to go! Isn’t that the cutest?!

Saturday 10am: Brunch at Chambar

We kicked off our first full day with brunch at Chambar. Chambar had to be one of my favorite spots to eat the entire trip. I had a lavender latte that was to die for. I’ve never had anything like it and now I can’t stop craving it! To top it off, they served homemade Belgian waffles with a heavenly spread of dipping sauces! My fave was the lavender chocolate sauce… a scrape-the-bottom-of-the-bowl kind of good.

12pm: Granville Island
We wandered around Chambar after brunch and then ventured out to Granville Island, one of Vancouver’s hotspots. We walked around their amazing Public Market, lined with stalls of homemade goods and the freshest seafood. We decided to stop at the Chip Wagon while we were on the island since they’re known for their fish and chips and Canada’s most-loved dish, Poutine. We highly recommend taking a nice long walk after 🙂

5pm: Gas Town
That night we ventured to Gas Town. Once the sun goes down, it becomes one of Vancouver’s most popular spots for art, music, shopping, and especially Happy Hour! With vintage street lamps lining the sidewalks and groups of cheery people strolling the streets, it was picturesque. We indulged at what the locals say is the best happy hour in town, the Flying Pig Restaurant. They were right… it was unmatchable. The ambiance, the food- everything was exactly what we needed.

Sunday morning: Whistler
On our final day, we decided to take a scenic drive and check out Whistler, the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Only an hour and 30 minutes outside of Vancouver, Whistler was full of cute shops, amazing scenery, and something we don’t ever see in LA… SNOW! The city was indescribably beautiful.

A quick flight home on Sunday afternoon brought us back to sunny SoCal, but we’ll be anticipating a trip back to this magical city sometime very soon.