If there’s one activity that’s guaranteed to help me unwind and recharge, it’s traveling. I love visiting new places whether here in the United States or abroad. There’s something exciting about heading off to an unfamiliar place and immersing myself in the local culture. In a perfect world, I can travel for a week or more. But the realities of being a mom, and a hectic work schedule between being a writer and a beauty entrepreneur means that one- and two-week trips aren’t always possible.
Sometimes even just four days is a luxury because of how limited my time can be. Sometimes when I’m traveling, I’m lucky to get away for 48 hours. But that doesn’t stop me from dusting off my passport. Earlier this spring I booked a quick romantic trip to Vancouver.
While I spent a little bit more than 24 hours there, this cute Pacific Northwestern city is an easy trip for Americans no matter where you’re located, and has plenty to do to keep you busy for a 24-hour itinerary. Here’s how I spent 48 hours in Vancouver on a romantic couple’s getaway, to use for your own Vancouver itinerary.
Getting to and from Vancouver
Because we’re on the same continent and Vancouver is one of Canada’s major cities, getting here by plane is easy. I flew in from New Jersey while my travel boo came from the midwest. We met up in Minneapolis and caught a straight flight to Vancouver. Depending on your location, total flying time shouldn’t take more than five and a half hours — which is about the same as flying cross country from New York to Los Angeles.
This shouldn’t be surprising but Canada is an international destination. So make sure your passport is current with at least six months of validity to enter the country. Just like most major cities, the airport isn’t in Vancouver but is adjacent. Thankfully, Uber and Lyft are popular here and total drive time from the airport to downtown Vancouver is less than 30 minutes during light traffic times.
When it’s time to go home, note that Canada’s international airports usually allow you to complete both customs and U.S. immigration so that when you arrive in the U.S., you can bypass those tragic passport lines. This is where having Global Entry (like I do) comes in handy because you can zip through the passport lines and be in the main concourse in under 10 minutes.
A Luxurious Stay in Vancouver
Vancouver is a metropolitan city with plenty of amazing lodging options. For our trip, we chose to stay at The Douglas which is located within Parq Vancouver around the corner from BC Place and Rogers Arena. It’s only a few blocks from the scenic waterfront along False Creek looking out towards Grouse Mountain. What’s interesting about this property is that it’s encapsulated within an actual park. And I do mean encapsulated since the entire upper level of the hotel is an accessible green space park.
The Douglas is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and is a lux experience complete with complementary mini Canadian beer pints offered when you arrive at check-in. This pet-friendly hotel is an interesting mix of modern and cozy as the hotel pairs a concrete aesthetic with warm jewel-toned upholstery and green spaces to boost mood while also prioritizing an attention to detail by the staff that makes this place feel incredibly welcoming.
Along with lush digs, The Douglas also boasts three on-site restaurants, three lounges, and a gelato shop. The hotel also offers a fitness center, a rooftop pool and jacuzzi, and access to the Spa by JW which is located in the adjacent sister property, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This neighborhood is a mix of business professionals and recreational spaces because of the nearby sports complex. It’s within a reasonable walking distance of the Vancouver Lookout tower while also being just a quick 30-minute car ride from the airport.
Planning an Itinerary for Vancouver
On short trips, you really have to be selective when creating an itinerary. For our trip, we only had a half day on our arrival and then one full day before heading back to our respective homes. But even with that window, it limits what you can do if you’re also incorporating popular foodie restaurants (which we did) as part of your sightseeing.
Consider that many of the more popular attractions like Grouse Mountain and Vancouver Lookout are spread out across Vancouver. Likewise, there are other hotspots like Surrey that are technically outside of Vancouver proper and is a popular international foodie destination. So, whenever possible, try to create cluster itineraries that let you visit two or three attractions that are located close to each other.
Finally, Vancouver is walkable from the perspective of a New Yorker. But if trekking across the city isn’t your thing, ride-hailing apps are plentiful (we used Uber), and there is also a metro train system known as SkyTrain. It only has three lines, but does offer regular service schedules if you’re up for it.
Must-Visits if It’s Your First Time in Vancouver
It was my first time in Vancouver so we opted for a handful of the more iconic destinations and tried to split them between our two days in town. Also consider the time of year. We traveled in May when winter sports are essentially over but the weather is mild enough that you can still enjoy outdoor activities.
Vancouver Lookout
Vancouver Lookout reminded me a lot of the Seattle Space Needle — only significantly shorter and without an entire experiential complex surrounding it. Built in 1977, it was once the tallest building in the city. It sits 553 feet high and features full panoramic views of Vancouver including the Northshore mountains. Because this is a shorter tower (as compared to the Seattle Space Needle’s 605-foot height) you do feel more immersed with the city views.
I felt that the best views were of key waterfront sites such as Canada Place and Gastown as well as Grouse Mountain across the harbor. Still, we checked out Vancouver Lookout after enjoying lunch and it’s about a 20-minute walk towards the waterfront from Rogers Arena. While you can book tickets in advance, you can also buy them on-site and children ages five and younger are free.
Grouse Mountain
One of the most iconic attractions in Vancouver is Grouse Mountain. It’s across the harbor and requires either ride-share access or a rental car to get there. Inclusive of round trip travel time, expect to spend about two to four hours depending on what you do once you’re onsite. Getting here takes about 20 to 30 minutes minimum even if you’re on the waterfront in Vancouver proper.
Once you arrive, you’ll need to take the SkyRide gondolas to reach the top of the mountain. The views going up are pretty but if you can, when you’re ready to go back down the mountain, jockey for a space in the front of the gondola to get some truly gorgeous views of Vancouver and the surrounding greenery.
Grouse Mountain has year round outdoor activities, but the best time to go is in the winter when the snow sports, skating pond, snowshoeing, and even snow sliding (sledding) are available. In the warmer seasons like when we went, activities are limited to hiking, ziplining, and spotting the two permanent wildlife refuge grizzly bear residents Coola and Grinder.
A Foodie’s Paradise in Vancouver
Vancouver is known as a great town for foodies. There’s a lot to see and eat across cuisines spread throughout the city. For the most part, we kept our trip focused on the downtown region. But if you have more time, Surrey is a great place to visit to explore a vast array of locally owned restaurants in one smaller space.
Classic Breakfasts at Honey Salt
While I’m fairly open minded and will try pretty much any cuisine for lunch, dinner, and snacks at any hour, I’m a purist with my breakfast. Except for two weeks spent quarantining in Seoul during the pandemic, I like my breakfast of the Western variety — and the bacon has to be perfectly crispy.
Honey Salt is the casual dining restaurant in The Douglas on the lower level just off the main entrance. The brightly lit dining room is a blend of farmhouse and midcentury modern while the menu provides farm-to-table offerings. For breakfast, I like to keep it simple and opted for the “oldie but goodie” two eggs, with bacon, and home fries. However, this restaurant does offer lunch and dinner and is open to the public as well.
Elevated Dim Sum at Mott 32
This restaurant is named after New York’s first Chinese convenience store in 1891, located at 32 Mott Street in New York’s Chinatown. Mott 32 is an international restaurant group headquartered in Hong Kong that serves up elevated authentic Chinese recipes. The swanky dining room blends classic plush leather seatings and intimately lit tables with industrial inspired metal accents.
This is not the only Mott 32 in Canada as there’s another location in Toronto. However, I was sold with first impressions simply because this location had a mobile rosé bar cart offering a wide array of wines including several sparkling options. The menu skews Cantonese but does incorporate some Beijing and Szechuan inspiration while prioritizing organic or sustainably sourced ingredients that are mainly from local suppliers.
My first impression with the a la carte menu was that it was overwhelming. Even though every dish was phenomenal and expertly crafted, there’s a lot on this menu even if you regularly eat this cuisine. So if your budget allows, I recommend picking the tasting menu if your server offers it. This is when the chef creates a curated menu that tells a flavor story and includes key options from the starters, dim sum, barbecue, soup, seafood, meats, and even dessert categories.
Mott 32 swaps out some dishes depending on the season. However, core options like the 42 days peking duck, the bird’s nest soup, pork belly, lettuce cup stir fried wild mushrooms, soup dumplings, and soy sauce ice cream (I promise that ice cream is amazing) are regularly on the menu.
Locally Showcased Dining at Botanist
Don’t let the name fool you, Botanist prioritizes plant-based ingredients but does include meat in many of the available dishes on its menu. However, the best way to describe this restaurant is that it’s a plant-first experience where fresh, locally sourced produce showcase the Pacific Northwest’s flora as the star of the show. Yet the meat and seafood incorporated in many of the dishes are very fresh and full of flavor. The result is you’re delighted with dishes and cocktails that photograph well and with flavor profiles that feel perfectly balanced.
Botanist is located inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim (which has a very lively lobby lounge bar I recommend checking out). But you don’t need to be a guest at this hotel to enjoy it. The menu skews a bit eclectic and fusion with a variety of cuisines on display like the incredibly fresh wagyu beef carpaccio or black pepper crusted salmon that’s plated with roe.
Also prepare for unexpected combinations. During our dinner experience we shared the miso milk chocolate mousse which pairs miso caramel with sesame crumble and black sesame semi freddo. It was a unique twist on a classic dessert that created a balanced blend of savory and sweet flavors.
Botanist also offers a tasting menu with an option for a complementing wine pairing add-on. However, I felt their menu was very streamlined and wasn’t overwhelming like with Mott 32. So, we didn’t ask for a tasting menu and instead chose to share a few starters and sides (along with dessert), and ordered individual mains.
Escape to Vancouver for a Mini Getaway
When you have just a little bit of time to explore a city and sample amazing cuisine, you have to maximize your time as best as you can. Whether as an extended layover for an international vacation or as the primary destination, there’s no shortage of itineraries you can create in Vancouver.
Vancouver is no more than a five-hour direct flight away from even the furthest point in the lower 48, which makes it convenient. The city is very close to the airport, and thanks to the easy customs and immigration between the U.S. and Canada, you don’t need a visa and entering back into the U.S. is a seamless experience. This cosmopolitan and diverse city needs to be on your shortlist for your next international vacation.
