I was barely in Vancouver for 24 hours. And when I mean barely, I mean 22.5 hours… this is not nearly enough time to explore this beautiful vibrant city. A cheap Allegiant Air flight brought David and I to Bellingham, Washington on a long weekend getaway. We spent Day 1 exploring Bellingham and Fairhaven. I must say, Bellingham is cute but small. Here’s a quick recap of Bellingham’s shenanigans.
Home Skillet—A bangin’ breakfast with such a cool backstory. I had the tofu scramble and David ordered pulled pork hash. Both entrees 10/10.
Opera—Quick tea and croissant stop. Croissants were Parisian-level.
Saku Tea—Adorable, photogenic tea house serving delicious tea and superfood lattes.
Colophon Café—Stopped in for a light lunch which included a homemade smoked salmon melt. Fantastic food and even better service
Wanida Thai—Some of the best Thai I’ve ever had. Green curry and peanut sauce stir fry noodles. Only word of caution, their hot is HOT.
Boulevard Park—Gorgeous waterfront park overlooking Bellingham Bay.
Downtown Fairhaven—A quaint downtown with shops, restaurants, and coffeehouses.
Sunday morning, we drove to Vancouver. It is only 50 or so miles from Bellingham, Washington but takes about two hours due to the USA-Canada border crossing. We have been told the border is sometimes not crowded, but we did not have this experience. None the less, we made it to Vancouver around lunchtime.
Lunch/Brunch (Weekends Only) 1pm—The Goyza Bar
We stumbled upon this spot thanks to the Vancouver Sun. Boy was it a good recommendation. I recommend the ramen and veggie goyzas.
Check-in at The Fairmont Waterfront 2pm
Gorgeous waterfront hotel a short walk from the popular Gastown and bike ride from Stanley Park. The staff was among the friendliest I’ve encountered at any hotel. We were given complimentary cocktails upon arrival and escorted to our room when it was ready.
Read More: The Fairmont Waterfront’s Sustainable Initiatives
Afternoon drink at ARC @ Fairmont 3pm
Our cocktails were provided by ARC, which is the on-site restaurant. The cocktails were inspired by the rooftop herb and vegetable garden.
Stanley Park 4pm
If I were to do this again, I would hop on one of the complimentary bikes provided by The Fairmont Waterfront and zip down the seawall to the park. David and I did not realize it was a short bike ride, or else we would have done this.
Stanley Park is huge. The seawall surrounding it is roughly 10km. We could not have had better weather for a day in the park. It was sunny and 65 with not a cloud in the sky. We walked around for a few hours, got some spectacular city skyline photos, and then headed back to the hotel.
Dinner MeeT in Gaston 6pm
I am vegan about 95% of the time, so when Lauren Toyota shared this recommendation on her YouTube channel, I jumped at the chance at going. Plus, it is only a 10-minute walk from The Fairmont. Crispy cauliflower, buffalo black bean burger, fries AND salad. MeeT was a home-run and I highly recommend it for vegans and non-vegans.
Read More: Vancouver the Greenest City by 2020?
After-dinner stroll in Gastown 8pm
Gastown is a hip area full of boutiques, restaurants, bars, and coffeeshops. Upon walking out of MeeT we found the streets were lit up with twinkle lights and street artists playing guitars. It offers a really cool vibe and the perfect way to stroll home after a delicious dinner. It was Sunday so most of the shops were closed but I imagine Gastown is just bustling on a Friday or Saturday evening.
Dessert + Hot tub 9pm
The Fairmont Waterfront had graciously provided us with beautiful chocolate covered strawberries which we enjoyed for dessert. We topped off the evening with a trip to the hot tub. It was the perfect way to end a full day in Vancouver.
Monday
Breakfast at ARC 9am
Because this was half work half play I spent the morning learning all about The Fairmont’s sustainable initiatives. Read all about them HERE!
Drive to Bellingham Airport 11am
And just like that, our time in Vancouver came to a close. There is no doubt in my mind we will be back to Vancouver very, very soon. In fact, I already have a price tracker on flights!
In preparation for my next trip, let me know in the comments what to do in Vancouver! Especially sustainable, eco-friendly activities and places to eat.
