[altricial]

Hi! My family and I will be in Vancouver in late December. This is our first time in Canada so we don't know where to start lol Can anyone suggest places to go? We are mainly interested in shopping, food, and unusual touristy things. Not big on sight seeing, but loves animal related things. I heard there is a safari?

Also, please suggest pet shops to visit!

This post has been edited by altricial: 07 July 2007 - 11:04 AM

[Advert]

---

[tabykitten]

Popcorns and Karupin may end up with a Canadian brother or sister from the sounds of it!

[raggy]

Are you only going to Toronto?? Alberta has the Edmonton Mall which is awesome for shopping and will take about a week to get around. (All under the one roof). I spent heaps of time there when living in Canada..

[altricial]

Ohh how far is Alberta from Toronto? That sounds awesome!

LOL tabykitten, I'd love to visit some breeders there but suspect my family would not be too impressed LOL

[tabykitten]

It's pretty far... but if you go to alberta you should also go to Vancouver, Canada's best city!

[altricial]

OH WAIT, I'M AN IDIOT. Just rechecked my mum's email and we're going Vancouver, not Toronto LOL I shall edit post LOL

[tabykitten]

Oooo!! Now we're talking!! What kind of things do you want to see/do? Stanley Park is beautiful, there is the aquarium which is pretty neat.. the Expo center.. you should try and get up to Whistler, which is very nice (but tres expensive!) Metrotown Mall in Burnaby is MASSIVE- it has everything you could ever think of to see and do.. are you into nightclubs at all?

Kobe Steak House downtown is yummy (but expensive) The Mongolian BBQ on Denman is my fave place in the world-very cheap and soooooo yummy.. up the road is a great cake place, Just Desserts.. oh, and the Purdy's chocolate factory *drool* get some chocolate hedgehogs..

Alberta is closer to Vancouver than Toronto, but it is still about 16 hours or so away(driving), and in a different time zone (I think they're an hour or two ahead? Can't recall)

[blueblue]

In Vancouver city you can get like a little sky rail car up to the top of the city Grouse Mountain and they have bears there (the baby bears/rescues) you can also log on and see them on the internet LOL. I think in winter they also have ice skating and several other things on. Stanley Park (the city park in Vancouver, a nice walk along..house boats...an acquarium place...get the horse ride and buggy tour).

Go on the ferry to Victoria and visit Bucharest Gardens and the BC museum in Victoria. Its a very pretty place...a bit of a castle thingy there too...

[tabykitten]

Check this out- it's a good site for what's on info

http://www.vancouver...ortal/index.jsp

[altricial]

Thanks, guys!! I like the sound of baby bears The hotel I'll be staying in is very near the Expo Centre so I'll definitely check that out Metrotown Mall sounds fantastic. We're not big on clubbing, just shopping and food LOL

[tabykitten]

Ooo, go to Grandville Island (not really an island, it is about 10 mins from the city center- easy to get to) Lots of cute little shops, great restaurants. It is a wonderful place to go on Sunday (we'd go there for brunch and eat on the water then go to see a play) Gastown is a must-see as well (it is in the city, again you can easily get there) The steam clock is quite famous.

Oh, if you have time check out Sofie's Atomic Grill on West 4th- it is a kitchy classic, and has wonderful ice-cream.

If you're by the Expo center you'll be really close to skytrain stations, so you can get anywhere easily- just be careful, some areas down there are a bit dodgy- Vancouver is a funny city, you go up a block and you're on skid row, next block is trendy city.

[AnneL]

I visited there in December 1992 and didn't have any trouble finding places to visit. One of the highlights was seeing the beluga whales in the Vancouver Aquarium. Just magic.

[blueblue]

Anne I sat there watching the beluga whales for ages. Never seen anything like them.

[Doreen]

Victoria Island and Buschardt (sp) gardens is spectacular, and not too far away.

[altricial]

I'm terrified of marine animals LOL I started with my phobia of sharks and have somehow generalised to everything in the sea My dad and brother would love that though. I'll just have to wait outside LOL

taby - Grandville Island sounds so nice! Do you go to Vancouver often? You sound like you know it really well!