BY ERIC VALENTINE
When you live in a resort town, it’s a matter of time before the scenic getaway is something you need to get away from. Everyone needs a change of pace and space every once in a while, regardless of how lovely the pace and space may be. Here is a vacation option that goes beyond Idaho campgrounds, without going beyond a nominal budget.
Oh Canada!
If you like road trips with lush scenic views, consider taking the 12-hour drive from the Valley to Vancouver. Not the one in Washington state, the one in British Columbia, Canada. If the drive sounds daunting, you can always stop in Seattle first. It’s less than three hours away—actually just over two hours away if there were no such things as borders—and is cool enough to serve as a fun one-night stopover location, too.
If the drive still sounds daunting, rest assured it’s worth it. And, you can always fly. But with the advent of Airbnbs with free parking and the convenient public transit system and walkable spaces abundant in Vancouver, driving there is the working-class-budget way to enjoy this world-class city.
When you drive into Vancouver, the skyline is not remarkable in and of itself. Its buildings are monochromatic white and light blue with nondescript architecture. Lots of cylinders, rectangles and the occasional trapezoid. What’s stunning about the skyline is that even though it’s massive, it’s caressed by blue water and dwarfed by purple mountains snow-capped much of the year.
Vancouver is culturally impacted—historically—by the British and the French, so you can and get fresh fish and chips and gravy-covered, cheese-curd-packed poutine all in the same day. Vancouver’s more modern-day influence is Asian, so a dim sum brunch in Chinatown and a sushi supper in Yaletown are a worthwhile hop, skip, and a jump away.
Where Art Meets Food
One of the can’t-miss spots of Vancouver is Granville Island Public Market. Not only does this urban waterfront space boast some of the best and freshest foods anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, it also houses multiple regional theatre companies and a wide variety of artisans who have set up shop in the once-vacated industrial shops and warehouses. In the front are their wares for sale—anything from handmade brooms to blacksmithed sculptures—in the back are the artisans hard at work.
Wake & Bake
Recreational marijuana use is legal in Canada. Just saying. But you won’t need it to get the morning munchies. That can happen at a spot called Medina Café—a Mediterranean-inspired brunch spot embedded with British and Belgian breakfast benchmarks. Mini Belgian waffles tempt you as you enter the restaurant, and the toppings from maple syrup to white chocolate pistachio will likely put Medina Café on your list of all-time faves.
Their Canadian bacon and sausage platter, their full-service bar, and their Mediterranean poached egg and spicy lamb meatball dishes are stunning visually and to your palate. And if you really want to add something extra to your lavender latte, ask for the coffee spike—pecan bourbon with butterscotch liqueur and creme de cacao.
Where To Stay
Vancouver ain’t a cheap place to live, which means its hotel and Airbnb rates can be high. A good hack is to use Hotwire.com and search for your hotel the same day. Getting a four-star hotel for under $80 a night is not uncommon. The border guards prefer when you know exactly where you’ll be staying, but if you explain you’re trying to reduce costs by waiting last minute on Hotwire, they’ll get it.
Oh, and don’t forget your passport.