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Vancouver Recap Part 3

Happy Friday!!!! 

I’m glad we’ve made it. Tomorrow, I’m running my first 20 miler (NERVOUS!!) and then I hope to stretch and nap before our housewarming party in the evening. I’m really excited! Ed and I have been working really hard to get this new house in shape, and things are coming right along. I hope to get some good pictures this weekend to share with you.

In other news, I finally put together my third recap post about Vancouver. Better late than never, right?   You can also read Part 1 in Whistler and Part 2 in Victoria. Expect lots of pictures. This post is very picture heavy.

Upon returning back from Victoria, we checked into our hotel for the week in downtown Vancouver and grabbed a quick dinner at a place called Back Forty (which now seems to be closed), where I had a delicious salmon salad and Ed had mac n cheese with pork.

We enjoyed listening to a karaoke night and walked home and called it a night.

Vancouver recap

Where Should You Eat In Vancouver?

Check out Granville Island!

Granville Island Food Tour
Granville Island Food Tour


We had a food tour planned for Tuesday morning on Granville Island to tour the market. I love using food tours as a way to taste all the food, but also to learn more about the history and culture. Typically, with the tours I’ve been on, the guides have been really informative.

This tour with Vancouver Foodies was no different (highly recommend if you are ever there!). Though it was a little overcast and rainy, we enjoyed touring the market. We got to taste so many different things from vendors in the market, including donuts from Lee’s Donuts, charcuterie from Oysama sausage, cheese, fresh cherries, fresh fish, coffee from JJ Bean, and a green tea lemonade.

Granville Island Food Tour
Granville Island Food Tour
Granville Island Food Tour

And so much fresh produce! I was in heaven.

Granville Island Food Tour
Granville Island Food Tour

After the tour, we explored some more and went to the Granville Island Brewery where we each had flights. We then walked the two miles back to our hotel before showering and heading out for our anniversary/birthday dinner at Forage, a beautiful, local, farm to table restaurant. You can see that review here.

Granville Island brewery

 

Eat At Cafe Medina

Wednesday was my birthday. We slept in and enjoyed the lazy morning before walking to Café Medina for brunch, a place everyone talks about in Vancouver. We expected to wait, and ended up waiting about 30 minutes, which was more than worth it.

We split the breakfast pizza with an over easy fried egg, and the mini waffles, which came with your choice of toppings. We chose dark chocolate and raspberry chocolate, and they were delicious.

Cafe Medina
Cafe Medina

 

Run On the Seawall

We took our time walking back, stopping in the shopping district and checking out some stores. I wanted to get a longer run in along the Seawall, so once we let our food digest, we headed down to the Seawall for a 70 minute run.

Though my legs were a little sore, I really enjoyed the fresh air, the views of the city, and seeing all of the bicyclists.

Vancouver Seawall
Vancouver Seawall

Since happy hour is one of my favorite things (!!), we stopped to refuel at a happy hour with $5 wine, $1 oysters and some mini fried chicken bites before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

Happy hour

One of my favorite parts about being in Vancouver was that it was so easily walkable, and we walked to a new coffee shop every morning. Coffee is one of my favorite ways to indulge in a new city and culture, so it was not to be missed.

Check Out The Grouse Grind

I think my favorite coffee shop of the trip was in Victoria, though! On Thursday we decided to take the free public bus to Grouse Mountain, which is known as the peak of Vancouver.

There is this thing called the Grouse Grind (aka Mother Nature’s Stairclimber), where rather than take the gondola up the mountain, you can climb up. It is ALL STAIRS, and is 2800 steps vertical.

Grouse Grind
grouse-grind

There’s a reason it is called the Grouse Grind. Some extreme exercisers race up it. I think the records is something like 23 minutes (it’s about 1.4 miles), but it’s just all up hill the entire time. 

They say if you’re in decent shape, it should take about 90 minutes to hike up. Ed ran up it, of course, and though I didn’t join him in running, I walked up with a pretty quick pace.

Grouse Grind
Grouse Grind

I was sweating after 5 minutes, and my legs were screaming the entire time. It was quite the workout. It took me 57 minutes.

The views from the top were breathtaking, and you definitely feel like you earn the view! Plus, it’s neat to be able to say you did it.

Grouse Grind
Grouse Grind
Grouse Grind

After the hike, we went to Miku sushi for dinner. The sushi is unique in that it is flame seared. It did give it the sushi a different flavor; my rolls were almost creamier yet stiff on the top.

We ordered some much needed cocktails and a few sushi rolls. Don’t worry – not both mine.

Miku sushi
Miku sushi

And because I was craving gelato, we ended the night with 4 lovely scoops from D’Oro Gelato.

gelato

We spent our final day walking around, enjoying the sunshine, getting more gelato, and grabbing some beers and lunch at TapHouse.

taphouse-grill

Overall, I feel like we can sum our trip up with running, hiking, eating, drinking and sleeping. We got some really great runs and hikes in, met some great people (everyone was beyond friendly), and became comfortable with the city.

We didn’t spend any money on souvenirs or other entertainment, aside from a food tour and eating/drinking out. I absolutely loved Vancouver as a city, and would definitely return!

vancouver-city, vancouver part 3

We knew we were going to be active on this trip as Ed and I are extreme runners and hikers. But,  I think I underestimated allllll the food we needed to eat to fuel our level of activity.  It worked out well to allow us to try so many places.

Fortunately, we budgeted, particularly for the food. Vancouver has no shortage of delicious eateries, boasting local fare and farm to table cuisine. While we did get to check out a bunch of places on my bucket list, the rest I’ll have to save for another trip.

We reveled in copious amounts of coffee every morning, craft cocktails during happy hours, glorious amounts of fresh seafood, delicious desserts (including the tastiest cheese puff I’ve ever experienced), and spectacular sites.

coffee
Forage, vancouver part 3

The scenery was absolutely incredible. I already knew I loved the west coast from my time in Portland, but it really is a whole different world from my east coast niche.

The weather was amazing, and the people were friendly and laid back. The phrase we heard the most was, “no worries,” which was the motto for our getaway.

life-motto, vancouver part 3

Vancouver, we loved you inside and out, and hope to return someday!

Seawall
Seawall

Oysters – love them or hate them? I LOVE them.

Plans for the weekend? (Want to come run with me?)

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  1. Did ed beat the 23 minutes? I’d totally believe it!
    This was truly an active vacation! I love that you used exercise opportunities to explore the city. Now I’m wanting to go to Vancouver!

  2. Ah, Vancouver!!! I haven’t been there since I was uh…10(?)? It’s been a while. 😑 I’d love to go back sometime to visit, so I’m glad for your posts! All that food looks delicious! <3

    I can't eat oysters, so more for you! πŸ˜›

    Best of luck to you on your first 20-miler tomorrow!

  3. Vancouver looks like the place to EAT! I can’t do oysters (and neither can Jesse) but everything else? Sign me up πŸ˜‰

    My weekend plans are Zumba this morning, church Sunday and whatever else we fit in in between! I’m going to try and see if Jesse will go to the beach with me today if it gets warm enough as the ocean temperature sounds heavenly at the moment!

  4. This looks like it was just such an awesome trip; I love how you and Ed are so balanced about your travel. You have a good job walking to and enjoying all the foodie adventures to be had; I can’t imagine all those delicious dishes packed into that wonderful time in Vancouver. And I loved the sea walk in Vancouver; if I lived there I would probably go running or walking every day just cause of the view!

    I’m not really an oyster gal because of the texture. πŸ˜€

    This weekend would be church, rest, cleaning, and maybe a quick road trip?

  5. “running, hiking, eating, drinking and sleeping.” Well this sounds like the absolute perfect getaway.
    I have such fond memories of Granville island, both with my family and when I visited my friend there a few years ago – we got some beer at the brewery, picked up some massive hunks of fresh fruit and fresh bread and just strolled around. The amount of fruit in that place!! Happy heart.
    Congrats on climbing that mountain!! Holy crap. It is definitely awesome to be able to say you’ve done it.