Laurel is a writer, editor, and Vancouver Island transplantee in hot pursuit of the perfectly placed word and finding intrigue in the mundane. Constant concert-goer, avid glockenspielest, one-time Sesame Streeter, and non-partisan whale lover for life who's always making more room for activities.
People love to boast that Vancouver is the “only place you can golf, ski, and kayak in the same day.” I have lived here for over 10 years and have never met a single person who has actually done that. I’m not saying that it’s impossible, but most of us are too broke or busy to pay our astronomical rent to have the time and money for that. That said, there are plenty of unique activities in Rain City to write home about.
Few events can create or strengthen friendships like shared tragedy and triumph. So the fact that memories and relationships blossom from a karaoke experience is not surprising. Vancouver has tons of great places where you can gather ’round the teleprompter for a booze-fuelled sing-along. Hit these local venues next time you want to belt out Queen hits on stage or croon to Roy Orbison in an intimate room full of fans.
“What do you guys want to do while you’re here?” It’s the inevitable question you’ll have to ask whenever your out-of-town guests come to visit. Playing tour guide for friends and family is easy thanks to Vancouver’s many attractions, but why rest on your laurels and go for the typical destinations? Next time, take them for a unique local adventure instead.
For Vancouverites, there are three certainties in life: death, high rent and an annual cold. If you were to remedy your cold with NeoCitran and Netflix every time you caught one, your other certainty in life would be constantly missing out. Here are a few low-key activities that’ll help you get out of the house and kick a cough, cold or congestion during the winter season.
If you’re a bartender or server who works on the weekends, you’ll likely want to blow off some steam when the rest of the city heads back to the office on Monday morning. Main Street has a concentrated collection of bars with some great industry night specials for the folks who work hard to keep the weekend crowds lubricated and well fed. Here are a few great places to go if you’re looking to boogie Sunday through Wednesday.