The travesty! No, a month ago I had never been to Vancouver. Flights from Toronto to Vancouver were way too expensive. Flying to San Diego or anywhere in California ranged from $300 – $600 for a round trip, whereas flying to Vancouver was always +$700 so it’s always been hard to justify the cost. But for Canada’s 150th, Air Canada was offering flights to Vancouver for $500 – I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity!
Timing was perfect, I had extra vacation days and I hadn’t been on a plane since San Francisco in April (but that was for work). It just so happens that I accepted a new job offer right before too, all the stars aligned!
The first stop on my week long trip to Vancouver was to visit my friend Ken in Victoria, BC. There were many ways to get to Victoria but I found the ferry was the most cost effective and relatively fast as long as you have a car. The entire trip from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria took around 2.5 hours.
It was a beautiful day in Victoria and my friends took me to Red Fish Blue Fish where I had their delicious albacore tuna tacones and fried oysters. For $6, it came with way more oysters than I expected – fried to perfection. While the wait line outdoors was a bit long, it was a great time to catch up under the sun since it was a little shack right by the water. Then we went for a nice walk along the harbour and a stop at a petting zoo!
Traveling to and from Victoria within a day was a bit tiring. But why stop there? The next day, I ventured up to Whistler for a quick trip. After all, what’s a trip to Vancouver without experiencing Whistler? Everything about Whistler was beautiful – the journey from Vancouver to Whistler, the ride to the peak – it was breathtaking….literally! Once I got to the peak, the short hike to see the glacier made me out of breath.
On the way back from Whistler, I went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Although there was a bit of rain, it didn’t take away from the experience. I crossed the suspension bridge, experienced the treetop adventure going as high as the tall trees and also walked along the Cliff Walk.
I decided to take the following few days a bit easier and stayed in the city. I met up with my friend Jessica, who so kindly took me around the city and also took me across the bridge to see Kitsilano. If only Toronto had this many beaches!
This trip was exactly what I needed, can’t wait to be back again. Of course, a trip without coffee would feel incomplete.
The Roadtrip Girl 