Vancouver: My Own Summer Paradise

Eric.Wood — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:38:36 GMT

I was just in Vancouver for my friend's wedding. Vancouver is possibly the most beautiful city on the planet, with gorgeous vistas of the ocean and the mountains, and energetic inhabitants fueled by espresso drinks. It's the archetype for the kind of yuppie lifestyle that you see in magazine stands at Whole Foods. And I say that with no sarcasm-which is good, because that doesn't exist there either.

I was astounded by the quality of life in Vancouver, which is interesting, since I spent most of my life living nearby. A green and clean city with serious urban cool? It seemed a contradiction of terms. Then my friend reminded me: "It's so green and clean here for a reason. This is the first sunny day we've had since last fall."

Ah, but weekends like the one I just spent there erase the memory of the seven long wet winters I spent in Vancouver as a university student and leave me longing for the most livable city in the world ... for the two good weather months of the year.

Things I recommend doing:

Walk Robson Street and people watch and shop. Be sure to get a caramel apple at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Get the Granny Smith- they’re crispier!
Eat lunch in Chinatown-it's a cleaner but no less busy version of the one in San Francisco. While you're there, see the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
If you're not up for Chinese food- how about an American favorite with a Pacific Rim twist: Japadog is a hot dog stand just off Robson Street (Burrard at Smithe) that serves a Japanese intrepretation of the humble dog. I tried the Terimayo Dog- the same that Anthony Bourdain sampled on his show "No Reservations."
Walk the downtown boardwalk facing False Creek to English Bay. It's the urban alternative to the famous Stanley Park Sea Wall.
Take the Sea Bus to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. Be sure to walk up the steep streets and check out some of the cool shops on Lonsdale Ave.
Take a floatplane tour of the Vancouver mountains and coastline from Harbour Air (yes, that's the Canadian spelling). If you can, get on a De Havilland Beaver -the storied Canadian bush plane that has been serving the Northwest since 1947. I took the Vancouver Extended Panorama for $139 CAD.
Take the Aquabus to Granville Island and walk the markets and art galleries. The Aquabus has the advantage of being faster than walking or driving and a great way to see a little bit of Vancouver from the water.

Family Travel: A Different Adventure

Eric.Wood — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:59:06 GMT

Does having children mean the best years of travel are behind you? I sure hope not. When I was in my 20s, my wife and I decided that the job climate in the United States was dismal after the collapse of the Internet industry. We took what little savings we had and decided to circumnavigate the world on the cheap. As you might imagine, it was an amazing experience. Now, I have an active 5-year-old son. He’s been to Canada, United Kingdom, Germany and Mexico, as well as Los Angeles, Maui, New York, Phoenix, Seattle and more. This year I hope to add Italy or Thailand to his list.

I think that family travel is simply a different adventure than venturing out on your own. But it can still inspire, provide great perspective and remind us why we’re alive. If that strikes any sort of chord with you, then we created this company for you.

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Vancouver: My Own Summer Paradise

Family Travel: A Different Adventure