This Opinion article is part of a Narcity content series. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Vancouver, like all Canadian cities (and really all cities in general) gets its fair share of hate. Unaffordable housing, endless rainy days, and other very justifiable complaints are nothing to ignore when it comes to living in the West Coast city, but after having called it home I can say that it’s far from all bad.
That’s not exactly unsurprising, given how many people flock to Vancouver (Canadians and people globally alike), but it wasn’t until I left the city that I appreciated some little things that make it unique.
I lived in Vancouver for a year before moving to Whistler, and then eventually moving home to the East Coast. A visit to the West Coast last month has me especially nostalgic for Vancouver life and all that it offered. Distance does in fact make the heart grow fonder, and I’m now left desperately missing parts of the city that I haven’t managed to find anywhere else (especially while writing this from my small town in New Brunswick).
Maybe you’re a fellow former Vancouverite looking to reminisce or perhaps the West Coast city is in your future. Either way, take note of these things — which I would argue are what Vancouver does best.
The neighbourhoods
Usually the downtown areas of cities get most of the hype, but the other Vancouver neighbourhoods are what I miss most.
Wandering around Mount Pleasant, going in and out of thrift stores and stopping by cute coffee shops along the way was the perfect Sunday. Taking a yoga class in Kitsilano and eating tacos at the beach after what the recipe for a good summer afternoon. Then there’s Yaletown, Gastown, and the West End – each offering up their own vibes and set of activities.
A year wasn’t nearly enough time to explore all the nooks and crannies of Vancouver’s neighbourhoods, and I miss discovering them little by little.
The food scene
Gone are my days of cafe hopping and working through my long list on my notes app of ‘restaurants to try when I can get a reservation’.
I don’t exactly miss the trying to get a reservation part, or the having to pay ahead to reserve a table (something many Vancouver restaurants require) but I do miss the food. The variety, the flavours, the different aesthetics, the coffee, the sushi — it all is just just fuel for my dreams now.
When planning my most recent visit to the city the first thing I did was book a couple of reservations at my go-to spots. My perfect day in the city includes breakfast at Cafe Medina, lunch at Miku, and dinner at Nuba.
The city beaches
When you think East Coast you think beaches, and there’s truth to that for sure. Mostly though it involves a long drive to get to them, whereas in Vancouver it usually involves a walk down the street.
The scenery of the area is what really sets it apart, and the beautiful beaches right in the city are the cherry on top of that. You can go from tanning on the beach and swimming in the ocean to shopping downtown within minutes, and that’s hard to beat.
The scenery at your doorstep
I can talk about the beauty of the East Coast all day because it is super underrated, but nothing can actually beat the West Coast — so I’m not going to try and compare.
Vancouver gets another leg up though for how easily you can access the surrounding nature. While New Brunswick is full of stunning nature for me it often means jumping in the car to get to some of the best spots.
Take your pick of any North Vancouver trail though and you’ll get unreal views. Or just head to Stanley Park and take in the lush forest filled with incredible trees and the ocean breeze. There’s no city as naturally awe-inspiring as Vancouver that I’ve been to, and getting outside to explore is irresistible when you’re there.
North Vancouver hikes
The trails in North Vancouver were the escape from the city life that I often needed, coming from the likes of New Brunswick. It was the perfect reset after a day at work, and you could escape the noises of traffic and the busyness of city streets by surrounding yourself with towering trees and the soundtrack of nature.
Lynn Valley was my favourite park visit, an easy drive from where I lived and home to rushing creeks, magical scenery, a long suspension bridge, and a glistening lake.
While I don’t miss the gloomy weather I do miss the fresh smell of this park after a rainy day, and how it would transport me to another world.
Weekend adventures
Maybe it was because I was exploring as much as possible in my short time there, but weekends were packed with adventures. Getaways from Vancouver range from hikes up to glacial-fed lakes and ferry rides to picturesque islands to days skiing in Whistler.
My weekends spent escaping the city to unbelievably beautiful spots were some of my most memorable times out on the West Coast. It’s rare to find a big city that is so close to the kind of adventures you can experience out there, and there’s still a ton left on my B.C. bucket list I didn’t get to work through.
The city parks
Moving from New Brunswick I had to get used to how crammed the city felt. I didn’t have the backyard space I did before, which sent me on a mission to find the best spots to lay out in the sun for the Vancouver summer. While the city has the beaches, of course, it also has a park seemingly around every corner.
It was never a struggle to find a beautiful park to sit out in or have a picnic with friends. One of my favourite activities was grabbing a book and heading to the park by my house. It’s not like other cities don’t have parks, but it’s clear how much Vancouver values green space for the sheer amount of them. Plus you usually get a view of the mountains on your picnics there, unlike other places.
The farmers markets
Weekend getaways from the city are fun, but a Sunday at one of the farmer’s markets was the next best thing. The city has a bunch of different markets in the summer and into the fall, filled with fresh produce, local goods, and some food trucks and stands.
They take their markets seriously in the city, and I miss the variety of food I could pick up at them, and just the experience of exploring new vendors.
While it will cost you to live there and it wasn’t the right place for me to settle down forever, Vancouver and all its beauty will always hold a special place in my heart.
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