Ah, WINTER IN VANCOUVER. The mountains are covered with fresh powder, the West Coast rainforests are greener than ever, and local restaurants are serving up seasonal winter favorites. Vancouver’s year-round outdoor adventure possibilities make it a popular year-round tourism destination, but for snow sports lovers, winter is the best time to visit.

However, when it’s snowing in the mountains it’s usually raining in the city. Staying warm and dry in Vancouver during the winter takes a bit of advance planning. Here’s what you need to survive and thrive during the Vancouver winter.

Rubber boots.

Leather shoes or sneakers are not Vancouver winter footwear. From November to March, if it’s not already raining in Vancouver it’s just about to start. Rubber rain boots worn with warm wool socks are the shoes you’ll need here in winter. You don’t have to trudge around town in black coal-miner rain boots though. Local shoe shops sell rubber boots in a variety of colors and styles. Vancouver rain boot style is a scene in itself, so spend a bit of time scoping out the local rain boot fashion scene before buying your own pair.

Umbrella.

Vancouver umbrella culture often strikes visitors as bizarre. Vancouverites wait until it’s really, definitely, totally raining before they succumb to the temptation to open their umbrellas. If it’s just drizzling a little, locals try to pretend there’s no rain at all and will stride around the city umbrella-less. Ignoring the rain until umbrellas are absolutely necessary is a common Vancouver winter coping mechanism. Anyone using an umbrella in the drizzle here is from out of town.

That being said, Vancouver is a Canadian city. Like all Canadians Vancouverites value being polite. If it’s raining hard enough for umbrellas, remember to practice proper umbrella etiquette. If someone is walking towards you on the sidewalk and you’re both using umbrellas, the taller person should raise his or hers. Remember to shake the water off your umbrella before taking it inside a restaurant or shop, and never, ever take the wrong umbrella from a communal umbrella stand.

Layers

If you usually spend your winters on the east coast or mid-west of North America, you’re probably used to spending the season bundled up in a puffy down jacket. Vancouver winters are cool and damp, but hardly ever cold enough for big puffy jackets. Dress in layers for the weather here. Easily removable layers like sweaters, cardigans, or vests are good Vancouver winter choices.

Waterproof jacket

A good waterproof jacket is a must for the Vancouver winter. Fashion is pretty casual here, so a sports rain parka will be appropriate anywhere. Trench coats are less common but also a good option. If you really want to look like a Vancouverite, head to homegrown outdoor gear shop Mountain Equipment Co-op to stock up on raingear. Local residents have been buying MEC-brand raingear at this outdoor gear shop on Broadway Avenue for over twenty years.

Travel Coffee Mug and Water Bottle

Most Vancouverites try to live a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle. It’s not uncommon to see locals carrying their own travel coffee mugs or water bottles around town. Most coffee shops offer a discount to customers who bring their own mugs.

With a bit of knowledge and advanced planning, it’s easily possible to stay warm, dry, and stylish during a Vancouver winter. Just do as the locals do: get the right gear, then get out and enjoy the city.

Do you want to know what the weather is like? Here is a great site for Vancouver BC Weather. You can also check out Environment Canada‘s web site as well

If you are looking for more inforamtion about Vancouver BC come on over to our main site Things To Do Vancouver and find out where all the best attractions are, best restaurants and where to stay.

The Vancouver 2010 Olympics are over, the visiting dignitaries have gone home, and the streets of the city have returned to normal. However, “normal” for Vancouver is still extraordinary by any standards. While the remarkable athletes were clearly the stars of the show, Vancouver as the host city, also emerged as a modern fun- loving metropolis that delighted visitors with its friendly people and fascinating urban features. If you decide to visit the city that served as the backdrop of Olympic broadcasts for two weeks, here are the top five things you should see.

Robson Street

Robson is the heart of Vancouver. If you are staying downtown, you will be within walking distance to this bustling street of commerce, dining, and people-watching opportunities. Robson is a shopper’s paradise lined with a dynamic variety of shops that are open late every day of the week. Take a break from shopping by relaxing in a coffee house, or sit down and enjoy a meal at one of the numerous restaurants. Better yet, get a delicious hot dog from a street vendor and snack while you window shop.

Granville Island

Another shopping destination but of a different nature, Granville Island is a source of fresh and unique local produce. Even if you aren’t looking to cook anything during your stay, the selection of fruits and vegetables and in particular, the seafood, is something to be seen. Surrounded by restaurants and artistic venues, the main Granville Island market is in itself a community centre filled with shoppers and merchants brought together by the common goal of finding the best deal.

Richmond Night Market

More shopping! The night market is held every spring and summer season in the adjacent city of Richmond. Don’t worry, getting there shouldn’t be a problem as Richmond is where the airport is located so you will be passing through anyways. This Asian-inspired market has a multitude of bargain-filled shopping stands illuminated in the night with bright overhead halogens. Perhaps the best feature is the food. Nearly a hundred vendors offer bite sized and portable dishes to satisfy anyone’s craving for dumplings, noodles, or barbeque skewers.

Stanley Park

So by now, your luggage should be full of the clothing, souvenirs, and knick-knacks obtained from the three previous locations. It’s time to put your wallet aside and enjoy the natural beauty of Vancouver. Stanley Park is a huge green-space with a welcoming layout despite its large and sprawling size. The park is punctuated with picnic areas, playgrounds, and tourist amenities such as a petting zoo and a mini- train. The world class Vancouver aquarium is housed within the park and would make the perfect destination for a family looking to share a memorable and educational experience.

Playland

Playland is the home of one of North America’s few remaining operational wooden roller coasters. Test your nerve on this historic contraption that provides chills with each squeak of its wooden frame. Other rides available are more modern yet stand up equally to the thrill-seeking scrutiny of avid roller coaster fans. However, ask any Vancouverite and they will tell you that the main attraction of Playland is the mini-doughnuts. These bite sized sugar-covered morsels are worth the trip alone to an amusement park that already offers ample reasons to visit.

There you have it: the top 5 sites to see in Vancouver, British Columbia. The wonderful thing about Vancouver is that even if a visitor is not able to go to any of these sites, there are enough things to do and places to see in this Pacific-rim city to keep any tourist entertained. The Olympics have introduced the world to Vancouver, and the city stands ready and able to welcome anyone interested in a first-hand visit.

What is the Japa Dog? You may ask. Simply it is your typical hot dog, veggie dog or turkey dog seasoned and flavored with Japanese spices and condiments. This fusion of east meets west foods  exceeds all expectations and is truly something unique. The Japa Dog is getting attention from media, socialites, actors and even politicians the world over, the Japa Dog is nothing short of a phenomena and a bucket list must.

When my son and I visited the Japa Dog on Robson St., we treated ourselves to the Tirimayo and Love Meat. They also have their own spin on French fries, the fries we got had a seaweed spice mixed into it. In a word “delicious”, we will be visiting the Japa Dog again and we will sample other delights from their menu.

Japa Dog has 4 locations to serve you, one is a store (the one we went to) and the others are stands. Here are their locations:
530 Robson St / Store
Burrad and Smithe St
Burrard and Pender St
In front of Waterfront Station
Web site: www.japadog.com

So if you find yourself in downtown Vancouver and you are close to one of the locations, look up the Japa Dog and taste what the world is raving about. If you want more information about visiting Vancouver BC, come on over to our main site Things to do Vancouver and get all the info on the best attractions, points of interest, hotels and restaurants.

By,

Darshan Montgomery