Vancouver and British Columbia travel planning

[eggandchipsplease]

I’m planning a trip to Canada and have always wanted to visit Vancouver and British Columbia. Has anyone been lately? I’ve read a few negative reviews about drug problems / homelessness. This wouldn’t necessarily put me off (Love many UK cities with similar problems). Anyone who has been lately- did this have a negative impact on your trip?

also any must sees if I’m in that neck of the woods

Thankyou

I absolutely loved Vancouver, the parks, Grouse Mountain, the food, it's all brilliant. My favourite bit was taking the ferry over to Vancouver Island and driving up to Tofino - it's probably one of my favourite places I've ever been.

Was this a recent trip - sounds amazing xx

Bumping

I lived there a long time ago. There is an area near Chinatown called downtown eastside that has most of the problems. In my view you can skip downtown altogether and have a better experience. Just use when passing through.

Hard agree on that ferry. I’m a cynical cow but it was truly breathtaking.

The drug problem in Vancouver is noticeable and I was shocked to see a guy injecting his thigh, foot up on a bench, as I walked to a Starbucks. It’s more sad than scary, tbh. I found most of the North American west coast to have this drug problem, however.

Places to go in City.
North shore
Granville island
Stanley Park

Travel on ferry to Vancouver island, to Whale watch. Or salt spring islands
Or kyack somewhere

Vancouver itself has nice districts like kitsalano and jericho beach. The University has a museum of cultural things.
But I wouldn't spend your whole trip there

What are your interests?

I found it hard to like Vancouver the first time - it’s very sprawled out so you have to drive everywhere but it is beautiful in parts. I loved the Museum of Anthropology near one of the big universities. Parking at the inner tip of Stanley park then walking along the inlet - sea side - and back through the park is just gorgeous. In general some absolutely beautiful parks

the drug problem had my jaw hitting the ground. We’re not talking the odd user walking about the place, we’re talking 2-3 city blocks with wide boulevards, 3 people deep shooting up, fent bend, sores on legs, a mess. And the problem moves around the city as the government moves them out of one area into another. So where they were last year might not be where they are this year

Canadian food is tragic. Quality can vary massively. There’s a nice market with food halls in Vancouver (no idea where) but the food quality was very meh. Prices sky high

i totally loved:

• camping on Vancouver island
• and even more so, taking the ferry from North Vancouver to a place called Gibsons and that general area. Absolutely gorgeous, lovely pacific coast communities to explore, beautiful (stony and sandy) beaches. My favourite. Nice food too!!

in both these places you actually have to watch out for bears 🐻

Yes, I loved Vancouver too.

I did a month long trip a few years ago with my partner, we included Vancouver Island and Whistler in our plan.
We loved Canada!

We just didn’t wander around what would be described as ‘dodgy’ areas in the dark otherwise it was a bit like the same precautions you take in any big city.

We drove to Tofino too, we saw and did so much in that month and would love to go back.

Loved it, although this was over 10 years ago. I have a friend who worked in many of the world's amazing places and his hard recommendation - afterwards - was not to miss Tofino (so I hope to be able to do it at some time).

There is so much to do that you may not cover it all. Favourites were Stanley Park and the Sun-Yat Sen garden.

There are some neighbourhoods where you will know, very quickly, to be careful - possibly even to return with a method that's not on foot (if you are walking). I remember getting up at what I thought was an unremarkable morning time, but was actually an hour earlier than I thought due to jetlag and setting my watch wrong. Walking down to go to one of the touristy areas (unexpectedly too early for many things to be open) was when the problems were very evident.

Absolutely love Vancouver and Vancouver Island, did 2 and a half weeks in 2022 and going back in August for another 2 and a half weeks.

Avoid East Hastings Street, huge amounts of open air drug use, we drove down it. Apart from that didn't see any other issues.

Wow thanks everyone- some great suggestions. We will definitely go to Tofino and take the ferry to Vancouver island. Unfortunately it does sound like a major drug problem- I knew it would be bad but 3 people deep is so sad. We will avoid the east side.
we are travelling with elderly relatives who have fantastic memories of the area and I’ve been wanting to travel to this region with them for such a long time. They really want to show us all the beautiful places they remember - but I’m sure they won’t be expecting the extensive drug use. Sounds like the natural beauty of the place still far out-ways any manmade issues in the region.
thanks again for all your replies. Can’t wait to visit.

I’m glad we went and whale watching and Stanley park were my highlights, but it didn’t actually feel very Canadian. It’s very multi cultural - which can be a positive but did mean less of a Canadian laid back feel compared to Calgary. We drove through the Rockies and that was spectacular. I loved the trip but the smell of weed was unpleasant and I’m happy to have ticked it off my list but don’t need to go back.

I never had any problems from the drug users. They are generally too out of it to bother you. I haven't heard that crime like pick pocketing is a problem.

I was once approached for money late at night, on my own. (I was young and foolish). The man could see i was upset, my card had declined. He gave me a bus token. Restored my faith in humanity.

When you go to Tofino, try and get dinner at Tacofino van 😁

The food is delicious!
Make sure you get there early though because the queues are insane

Omg, thank you @MoonChild111. I too ate from that taco van and couldn’t remember its name. Frigging delish.

When driving, if you see cars pulled over, pull over too if safe to do so, usually there’s a bear or bears (or possibly moose, which are epic) close by!