Things to do in Canada
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FEATURED
Usa & Canada Express
15 days (New York)
by Intrepid
Take a bite out of the Big Apple, Talk politics in Washington DC, Hear the roar of Niagara Falls from both the US and Canadian sides, Go hiking in the pristine…Not LP reviewed
- All things to do
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Kelong Singapore Cuisine
Spicy Malaysian and Singaporean approaches combine in this bright and breezy restaurant – batik fans will enjoy the interior here. If you’re starving, tuck into the hearty beef redang or sambal chicken, then sit back and eavesdrop on the conversations about who spent too much at the nearby shopping malls. Vegetarians are equally well looked after.
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Vancouver City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
by Viator
Create your own itinerary and set your own timetable with an option of a one-day or two-day ticket on the Vancouver City Hop-on Hop-off Tour. Travel on an…Not LP reviewed
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Moishe’s
Moishe’s feels a bit like a social club, although guests from all backgrounds come to consume its legendary grilled meats and seafood. Closely set tables and old-fashioned hardwood paneling set the backdrop to the feasting. Skip the appetizers and launch straight into a gargantuan rib steak served with tasty fries or a Monte Carlo potato. Reservations are essential.
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Petri Dish
If you want to pick up a quirky reminder of your time in Vancouver, drop by this eclectic arts and crafts store stuffed with exquisite but generally inexpensive creations by local artists. There’s an ever-changing selection but items can include treasures such as painted tea bags or collage greeting cards, as well as small but lovable original paintings for less than $50.
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Roy Thomson Hall
Looking like an inverted ballerina's tutu, this concert hall's controversial design has been called neo-expressionist, deconstructionist, and a whole lot of other rude words we can't repeat here. Inside it's another story, the superb acoustics more than good enough for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and touring acts like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Ravi Shankar.
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Dinghy Dock Floating Pub
The name is no lie; this popular pub and restaurant combo floats offshore from Protection Island. See Nanaimo from the outside (especially pretty at night), rub shoulders with some salty locals and knock back a few malty brews. The menu doesn't stretch far beyond standard pub fare but there's live music on weekends. To access the pub, take a 10-minute ferry ride from the harbor.
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Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay
Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay is the spot to indulge your inner knight in ye olde Vancouvere. This popular downtown school offers thrilling classes and workshops for kids and adults that show you how to wield everything from rapiers to broadswords. There’s also a small on-site museum (entry by donation) covering the history of weapons, armor and heraldry.
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Cinéma Cartier
This huge building really was a former movie theater until it was sliced up with a store on the bottom and retail space up top. The 2nd floor houses an independent video shop with a little movie theater in the back showing independent films. It’s deliciously old-world, completely pitch-black except for the screen, and set up with big comfy chairs. Subtitles in French only.
reviewed
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Britannia Mine Museum
Just before the town on Hwy 99, the Britannia Mine Museum is a popular stop. Once the British Empire’s largest copper mine, it’s been preserved with an impressive restoration. Its underground train tour into the pitch-black mine tunnels is a highlight and there are plenty of additional kid-friendly exhibits – including gold panning – plus a large artsy gift shop.
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Byzantium
Slick interior design, hip young staff and lots of laughter – get your doting sugar daddy/mommy to take you to Byzantium. Soften them up with a breakfast martini (gin, Cointreau, marmalade, lemon juice and sugar syrup), then direct them towards the signature Caesar Salad or more adventurous offerings like ostrich medallions with summer ratatouille and roasted sweet potato.
reviewed
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Ferreira Café
This warm and inviting restaurant serves some of Montréal’s best Portuguese fare. The cataplana (bouillabaisse-style seafood stew) is magnificent, tender morsels of grilled fish comes to the table cooked to perfection, while meat lovers can feast on rack of lamb or spice-rubbed Angus rib-eye steak. There’s an extensive wine list and a lively atmosphere.
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Ogilvy
Once a Victorian-era department store, Ogilvy has transformed itself into a collection of high-profile boutiques. When it was remodeled in the late 1920s the owner had a concert hall built on the 5th floor called ‘The Tudor’ that’s still open for viewing. Ogilvy’s front window displays mechanical toys that are a Montréal fixture at Christmas.
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West
While this award-winning favorite lost its famous chef in 2008 (David Hawksworth's eponymous new downtown eatery was yet to launch at the time of writing), the sleek spot has retained its commitment to superb seasonal West Coast dining with ultra-attentive service and a great wine selection. Ideal for a romantic night out, menu highlights often include Queen Charlotte halibut and Pemberton Valley striploin, while the pastry chef delivers some of the best desserts in town. Before you leave, ask to try the sliding ladder attached to the wine shelves.
reviewed
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Seaplane Flight to Victoria and Whale-Watching Cruise
4 hours (Departs Vancouver, Canada)
by Viator
Fly from Vancouver to Victoria on a 35-minute flight by seaplane and search for Orcas on a whale watching cruise on Haro Strait. Be kind to the environment with…Not LP reviewed
from USD$426.07 -
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Chiado
Classy Chiado sits among laundromats and used-car dealerships at the not-so-classy western end of Little Italy, but it's well worth suffering the surrounds. Start with the grilled tiger shrimp with piri-piri, roasted jalapeños and banana peppers, then move on to the grilled octopus with roasted sweet-pepper salsa. Service is formal and faultless; framed oils enliven the walls.
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Bata Shoe Museum
It's important in life to be well shod, a stance the Bata Shoe Museum takes seriously. Designed by architect Raymond Moriyama to resemble a stylized shoebox, the museum displays 10,000 'pedi-artifacts' from around the globe. Peruse 19th-century French chestnut-crushing clogs, Canadian Aboriginal polar boots or famous modern pairs worn by Elton John, Indira Gandhi and Pablo Picasso.
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Prado Café
Eschewing the kitsch-heavy interiors of many Commercial Dr coffee shops, the comparatively austere Prado is the kind of place where minimalists sup in peace. But it's not just about aesthetics: the baristas here are serious about their fair-trade coffee, which – don't tell the Italians down the street – may be the best on the Drive. Consider a Nutella chocolate cookie for the road.
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BC Lions
The Lions is Vancouver's team in the Canadian Football League (CFL), arguably a more exciting game than its US counterpart. The Lions team has had some decent showings in the last few years, winning the Grey Cup championship most recently in 2006. The team relies on its jump-out-of-your-seat offense. Tickets are easy to come by – unless the boys are laying into their Calgary rivals.
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Mango Bay
Situated in a converted Victorian house with pretty stained-glass windows, Mango Bay serves up authentic chicken jerky or stew, curried goat or island chicken fajitas with a terrific side order of plantain. Watch out for the incendiary hot sauces, and be sure to save room for a slice of the signature mango cheesecake or rum cake. There’s live Jamaican music from time to time.
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Secrets From Your Sister
Any woman will agree: there's something to be said for the right bra. While most department stores carry a limited range of bra sizes, Secrets from Your Sister carries size 28 through 44, and cup sizes AA to JJ. The friendly staff are trained to fit customers – and the bright colors and fun prints are a far cry from the drab neutral tones usually available in 'unusual' sizes.
reviewed
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Architectural Institute of British Columbia
Local architecture students conduct these excellent one- to two-hour wanders, focusing on the buildings, history and heritage of several key Vancouver neighborhoods. There are six tours in all and areas covered include Gastown, Strathcona, Yaletown, Chinatown and the West End.
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Gogo Lounge
The retro-kitsch decor here looks like it was copied from an Austin Powers movie: ‘60s psychedelics, flower-power motifs, glistening vinyl and teardrop chairs. Friendly, flirty staff shake martinis and dance on the bar, while regulars jump the long lineups for a guaranteed party any night of the week. Though the loud music tends to get a bit Top 40, the festive formula works.
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Dix Bbq & Brewery
The Dix is popular with game-night football fans stumbling in from nearby BC Place, while the regular imbibers are drawn here by the laid-back ambience and well-priced own-brew and regional beers. The southern-style nosh is also a cut above regular pub grease-fests, focusing on velvety brisket sandwiches and a sausage, shrimp and chicken jambalaya that will lure you from your drink.
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Botanical Garden
Memorial University's botanical garden is at Oxen Pond, at CA Pippy Park's western edge off Mt Scio Rd. There's a cultivated garden and a nature reserve. Together, these and the park's Long Pond marsh provide visitors with an excellent introduction to the province's flora, habitats (including boreal forest and bogs) and animals (look for birds at Long Pond and the occasional moose).
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Toronto Heliconian Club
Nudged between art galleries and salons on Hazelton Ave, the former Olivet Congregational Church (1875) is constructed in 'Carpenter Gothic' style – boards, battens and intricate trim with a carved rose window and wooden spire. The hall was taken over in 1923 by the Heliconian Club, an association for women in the arts that hosts exhibitions, book launches and arts functions.
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