A Summer Day in Vancouver — The Remarkable Explorers Club

It’s easy for us to show bias when singing the praises of Vancouver, BC in the summertime (our founder was born and raised there), but take our word for it, this is one highlight of the Pacific Northwest you don’t want to miss in the warmer months.

In case you have to be in and out quickly, we test drove a perfect day and made sure to take notes.

9:00 a.m.

Begin your day with a lavender latte and breakfast at Chambar. The restaurant gets beautiful light and boasts a sizable patio. We recommend ordering the cassoulet, or satiating your sweet tooth with waffles and assorted toppings, such as white chocolate pistachio rose water.

10:30 a.m.

A quick walk will take you to the historic Gastown district, where you can peruse some of the city’s best boutiques. Our favorite, Litchfield, is a great place to pick up tools for living well. Peruse gorgeous vintage books at The Paper Hound and grab another dose of caffeine at Nemesis.

12:30 p.m.

One of the loveliest forms of public transportation we’ve found in any city is Vancouver’s Aquabus. The rainbow bedecked ferry can be boarded from multiple docks throughout the downtown area. Head to Granville Island, a mecca of artisan boutiques, artist studios and curiosities around every corner.

1:00 p.m.

Popina Canteen at the end of the island is a perfect lunch stop. There you can order a whole dungeness crab, served with chervil butter and incomparable views. For dessert, order their Bees Knees ice cream with popcorn, or stroll through the Public Market next door and pick up some cherries. The Market also houses Granville Island Tea Company, where we recommend ordering a chai tea with fresh ginger.

3:00 p.m.

The seawall is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path. The 10k loop around Stanley Park absolutely must be traversed, either with a rented bike (easy to find in the area), or a coffee and a pair of sneakers.

6:00 p.m.

Early dinner at Mr Red Cafe is a delicious choice for Northern Vietnamese cuisine. Don’t miss the steamed rice cakes or the pork and crab spring rolls.

7:30 p.m.

Theater fans rejoice! Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival runs until late September, and the setting couldn’t be more stunning for sunset. In the great words of the Bard, “Pleasure and action make the hours seem short!”