With the blue Pacific Ocean, Coast Mountains, and lush rainforests, Vancouver is a testament to natural beauty and urban delight. We’ve got your Vancouver Travel Guide ready for you. From shopping haunts to ample seafood dishes to a floatplane tour, gather up your favorite girlfriends for a girls’ weekend for your Vancouver Girls’ Getaway.
Located within English Bay, book your stay with Best Western Plus Sands, a bustling property with a key location; it has access to more than 200 restaurants nearby and is only mere steps to the beach. Walk to the main Vancouver attractions, including Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium, and Canada Place for bonding time with the girls. Book a suite for your girl group, complete with two queen beds, a sofa bed, a microwave, and a refrigerator, for a spacious stay at Best Western Plus Sands.
When it comes to shopping, Vancouver has several shopping neighborhoods that don’t disappoint. Take a walk and ride the ferry from your stay at Best Western Plus Sands to Granville Island, the iconic Public Market with over 50 independent food vendors.
Head to the Gastown neighborhood, a hotspot for fashion boutiques and unique gifts. Pick up Tokyo glassware from Out & About Boutique, a blunt umbrella from Rowan Sky, or take a Zero Waste Sewing Class with Chenko Studios.
The Kitsilano neighborhood, known as “Kits” to the locals, is also worth strolling, especially West 4th Street. West 4th Street is a hub of Kitsilano, from high-end fashion boutiques to outdoor adventure outfitters to homewares. Finally, Robson Street is Vancouver’s oldest commercial street and is the most popular shopping street in Vancouver. Formerly known as “Robsonstrasse”, for the incredible amount of German and European stores that opened up post-WWII, Robson boasts 150 shops across three blocks.
Photo by Nightingale.
Vancouver truly is a food lover’s paradise. While there are many signature restaurants to choose from, here’s a few of our favorites.
For brunch, you’ll want to grab the girls and head over to Jam Café, an all-day breakfast café that’s been serving up delicious breakfast eats since 2012. With nearly ten different styles of benedicts, choose from the Fried Chicken Benny to the Pork Belly Benny.
For dinner, your girl group will love dining at Nightingale, named, “Canada’s Best Farm to Table Restaurant”. With fresh, locally sourced ingredients, you will delight in their signature wood-stone Neapolitan-style pizzas. While their menu is rotating, the combination of unique ingredients, like the “squash, aged balsamic, roasted onions, and pistachios” pizza will be enough to rave home to your friends about.
For post-dinner drinks and late-night eats, head over to Greta Bar. This arcade bar has nostalgic vibes that will leave you feeling like a kid again but indulge in adult beverages like the Re-Fashioned cocktail or an Irish Mule to make a night filled with memories.
And for a really fun night on the town, don’t forget to head over to the iconic Roxy Cabaret, or “Roxy”, which has live music, DJs, and theme nights. You might even spot a celebrity or two at this world-class venue.
Photo by Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Vancouver is filled with many activities for you and your girlfriends to enjoy. From visiting the iconic Stanley Park by packing up a picnic with fresh produce from Granville Island to walking the sky-high Capilano Suspension Bridge, there’s no lack of fun in this coastal city. Local tip: If you want to avoid the crowds at Capilano Suspension Bridge, opt to try the smaller, hidden gem, Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge! Other activities include doing “The Grind” aka ‘nature’s Stairmaster’ up Grouse Mountain; or, taking a gondola up to the top to find grizzly bears at the wildlife refuge and a lumberjack show. On a rainy day, opt for indoor cultural activities like The Vancouver Aquarium and Museum of Anthropology, which are also notable sights to see.
There is a multitude of craft breweries worth visiting, including 33 Acres, Main Street Brewing, Brassneck Brewery, Electric Bicycle Brewery, and Faculty Brewing Co. They are all within 10 minutes of each other and about an hour’s walk from the Best Western Plus Sands, or a 10-minute Uber ride, so grab a pint, and say, “Cheers!”
For more group getaway guides, check out The Best Western® Ultimate Group Getaway Guide.