Physical Address

304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124

A Day in Vancouver, BC | Stanley Park Run to Gastown Exploration

While visiting the Pacific Northwest, one of the top destinations on your list should be Vancouver, British Columbia. There is so much to admire about this city, from numerous scenic parks to a melting pot of world cuisine, it’s a trip I always look forward to taking.

Fortunately for me, living in Washington, Vancouver is just an hour’s ride away— if the border-crossing Gods are on my side of course. In the past, I would come up to Canada to play soccer, although I wouldn’t have too much time to explore. This time, I decided to have a day to myself to do exactly what I wanted—exercise, explore, and eat the cravings I had been having for weeks. 

Let’s check out how I spent my day in Vancouver and whether or not this city can become the next destination on your travel bucket list.

Morning Run at Stanley Park’s Lost Lagoon

There is nothing like a morning run in Vancouver. There are numerous routes in this exercise-crazed city for you to take your daily run and I decided to go with the Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park.

The Lost Lagoon is located at the entrance of Stanley Park and offers a wonderful mixture of the trail vibe within the city. The lake’s perimeter is just over 1 mile and is perfect for a 20-30 minute easy run on firm gravel. You can easily extend your run by going deeper into the enchanting Stanley Park trails or into the city since the sleepy West End neighborhood is just one block away.

I found this area perfect for an easy run, a run where I am just running and not focused on my pace or heart rate, just enjoying the wildlife in the lake and the gorgeous city backdrop. I recommend this area for anyone who wants environmental variety in their daily run, where making a left or right can drastically change the feel of your run. Make sure you put a pin on this location and let me know how you enjoyed running or walking here.

Recharging with Coffee at Dalina

A morning run is not complete without a recharge of some coffee, right? I can’t tell you how many coffee shops there are in Vancouver but it seems there are at least 2 to 3 on every block. Vancouver is a mad coffee city and I got to enjoy my cold brew at a very popular cafe called Dalina.

Dalina has two shops, and I visited the one on Main Street. What makes Dalina stand out is its brunch menu. Not only can you get your array of baked goods, but they offer a stellar brunch menu that is worth a try. I was surprised to see at least 3-4 cooks dedicated to making brunch, and they offer an open kitchen, which makes for an exciting atmosphere when you are enjoying a coffee, as I did. What also makes this place a unique cafe is that it has a small section in the back where you can buy some light groceries, from meats to vegetables. I’m sure the locals love that!

With seating inside and outside, I can easily see this being a hot spot in the summer but equally as enjoyable after a wintery morning run.

Walking in the Heart of Downtown Vancouver on Robson Street

If there was one street that has everything you need or want, it’s Robson Street for sure. This street starts from BC Place (Vancouver Whitecaps stadium) and ends at Stanley Park.

There are countless name-brand stores on this street like Adidas, Banana Republic, Muji, and New Balance, to name a few. Apart from that, many restaurants on this street offer any type of food you can think of and more. Of course, you got your cafes and coffee shops on this street but what stood out for me was its enormously elegant public library that actually looks inviting. From my experiences in the United States, some public libraries in major cities can be, in other words—sketchy, but upon entering this library, it made me envious of all the locals that have access to this every day. Clean, spacious, and well-designed, what more do you want from a public library?

So if you ever need to get a coffee, do some studying, shop until your card declines, and eat some food from a nation you’ve never heard of, Robson street has to be on your radar.

Finally, Ramen time at Danbo Ramen

Now something I was looking forward to all week—enjoying some authentic ramen at Danbo Ramen. If you are looking for a sneak preview of what ramen can be like in Japan, then I believe Danbo Ramen has you covered until you book your trip there. This ramen shop offers Fukuoka-style ramen, where the Tonkotsu broth is the star of the show. What I loved about this place is that each bowl of ramen is customizable to your preference. From noodle texture to spice level and extra meat to additional toppings, Danbo makes you feel like you are getting an authentic experience. 

After placing my order, I barely had time to soak in the atmosphere when my bowl was already in front of me. That is one way to get me to come back here again! The actual bowl itself was of course delicious. The broth was rich but light, the noodles were thin and had an enjoyable chew, the pork was perfectly sliced in a thin cut to allow for a great compliment to slurping the broth and the green onions gave the bowl a slight herbal freshness.

Every spoonful was consumed and enjoyed. This place should not be overlooked if you are in the mood for ramen and better yet if you are also in Seattle or NYC, they have their restaurants there as well. But if you want to go to the OG spots, then Vancouver is your place, with one of their shops on my new favorite street. Can you guess what it is—Robson Street!

Seawall Water Walk and Gastown Exploration

If you are in Vancouver and brought a good pair of walking shoes with you then I highly suggest you put them to use at Vancouver’s Seawall Water Walk. Amazingly, Vancouver boasts the world’s longest waterfront walk which spans 28 km, which is just about 17.4 miles for my American friends.

Maybe walking or running the 17.4 miles can be a challenge for me to do on another day but on this day I started my Seawall exploration at Harbor Green Park. From there you can take in the lovely view of North Vancouver just across the harbor and slow down your day by either people watching or continuing your walk through the bustling Ferry terminal. With coffee in hand, I noticed lots of people enjoying their walk in this area and it can be a place to soak in the atmosphere and truly appreciate a small piece of beauty Vancouver can offer. I am sure that can be said for all 17.4 miles of the uninterrupted walk path.

For me, I continued my little journey past the Ferry terminal and made my way towards the charming and very old Gastown neighborhood. For those who don’t know, the Gastown neighborhood was the original location settlers first made Vancouver their home. The eye-catching red brick buildings and streets make you feel like you stepped back in time and gives the casual walker a unique energy. It reminds me of some of the old mountain towns that you find in Colorado, where I am from, but with it being 2025 now, there are lots of modern shops, restaurants, nightclubs, and art galleries that can be found here. 

A historically beautiful area in downtown Vancouver, Gastown is another must-visit spot that needs to be experienced while in this city.

Conclusion

Personally, visiting Vancouver never disappoints. Being an active runner and an active consumer of food, I love the energy this city shows towards exercising and the countless restaurants you can choose to replenish your body with. This will definitely not be my last visit to Vancouver, with many more routes to run and restaurants to try, I encourage you to plan your travel here on Expedia and let me know what you enjoyed doing most in the comments! 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *