By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer
The everlasting debate over whether Vancouver is boring has circulated the city for as long as I can remember. Is it really that boring, or have you just not figured out how to navigate the entertainment options, nightlife, and city-nature harmony? Between comedy clubs and live music that make the nightlife a little more lively, quaint coffee shops, and outdoor activities, there’s lots to do, but is it for you?
While there’s a lot more that the city could offer, there’s also lots to do — you just have to find what you like, and go for it. Whether you’re a city chick, an outdoorsy adventurer, or a combination of the two — like myself — there’s plenty of opportunities for fun. So, let’s dissect the great debate and compare and contrast between what makes Vancouver lively, and what makes it lifeless.
First, let’s discuss the pros, and why I think Vancouver isn’t boring.
The city has an abundance of opportunities and events. Let’s talk city life first. You’ve got countless patios (rain or shine) to enjoy drinks with friends like, Social YVR or Mahony’s Tavern. Enjoy festivals, including the Vancouver Mural Festival, where you can admire murals, or join Vancouver Pride, in which you can celebrate Pride culture with various events, including the parade. Seasonal highlights include the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival happening in the spring or the night markets open during the summer, like the Richmond Night Market, the largest nightmarket in North America.
Vancouver has many artsy neighbourhoods and streets that contribute to its entertainment and live music scene. Hit up a show in the Theatre district, along the Granville Street strip — the most lively of them all. Take the Expo Line to ChinaTown–Stadium, and take a stroll down North America’s third-largest Chinatown, visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, sightsee alongside False Creek, overviewing Science World, and end the day swinging by Rogers Arena or BC Place for concerts and sports. If you want a place to spend your afternoon, evening, and midnight, visit Davie Village, Vancouver’s gaybourhood, with cuisines from all over the world, and local gems like Little Sister’s Book and Art Emporium, where you’ll be able to lose yourself in their collection of queer books. Continue the day into the evening and spend the night bar hopping or checking out a drag queen show at The Junction Pub. Also consider Vancouver’s music scene, featuring jazz clubs, like Frankie’s Jazz Club, venues like the Biltmore or Fox cabarets, or intimate performances of local musicians at secret locations, hosted by Sofar Sounds. Vancouver is only third to Montréal and Toronto when it comes to live music.
“Being coined ‘no-fun city,’ Vancouver has conjured up a reputation of being bland and boring, yet somehow still lively and full of opportunity”
Is active adventure more your type? No problem. Vancouver has a lot to offer outside of nightlife. The city has a plethora of activities that the rest of the country surely turns their nose up at, regarding our mild climate and vast outdoor offerings. From sea to sky, you’ve got anything and everything in-between. Go for a short hike and kayak combo in Deep Cove, or challenge yourself with the Grouse Grind and take a photo with local celebrity bears, Grinder and Coola. Take your friends to Buntzen Lake or Kitsilano Beach and make a picnic and lake/beach games day out of it. Definitely expensive, but few things beat taking a scenic gondola ride. While the Grouse Gondola might be more accesible, the Sea-to-Sky Gondola has that pacific-northwest–magic to it, even the ride there is enchanting! Or, if you need a break from society, there are plenty campsites near the city, or in the neighbouring islands — nothing beats a weekend camping adventure in quiet island. The mountains are calling your name, and so is the ocean — when there’s no E. Coli to report, of course.
However, there are some issues here and there that do bore down the city. Predominantly, it’s the early closing times of venues, bars, clubs, and the like.
If you want to stay out late into the night, chances are, you’ll be out of luck. They’ll be kicking you out right at close and you’ll be scrambling to find someplace else to go — few places remain open past 1:00 a.m. or so.
Don’t get me started on the lack of transit options available to get to and from the city. Even if you want to stay out late and there are enough things to do, it’s near impossible transiting home at any hour past 1:00 a.m. If you’re hoping to take SkyTrain back, you better book it to the platform before the last train leaves the station for the night, which is sooner than you’d like. Either that or you have to pay an outrageous price for an Uber — a huge strike to the nightlife.
The nightlife is supposed to begin after midnight, not be wrapping up once the clock strikes 12. This isn’t a Cinderella story. Some of the latest clubs close by 3:00 a.m. or sooner. Catch a late show if you’re lucky, but will the hassle of getting a ride home at that hour be worth it? I’m like Alanis Morissette with “one hand in my pocket and the other one is hailing a taxi cab” that never shows up.
Being coined “no-fun city,” Vancouver has conjured up a reputation of being bland and boring, yet somehow still lively and full of opportunity. Having been to New York City, I’m the first to admit that Vancouver is no Big Apple when it comes to nightlife, but it has a lot of other naturesque and outdoorsy activities to offer. Lack of nightlife? I would argue yes and no. Yes, because everything shuts down a little too early, and no, because we have a vast music scene full of artists and venues that are unique to the city. Sure, there are many evening shows, but don’t expect an all-nighter in what might as well be ghost city shortly after dark. We have countless markets and events if you’re more of a daytime person, and outdoor activities that put just about any other city landscape to shame. Vancouver isn’t totally boring, but surely, it could do much better.
