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A yellow crane still sits in Shipbuilders' Square where the former copper shop houses the Tap and Barrel pub |
Canadians may not be coming to the U.S. this spring due to hurt feelings over President Trump's tariffs and threats to annex the country, but there's no reason Americans should stay away from Canada.
The exchange rate is favorable, and no, you won't feel as if you're not wanted. The Canadians my husband and I met on a recent trip from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. were polite and friendly as usual. Of course we weren't driving a Tesla and didn't have a Trump/Vance bumper sticker on our car. Nevertheless, I didn't feel that anti-America feelings were translating into anti-American sentiments.
Our destination was North Vancouver, home the Lower Lonsdale neighborhood and the Shipyards District, a repurposed industrial area filled with hotels, restaurants, cafes, a historical museum and art galleries.
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The SeaBus crosses Burrard Inlet from the Vancouver waterfront |
Anchored by the Lonsdale Quay Market & Food Hall, parks, public piers and community gathering spaces invite lingering on sunny days and relaxing by night next to blazing gas heaters and fire pits.
Day One; The Shipyards
Hope on the TransLink SeaBus for a 12-minute SeaBus ride across the Burrard Inlet from the Vancouver waterfront, and arrive 12 minutes later at the Lonsdale Quay.
Settle into one of three hotels. The Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier and the Seaside Hotel have views of the Vancouver skyline lighted at night. The Lonsdale Quay Hotel is inside the market. If you drive, leave the car parked. Everything is within walking distance.
Get the lay of the land by taking a Taste Vancouver Food Tour, a walk that combines a walk through the Lonsdale Qua Market bites from restaurants, breweries, ice cream and chocolate shops with historical tidbits about the area.
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The Lonsdale Quay Market |
The Wallace Shipyard, opened here in 1906, and grew into one of the biggest industrial operations in Western Canada. Productivity peaked in World War II, and as demand for ships declined, the yard was sold in 1971 and closed in the early 1990s.
A large yellow crane still sits in Shipbuilders' Square where the former copper shop houses the Tap and Barrel pub. Named for the family that ran a tug boat business here in the 1900s is Cates Deck, a plaza where visitors can relax with a beer or glass of wine.
The heart of the development is Shipyards Commons, a covered gathering spot that was once the machine shop. A community splash park open in summer converts to an outdoor ice skating rink in winter. The Shipyards Night Market takes place Friday nights from May 16 through mid-September with food vendors and live music.
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Winter ice skating |
Day Two: Bikes and brews
Rent E-bikes from Reckless Shipyards, and hit the North Shore Spirit Trail, a flat 20-mile paved greenway for cyclists and pedestrians. Head west through Waterfront Park just past the SeaBus terminal, then through residential areas with views of Grouse Mountain to the north. Follow the trail under the Lions Gate Bridge and through a wooded area along the Capilano River. Container ships heading into Vancouver come into view at Ambleside beach and village, a good stop for coffee or lunch before heading back.
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The North Shore Spirit Trail |
For a light dinner, check out out one of the Shipyards happy hours, then spend the evening exploring the Lower Lonsdale neighborhood and the North Shore Ale Trail.
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Along the North Shore Ale Trail |
Popular with locals are seven garage door-style local breweries, a distillery, a winery and a cidery. Favorites include dog-friendly North Point Brewing with an outdoor deck, and the tiny Streetcar Brewing, named for the vintage street cars that took shipyard workers up the hill after their shifts.
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Chicken sandwiches from Cream Pony |
Order a fried chicken sandwich or lemon curd donut from Cream Pony next door and settle in around the fire pit with a low-alcohol peach radler, the brewery's take on a German-style mix of beer and lemonade.
Day Three: Culture crawl
Start with a breakfast of salmon or avocado toast and at Nemesis Coffee next to the Polygon Gallery, the North Shore's premier art and public cultural facility operated by the British Columbia Photography and Media Arts Society. On now though May 25 is an exhibit dedicated to the work of Nigerian photographer Rotimi Fani-Kayode. The first-floor boutique is one of the area's best destinations for finding quality North Coast native art, jewelry, pottery, clothing and skin care products made by Canadian artisans.
Nearby is the Inuit Gallery of Vancouver with a museum-quality collection of Inuit, Northwest Coast First Nations and other Canadian art.
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Vintage street car at the Museum of North Vancouver |
A block away is the Museum of North Vancouver with a permanent collection of exhibits tracing the area's history, beginning with the economic contributions of the Squamish Nation and Tsleil-Waututh people.
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A volunteer gives visitors guided tours |
The museum's centerpiece is a restored vintage street car that ran along Lonsdale Avenue from 1912-1946. Car 153 was one of 13 street railway cars which carried passengers from the ferry wharf to Upper Lonsdale and the Capilano Canyon.
Decommissioned in 1946, it was sold for $150 and was being used as a chicken coop when transit historian and Vancouver bus operations manager Brian Kelly found it in a farmer's field.
The City of North Vancouver purchased the car, and stored it for 33 years until it was restored and given a permanent home in the museum.
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Nighttime view of the Vancouver skyline from the Shipyards District |
If you go:
If coming without a car, take the SeaBus, a passenger-only ferry that runs daily between the Vancouver waterfront and the Lonsdale Quay every 15 minutes. See https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/seabus for schedules and fares.
If driving from downtown Vancouver, take the Lions Gate Bridge (BC-99 N) to Marine Dr and Chesterfield Avenue in North Vancouver. Nearby sites include Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
Visit Vancouver's North Shore Tourism Association for more information