THE VANCOUVER TROLLEY COMPANY

Cherry Jam Downtown 


When: April 4th 11:00am - 1:30pm

Where: Burrard Skytrain Station - Stop #3

Price: Free

The Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the blossoming of the Cherry Trees that were given to Vancouver as a gift by Japan in the 1930s. Pink  petals fill the sky all over the lower mainland and eventually the concrete signalling spring. The festival runs all April and features umbrella dances, guided walks, bike rides, and various art installations. The official festival kick-off takes place on April 4th at Burrard Skytrain Station right in front of Stop #3. 

Website: Cherry Jam - Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

The Times of India Film Awards



When: April 4th to 6th

Remember the 2010 Olympics when all eyes world wide were on Vancouver? Well this week, all eyes from India will be back on us- that’s one billion potential viewers!  India’s brightest stars will be descending into downtown so keep your eyes peeled for some celebs. All the events are sold-out, but a certain Bollywood buzz is sure to be felt downtown. 

Website: The Times of India Film Awards

Vancouver Rain  

When: April 2 – April 30, 2013 
Where: Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden - Stop #27
Price: Included with Admission

Dave Denson paintings that use the medium of pastel will be on display for the entire month of April in the Hall of One Hundred Rivers. The theme of the exhibition will be one beloved by Vancouverites- Rain! 

Website: Vancouver Rain

My Turquoise Years 

When: April 4th - May 4th 
Where: Granville Island Stage - Granville Island Stop #22 
Price: Based on Seating Preference

A coming-of-age story circa 1960 that promises laughs. A fourteen year old girl gets thrown into an overseas trip considered the wild- Canada. The Granville Island Stage has a beautiful reception room with a gorgeous view of downtown. Purchase tickets on the Arts Club website. 

Website: Granville Island - My Turquoise

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By: Alina Anghel

Vancouver Convention Center 

A rare opportunity to tour the usually far-too busy Vancouver Convention center. The building is LEEDS certified, boasts a massive green roof complete with bees and was used as a media hub during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Book yourself a spot because this doesn’t happen every day. 

Stop #1

Book here: www.vancouverconventioncentre.com/contact/book-a-public-tour/

SPRING BREAK

If you’re in town for Spring Break, or just want your kids to get more educated about Vancouver then the Trolley is the perfect way to get around and Hop off at all the child friendly activities. Kids will get to hear our driver commentary all about Vancouver and the natural landscape in Stanley Park. 

Special events along our route:

Vancouver Art Gallery - Stop #4

The Art Gallery has put together a range of kid friendly tours and hands-on workshops, so your child can go home with their own piece de resistance!

Daily 12-4pm - March 18-29, Kids under 12 free when accompanied by an adult 

Acitivies: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/events_and_programs/children_family.html

Kids Market on Granville Island - Stop #22

Check out all the special events on Granville Island for the kids! Always a great place to play and lots of candy, chocolate and ice cream vendors if the children have been behaving. 

Activities: www.kidsmarket.ca/events.htm

Vancouver Aquarium - Stop #13

Year round the Aquarium is a hot spot for kids! The Secret World of Sharks and Rays is still going strong at the Aquarium. Spring Break hours are from 9:30am - 6:00pm.

Website: www.vanaqua.org/

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By: Alina Anghel

Tattoos and Scrimshaw - The Art of the Sailor

When: March 14th Opening Night

Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum - Stop 21

Price: Adults entrance - $11.00 + HST

You’ve probably wondered at some point in your life if you should get a tattoo or not, but most likely never stopped to think about their history. The Maritime Museum is taking it upon themselves to uncover the mystery, and illuminate how tattoos are intimately linked to the man in uniform- the Sailor! The tattoo in Western culture originated from brave boys setting sail on the sea and inking themselves with various images.  Hop off at Stop 21 for some insight into the world of tattoos and some personal inspiration.

Website: http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/

St. Patrick’s Day Parade 

When: March 17th 11:00 am

Where: Along Howe Street  - Stop 6

Price: Free

Pipe bands and Celtic dancers will be taking over a portion of downtown on Sunday morning to celebrate St.Patty’s day with class! Come get a taste of Irish and Scottish traditions and let the kids roam wild on Granville street. Make sure to check with your driver to see if there has been any changes along our route. All week long leading up to the parade different events will be held throughout the city highlighting Irish culture. Check out the website for more information!

Website: http://www.celticfestvancouver.com

Art Deco Chic - Extravagant Glamour between the Wars

When: Until September 23rd 

Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum - Stop 20

Price: Adults entrance - $12 (includes HST)

Consider yourself a fashionista or have an addiction to vintage? Or maybe just head over heels for anything retro due to your Mad Men obsession. The Museum of Vancouver is giving you your fix- 66 extravagant dresses are on display. Labels read Chanel and Lavin.  Shoes, jewelry  hats, and handbags haven’t been forgotten- all ladies require accessories. Everything is on loan from private collections for your indulgence. 

Website: http://www.museumofvancouver.ca/exhibitions/exhibit/art-deco-chic 

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By: Alina Anghel

Vancouver International Salsa Festival

When: March 7th - March 10th

Where: Various locations across Vancouver

Price: Depending on the event

Salsa is on of those things better watched than talked about- the youtube video feautres Alien Ramirez who is part of the festival here in Vancouver. Artists from all around the world will be taking over Vancouver with their bends, throws, and twirls for the International Salsa festival. Dance lessons and workshops will be held for all levels and dance styles such as Salsa, Bachata, Cuban, and Kizomba. If you just want to observe or dance along a number of galas and evening events will also be held. Check out the festival website for details!

Website: http://salsafestival.ca

New Wild Territories

When: Until April 13th

Where: Coal Harbour - Stop 1/Stop 2 - Stop 11

Price: Free

First London, now Vancouver, next Berlin. The New Wild Territories explores the interplay between urban and wild through contemporary art- an important theme for our Green dedicated city. The Vancouver Aquarium, Simon Fraser University, Canada Place, the Vancouver Convention center are all participating and outdoor installations can be observed along Coal Harbour. On a beautiful sunny day, it takes roughly 30 minute to walk from Canada place to the Westin Bayshore where you can hop back on to the Trolley at Stop 11 and make your way around Stanley park. 

Website: www.wildnewterritories.com

Raymond Chow - Evoking Landmarks

When: The entire month of March

Where: Dr.Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens  - Stop 27

Price: Included with admission

The exhibition features Raymond Chow’s work that is focused on Vancouver and Shanghai landmarks. The artist graduated from UBC and his work has displayed in Canada, the United States and England. When Vancouver rain hits, the garden is still a beautiful place as much of it is covered by walkways and the exhibition makes for a lovely indoor activity. 

Website: http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/calendar/raymondchow/

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By: Alina Anghel 

And le top three food truck samples of the night ARE (drum roll inserted):

Le Tigre serves up a textured brussels sprouts and cauliflower salad with a sample of their chicken karaage. 

Fresh, Local, Wild takes a seafood twist to Poutine adding clam chowder on top of yam fries. Seriously delicious!

Mogu Japanese Street Eats‘ sample is a generous and tender sweet and spicy chicken karaage. 

The event also packed a punch when it came to personality, food trucks may serve up gourmet dishes but they definitely don’t take themselves too seriously. 

Mom’s Grilled Cheese takes a West Coast spin to the tradition of tipping. A too common debate these days.

Granville Island Brewing gets suggestive! Their Winter Ale was the hot cake of the night, just a fun fact one of the suggested pairings for this brew is bacon.

Le Tigre crew sports the right specs for the occasion.

Who needs dessert or a night cap when you’ve got this awesome view to finish off the event. Granville Island Unfiltered!

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By: Alina Anghel

The poutine challenge has 21 participating restaurants all across the lower mainland reinventing the Canadian classic. It runs for five more days, till the end of the month and after that you can go online and vote for your favorite! The trolley visited Red Cards Sports Bar which features a chic interior, with brick walls and leather seating.

Red Card’s featured dish is the Poutine Italiano, of course said in an accent! It consists of Angus beef and Fraser valley pork slow cooked ragout, san marzano tomatoes, with fiore di latte, and granna padano ontop of triple cooked fries.

A bit of translation is in order for those of us who are being inducted into the foodie world, fiore di latte is Mozzarella made from cow’s milk. Granna padano is one of Italy’s most popular cheeses that is similar to Parmesan but I must say much tastier. Truth be told, the cheese does make the dish! Kudos to the creator Chef Nicholas Allan.

And since it’s a Sports Bar, who could resist some brews!

Check out the Challenge website to find a list of all the other interesting poutine creations and their location map:

http://vancouverfoodster.com/poutine-challenge/

How to get there:

900 Seymour Street, Vancouver

• Hop-off at Stop 25, Library Square
• Walk down one block to Smithe Street
• Turn Right on Smithe, and walk until you reach the intersection with Seymour Street

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In preparation for this coming Sunday’s Chinese New Year festivities in Vancouver, we visited the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens in Chinatown. Taking a guided tour is must, since the garden is carefully designed with each stone, plank of wood, carving and tile having a symbolic meaning. The main theme of the garden is the balancing of the yin and yang - opposites that are dependent on one another such as male and female, and representation of heaven and earth. A guide highlights all these elements to you. There are also many stories hidden in the garden. I learnt about the confucious concept of The Three Friends of Winter- the pine, bamboo and plum trees that teach us about facing obstacles in the winter of our lives. Pine represents strength, bamboo flexibility and plum blooms while there is still snow on the ground representing hope.

The Garden is ready to go for The Year of the Snake Temple Festival this Sunday. Red laterns are hung throughout the garden, the colour symbolizes fortune and good luck. During the festival, grandma and grandpa will be roaming around handing out red envelopes which are traditionally filled with coins, and maybe if you’re lucky bills. The old chinese coin had a square in the middle of a circle, and our guide explained the circle was symbolic of heaven and the square of earth. It was also pratical, as you could put a string through the square to carry your change.

Dr. Sun Yat Sen has  plenty in store for the day from traditional chinese games, dumpling and noodle making demonstrations, live music, and story telling just to name a few. A flurry of activity will fill the garden which promises to be a hot spot on Sunday to mark the end of week-long Chinese New Year Celebrations.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Website: http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/calendar/chinese-new-year-2013/

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By: Alina Anghel

The brand new exhibition explores sex in three spaces - the classroom, the bedroom, and the street through a Vancouver lens. It runs until September 3rd so it will be open all summer long. Pictured with her creation, a golden corset, is Melanie Talkington who fabricates them at her atelier Lace Embrace and ships them all over the world.

Just enough shots to entice your curiosity but keep our blog relatively PG. Now you are feeling serious about hopping off at stop 20- The Museum of Vancouver in Vanier Park.

Happy  Valentine’s Day!

Website: http://www.museumofvancouver.ca/exhibitions/exhibit/sex-talk-city

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By: Alina Anghel

Happy Family Day! An overview of the stops along our route that feature family friendly activities or special events for the new statutory holiday.The word free is repeated three times! Use it to plan out an action filled day. 

Stop 4: The Vancouver Art Gallery

The Art Gallery has free entrance for kids when accompanied by parents, and child-friendly workshops and tours from 12 to 4. For your little picaso in the making!

Outside the Art Gallery is the Robson Square Ice Rink that has free skating if you have your own skates or  $4 for rentals. 

Stop 13: The Vancouver Aquarium 

Having just launched their new event “The Secret World of Sharks and Rays” the aquarium features four new shows throughout the day. There is also a 4-D theatre, penguins, a tropic zone with sloths, and all the other usual suspects kids love at the Aquarium. 

Stop 17: Stanley Park and The Fish House

After getting some photo-ops in at Prospect point, and learning all about Stanley Park it may be time for something to eat. The Fish House serves brunch until 3pm and on the menu is a Banana Chocolate Chip French Toast that I can bet kids will enjoy.

Stop 19: False Creek Ferries

Your trolley tickets come with FREE tickets on the False Creek Ferries which you can either catch to Vanier park or Granville Island.

Stop 20/21: Space Center and Maritime Museum

Open on family day are the HR MacMillan Space center and the Maritime Museum that are both classic educational activities and fun for the family. 

Stop 22: Granville Island

Granville Island is filled with kid friendly activities all year long, and keeps adults just as happy with all the specialty foods and views. A nice Hop-off option to grab a hot chocolate or to stop for a bite in the market. 

Stop 27: Dr.Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden

The garden is set-up and ready to go for Chinese New Years, it’s a great opportunity to really immerse your kids in another culture especially if you won’t get the chance to participate in any other activities for this holiday. National Geographic has named it the world’s top city garden, so parent’s will enjoy this peaceful oasis in the heart of downtown.

Stop 28: The Old Spaghetti Factory

The restaurant is another year round family friendly stop located in the heart of Gastown. Every single entree item comes with the legendary garlic bread, soup or salad, ice cream, and coffee/tea. The restaurant has a fun atmosphere and is very affordable.

Stop 30: The Lookout Tower 

Only a short walk away from Waterfront, Vancouver’s vantage point has just launched it’s Junior Pilot Program that teaches kids about navigation and Vancouver from a birds-eye perspective. 

Coupon Books!!

Each ticket comes with coupons to many of the attractions, and discounts at concessions or gift shops so make sure you flip through your coupon book.

The Trolley has a Family Package for 2 Adults and 2 Kids which you can purchase on our website, from a ticket agent in yellow or your driver. It’s a great way to learn about the city from our knowledgeable and fun drivers. Even if you’ve grown up here, you’ll be amazed at all the things you didn’t know. Plus, you won’t need to worry about parking!

*Please check websites for prices and hours of each attraction or ask our drivers. Tickets for all attractions can also be purchased from our staff.

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By: Alina Anghel

The Secret World of Sharks and Rays

When: Febuary 7th - April 30th

Where: Vancouver Aquarium - Stop

Price: Included in ticket price

The Vancouver Aquarium will be turning the spotlight onto Sharks and Rays until April offering four new shows and activities. With 370 living species of sharks and their pivotal role in the food chain, the event promises to reveal fasincating secrets and teach you what you can do to help save endangered species. To mark the begining of the program, a few special events will be held such as their After Hours night kid-free on Febuary 20th. Check their website or our blog in coming weeks for details.

Websitehttp://www.vanaqua.org/experience/feature/sharks-and-rays

Febuary Food Truck Fest

*Put on by Vancouver’s Farmers Market

When: Every Saturday 10am - 2pm in Febuary

Where: Nat Baily Stadium - 4601 Ontario Street

If you are looking for an activity to participate in outside of the downtown core, this this is an excellent Saturday lunch idea. The Vancouver’s Farmers Market will be hosting 18 different food trucks between 10am - 2pm every Saturday in Febuary. The event is held at Nat Bailey’s Stadium which is next door to the Queen Elizabeth Park. The park is Vancouver’s horticulture gem and boosts the highest point in Vancouver, offering beautiful views of the downtown core and the entire lower mainland.

Website: www.eatlocal.org/foodtruckfest.html

Queen Elizabeth Park: http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/queen-elizabeth-park.aspx

24 Hours of Winter

When: Febuary 9th - 10th

Where: Grouse Mountain

Price: Included in admission, activity prices vary 

To kick-off the one year countown until the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Grouse mountain will stay open for 24 hour and offer non-stop skiing and snow boarding. A torch parade will be held along with special tours such as a midnight snowshoing. Check the link for a complete list of hours and activities:

Website: http://www.grousemountain.com/events/24-hours-of-winter-2013

Comedy Festival 

When: Febuary 7th - 17th

Where: Multiple Venues

Price: vary depending on show

A plethora of comedians are descending upon Vancouver for 10 days at multiple venues, so check out the festival websites to find shows you’d be interested in for some after-dusk activities. If you’re coming from out of town than a few of the shows can be purchased with one night suite deals.

Website: http://www.comedyfest.com/

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