Travel Catch-Up: Family & Holidays

Thanksgiving: Vancouver (Mr. E's Family)

Mr. E's family headed to Vancouver, B.C., the weekend before Thanksgiving, and he joined them that Monday. I waited until Wednesday to travel up north for the holiday. We stayed at our favorite hotel in downtown, the Westin Bayshore, which has amazing views out over the water and of Stanley Park. 

I was able to swim laps in the indoor pool and take three classes at the Just Add Water Yoga studio on the lobby level of the hotel, which was an unexpected perk since the last time we stayed at the hotel the studio was still offering only virtual classes.

We enjoyed the hotel restaurant and lounge, having drinks and dinner the first night with Mr. E's mom and the excellent breakfast buffet each morning. 

With Mr. E's mom, we embarked on two viewing adventures -- the observatory at the top of the Harbour Center Tower and a float plane tour over the city. We totally lucked out with the beautiful clear and sunny weather!

On Thanksgiving Day, we met up with Mr. E's family, including L & D who drove up from Seattle, at Joe Fortes for an early dinner, including Happy Hour priced oysters. Yum!

Mr. E and I found time for massages at Vida Spa, housed within the hotel, and for some strolls around the Bayshore neighborhood to stock up on snacks and beverages at the nearby Safeway. We always love seeing the interesting architecture of the buildings in the downtown peninsula.

For our final dinner with Mr. E's mom, sister, and brother-in-law, we returned to Showcase restaurant in the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle hotel, where Mr. E and I have had wonderful NYE dinners in the past. I was excited to see that they were featuring their holiday cocktails again, and I couldn't resist the innovative A Wonderful Christmasthyme, which is served in a clear holiday ornament and then poured into the glass.

Being in Vancouver for the Thanksgiving holiday was great timing, since it's not a holiday in Canada so all businesses and activities were open for their typical hours. At the same time, almost all retail stores have jumped on the American "Black Friday" tradition of offering major sales during this week. And given the strength of the American vs. Canadian dollar, we got some great deals with the small amount of shopping we did during our visit. If we make a return trip for the holiday, we'll definitely have to bring a larger suitcase and plan for additional purchases!