Robin de Vries
Vancouver, one neighbourhood at a time
Based in Strathcona, Vancouver.
Robin moved to Vancouver after a decade guiding walking tours across Europe and now maps the city one neighbourhood at a time. They cover the seawall, Mount Pleasant's murals and the ferry hop to Granville Island rather than the usual Capilano-bridge circuit.
Latest stories
Vancouver's Granville Island in the November rain
A wet afternoon on Granville Island beats a dry one if you time it right. Work out the quiet market hours and what to drink on Railspur Alley, then stay for the free lights after dark.
Skiing Whistler From Vancouver: Opening Day, Lift Prices and the New Blackcomb Chair
When the lifts start turning above Whistler, what a day on the mountain really costs, and how to get up the Sea to Sky and back without a car.
Crossing Vancouver's Capilano Suspension Bridge in October
How the 137 m deck, the canopy platforms and the cliff walkway feel during Canyon Frights, and which hours are worth walking them.
English Bay Sunsets and Bus Tours Through a Vancouver October
What a hop-on hop-off fare buys you at English Bay in October 2026, and what the beach and the seawall give you for nothing.
Walking Vancouver's Gastown with Kids in October
A morning-first plan for Gastown with children in October 2026: the whistle works, the clock hands do not, three indoor fallbacks, and the one ride that measures heights at the gate.
Downtown Vancouver in October Without the Midday Queues
A calm, walkable order of play for downtown Vancouver in October 2026, when the lift queues thin, the seawall is at colour, and rain is a two-hour problem rather than a lost day.
Vancouver's Yaletown Seawall on a September Afternoon
A flat, unhurried afternoon through Yaletown's three waterfront parks, the rail relics behind them and the ferry dock that gets you across False Creek for the price of a coffee.
Vancouver's Wettest 10K and the Crews Who Run It
Ten kilometres from the Downtown Eastside waterfront, through Stanley Park, to a sauna in Mount Pleasant, with the clubs, the kit and the 2026 race dates that make the rain worth running in.
Umbrella Etiquette and Six Wet Months in Vancouver
Locals here own hoods, not umbrellas. Once you know the covered routes, the closed-Monday traps and the three unwritten rules, the wet season is something you can plan around rather than work around.
Vancouver's Music Weekend: Eight Rooms, Two Nights
From Kingfishr's sold-out Commodore stand to a Y2K-themed Fortune Sound Club Friday, here's exactly where Vancouver's music scene is spending August 15 and 16.
Vancouver's Ale Trail: East Van to Mount Pleasant
A self-guided crawl through Vancouver's original East Vancouver breweries and the Main Street taprooms of Brewery Creek, with honest notes on which stops actually work for a group.
North of the Water: Vancouver's North Shore, from the Grouse Grind to Deep Cove
A calm, walkable plan for Vancouver's mountain half — three peaks, two canyons, one legendary doughnut, and the SeaBus that gets you there in twelve minutes.
The City That Rides: Vancouver's Seawall and the World's Longest Uninterrupted Waterfront Path
A calm, itinerary-shaped guide to riding Vancouver's 28-kilometre car-free Seawall — where to rent, the counter-clockwise Stanley Park loop, and the honest food and beach stops that break it up.
How Vancouver Became a Sushi City
From a Michelin-starred counter to the homegrown flame-seared oshi that spread across a continent, here is how a rainy Pacific port turned into one of the world's great sushi cities — and where to sit down in 2026.
Sea-to-Sky: A Local's 48-Hour Escape from Vancouver to Whistler
Fly into Vancouver with a weekend to spare and this is the two-night Whistler run I give friends — real timings, honest door notes, and not one thing you'll wish you'd skipped.
The Best Whale Watching Tours in Vancouver
How to pick the right boat, from the right dock, for the whales off Vancouver in 2026 — comfort catamarans, open zodiacs, and the honest cheaper alternative.
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