Winter Remedies for the Cold: 10 Things to Do in Vancouver When It’s Raining

Text and photos byPapa Seahorse

The winter in “Raincouver” lives up to its reputation: the sky is gray all day, the rain falls steadily, seemingly never-ending. Regardless of gender or skin color, many brave souls fall into melancholy, feeling down and listless for as long as half a year.

The Vancouver Tourism Board has taken the pulse of the city’s residents suffering from “winter intolerance” and prescribed a remedy to lift their spirits: ten things to do during the rainy winter season. Let Papa Seahorse walk you through them:

Remedy 1VisitBloedel Floral Conservatoryand soak in the vibe of tropical plants

▲Images courtesy of the Bloedel Floral Conservatory website

Located in Queen Elizabeth Park, the Bloedel Floral Conservatory is a circular glass-domed, UFO-shaped building. This greenhouse garden houses over 500 species of tropical plants, with constant temperature and humidity control all year round. Step into the warm conservatory in winter, shed your heavy coat, and breathe in the warm essence of southern greenery.

Remedy 2Head toGranville Islandand enjoy some delicious food

No matter the wind or rain, Granville Island Public Market is always bustling with life. If sampling snacks from various stalls isn’t enough to satisfy your cravings, Edible Canada Restaurant @ the Market or the restaurant Bistro 101—affiliated with a prestigious culinary school—are heaven for foodies.

Remedy 3Visit the city’sBacchus Restaurant & Loungefor afternoon tea

▲Images courtesy of the Wedgewood Hotel website

Bacchus Restaurant, affiliated with the downtown Wedgewood Hotel, is famed for its opulent French royal-style elegance. Come here on the weekend, sit by the crackling fireplace, and enjoy an afternoon tea. Leave the cold outside.

Remedy 4Come tryLa Casa Gelato two scoops of Italian gelato as a “cure by poison”

La Casa Gelato in Vancouver’s Eastside is a classic ice cream shop. It’s widely known for its extensive range of flavors, offering over 218 varieties. Have a taste of goji berry, marshmallow, or durian-flavored gelato... Winter is cold, but I’m going to eat something even colder—who’s afraid?

Remedy 5Head to aFairmont Pacific Rim SPAfive-star hotel to warm up

▲Sourced from the Fairmont Pacific Rim website Sourced from the Fairmont Pacific Rim website

Fairmont Pacific Rim is a high-end hotel by the sea in the city center. Head to the Willow Stream SPA center on the fifth floor of the hotel for a delicate essential oil massage, with snow-capped mountains and the beautiful bay view right before your eyes—every pore in your body will be singing with joy.

Solution 6、Pacific Spirit ParkWinter Forest Exploration

Throw on a waterproof jacket, slip into your rain boots, and step into the drenched forest. Walk through towering cedar and fir trees that rise ten stories high, tread on the soft carpet of pine needles, crouch down to examine mosses, lichens, and wild mushrooms, and feel the touch of rain on your skin.

Solution 7、AtVancouver Public LibraryImmerse Yourself in a Sea of Books

What could be cozier in winter than hiding away in a book haven? Visit the Vancouver Public Library, which resembles a Roman colosseum in the city center, pick out a few books, choose a comfy corner from among 1,200 seats, and dive into the world of literature—let the real world pour rain as much as it wants.

Solution 8、AtVancouver AquariumSleep with the Fishes

Unroll your sleeping bag at night and drift off to sleep while staring at the shimmering light beyond the glass. Can’t sleep? No need to count sheep—there are plenty of fish to count until dawn. The aquarium also offers breakfast, feeding not just the fish but you too.

Solution 9、Museum of Anthropologyfor Archaeological (MOA) Insights

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC boasts one of the largest collections of Indigenous totems on Canada’s West Coast. In addition to locking eyes with a wide variety of expressive totems, the museum’s grand, lofty architecture will absolutely take your breath away and leave you lingering in awe.

Solution 10、VisitOrpheum Theatrefor a Performance

Step into the lavishly classic theater, and your spirit will be half-charmed already; add in the operas, orchestral music, or the heavenly sounds of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO), and you’ll enjoy a double treat for the eyes and ears, reliving the refined entertainment of 19th-century aristocrats.

Just seeing it all can cure most of your winter blues. Which remedies are you planning to try to fend off the cold?

Papa Seahorse
A Gemini man with an air sign personality, he worked as a senior marketing and PR executive for multinational corporations before the age of 45. After turning 45, he moved to Canada. Alongside his teenage sons, he plays the role of a father amidst foreign springs of cherry blossoms, summers of sunshine, autumns of maple leaves, and winters of rain and snow, while also documenting his observations of Vancouver.

Blog:Vancouver Smile responds my.van.lifeFan Page:Dad Seahorse’s Vancouver Diary

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