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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
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  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
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what is vancouver like

    Best areas and neighbourhoods to live in Vancouver BC

    Top 5 Neighbourhoods to Live in Vancouver, BC

    by Nick & Raychel January 12, 2021

    After doing both a blog post and video on moving to Vancouver, BC, we received a lot of questions regarding “where is the best place to live in Vancouver?”. Since moving to Vancouver in 2008, I have lived in a few different apartments, shopped around a lot and now we’ll be breaking down the neighbourhoods in Vancouver BC and the best places to live in Vancouver.

    Find our YouTube video on the topic here!

    Mount Pleasant

    Mount Pleasant is one of the most colourful and interesting neighbourhoods to live in Vancouver. First, a little geography lesson: Main Street is the divide between East Vancouver and West Vancouver. Right at Main and Broadway lives an energetic intersection with lots of different, super cool, hip, and local shops.

    Around and beyond this intersection has a name, and this name is Mount Pleasant. Let’s paint a picture: coffee shops, breweries, bookstores, vintage clothing stores. If you’re looking to pick up some concert tickets, you’ll likely be hopping off at the Main Street bus stop. This area has a trendy and creative energy, which draws people (predominantly young professionals and first time homeowners) from all over Vancouver and beyond to hang out. 

    Best areas to live in Vancouver - Mount Pleasant

    Another great part about the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood in Vancouver is that there is a stop for the 99 B-Line, which is a speedy bus with limited stops – and anyone from Vancouver would tell you – If there’s a 99 B-Line stop near your house, that’s a huge advantage. 

    Another perk about Mount Pleasant? All of the great parks! There is a nice little skate spot called the Mount Pleasant Skate Park, there are community gardens, and this area is also home to Vancouver’s classic Dude Chilling Park – where we also park our converted ambulance when visiting the city. 

    South Granville

    If we were to move to Vancouver all over again, we would definitely consider moving to the neighbourhood of South Granville. 

    If you’ve done some research on Vancouver, you’ve probably heard of Granville Street, because Granville Street is a main street that runs North-South all the way through the centre of Vancouver, passing through a whole whack of different areas. North Granville Street would technically be Downtown, but you’ll never hear a local calling it that – instead, just “Granville Street” or “Downtown”. So if you hear someone talking about going to the club and getting late night poutine, they’re likely talking about the North End of Granville.

    Vancouver Neighbourhoods to live in - South Granville

    However, just over the Granville Street Bridge is Granville Island and then this area called South Granville, which is home to a wide variety of cute local shops. Here, you’ll find cute cafes, street art, florists, fashion boutiques and other local gems. The further South you go, it gets a little more calm and residential. 

    But the aesthetic isn’t the only thing drawing us to this neighbourhood. If you pop down to Broadway and Granville – voila, another 99 B-Line stop! And surprisingly, this area can be oddly affordable to live in if you wait it out for the right apartment. 

    Downtown West End 

    The Downtown West End is a lovely neighbourhood in Vancouver’s Downtown right next to Stanley Park and on Vancouver’s iconic seawall. 

    best areas to live vancouver - english bay

    Like many other cities, Vancouver’s Downtown has different pockets. The pocket that we’d look at when considering neighbourhoods to move to in Vancouver is this little slice of paradise near English Bay, Vancouver’s main Downtown beach. Oddly enough, hanging out around English Bay brings us back to our time living in Australia at Bondi Beach – palm trees, beachfront shops, fresh tacos, pizza by the slice, a little bit of clubbing. English Bay is also home to Vancouver’s Celebration of Light (fireworks festival) and the annual LGBTQ+ pride parade.

    One of the best parts about the Downtown West End is that it’s surprisingly affordable when you consider the views and lifestyle you get living right downtown. It really is lush!

    Hastings-Sunrise 

    This is a neighbourhood in Vancouver worth mentioning, especially now as it grows. Plenty of newcomers and Vancouverites alike are flocking to the Hastings-Sunrise area to take advantage of the affordability and authentic energy. Here, you’ll find some of East Vancouver’s most affordable happy hours and funky restaurants. 

    neighbourhoods in vancouver bc - hastings sunrise

    Now, for another geography lesson: Hastings-Sunrise is in Vancouver’s northeast corner, right near the PNE. So moving here means you’re not going to be near Broadway or a Canada Line Station – i.e. if you’re going to UBC, we do not recommend living here. That said, if you’re studying or working downtown but you’re looking for something a little easier on the wallet, this is the place to be. Hastings-Sunrise is one short bus ride away from Vancouver’s bustling downtown core. 

    It is packed with Asian markets, funky bars, diverse cuisines and some of Vancouver’s best kept secrets. 

    The Drive

    Ahh – Commercial Drive, one of Vancouver’s most iconic neighbourhoods – and yes, it’s making our list for one of the top neighbourhoods to live in Vancouver.

    If you’ve been researching Vancouver, you’ve probably heard of it. If you’ve never heard of it – here’s the gist. The Drive has an undeniable bohemian-new-age-hippie kind of vibe, so if you’re going to go buy your crystals and incense, then this is your place to do it. In addition and more seriously, this is another beautifully diverse area with loads of restaurants, clothing stores, hookah bars, tattoo shops and everything in between. Commercial Drive or “The Drive” has also been named Vancouver’s “Little Italy” because it is the home to Vancouver’s Italian community and culture.

    where to live in vancouver - commercial drive

    On the Northside of Commercial Drive, you’ll find Grandview Park, where there’s never a dull moment, and as you cruise up the Drive toward Broadway, you’ll be amazed by all of the local businesses lining the street. Once you get to Commercial Broadway, you’ll also find a Skytrain station which is a major bonus. 

    Lots of businesses means lots of jobs, so if you’re hoping for a job in the service industry and you’re looking for a good vibe, the Drive is the place to be. 


    Hopefully this gave you a little bit of a snapshot into what areas are best to live in Vancouver. If you have any more questions about Vancouver’s top neighbourhoods, or anything else, please let us know!

    Looking to move to Vancouver? Find our Pros & Cons list here!

     

     

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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Instagram

  • Working to TRAVEL✈️🚐

If you’ve been following along with our vlogs and stories, it will come as no surprise to you when I say that our days are long right now. When we chose to start travelling, we signed up for a work-save-travel-repeat cycle and have been living in for the past 4.5 years. 

We chose this life.
But we still get tired. 

And between fixing up the van, preparing for our next adventure and working full time in that Southern Ontario heat - it’s a lot. But our minds are set on travel, on exploration, on adventure, culture, and learning. So we adapt to the seasons and understand that this point in the cycle is  just that - a season -  and we are so damn grateful to be doing it together.

📍 Traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas.
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Tags: #notluxe #worktotravel #travelcouple #vanlifecouple #traveldiaries #vanlifediaries #travelgram #livetoexplore #vanlifeculture #budgettravel #worktotravel #traveljobs #travelblogger #vanlifestyle #vanliving
  • **CLOSED** GIVEAWAY!! 🎉

We are giving away a Bluetti EB70 portable power bank. Having a power station on hand is a sweet backup for those who are already set up completely for off-grid living and/or a good start for weekend campers looking to try out van or camper van life. We are stoked to have another way to work outside, charge more appliances and get out adventuring.

The winner will win ONE Bluetti EB70 power bank & charging cables. 

Specs:
• 716Wh capacity and 800W rated wattage
• The ultra-stable LiFePO4 battery chemistry,2500+ life cycles
• 4*110V AC outlets, 2*100W PD ports, 2*5V/3A USB-A ports, 2*regulated 12V/10A DC outputs, 1*12V/10A car port,1*15W wireless charging pad.
(Note: does not come with solar panels)
-

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Like this post 
2. Must be following @nickandraychel & @bluetti_official
3. Tag a friend in the comments below (more tags = more entries)
4. Bonus entry - share this post to story for 5 extra entries! 

Open to USA & Canada residents. Giveaway closes on June 22, 2022. 
Winner will be announced on 06/25/22. 

-

Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram.

The contest period will run from 06/15 to 06/22 2022.

— 

Tags: #vanlifecouple #vanlifeing #notluxe #vanlifediaries #vanlifegiveaway #campinggiveaway #campervan #vanconversion #camperliving #tinyliving #tinyhomeonwheels #tinyhomes #vanlifenewbie #vanlifers #livinginavan #livingoffgrid #offgridliving #vanlifedreams #travelinspo
  • Slowing down 🚐 

The whole appeal of van life and many alternative living options is the freedom to take a go at your own speed.

But sometimes it feels like you just want to see it all.
And we’ve seen SO much in the past twenty months. 

Especially in the past six.

As Canadian travellers, I find that our slow season is the opposite of others. We escape the cold weather and have been abroad for many Christmases and snowfalls. During those times, we’re cliff jumping, waterfall hopping, cruising, skatepark hunting, friendship building…

Then, when lake season rolls around we’re ready to take on a more conventional work schedule, to save up to do it all again.

But we have to tell ourselves to relax, to enjoy the downtime, to take in the peaceful moments just as much as the epic ones. To soak up the sun, to drink water, to slow down.

It’s a constant learning process.

📍Traditional Hohokam, Patayan, and Yavapai land ⁣

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  • But how do you SHOWER? 😅

This photo is from the most ridiculous YouTube thumbnail we’ve had to date. We took so many funny photos this day, we couldn’t NOT share. Or maybe we could. Oh well.

But let’s answer the question while we’re at it.

🚿 We primarily go to Anytime Fitness which is a little pricier than Planet Fitness. In our opinion, however, the equipment is way nicer, there are usually less people, they’re all over Canada & the US, it’s open 24/7, and the showers are private.

🚿 When we’re not near an Anytime Fitness (this has only happened one time when we were in Quartzsite), we find a truck stop shower to go to.

🚿 And that’s about it. We bought a camping shower at the beginning of van living and only used it one miserable time.

Do you think a shower is necessary in a van build?

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  • We have been doing so much stealth city camping lately that we felt like we needed a break. When we first moved into our van, we set off to Vancouver Island, where we were constantly surrounded by nature - and even though we had no idea what we were doing, it was just easy to be outside.

As you guys know, we’ve lived all sorts of van life. From brick & mortar jobs, to off-grid living, to city dwelling, to full-time travelling. Lately, we’ve seen A LOT of cities and while we’re grateful to have covered so much ground, we knew we needed nature. 

So we nestled ourselves into Starved Rock State Park and reset.
Full video is on YouTube. Link in bio.

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  • “The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have” – Anna Quindlen

I can’t imagine committing to being the person I was 5 years ago for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine committing to one mindset or one way of life. 

It would be impossible to put into words how much we’ve changed through travel and meeting people. And as we start to hype ourselves up for our next big journey, we’re excited to dive head first with an open mind. 

Whether you’re building a van, starting a new job, buying a plane ticket, or even walking out of the house every morning - you have no fucking idea what’s in store.

Travel has a special way of changing you. 
And the best thing you can do is allow it. 

📍 Traditional Kumeyaay land
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