Dating in Vancouver: Westside Wander

Miranda Post of Inside Vancouver recently identified the Beaty Biodiversity Museum as a place on the Vancouver Westside for a date. Do you agree?

Many of my friends complain about the lack of a singles scene in Vancouver. In fact, when Vancouver Magazine published an article about dating here, my internet was set aflame with comments, emails, Facebook posts, tweets and news stories about the controversial article entitled, “Do Vancouver Men Suck?” The January 2012 article sent many single Vancouverites into a period of navel gazing (my-single-self-at-the-time included). Why was it so hard to meet and keep the interest of potential mates in this city?

It all boils down to actually getting out there and doing things. If your excuse for not clicking on that cute person’s OK Cupid profile is a lack of dating activities in Vancouver, then you’re mistaken.

Our city is bestowed with many date-tastic neighborhoods and activities. Vancouver’s Westside contains endless day or night courtship possibilities. Whether you like beach walks or fine dining, biology explained or sex explored, cool patios or warm barstools, the Westside offers up a range of naughty, nice or nature-inspired possibilities.

Natural

If you’re getting the boho, nature-loving vibe from your date then explore one of the Westside’s many parks or greenspaces. My suggestion? Stop at a grocery store or sushi resto on West 4th Avenue to grab a picnic lunch and make like the Pet Shop Boys and go west.

By bike you can pedal along Cornwall Drive and then Pt. Grey Road, stopping at one of the many teeny tiny parks for mini-picnics along the way. Margaret Piggott and Volunteer Park both are small but intimate places to check out the views of the northshore mountains, ships and sail boats.

If you’re in a car, a drive out to Locarno Beach or Spanish Banks is also pretty sweet. I personally always love Spanish Banks because of the dog factor. Kooky canines and their even kookier owners are always conversation starters.

If biology is more your date’s style then head up to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum after eating to check out fossil, fish, entomology and marine invertebrate exhibits. While the 20,000 piece fossil exhibit or the 800,000 specimen fish collection may tickle your left-brains to no end, its Beaty’s gigantic blue whale skeleton that’s guaranteed to wow your nature-loving date. Hopefully a visit to the Beaty inspires more nature-themed dates, perhaps even more west, to say Wreck Beach?

For the rest of the article by Miranda Post, click here.