Parking in downtown Vancouver
 

Might anyone have any recommendations for a safe parking spot in Downtown Vancouver?

I am planning on visiting this weekend to check out the Rimowa shop. Looks like most of the parking around the area have very poor ratings on google map - cars getting broken into. I don't know if these are up to date though. Best I could find on the map is the convention center.

Overnight or only for the shopping on Alberni? If the latter, I'd just do street parking. If overnight, some hotels have gated parking which may be a little more secure, but all underground. Further west of Granville would presumably be more secure than east of it. Nothing's totally safe but you can make your vehicle less of a target. If your car's really fancy, you might be able to have it parked in front of the lobby at Sheraton Wall Centre.

I might try street parking. Hoping it would not be busy on a Saturday morning?

Alberni St. is a two hour drive from home. Any suggestions for a lunch spot? Or would it be too risky leaving my car out at street parking? LOL

Street parking during the day is pretty safe as long as you are on a main street (Alberni, Robson, Georgia, Thurlow, Burrard, etc.). The issue may be more of finding one but it just takes patience and driving until someone pulls out. Parking rates are pretty expensive (could be as much or even more than $6/hr now) and time-limited (usually max of 2 hrs) to discourage (poorer/thriftier/less affluent) people parking all day so turnover is pretty high. As for lunch spots, I don't live in Vancouver now and hardly ever go out to eat where I live (across the water) so have no idea.

Ways to park for street parking

Both on Alberni
My favorite dim sum Home - Kirin Restaurants make a reservation
https://thierrychocolates.com/ some savory but definitely go get sweet items.

Daytime parking, I wouldn't be concerned about theft. One thing to consider, more for avoiding traffic when leaving is to park in Richmond and take the sky train in, or even the Cambie stops at 41st. Free parking in a safe neighborhood.
I hate going into downtown where my parents live because even though there are 3 lanes of traffic on Granville or Oak there are few left turn lanes so that backs up one lane and the right lane has buses and right turn traffic.

Oooh, great suggestion!!!

I was originally planning on driving out today (Saturday) but the weather is really ugly where I am at and I have some house chores I really need to get done. LOL

I am thinking of driving out early tomorrow to make it to opening of the restaurant by 11AM, and then walk to Rimowa to buy my luggage.

The Kirin in Richmond opens at 10 and is slightly better than downtown food wise. Decor is much better, looks like a proper Chinese restaurant and not a pop up in the middle of an office building atrium. It's also across street from the sky train station, but I'm not sure if there would be parking nearby for a few hours. The mall aggressively looks for people who park and then leave mall.
Gives you time to get hungry again for Thierry too 😋

Can I take some of those pastries back the the US? I know bread should be fine, but the cakes and pastries with custard and cream might be a problem?

Should be fine as long as they don't contain meat.

I've never had an issue with anything cooking including meat. Cantonese food is so much better in Vancouver/Richmond that I always bring back leftovers. My mom asked once, forget which country she was entering but think it was the US, what meats they cared about and was told raw goat.

You can bring anything you want but just always always declare it. This way you can never get into trouble.

I drove all the way to their Richmond branch and was turned away by the very rude Chinese front staff. They said that they do not accept single-person walk-ins. Fine if they are full. But a couple before and after me were allowed to be on the waitlist. :mad: In other countries, isn't that some form of bias?

Anyway, I drove out (paid my own parking :mad:) towards downtown, and was able to park right in front of Rimowa. I thought I'd give the downtown branch a chance, so off I walked in the rain. They allowed to seat me! Front staff told me they are full but because I was alone, they can serve me for 1 hour and 15 mins. I told her about my nasty experience at their main branch, and she said that next time I should just come to this downtown branch again. Although after I was seated, they did not rush me at all! Food was excellent! Reminds me of when mom and dad used to have me tag along with them to HKG on their business trips! Great suggestion, thanks! I did not have enough time to try out Thierry.

Got to Rimowa and checked out all I wanted to see but ended up not buying because 1) I did not want to go through the hassle of declaring it, and 2) the prices in YVR are just about $100 less than from Rimowa USA. Not that huge of a difference like several years ago.

But thanks for the advice - that will come in handy when I drive back next week when I am back from my trip (flying out of YVR this weekend to TYO).

Glad you liked it when eventually got seated. No idea why they denied you in Richmond, unfortunately being a single guest isn't a protected class anywhere that I'm aware of. I've had to ask friends to find a local friend when going to a restaurant that only seats parties of two when I'm traveling solo.