Vancouver, B.C. is often referred to as a budget unfriendly city. No matter where you intend to transport your luggage on this planet, fun is always relative to your life-style, hobbies and the weight of your pocket-book.
If you have a limited budget and are easy to please, the city will do just that. If excess coinage weighs your pockets down there is no limit to what you can experience in a day.
Whether the ten dollars you have crinkled up in your pocket is your daily entertainment limit or one thousand in a bill-fold, Vancouver does in fact cater to any budget.
People travel for a change of scenery and atmosphere. In this city there is no shortage of either. For those counting pennies simply step outside with some good walking shoes on your anxious feet, an umbrella in hand, perhaps a camera or an easel and you will be entertained not only for hours, but for days.
On any given corner you will be entertained by buskers so bring your instrument and accompany them for a day of public jamming. When the day is done, linger and talk ‘shop’, you’ve most likely made a friend for life.
Artists and buskers alike are the heart and soul of Vancouver and every year the city honors them by hosting the International Buskers Festival, a way to show appreciation for the artist’s contribution not only to tourism, but West Coast culture on the whole.
Street artist Ben Blakely says, “Busking is no longer just a way to earn money, it is a way of life on the West Coast. It defines us.”
Want to experience something you can’t afford? Then volunteer. If you love music you could offer your services to the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and enjoy 130 free concerts!
Are you a street photographer? A lot of the architecture in Vancouver dates back to the 1800’s and can dramatically increase your fine art portfolio. And don’t forget to be on the look-out for Vancouver’s diverse wildlife or land and city-scapes if that is your niche.
Are you an artsy-fartsy character? Bring your chalk and challenge a sidewalk artist to a cobblestone duel or simply enjoy the stories portrayed by the Art Under Foot tile mosaics.
Psychology students and Sociocultural Anthropologists alike will never lack in observational material while visiting Vancouver. If you have the ability to step outside the box regarding your experiential expectations, are a little creative, then Vancouver could actually make you some money.
You may not have arrived on the West Coast with heavy pockets but with a little sweat equity post-trip, you could definitely earn some by blogging, submitting to magazines or selling those fine art images! A day in Vancouver, B.C. is a story waiting to be written and a photograph waiting to be created.
It is more than a destination, it is a budget friendly, inspirational muse visited by over nine million tourists each year. Why aren’t you here yet?
1 Life 196 Countries 