8 Pieces Of Advice People In Vancouver Gave An American Who Moved To The City

A person who traded sunny California to live in Vancouver is finding the move a bit tricky — and they are looking for help from locals.

They turned to the Vancouver Reddit page for some advice about moving to the city, and any life hacks that locals could give.

Luckily for the person, people had some wise words for what you need to know about moving to Vancouver.

After living in California for eight years, it's no surprise they needed some hacks for adjusting to Canadian life.

Get that rain gear

A popular theme for the advice was quality rain gear.

One user said to "get a good, breathable raincoat that’s roomy enough for layers underneath and waterproof/water resistant shoes. It allows you to get outside all year, which improves your mood."

There were also some warnings on how to handle the lack of sunshine.

Another user added that "instead of seeing it as a negative, try to look at as blessing, clean air, beautiful mountains etc, do NOT let the rain get to you or you will lose your mind."

Get touristy

"Spend your weekends like a tourist when you can - bike the seawall, hike the north shore mountains, go to events/shows/festivals if you can afford it, visit parks, explore new neighbourhoods. This will help remind you why you live here," said a user.

There's nothing like being a tourist in your new home to remind you of why you moved there.

Get an opinion on the Canucks

One user said: "Don't get too emotionally invested in the success of the Canucks."

There was a bit of debate afterwards about it.

The takeaway? Know who the Canucks are, and what side you're on.

Make the most of the summer

Summer is when B.C. thrives, and what makes it worth living there.

"Make sure you go out and hike, bike, camp, hit up the beach, jog, drink on patios, BBQ, golf etc every damn day that the sun is out from may until September before the impending six months of winter gloom and rain returns," one user suggested.

Get a bike

Vancouver is full of bikers — rain or shine. Plus, there's no snow so it's all year round (until recently).

"Get a bike. The infrastructure in Vancouver is great, it’s fun and obviously you save a lot of money over driving," a user said.

Buy ski passes early

If you want to take advance of the epic skiing near Vancouver, get that early-bird pass.

One user said that "if you plan on skiing/boarding next winter, buy your passes now for the best prices."

Make some friends

Nothing says home like making some great friends, but it can be hard when moving to a new spot.

One user said to "go to the nearest community centre and check out classes of things you're interested in and make friends there. Volunteer at your nearest community centre if you can. It's a good hub to learn about local events."

Don't drive downtown

With downtown, comes traffic.

Some people suggested it's better to just not.

"Never drive into downtown. Park somewhere close-ish and train or bike in," as user said.