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The City of Vancouver has long been a favorite destination for visitors who wish to see what it has to offer. It has been regarded as the Canadian equivalent of America’s Hollywood and it has been a hot spot for upcoming rockers who wish to be the next Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, or Trooper. As for rock and roll fans, taking a road trip to Vancouver is an experience that’s destined to be as fantastic as it gets. Whether you’re approaching the city from the east, north, or south, already you’re surrounded by the splendor of British Columbia’s mountainous landscape and extensive greenery. Listening to your favorite rock tunes as you do it makes it even better. This article focuses on how to maximize your road trip experience as a fan of rock and roll.
Approaching Vancouver
For most motorists who drive to Vancouver, the TransCanada Highway is the best way to do it. The city is normally approached from the east as drivers first encounter Coquitlam, then Burnaby, then Vancouver’s city limits. Burnaby is where the musical icon Michael Buble, was born and raised before he became a global superstar. This neighboring city to Vancouver is still his home today.
Should motorists venture north from the American border en route to Vancouver, one can take a similar road trip Mike Fisher and Ann Wilson took in 1972 when Fisher was to be drafted by the United States Army to fight in the Vietnam War. The couple fled from Seattle and headed straight north to Vancouver, knowing while in Canada, they’d be safe. It didn’t take long before the rest of the band joined them. In 1973, Heart officially began as a rock band before signing up with Mushroom Records. At the time, the label was known as Can-Base Studios. This is where Heart made its explosive debut with Dreamboat Annie and its hit singles “Crazy on You” and “Magic Man.”
The stretch of highway between Seattle and Vancouver takes about two hours to travel under ideal road and traffic conditions. From the United States, it’s Interstate Highway 5 with Blaine, Washington as the border city that connects to Canada and its Highway 99. As you venture northwest, you will pass Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport. This is the road that connects directly to some of Vancouver’s most popular landmarks, such as Gastown, Granville Island, and Stanley Park.
Road Trip Recommendation
Speaking from personal experience, the best road trip experiences are planned in advance to make sure you have all the bases covered. This includes making accommodation arrangements and obtaining important highway information you need to know about. Under ideal conditions, you won’t encounter any serious delays due to accidents, construction, and unstable weather.
Furthermore, if you’re an American motorist intending to cross the Canadian border, you need to be prepared. Your best bet, visit the Canada Border Services Agency website to find out everything you need to know. This also applies if you intend to fly to Vancouver and use a car rental to embark on your road trip in and around the city.
In Canada, distance and volume are measured by the metric system. When fuelling up at the pumps, Canadians make reference to liters (also termed litres) instead of gallons. While on the road, instead of measuring distances by miles it’s by kilometers. For every mile you travel by car, it is the equivalent of 1.6 kilometers. As you drive around Vancouver, especially when factoring in the connecting communities around it, keep this in mind as your rockin’ road trip takes you wherever you want to go.
Vancouver Accommodations
Because Vancouver is a popular destination for tourists, the city and its surrounding communities are loaded with various accommodation options. Even as you enjoy your road trip in Vancouver, odds are you’ll be interested in staying at least one or two nights before moving on. However, if you really want the best rockin’ experience possible in Vancouver, I recommend at least three or four nights to soak it all up.
Ideally, when choosing where to stay, determine well in advance when you plan to visit Vancouver. If there is a major concert or festival going on, you need to book your stay as early as possible. Speaking as someone who also worked in the hotel industry, there is no such thing as booking your room too early. Also, do your homework when going over hotel information. A personal favorite when I drove to Vancouver to watch the legendary live performance of Metallica on August 14, 2017, was the Victorian Hotel. It was close enough that it took less than ten minutes to drive to BC Place.
The hotel is very old and loaded with character as it was built in 1898. This one is a five-minute walk from Vancouver’s Gastown District. Some of the rooms have a private bath and some don’t. I was fortunate enough to book one with a private bathroom the day my friend secured the concert tickets. It put a dent of about $200 (Canadian) per night, but it was worth it. It was centrally located and gave easy access to wherever I wanted to go.
We were staying in downtown Vancouver where it was easy for us to drive to BC Place, as well as wherever else we wanted to go. One of the destinations we wanted to visit was a twenty-minute drive north to the infamous Tomahawk Barbeque. Fans of Bryan Adams may recognize Tomahawk as his former employer when he worked as a busboy there before he rose to global fame and fortune as a rockin’ superstar.
Vancouver’s Rock Radio History
For fans of rock and roll music, Vancouver boasts a proud legacy that has produced some of the best rock and roll hits in the history of the genre. As you enjoy your road trip in and around the city, listening to the iconic rock radio stations CFUN and CKWX would be the way to do it. These are the two music stations that had the iconic Robert “Red” Robinson on the payroll as their DJ. Robinson was the first DJ to play rock music in Vancouver and the first in Canada to do it on a regular basis.
Robinson’s career began at CJOR while he was still in high school in 1954. Three years later, he jumped to the highly prominent CKWX and its Top 40 hit format. It was he who first introduced Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley as they held their rock concerts in Vancouver. In 1961, after a brief stint in Portland, Oregon, Robinson returned to CKWX before moving to a brand new CFUN and its Top 40 radio station in 1962. While there, he MC’d for Presley a second time and it was he who introduced the Beatles when the Fab Four embarked on its North American tour in 1964.
Robinson’s legacy is also noted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after he was elected for entry in 1994. While driving around in Vancouver and fancy to do some shopping, be on the lookout for Red Robinson: The Last Deejay and Red Robinson: The Last Broadcast. These books about one of Vancouver’s most beloved rockin’ celebrities are usually easy enough to come by in the city. They can also be purchased through Amazon.
Vancouver’s Sound
In addition to CFUN and CKWX rockin’ out the hits, there are some great alternative rock stations you can listen to as you drive around Vancouver. CFMI-FM’s Rock 101 was a personal favorite as I drove in and around Vancouver. This is the radio station that caters to classic rock fans who likely take Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll” to heart. It was the station we listened to when we headed to North Vancouver on Granville Street to visit Tomahawk on 1550 Philip Avenue.
If you’re in the mood to take a drive to where Bryan Adams once worked after moving to Vancouver from Kingston, Ontario, be sure to do so on an empty stomach. Your tastebuds will thank you. When we were there, it was a busy place, which is the norm for a restaurant that has become a legend between its amazing food and incredible history. Since 1926, Tomahawk has been a local and tourist favorite, including a long list of celebrities such as Vancouver’s Terry David Mulligan. Canadian rock fans know Mulligan well as the original host of Good Rockin’ Tonite.
Tomahawk doesn’t offer anything fancy, but it does make a great pit stop as you enjoy your road trip. You can’t miss the place as the entrance features two big totem poles that are easy to spot. When we were in Vancouver, we couldn’t seem to get enough of Tomahawk. We went there twice as I purposely engineered our road trips in the city to go there.
Gastown & Granville
When we took our road trip to Vancouver we were lucky to have Metallica’s concert as part of our itinerary. However, you don’t need a big rock concert as an excuse to enjoy a road trip in and around the city. If you’re into rock and roll history, Gastown and Granville are two districts that are well worth your time. The drives along Gastown’s East Hastings Street and Granville’s Granville Street while listening to classic rock added extra flavor to a road trip that was met with a great cultural experience.
The Gastown Experience
Gastown was the starting point of Vancouver’s explosive impact as one of the “it” cities for arts and entertainment as the Roaring Twenties dictated the cultural course of Americans and Canadians. Before rock and roll officially became a genre, it all started with blues and jazz influences that would produce a wave of musicians who would forever change the music industry.
Downtown Vancouver’s East Hastings Street is one of the most popular destinations for motorists from out of town to visit. It’s loaded with history for rock music fans to capitalize on. Between the iconic Hastings Park to the east and Seymour Street to the west, the city’s blues scene within Gastown brought in top talents such as Randy Bachman, Long John Baldry, Jim Byrnes, Jerry Doucette, and Koko Taylor.
The Metallica concert we attended in 2017 was at Hasting Park’s BC Place, which sits on Renfrew Street, directly north of East Hastings Street. Long before this awesome group performed there, Jimi Hendrix was the first to hold a rock concert at the venue after it opened its doors for the first time in 1972. If fate should have it, your planned road trip to Vancouver has a rock concert scheduled to play in BC Place, and you’re able to score some tickets, the experience is well worth it.
When we drove along East Hastings Street between Hastings Park and Highway 99 with the classic rock tunes going in the car, this was an awesome experience. While the influence of Chinese and Japanese culture is clearly evident along this stretch of road, its overall diversity beautifully illustrates how awesome Vancouver is as a city.
Since this is a road trip, there are some handy drive-ins along the way. We couldn’t resist checking out At The Waldorf while we were cruising about. This sits on the corner of East Hastings Street and McLean Drive. While the place may not seem much to look at, the live music venue it has to offer had a local rock band that covered a number of rock classics that made one of our evenings in Vancouver a wonderfully memorable experience.
The Granville Experience
Aside from the Metallica concert, cruising Granville Street by car and by foot was a must. For rock music fans, this lively stretch of road between East Hastings Street and Pacific Street continues to play a major role when it comes to Vancouver’s vibrant music scene. The Aura Nightclub, just north of Davie Street, features a rotation of guest DJs and great rock music. So does Studio Lounge & Nightclub just south of Smithe Street. These are just two of the many clubs and rockin’ hangouts that grace the Granville Street landscape.
As part of your road trip in Vancouver, should you wish to park the car awhile and go for a walk, doing so along Granville Street between Nelson Street and Robson Street may be worth your time? On foot, this takes about one or two hours to complete as you go down one side of the infamous BC Entertainment Hall of Fame StarWalk and then the other. It took us just over two hours as we left our car parked at the Victorian Hotel and simply walked it over because it was that close.
The StarWalk is Vancouver’s equivalent to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You will find stars on the pavement dedicated to actors and musicians. These include notable rockers such as Bryan Adams, Randy Bachman, Colin James, Loverboy, and Nickelback.
Rockin’ In Vancouver
Vancouver’s Hastings Park is the home of BC Place and Pacific Coliseum. Both venues have brought in some of the biggest rockers in the business, with one sold-out show after another. In 1968, Jimi Hendrix held his concert here, as did Led Zeppelin as it opened for Vanilla Fudge. It continues to be a popular venue to host rock concerts as a multipurpose arena that used to be the home of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.
Aside from BC Place and Pacific Coliseum, another multipurpose venue known for its rock concerts is Rogers Arena. This popular venue sits across the TransCanada Highway from BC Place at 800 Griffiths Way. When the Canucks are away, some of the world’s most popular rockers come to play.
Five years before Metallica held its concert in BC Place, this glam metal band performed three shows between August 24 and August 27, 2012, for its concert film Through the Never. On January 31, 2019, this was the venue where KISS kicked off its End of the Road World Tour.
Rockin’ Around Vancouver
When driving in and around Vancouver, preferably with rock tunes playing in the car, the experience seems so much better whenever hearing a classic coming from one of the city’s local talents. Aside from Bryan Adams, there is also his longtime songwriting partner, Jim Vallance. Before becoming a legendary songwriter responsible for so many awesome bands and artists, Vallance started off as a drummer and wrote songs for Vancouver-based Prism. At the time, he went by the pseudonym, Rodney Higgs.
When listening to Vancouver’s radio stations, whether it be today’s hits or the classics, the city doesn’t hold back from showing off its local talent. With classic rock, odds are you’ll hear some Chilliwack, Sweeney Todd, and Trooper as the city’s homegrown favorites. Vancouver also loves to play as many songs written by either Bryan Adams or Jim Vallance as possible. These include .38 Special’s “Teacher, Teacher,” Aerosmith’s “Rag Doll,” and Glass Tiger’s “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone).”
Rockin’ Vancouver Landscapes
There is a reason why Vancouver is so popular to visit, especially as part of a big road trip. This city is surrounded by the majestic scenery of mountains and water. It is also one of the greenest cities in the world with its impressive collection of beautifully manicured parks. For some of the biggest rockers in the music business, Vancouver has established itself as a favorite.
For years, Vancouver has been a retreat for celebrities all over the world, including rockers. As for Burnaby born and raised Michael Buble, he still lives in the Metro Vancouver community. His twenty-seven thousand square foot home is situated across the street from Seaforth Elementary, the school he went to when he was a kid. However, the best you can do here is just drive by the house and maybe go pay a visit to Burnaby’s Music MadHouse Records near Lougheed Village Mall on 9526 Erickson Drive.
This is where you go to access old vinyl records and other rockin’ memorabilia. It’s not easy to find and you’ll probably think you made a wrong turn. The key is to keep your eyes open and when you approach the door, ring the buzzer. For a tiny, hard-to-find record store, the trip is worth it. Even if you don’t have a record player, imagine bringing home an old vinyl cover of an old AC/DC album and simply having it mounted and framed as a memento on your living room wall. That’s what we did when we found Back in Black.
While in Burnaby if you happen to get hungry, go retro and visit Lost in the 50’s Diner on 7741 Edmonds Street. Once you’re there, just relax and enjoy the vibe as you wait for your food. This is not a fast food restaurant, nor does it try to be, even though it does have a drive-in. What makes a road trip rock like a classic are the pit stops you make along the way.
Vancouver Road Trip Guide For Music Fans article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
